NHTSA Complaint #10093868 — 2000 VOLVO S80

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC (WITH PLENTY OF ROOM TO MAKE THE TURN). AS SHE DECELERATED TO MAKE THE TURN, THE CAR DIED. AS THIS HAPPENED, OF COURSE ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WERE LOST. SHE NARROWLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT, AS SHE WAS STUCK OUT IN THE INTERSECTION. I HAVE SPENT SOME TIME RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM AND ITS CAUSES AND I HAVE FOUND AMPLE SUPPORTING INFORMATION THAT MANY OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM OF THE CAR DYING ON DECELERATION. THE PROBLEM IS APPARENTLY DUE TO AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM). THIS IS A UNIQUE SYSTEM INSTALLED BY VOLVO THAT DOES AWAY WITH THE TRADITIONAL THROTTLE CABLE. APPARENTLY THESE DEVICES ARE FAILING REGULARLY, AND MUST BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $1000 COST TO THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. I THINK THAT IF A NORMAL THROTTLE-CABLE VEHICLE HAD A GREAT TENDENCY TO BREAK THROTTLE CABLES, EVEN ON CARS WITH LOW MILES, THIS WOULD LEAD TO SOME SORT OF RECALL BECAUSE THIS LEADS TO AN UNSAFE SITUATION. THIS WAS SUCH A NEAR MISS FOR MY WIFE THAT SHE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED. CHECK WWW.BRICKBOARD.COM SITE. THIS IS A SITE FOR VOLVO OWNERS. A SEARCH FOR S80 AND ETM WILL GENERATE MANY HITS FROM OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME UNSAFE CONDITION LEADING TO A NEED TO REPLACE THIS FAULTY DEVICE. *NM