NHTSA Complaint #10074895 — 2000 VOLVO S70

I HAVE A 200 VOLVO S70. A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, MY SON WAS DRIVING IT AND, SUDDENLY, THE ETS INDICATORLIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR STARTED SHAKING, AND LOST POWER (MY SON SAID IT COULDN'T GO FASTER THAN ABOUT 10 MPH). MY OWNER'S MANUAL INFORMS ME THAT THIS LIGHT INDICATES A FAULT IN THE ETC (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM). IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IT IS FAIRLY WIDESPREAD. THIS IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS. IN FACT, ONE PERSON GAVE A HARROWING ACCOUNT (ON THE INTERNET) OF ALMOST BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM CAUSED HIS CAR'S SPEED TO DIMINISH TO A CRAWL EVEN AS HE FLOORED THE ACCELERATOR IN A SITUATION WHERE OTHER DRIVERS RIGHTLY EXPECTED HIM TO BE MOVING MUCH MORE QUICKLY. APPARENTLY, THE USUAL REPAIR FOR THIS PROBLEM IS REPLACEMENT OF THE ECM(ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE), A JOB WHICH COSTS ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS. CONSIDERING THE SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE OF THIS JOB, MANY VOLVO DRIVERS MIGHT BE UNDERSTANDABLY RELUCTANT TO PART WITH THAT MUCH MONEY; THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AT VOLVO DEALERSHIPS AND WILL SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF MY LOCAL VOLVO DEALER TOMORROW. I SHOULD ADD THAT, AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT WITH THE IGNITION OFF FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR, IT STARTED RIGHT UP AND HAS BEEN PERFORMING ABSOLUTELY NORMALLY SO FAR. SOME SAY THE PROBLEM WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN AGAIN, AND ONE VOLVO TECHNICIAN SAID THAT MAYBE IT WAS JUST A "HICCUP" THAT WON'T EVER RETURN. I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A THOUSAND DOLLARS IF THE LATTER POSSIBILITY IS CORRECT; ON THE OTHER HAND, I DON'T FEEL SECURE ABOUT TAKING MY DAILY COMMUTE OVER A HIGH-TRAFFIC BRIDGE OR CONTEMPLATING A LONG VACATION TRIP IN THIS CAR. I BOUGHT A VOLVO BECAUSE OF ITS REPUTATION FOR SAFETY. IRONICALLY, NOW I FEEL ANYTHING BUT SAFE.*AK