NHTSA moves ETM investigation to an engineering analysis

[DonWillson]

This was just released to the press. NHTSA will be doing a through engineering evaluation as to why the ETMs fail. I was unaware of any 700 and 800 series being included.
Don Willson for VEXED

Report Date : December 10, 2005 at 08:29 AM
NHTSA Action Number : EA05021

NHTSA Action Number : EA05021 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
VOLVO / 700 2000
VOLVO / 740 2000
VOLVO / 780 1999
VOLVO / 850 1999-2000
VOLVO / 855 2000
VOLVO / C70 1999-2002
VOLVO / C70 CONVERTIBLE 1999-2001
VOLVO / COTTRELL 1999
VOLVO / S40 2000-2001
VOLVO / S60 1999-2002
VOLVO / S70 1999-2000
VOLVO / S80 1999-2001
VOLVO / S90 1999
VOLVO / V40 2000-2001
VOLVO / V70 1999-2002
VOLVO / V70XC 1999-2001
VOLVO / V90 1999
VOLVO / VOLVO 1999-2001
VOLVO / X70 1999
VOLVO / XC70 2001
Manufacturer : VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC.
Component :
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Date Investigation Opened : December 6, 2005
Date Investigation Closed : Open
Summary:
A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE05-041) WAS OPENED ON JULY, 26, 2005, BASED ON 136 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO ODI ALLEGING THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. ODI HAS NOW RECEIVED 591 COMPLAINTS OF ETM FAILURES WHICH ALLEGE SYMPTOMS WITH POTENTIAL SAFETY RELATED CONSEQUENCES. THESE INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE STALL, VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD WITHOUT ACCELERATOR INPUT, VEHICLE HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION AND SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED TRANSITION INTO REDUCED PERFORMANCE OPERATION (LIMP MODE). VOLVO SUBMITTED OVER 2,900 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE ETM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DURING PE05-041. ODI'S PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF A SAMPLE THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 55 PERCENT WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED ABOVE. ODI IS CONTINUING ITS ASSESSMENT OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS. IN NOVEMBER 2005, TO RESOLVE AN INVESTIGATION BY THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, VOLVO ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 10 YEARS / 200,000 MILES FOR THE ETM IN APPROXIMATELY 356,000 MODEL YEAR 1999 THROUGH 2002 PASSENGER CARS SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. UNDER VOLVO'S POLICY, VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE ETM FAILURES WILL RECEIVE A VARIETY OF REPAIRS INCLUDING ETM CLEANING, REPROGRAMMING THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ETM. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO CONTINUE TO ASSESS THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF ETM FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.
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Researching ETM failures for 1999, 2000 and 2001 series 60, 70 and 80 Volvo. Send name, address and car year model to join 300 VEXED Warriors in 14 countires. :)

[JGardner]

Don, thank you for all your efforts on our behalf. I want to update you and members of this forum of my experience. My ETM failed on my 2000 V70XC after 42K this past weekend (10 December). It gave me all the symptoms (loss of power and ETC light on) at the 41K mark on my trip to South Deerfield Massachusetts on 7 December. I took the vehicle to Pioneer Volvo to have them replace the ETM. They only cleaned the ETM and upgraded the software. The only good thing was that they did not charge me saying it was “warranty work.” On my way back to Maryland the symptoms reappeared. On 10 December the ETM failed. I limped the car to my dealer (Martens Volvo of Bethesda MD) for service telling them to replace the ETM. That same day I filed a report to the NHTSA. On Monday, 12 December, a Mr. Steve McHenry, from NHTSA, contacted me at my office with some questions about my report. He also stated that their investigation was now in the engineering evaluation phase and that he wanted my failed ETM unit. He contacted the Service manager at Martens and told him that he was sending some people to pick up the failed unit. NHTSA now has it. I picked up my car today and am happy to report to you and the forum members that I was not charged for the work and that the ETM has a warranty of 10 years or 200k miles, whichever comes first. I have attached my redacted receipt from Martens as proof and as an example should some dealer try to charge you for the work.