NHTSA sent me a email after filing complaint

[Tyrant11429]

Well everyone wants a recall, and there should be one, but like any situation, there is always another party that wants to do the just the other. they don't want to spend money on a new redesigned etm, that means they will lose a lot of money, and won't get so much as they have from all the broken etm. Overall to us means there dishonest and don't care much about there volvo customers who buy and trust there lives and there families, in there cars. To them its about money and not to spend but to gain as much as possible.

[Bud]

Indeed, their "Legendary Safety" has become "Legendary Lip-Service", or is it "Legendary Apathy"? Doesn't matter, they don't care either way.

Yes, it is going to cost them a lot either way. But consider that they will have to replace ETMs TWICE in most (94%) vehicles, because the replacement part is the same lousy design. Then leverage in that they have destroyed Volvos fine name by their intentionally deceitful actions, and the cost becomes excessive.

Had they done the right thing, and done a proper redesign in 1998 (when they first discovered the problem) and had they issued a proper recall, EVERYONE would be praising them for their dedication to reliability and to customer safety and satisfaction.

As it is, they're a bunch of 2-bit schills blaming you and me for using "cheap gas" and "failing to properly maintain the air filtration systems". They secretly inform their dealer garages to "clean" the ETM, thereby delaying the inevitable failure until we are just out of their conveniently calculated 4 yr/50K warranty. Then they do magical sleight-of-hand with the error codes, trying to avoid the obvious ETM replacement because the codes aren't in the DaVinci order. They know damn well that this problem expresses itself in many slightly different ways.

If you call their "Customer (DIS) Service" for info about the ETM rebate letter you will get a variety of different stories, none of them with a shred of evidence supporting the truth. Didn't you know?? "They've been mailing these out since the middle of December", and "They are busy processing them right now", and "they are staggered, you will get yours soon". Statements from Officials at CARB seem to discredit those fabrications. The fact that NO ONE, ANYWHERE has received their mid-DECEMBER rebate letter would be the final straw in their web of deceipt.

Their disregard for customer safety, disregard for reliability and Company name, their deceit, coverup and CONTINUED coverup are inexcusable.

[cossie1600]

thats what happened when you have too much Ford in power.

Of course my V70 will probably be last my Volvo unless I find a great C70 Turbo or a R. 98 of course

[Tyrant11429]

Ford's breaking down style may have brushed off on volvo now lol

[BillAileo]

I know a lot of folks love to bash Ford for any perceived issues with their Volvo, but Ford didn't acquire Volvo until 1999. So it's rather difficult to logically consider them responsible for the ETM already in use at that time....

Bill

[Edmonds17]

You are, of course, correct. Ford is not responsible for Volvo's decision to use the ETM from the Magnetti Marelli Div. of Fiat.

Ford is, however, responsible for:

a.) Continuing to build defective Volvo cars once the ETM defect became
known in '99;

b.) Instructing Volvo dealers and Volvo "Customer Care" employees to
blame Volvo owners for what they know to be a design defect;

c.) Instructing Volvo dealers to "clean" defective ETM's in the hope that
the defect would go away until after the Volvo was out of warranty;

d.) Refusing to replace the defective ETM even though they knew that
they were experiencing a 94% failure rate prior to 100,000 mi.;

e.) Failing to recall the '99-'01 Volvo cars with the defective ETM's;

f.) Failing to promptly or adequately warn Volvo owners of the dangerous
defect;

g.) Installing new defective ETM's in '99-'01 Volvo cars that were either
towed or "limped-in" to the Volvo dealership;

h.) Failing to re-design the part to be retrofitted into '99-01 Volvos;

i.) Allowing the '02 and later Volvo cars to be fitted with a re-designed
Bosch ETM's that is not compatible with the '99-01's so that a
Bosch ETM cannot be retrofitted;

j.) Commencing a "secret warranty" in California in violation of California
laws;

k.) Negotiating with the California Air Resource Board (C.A.R.B.) for an
"extended warranty" rather than a recall;

l.) Delaying as much as possible the issuance of a warning letter to
Volvo owners describing the ETM defect and resulting alleged
warranty extension to 10 yrs./200,000 mi.; and

m.) Continuing "Volvo legendary safety" and "Volvo for life" advertising
campaigns despite actual knowledge of the safety defect in '99-01
Volvo cars.

We may never know Ford's full involvement. What we do know is that this entire debacle could have been greatly minimized if Ford had initially done the right thing. Ford didn't and now we have this fiasco.

Customer safety takes a back seat to profits at Ford. Prospective Volvo customers are starting to understand this simple fact. Recent sales statistics show Volvo sales are down approx. 10% in 2005 from the year earlier. The damage will probably continue until Ford does what is needed.

Edmonds17

[cossie1600]

wow, someone hates ford/volvo even more than i hate nissan. my car is used, so no complain about volvo

[Tyrant11429]

Why do you hate nissan ? Your 350z not what you expected ? I've always heard good things about nissan and there new VQ engines are pretty goo. Altima, max, pathfinder, titan are cool, not to mention the new 07 sentra that car is nice for under $15k. Also got a 97 altima with 134k on it, and no problems except a accident and doesn't run like how it used to, but never breaks down. Granted they aren't as strong and safe as a volvo.

Most people don't like ford cause they cars break down so much, not to mention all the crazy recalls, remember the explorer with the tire issue, the crown victoria with the problem with the gas tank, and others I can't think off right now lol. Found On Road Dead

[Edmonds17]

Ford has had, and I believe acknowledges, that they have had quality problems. Simply stated, Ford's quality is not up to the level of other competitors. I also believe, and I'm certain that Ford will tell you, that Ford is working hard to address and raise these quality issues.

I have owned Fords in the past. Ford makes a whole line of vehicles at various price levels for various types of owners. Some Fords are very good vehicles.

The fact is that Ford has handled the defective ETM situation very, very poorly. Volvo sales will probably continue to suffer until Ford does the right thing.

NHTSA is now conducting an engineering evaluation to determine whether to mandate a safety recall of defective '99-01 Volvo cars. Ford, their Prestige Auto Group (PAG) and the Volvo Division should have resolved the ETM defect issue long before NHTSA got involved.

All I ask is that Ford recall and fix the defective '99-'01 Volvo cars so that our Volvo doesn't unexpectedly die again on me. My Mopar was recalled post-warranty to fix a defect. Why won't Ford do the same?

Edmonds17

[Bud]

Not to mention that Mercedes recalled millions of cars with Electrical/Alternator/Battery problems. At least Mercedes realizes that name and REPUTATION is EVERYTHING in the high-end auto market.