View Poll Results: Electronic Throttle Module failures-Select more than one

Voters
166. You may not vote on this poll
  • Never had it fail

    43 25.90%
  • Died and repaired, My expense

    60 36.14%
  • Died and repaired, Volvo's expense

    32 19.28%
  • Multiple ETM failures

    17 10.24%
  • Worried about My Volvo dying in the desert

    37 22.29%
  • I have more than 80K miles without a failure

    31 18.67%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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Results 11 to 20 of 67
  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Portland, Oregon
    Posts
    87

    Default Previous owner paid the price

    Bought my '99 at 73k miles, and had an independent Volvo tech note that the ETM had been replaced, as indicated by the yellow sticker on it. Contacted the previous owner, who confirmed replacement in 2004 somewhere between 52k and 73k miles. The cost of replacement was one of their reasons for selling the car, as the expense of ownership was not what they were expecting from their first Volvo. They also replaced the radiator and water pump, as major items.

    Guess I've dodged this bullet at this time, but I'll have to be prepared for an future recurrence, as component failure based on poor design is a "when" instead of an "if".

    I wonder if I will have the same problems with the ABS unit, as it too has been reported on other forums to be prone to failures.

    Thanks to Don Wilson for keeping this effort going! And everyone else who is supporting the effort through their contributions!
    1999 XC70 Nautical blue/taupe, Cannondale Spica wheels, ipd skid plate (weekends)
    1991 Alfa Romeo 164S (daily driver)
    1967 Ford Mustang coupe (show car)
    ...and several other Italians ... (for fun)

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    San Jose, CA
    Posts
    3

    Angry Finally Died Two Weeks Ago!

    My ETM was causing rough idle for more than one year. I left the car with my parents two weeks ago while they were watching my two young children so they could be driven around in our 'safest' vehicle. It died on them. The car had just over 70K miles but Volvo worked out a deal where I paid for the cleaning (around $300) and they put in a new part (under warranty). I was happy to save $700 from what it would have cost. And now I've found out how widespread this problem is and I feel like I'm just waiting for the ETM to fail again. The first signs of failure happened sometime around 50K miles -- maybe as early as 45K or possibly as late as 55K. Just in the past few months it's had trouble starting. It would occasionally die once and then always start the second time. I hope we can push Volvo to reimburse everyone for their past and future expenses related to this DESIGN DEFECT which is causing a serious SAFETY concern. This part need to be re-designed, hopefully before someone is injured or worse!

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Grand Junction Colorado
    Posts
    35

    Default Get out there and vote!

    You know, 232 people have looked at this thread, and like 14 have voted. Come on people!
    Lee
    99 v70xc
    1984 Porsche Carrera Targa
    Get a manual and work on your Volvo yourself!
    Best cars to work on bar none. (although we may have to...)

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Longview, WA
    Posts
    29

    Default ETM for 98's

    Is the ETM problems a 1999 onwards problem or do they happen to 98's as well?

    thanks
    Sam
    98' V70 XC Black

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Pacific NW
    Posts
    182

    Default

    Check DonW's VEXED thread. The faulty designed ETM seems to be limited to 1999-2001 C/V/S/XC-70 and S-80 series engines.

    These are the Fly-by-wire (electronic) throttle controls, your '98 has a throttle cable.
    Ex-C70 owner
    ---------------
    VEXED

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Pacific NW
    Posts
    182

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bud
    Check DonW's VEXED thread. The faulty designed ETM seems to be limited to 1999-2001 C/V/S/XC-70 and S-80 series engines.

    These are the Fly-by-wire (electronic) throttle controls, your '98 has a throttle cable.
    Actually, there is some new evidence that this may also include S-60s and maybe even some 2002s.

    Save up, people ... it's gonna cost you a bundle.
    Ex-C70 owner
    ---------------
    VEXED

  7. #17
    stevewa Guest

    Default failed at 55K

    Replaced ETM, Volvo coughed up goodwill $$$ for the part (not labor). A couple months later replaced accelerator pedal.

    In November traded on Ford Escape Hybrid.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Mine died at about 78,000 miles while I was pulling out of a parking lot into traffic. (I had had only one incidence of 'stuttering' about 6 months earlier and didn't think anything of it, since the car had worked fine after a restart.)

    My local dealer replaced the ETM and, after I complained to the service manager (using a lot of information from this site and others), charged me for the part, at cost, and no labor. So I guess it cost me half of what it might have otherwise. Now I'm at 103,000 miles and am waiting for the replacement to fail...

  9. #19
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    1

    Default My XC does not live up to the VOLVO quality rep...

    My throttle body started to fail in the 60k mile range. It would stutter on the freeway and the dash light would come on. I was told twice (and repaired) that the problem was a faulty O2 sensor. My XC completely failed, stalling during my commute home from work ini heavy holiday traffic on a dark, rainy, November night with my sweet 2 yr old in the car. Quite frightening. After a few moments, I was able to limp off the road. I paid for the repair (1000.) although the dealer was kind enough to give me a no cost loaner. The shop that performs the normal maintenance on my car could not replace the throttle body because of the programming requirement but they did comment that they thought it was odd that the local VOLVO dealer had 8 or 9 throttle bodies in stock. "A large number for such and expensive and random part."
    BTW, my XC is a Turbo, I live in the Seattle area (so fairly mild temperatures). I have always used premium gas too.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Atlanta Ga
    Posts
    1

    Default Throttle module survey

    Replaced the ETM on my 2000 C70 at 41K miles.....When the ETS light started to come on the car was still driving fine. On a cold mornimg about 1 mile from my house the ETS light came on and the car died. I disconnected the Bat. for several min., started the car, the ETS light was still on but the car was ok to drive.
    The dealer wanted $675 for the ETM and $250 for the labor and software.
    I bought the ETM on a volvoparts discount website and paid the dealer the $250.
    Also, because i supplied the ETM.... got no warranty

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