ETS Light - ETM failure -> Volvo US admits to problem.

[Muscas]

Its weird how some cars have been effected "twice" and others are simply waiting to break down!

My car is on 84K and I have yet to experience a problem. Tomorrow I am having the 90K service performed, the big one including cam belt etc, probably as bad as an ETM failure!

Patrick

I can't vouch 100% whether the ETM that initially failed for me was original, but it went at 63K miles, and intermittently, which was murder trying to get the dealer who sold me the car to admit to the problem and actually fix it. The C70 had had 2 owners before me.

The second one failed 7000 miles later, in 9 months, I can only assume it was a reconditioned item and hence c**p. This was covered under the units 12 month warrenty, and this one didn't fail intermittently, from the ETS light going on to being effectively imobile in limp-mode was 12 hours. I think there must have been a software update as well hence the instantaneous limp-home mode.

I'm waiting to pick my C70 up now, my local dealer is arguing with Volvo UK and the original dealer in Warwickshire about who is actually going to pay for the replacement ETM! I can only hope in future for one of 2 things a) if it fails again its within 12 months, b) in the next 12 months Volvo UK owns up to the problem. I will continue to pursue this to try and get some resolution, since I don't actually want to get rid of the car since when its working its brilliant.

The original throttle cable in my 940 is now 140K miles and pretty reliable.... why did they have to change it?

Ollie

C70 T(rouble)5
940 LPT

[oilburner]

That's crazy! I'd be getting through 3 of them a year with a 7K failure interval! Are they re-conditioning them because they haven't got any new ones to put in? It's likely these parts aren't manufactured any more since they were superseded back in 2002! And since so many have failed and can't use the superseded part...

I do increasingly feel I'm on borrowed time now with 85K now a distant memory already!

At least they do cover the replacements under a 12mths warranty. Although it is a worry if it manages to limp on for 12mths and 1 day!

Would the replacement ETMs be covered under a new 12mth warranty every time they're replaced or under the original replacement part?
i.e. my ETM fails in January (fingers crossed it doesn't!) and then fails again in August, clearly that would be covered, but does a fresh 12mth cover start until the following August or is the 2nd replacement only covered until January?

Hi guys and gals, I'm back.

Things have been busy on this side of the pond. As you know the California Air Resources Board got Volvo to agree to a 10 year, 200,000 mile extended warranty. But Volvo Car Corporation says that is between owners in the USA and Canada and Volvo Cars, North America.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has excalated their investigation to an Engineering Analysis. They want to see if they can find cars that totally stall, that is not the limp home mode. They can force a recall and hopefully a redesign if they can prove it is a safety problem.

I am gathering information on failures, especially on the replacement parts, Volvo part number 8644347. I had heard of failures as early as 12,000 miles but not as soon as 7,000 miles.

I will try to find out if Magneti Marelli is still making parts or if they are being rebuilt as some have speculated.

Paula Thomas of the BBC was not sure that the problem was of significant nature to warrant a story. I furnished Paula Thomas all of the names I had at that time. I now have 13 Vexed Warriors. If you would like I will keep the e-mail list and update you all as information is accumulated. After the first of the year I will contact Paula again and give you contact infomation to get a story on television.

Send your name, e-mail, city, country and inportant information about your car and how the dealer handled the replacement. I am putting together an e-mail to the UK, the EU, Asia, Australia and NZ. To get any weight behind your campaign you may need to organize in some manner. I will help all I can with the latest information. If you have someone in the UK that will act as a coordinator I will share the list and any information I have with them.

Send to VEXEDvolvo@comcast.net.

Don Willson for VEXED
htp://vexedvolvo.org (which I try to keep updated)

Hi Guys

Very interesting, my ETM went at 125K after having the lamdha probes replaced twice to no avail.
Funny really I told the garage it was the ETM and they didn't believe me as no fault code was lodged, then after a horrendous journey with the car kangarooing up and down the motorway I went on the internet and found all of Don Wilson's very useful info.
I went back to my local dealer with everything printed off (including the US legal document) and told them what I thought of Volvo and how my wife drives this dangerous car (pregnant wife actually) and how I'd open a can of worms if they didn't fix it for free (bear in mind I have a 99 V70R with 125k on the clock) - 3 hours later they phoned me back to say Volvo UK agreed to replace the part and labour under warranty, not one little smacker to pay!!!
They also told me the part was different to the US one, what a load of rubbish it has the brightest yellow sticker on it with Magneto Marelli splashed all over it.
My advice don't take no for an answer Volvo UK will replace for free!!!

and Don, thanks for your hard work you saved me some serious money and earache from the missus who wanted to scrap the car (how could she!!)

