NHTSA Complaint #10172342 — 2000 VOLVO S80

IN EARLY JUL 05, I EXPERIENCED ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM (ETS) PROBLEMS WITH MY 2000 VOLVO S80. PARTICULARLY CONCERNING TO ME FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT WAS THAT SEVERAL TIMES, INCLUDING WHEN I WAS IN HIGHWAY DRIVING SITUATIONS, THE CAR ON ITS OWN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND DECELERATED, HESITATED ON ACCELERATION OR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND DISPLAYED ENGINE STALL SYMPTOMS. THE COMPUTER INDICATED DEGRADED ENGINE PERFORMANCE (LIMP MODE). I LINED UP A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH LOVERING VOLVO OF MEREDITH. AFTER LOVERING'S FIRST ATTEMPT AT REPAIRS, THE CAR WAS STILL NOT OPERATING NORMALLY AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME. I PAID A TOTAL OF $2,074.42 FOR REPAIRS, $1,741.44 THE FIRST TIME AND $332.98 DURING THE SECOND VISIT. IN ACCORDANCE WITH A JUNE 2006 VOLVO LETTER, I TOOK MY S80 BACK TO LOVERING FOR INSPECTION AND ETS SOFTWARE UPGRADE. I SUBMITTED TO VOLVO A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR ETS REPAIRS. THE ADVERTISING CHECKING BUREAU (ACB), WHICH ADMINISTERS THE ETS WARRANTY REBATE PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF VOLVO, SENT ME A CHECK FOR $747.93 FOR THE ETS REPAIRS. ACB SAID IT WAS AUTHORIZED TO REIMBURSE ME ONLY THE $587.93 COST OF ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY, ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE RELOAD, AND GASKET, AND ASSOCIATED $160.00 LABOR COST. ACB ADVISED ME TO CONTACT THE VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE CENTER. A VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE CONFIRMED THAT ACB HAD DONE AS INSTRUCTED AND SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE UP THE MATTER OF THE REMAINING REPAIR COSTS WITH LOVERING. THE LOVERING INVOICES, DATED JULY 26, 2005 AND AUGUST 8, 2005, INDICATE THAT A $295.65 PORTION OF THE INITIAL $1,741.44 REPAIR BILL HAD TO DO WITH TOTALLY UNRELATED STEERING/SUSPENSION AND ENGINE MOUNT REPAIRS. STILL QUESTIONABLE IN MY MIND ARE THE OXYGEN SENSOR REPAIRS WHICH ADDED UP TO $897.86 AND THE SUBSEQUENT MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR REPAIRS WHICH CAME TO $332.98. I SUSPECT THE PROBLEMS ARE ALL ETS-RELATED AND I AM CURRENTLY PURSUING THE MATTER WITH THE DEALERSHIP. *NM