general problems of the 1999 Volvo V70 - part 1

Car surges randomly at lower speeds. Car also loses power on freeway and acceleration fluctuates uncontrollably at times. All symptoms happening while car is in motion, mostly at speeds over 50mph. I brought the car to my local dealership where there were open recalls on the model I own. After recall was performed, the symptoms have increased and worsened. Dealership is refusing to take any responsibility.

The contact owns a 1999 Volvo V70. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled intermittently. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the etm needed to be replaced. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 06v441000 (vehicle speed control); however, the manufacturer and local dealer indicated that the timeframe had expired to receive the recall repair, even if the mileage was less than 200,000. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.

As I was driving home the car started running very rough and was not able to get it above 25 mph. It also started to lunge forward sporadically and it seemed like it was going to stall at any moment. I contacted Volvo directly and they called it "limp home mode" and that's exactly what it was, horrable!!. I consider myself lucky that my children were not with me. Apparently Volvo recognizes the problem but are no longer fixing this ongoing problem. Volvo estimated that the fix would be on the low end $900. 00 up to about $1400. 00. Volvo is not taking anymore responsibility and now it's up to the consumer to absorb the cost.

The contact owns a 1999 Volvo V70. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the rpms decreased and the vehicle stalled. The contact mentioned that the check engine, ecm and the limp home mode warning messages illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle had surpassed the statute of limitations for repairs under NHTSA campaign id number: 06v441000 (vehicle speed control). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 156,000 and the current mileage was 158,000.

The contact owns a 1999 Volvo V70. The contact stated that the check engine and esc warning lights were illuminated. The engine then exhibited an abnormal increase in rpms accompanied by a loud noise. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 06v441000 (vehicle speed control) but was informed by the manufacturer that the repairs had been performed by the previous owner. The vehicle was not further repaired. The current and failure mileage was 204,529.

The car went into a "limp home mode" as I was pulling into traffic, causing several cars to have to swerve to keep from hitting me. I called Volvo and they said the 99 & 00 ( which I own both ) models had a recall on the part. I carried the car to the Volvo dealership and they said the recall was only to install a software update, not to replace the part itself. Well, they did the software upgrade and about half way home, 5 miles or less, the etc light came on again and the car went into the limp home mode again, barely making it home. I called the dealership and they said that the module itself needed to be replaced and was not covered by the recall ????? they told me it would be between $1200-$1300 to replace. This is extremely wrong and dangerous. As much as I can gather from reading complaints on Volvo forums, this is a problem Volvo has known about since at least 2004 and has affected about 200,000 cars. Is there nothing that can be done about this matter ?? please advise. . Ps. The VIN on my 2000 V70 xc is [xxx] , has 145,000 miles and has the exact same problem as the 1999 model. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Back in June of 2008 - on start up my 99 Volvo V70 - would rough idle, rev to 4000 and would not exceed 20 mph. The idle sounded like sneakers in a dryer. I took the car to my garage and was quoted $2000. 00 to replace the etm - I was told by my garage that the etm may still be under warranty. After speaking with Volvo USA - I was advised that this part was under warranty and I should bring to the nearest Volvo dealership. I did. Boston Volvo village - did a software update and after that reported no issues with the etm - they claimed cracked vacuum hoses were the problems. They replaced the hoses and return the car. The car broke down a day later - rev to 4000, rough idle, won't go over 20 mph - sneakers in washing machine sound. I brought the car back to boston Volvo village - this time they told me that I had an bad accelerator pedal - which was replace cost was $225. 00. The car broke down a third time - this time on a busy highway - I was able to pull off - but if not for some excellent driving by others on the road there would had been a 3 car pile up. Boston Volvo village towed the car back to their garage. One of their employees admitted to me that the emt was the problem - but that Volvo makes it impossible to replace the etm.

I have a 99 Volvo V70 t5, on July 3rd of 2006 we had the vehicle in as the etm light was on, the dealer upgraded the software of the etm at no cost, now a year later the vehicle is undrivable. It surges at low idle causing the vehicle to jump forward, it consistently stalls out and now is beginning to surge while driving down the road at any rpm. I feel that this is a extreme hazard and I am no longer able to drive the vehicle.

The contact owns a 1999 Volvo V70. The contact stated that the electronic throttle system (ets) and engine lights remained illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer regarding recall # 06v441000 regarding vehicle speed control. The dealer performed the repair, but the lights remained illuminated. The dealer stated that the tube gasket needed to be cleaned. After the tube gasket was cleaned the failure recurred. Currently, the vehicle vibrated when it was started , and could not accelerate beyond 10 mph. The current mileage is 87,000, and the failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 1999 Volvo V70. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled in traffic repeatedly without warning. A local mechanic stated that the vehicle needed a new throttle. The dealer stated that ecm902f was not the designated code for a new throttle. The current mileage is 80,000, and failure mileage was 79,800. Ak.

