NHTSA Complaint #10134593 — 2001 VOLVO V70

ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24,2005 I WAS DRIVING ON THE INDIANA TOLL ROAD TOWARD CHICAGO WHEN MY 2001 VOLVO V70 WHICH HAS LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON IT, STOPPED RESPONDING TO MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. A MESSAGE LIGHT THAT SAID "PERFORMANCE REDUCED" CAME ON AND I COASTED WITHOUT ANY CONTROL OVER THE SPEED OR POWER OF THE CAR. I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE CLOSE TO A TOLL BOOTH AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SAFETY LANE PAST THE BOOTH. I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE IN A SAFE PLACE ESPECIALLY AS I HAD MY 7 YEAR OLD SON AND DOG IN THE BACK OF THE CAR. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND SAT FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO (EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS ONLY 39500 MILES ON IT, WHICH IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY). I STARTED THE CAR 10 MINUTES AFTER THIS EVENT, IT STARTED UP FINE, AND THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS OR MESSAGES. I DECIDED WE WOULD BE SAFER GETTING OFF THE TOLL ROAD EVEN THOUGH I WAS TAKING A RISK THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. I DROVE THE REMAINING 15 MILES HOME WITHOUT A PROBLEM (NO MESSAGES OR WARNINGS). I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHO IS AN AUTHORIZED VOLVO DEALER, HE CALLED ME ONE HOUR LATER AND TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS THE THROTTLE MODULE AND HE WOULD WORK TO FIX IT. BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD HAPPEN TO A 4 YEAR OLD CAR WITH VERY LITTLE MILEAGE, I DECIDED TO CHECK THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY NEWS REGARDING VOLVO. I GOGGLED VOLVO THROTTLE AND FOUND TWO REFERENCES TO A NEWLY OPENED INVESTIGATION THAT DESCRIBED A SCENARIO VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE EXPERIENCED. I DECIDED TO CHECK THIS WEB SITE TO LEARN MORE. AS OF TODAY, AUGUST 29, 2005, MY CAR IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC IS WORKING WITH VOLVO. THE MECHANIC HAS BEEN TOLD SINCE AUG. 25, THAT THE VOLVO COMPUTER, WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR THE THROTTLE REPLACEMENT DOWNLOAD, HAS BEEN DOWN FOR 4 BUSINESS DAYS. IN ADDITION TO BEING PUT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON THE TOLL ROAD WITH MY YOUNG SON, MY CAR WILL COST CLOSE TO $1000 TO FIX, AND I HAVE NOT HAD USE OF MY CAR FOR 5 DAYS!