NHTSA Complaint #10164857 — 2001 VOLVO V70

ON 6/2/06 I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ( AT ABOUT 60 MPH), AND SUDDENLY MY CAR SLOWED DOWN AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE, FORTUNATELY I WAS IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE AND ABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY AND SLOWLY MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, A WARNING LIGHT WAS ON STATING" ENGINE PERFORMANCE REDUCED". I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES. I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND THE WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ON, HOWEVER, I WAS VERY CONCERNED AND CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR IN. THE CAR WAS A LITTLE HESITANT AT FIRST BUT I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY ON SIDE STREETS, TO THE DEALER. HE KEPT THE CAR OVERNIGHT AND DIAGNOSED A PROBLEM WITH THE ETM, HE CLEANED THE ETM AND DOWNLOADED NEW SOFTWARE. IT WAS $20 FOR THE PARTS AND $307.00 FOR THE LABOR! I HAVE NOT HAD A RECURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE ETM. HOWEVER, I HAVE BECOME AWARE OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ETM AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MY DEALER, WHO HAD NEVER MENTIONED IT TO ME, AND HAD NEVER OFFERED TO CHECK OR CLEAN THE ETM BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. HE WAS AWARE OF THE ETM FAILURES. I ASKED ABOUT THE EXTENDED THE WARRANTY VOLVO HAS PUT IN PLACE ON THE ETM BUT THE DEALER SAYS THAT IS ONLY FOR SERVICE AFTER THE CLEANING IS TRIED ONCE. THIS MEANS I WILL HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER DANGEROUS FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM BEFORE THEY WILL REPLACE AND PAY FOR THE SERVICE! I FEEL THAT VOLVO SHOULD HAVE WARNED THE CAR OWNERS ABOUT THIS POSSIBLE PROBLEM AND SHOULD GIVE THE WARRANTY TO ALL THEIR CARS. *JB