The idle on my car was rough, and after a mechanic failed to turn up the cause I found a reason on a Volvo forum on the web. The problem was a dirty throttle butterfly valve. I cleaned it in accordance to the Volvo service bulletin. Five thousand miles later I am driving my car in stop and go traffic and the car starts sputtering, racing, and the engine is generally behaving poorly. I found that I could even out the idle and keep the car from stalling in traffic by keeping my right foot depressing the accelerator at all times, and using my left foot for the brake. I was not in any accidents, but almost got rear ended at least once.

The abs/trac and brake warning lights are coming on simultaneously and then go off after a few minutes. On other occasions, the speedometer stops working and the orange arrow starts blinking. Sometimes when the orange light is blinking, the car shifts to winter mode and you cannot accelerate as you normally would. The dealer told me that it is the abs module and cost of repair would be over $1000. I had the electronic throttle replaced last year. It looks like a poor design, as I have been reading a lot about these problems on Volvos. I am requesting NHTSA contact Volvo headquarters and demand a recall on this hazardous abs and acceleration safety problem.

: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled under normal driving conditions. The vehicle would surge prior to stalling. The surge was controllable during braking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who changed the software of the electronic throttle module, but the problems persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who cleaned the throttle module. The problem reoccurred constantly. The dealer could not provide a determination for the cause of the problem on both occasions. The contact also received a letter from the manufacturer concerning an extension on the warranty on parts that included the electronic throttle system. The dealer did not honor the letter.

: the contact stated while driving 20mph the vehicle accelerated without warning which caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle then suddenly slowed, and subsequently would not accelerate beyond 15mph. The check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined the problem was caused by the electronic throttle module. The contact expressed there was no brake interference to cause the vehicle to decelerate. The manufacturer was alerted who will be investigating the problem.

Ets warning. Prior to this lack of performance and power. Soon after purchase it had occurred and dealer reset computer.

: the contact stated the ets light illuminated then the vehicle stalled. This occurred at any speed and mainly while turning and applying the brakes. This is an ongoing problem, and happened 50-60 times. The dealership was unable to determine a problem.

I was driving my 1999 Volvo V70 on the highway, and it constantly accelerates and decelerates on its own with no action done by me. In one case it accelerated to the point in which I lost control and caused an accident. Vehicle is in the process of having the etm replaced at the dealership at a cost of 1000. 00 to me because it is outside of warranty coverage.

Stalling at low speeds. The etm has been replaced twice, xref 10137600. The mass air flow unit was replaced, the bulbs burned out, the blower motor fan would run constantly, the check engine and abs light would illuminate. The consumer sold the vehicle in may 2005. Updated 01/09/06.

The throttle on our 1999 Volvo V70 has failed. The problem was noticed by unusual throttle behavior on the freeway at 60 - 70 miles per hour. After this behavior had occurred several times over a period of months, the ets light came on indicating a throttle problem. The problem caused an unusual feeling to driving the car as if there were some resistance or impediment to the engine running properly. The ets warning light came on the date below listed as "incident date," but the problem was occurring over a few month period before that date. The ets light did not stay on, but there is clearly a problem with the throttle. I took the car to the dealer, lee Volvo in wellesley, MA and was told the throttle needed to be replaced. This is worrisome, because the manual says to turn the car off and back on when the ets light comes on, but the ets light will not consistently indicate a problem, when the throttle is defective as ours is. We own a 2000 Volvo s70, which I understand may have the same throttle, and that you are considering a recall for Volvo throttles. It is expensive to replace the throttle $1,000+, and dangerous as it is a problem which may arise at 70 miles an hour with no warning.

I own a 99 Volvo V70 wagon, purchased used. Vehicle has developed drivablility problems relating to the etm, (electronic throttle module) and will suddenly stop or cut out while driving, often resulting in a very dangerous situation, especially on the highway. Dealer says that this is a very common problem with this year Volvo and estimates cost to repair at $800-$1200 but also notes that problem often returns because replaced parts often fail also. This is a problem that is affecting large numbers of Volvo cars, and it needs to be addressed by NHTSA!.

1) ets light and check engine light would illuminate within a few minutes of starting car. Check engine light would occasionally turn off while driving, ets stayed on. Car began to hesitate and surge, particularly noticeable around 35-mph and 60-mph. 2) all most complete loss of power while driving on side street, under normal conditions. When pressing the accelerator there was very little response. Parked the car over night on side of road. Next day it was more responsive, though still had the ets and check engine lights on. 3) Volvo dealer replace the electronic throttle body. Total cost $1300. I asked for the old throttle body, but was told it would cost several hundred dollars, as there was a "core charge" from Volvo. Was also told that if there eventually was a recall on this part my receipt would be sufficient for reimbursement.

Electronic throttle module failure left my family stranded. Repair cost $1000. I've read that this issue is very common in my vehicle and that Volvo has not made any attempt to rectify. The sputtering that led up to the failure could have easily resulted in a merge accident with my family in the car. The NHTSA and Volvo should not wait for further expense and injury to force a recall.

