NHTSA Complaint #10135855 — 2000 VOLVO S70

WHILE DRIVING MY VOLVO S70 2000 WESTBOUND ON I-90 JUST PAST THE GARY , IN EXIT 10, DURING THE MORNING RUSH HOUR, THE CAR LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 30 MPH. BETWEEN EXIT 10 AND THE NEXT EXIT 5 THE ROAD IS ELEVATED THERE IS NO USABLE SHOULDER. AS A RESULT FOR 5 MILES I DROVE AT 30 MPH WHILE CARS AND TRUCKS APPROACHED ME FROM BEHIND AT 55-75 MPH. NUMEROUS CARS AND TRUCKS HAD TO SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES TO AVOID REAR ENDING ME AND ONE TRUCK STARTED TO JACKKNIFE. I FINALLY MADE IT TO THE EXIT 5 AND CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE AT THE COST OF OVER $1,000.00. I WAS INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT INJURED OR KILLED AND THAT I DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAPPENED TO BE DRIVING THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO A SERVICE APPOINTMENT THAT MORNING BECAUSE THE ETS DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT HAD LIT UP. WHEN I DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER THE WEEK BEFORE I WAS NOT INFORMED THAT I COULD LOSE POWER LIKE THAT . INDEED WHEN ARRIVED BY TOW TRUCK AT THE DEALER THE SERVICE PERSON TOLD ME THAT THE ETM PROBLEM DID NOT MAKE THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE BUT THAT "YOU JUST HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO DRIVE IT THAT WAY." . THE DEALER IS ABOUT 60 MILES FROM MY HOME. ALL THE VOLVO SAFETY FEATURES WOULDN'T HAVE DONE ME A LICK OF GOOD IF A SEMI HAD PLOWED INTO ME AT 55 MPH OR MORE. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER PROBLEM UTTERLY COMPROMISES THE VOLVO SAFETY FEATURES. SO INSTEAD OF TAKING THE VOLVO ON A CROSS-COUNTRY TRIP THIS SUMMER WE RENTED A VAN. I URGE THAT THIS PART BE RECALL AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IN THE MEANTIME, MAKE VOLVO CONTACT CAR OWNERS AND TELL THEM THAT IF THE ETS LIGHT COMES ON THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *NM