NHTSA Complaint #10146854 — 2000 VOLVO S70

VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD WITHOUT ACCELERATOR INPUT ROADS WET, BUT NOT FROZEN (LUCKILY). ON MAKING TURN IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, VOLVO S70 SURGED WITHOUT ACCELERATOR INPUT REQUIRING DRIVER TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION AND BRAKE HARD. IN 2005, THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE STALL, VEHICLE HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION. VEHICLE HESITATION WAS CONSISTENT AT APPROXIMATELY 2100 RPM AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. ON TAKING IT TO THE DEALER THEY REPROGRAMMED THE ETM. AFTER THIS REPAIR, WITHIN DAYS, THE VEEHICLE EXPERIENCED AND SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED TRANSITION INTO REDUCED PERFORMANCE OPERATION (LIMP MODE) WHILE DRIVING ON THE PA TURNPIKE. DEALER INSTRUCTED US TO BRING CAR IN WHERE THEY INSTALLED A NEW ETM AND REPROGRAMMED IT WITH THE NEW SOFTWARE UPGRADE. AFTER FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE DEALER, THE COST OF THESE REPAIRS WERE REIMBURSED BY THE DEALER IN AN AGREEMENT WITH VOLVO (SO-CALLED SECRET WARRANTY). NOTE THAT THIS OCCURED PRIOR TO THE SETTLEMENT IN CALIFORNIA. VOLVO WOULD REFER ME ONLY TO THE DEALER, AND WOULD NOT DISCUSS THE POSSIBLE PROBLEMN WITH ME. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY HAD THE ETM CLEANED WHEN WE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN THE PAST. THE CURRENT SURGING AND HESITATION AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (2000-2200 RPM) AND THE SURGING WITH ACCELERATOR INPUTS ARE HAPPENING WITH THE NEW ETM THAT IS ONLY ABOUT FOUR MONTHS OLD IN THE VEHICLE. *NM