[scoffbelly]

I have paid my £645.02 bill on 3 Nov 2005 and watching progress here. I am considering writing to volvo UK also as I am looking to purchase one of the new C70 models.

What is also worrying is a female colleague of mine last month had a new V50 2.4 petrol with about 2.5k on the clock as a hire car for a few days and had a frightening experience where the ETM went crazy and caused the car to accelerate to over 100mph all on its own on the motorway - a very scary experience taht could have had unthinkable consequences. She had to kill the engine and coast to the hard shoulder, I suggested she take some kind of action, but she didnt want to as she just wanted to forget about it. After the RAC recovered the V50 The car hire company said they would take it back to volvo and gave her a replacement S60.

These ETM's are a problem and I have 2nd thoughts about buying the new C70 if it has the same technology - a shame because I love my current C70 - ETM aside.

[lemaz73]

Hi all, new to this forum!

My car is going at the dealer's tomorrow. Suspected ETM failure... The car has been coughing up in the morning for 10-15 seconds - all fine afterwards. Volvo specialist checked it and said it was probably the ETM but told me to go to the dealer as they are the only one who can download update. Will keep you updated. FYI, model is: s60 t5, 2001, 72000 miles.

Cheers...

Add me to the ETM failure list. My 2000 V70 T5 with 78,000 died while on my my to the hospital to dicuss delivery of my twins. My husband and I contacted Volvo Customer Care and was told they are very aware of the failure but have no intention of fixing it or issuing any sort of recall or extended warranty as is done in the US.

The lovely person I spoke with, Sabrina, also suggested that if I wasn't happy with their treatment that I should return to America (I am American and married to a Brit) and act like the other obnoxious Americans that are whinging.

Not happy at all! Just spent £150 on December 27th for a thermostat and that wasn't even the problem. So much for buying a reliable car.

[chriscxd]

Car details: Volvo S60 2.0 litre TS, purchased new in the UK in 2001, full Volvo service history.

I noticed erratic idling on my Volvo S60 at approx 60,000 miles. At 66,000 mile service the ETM module was replaced (January 05) and I was horrified at the cost:

Labour cost to diagnose & replace = £160
Throttle Housing (part no V08644347) = £378
ETM Reload (Vo8645425) = £21

Total = £ 559

No problems since - now on 89k miles.

Complained to Volvo UK in December having seen Don's site and got the same response as ollieoxford. Can't see how Volvo can get out of this one ....

here is what is happening me if anyone can help:

My car is a late 2000 V70 2.4 (140 hp) non turbo petrol, faults all started at about 90k miles on the clock and am now at 102k.

when started from cold, the car runs rough and will not rev above 1000 rpm, even if trotlle pushed down all the way. When turned off and immediately back on all is fine and no problems until the next cold start. Ive noticed that when cold if I only turn on the ignition (to II on the switch) then off and then start the car everything is fine. The problem is getting worse the colder the weather gets i.e. in summer no problem then intermittent towards autumn and now every cold start is a problem so the whole thing seems ambient temperature related.
Independent workshop running Volvo’s diagnostics indicates internal fault with throttle body but no more clues. Im not convinced given that the car runs perfectly otherwise. The cruise control quit in Spring in case that means anything.

Volvo UK didnt want to know and had no real interest in helping either. Talk about customer support at it's worst. Ive a good mind to get onto Volvo Sweden directly.

We need to create a stir in the motoring press based on fact that Volvo US recognising the problem but UK being treated unfairly. I write for magazines in N Ireland and am only too glad to help as these people need taught that it is totally unreasonable for the way they are behaving. Guess who will never be buying any sort of Volvo again. Above is just some of a string of issues Ive had.