I have had intermittent problems with drivability with my 1999 Volvo V70. Warning lights would come on and off and erratic driving performance were experienced. Then the ets light came on and stayed on. Drivability worsened to the point of fearing getting stranded in the middle of the intersection or highway. Safety seems to be compromised by the unpredictability of the cars performance. In speaking with the dealer it was clear that this was a common problem. It was also extremely expensive and there were no alternatives as this could only be repaired through the dealer. This problem is well documented. This problem is consistent. This problem compromises safety. And with the cost of the repair and lack of alternatives measures, this feels like a manufacturer taking advantage of the customer. Lastly, the dealer will replace this faulty component with another faulty component. The root cause of the problem will remain and I can look forward to more problems.

My 1999 Volvo V70xc had been performing sluggishly, with inconsistent power at highway speeds when under manual control or cruise. I had an intermittent check engine light. I took my vehicle to a Volvo dealership on 8/16/05 where they replaced the air mass meter and evap valve for the charcoal canister. After this service the performance of my vehicle remained the same. On October 1, 2005 I had a potentially dangerous incident. While merging onto an expressway my vehicle sputtered and lost power. The engine all but died and it was difficult to steer to the shoulder. My merging and failure to accelerate caused a very close call with the cars behind me. I pulled over, stopped my engine for a few minutes, and restarted as proscribed in my owner's manual. The vehicle drove as it did previous to the incident for another hour. I did not drive this vehicle again for another week. Taking it for a drive on October 9th it again drove fine initially, but I had a similar failure after a few miles. Again the engine lost nearly all power and would stall at idle. Turning off the engine, waiting, and restarting the engine did not remedy the problem this time. After a few stops and restarts I was able to make it to my house without a tow. I called the Volvo dealer where I had the work done in August. After hearing of the symptoms and the previous work they informed me quite quickly that the repair was to replace the etm module and the cost would be approximately $1000. The speed at which they replied made me think is was a common, or at least known problem with this model. I spoke with a non-dealer Volvo specialist mechanic (swedish car specialists of schaumburg, IL) who said this was a known problem with my model year. . Read more...

1999 Volvo V70 w/61,000. Electronic throttle module failure (ets and check engine lights: rough idle on start (surging);slow speed only. Dealer service mgr. Indicated they replace many, but not at such low mileage. No indication that failure was imminent except slight, occasional hesitation after startup. Trip length of 3 miles. Subsequent startup and commute to dealer uneventful except check engine light was lit.

Failure of electronic throttle system occurred. No injuries due to immediate discontinued use after warning light illuminated. After light illuminated, I drove the car straight home from work, parked it and am currently researching where I will take it to get repaired. I have recently read numerous articles on this problem that others are having as well, and wanted to note this incident as well.

The consumer stated that the 1999 Volvo V70 had to have the throttle module replaced. The car had all the lights come on before the car lost power. The car would intermittently stop giving any information at all from the dash. There was an arrow in the dash that indicated that there was a throttle problem. The consumer was the second owner of this vehicle, and it cost her $904. 00 to replace the throttle.

Initially, I noticed the car would surge upon acceleration in 1st gear. Sometimes, maybe 40% of the time, I would start off from a stop, but the car would hesitate before going. Also, the car would idle roughly when first started, and would 'shutter' when turned off. Once, I turned off the car and removed the key, and the car continued to sputter roughly until I restarted it. It was recommended by my mechanic to use a fuel treatment, and use premium gas with detergents. I did this, and nothing changed. Recently, as these symptoms worsened, the "ets" light began to intermittently come on in my car. The light had been on and off for 3 weeks and I called my mechanic. I took the car to my mechanic, who upon checking the computer codes, found that the ets light was due to a failure in the electronic throttle body unit. He stated that it would need to be replaced by the dealer due to the computer reprogramming necessary for proper installation. On sept 20, 2005 , I had the electronic throttle unit replaced by the Volvo dealer at a cost of $1016. 33.

While driving on 09/10/2005 the vehicle hesitated/lost power and died. Also ets light appeared. In addition, brakes were not holding. This started in 2002.

The consumer stopped a traffic light, and after the light changed, the consumer stepped on the accelerator and the car moved forward about ten feet , and there was a decrease in power to the point of stalling. The consumer felt as though it coasted through, she immediately pulled to the side of the road. The electronic throttle system ( ets) light illuminated. She referred to owner's manual, which suggested to turn the engine off and try to restart vehicle. Consumer did so, and the vehicle restarted, but the ets as well as the check engine light came on. The consumer called mechanic, who instructed the consumer to turn engine off and restart the vehicle. The consumer did so, and the panel lights came on. About five miles later the problem returned. Took vehicle to independent mechanic who suggested that ets failed and replaced it.

I own a 1999 Volvo V70xc. While driving to work on 9/8/05, suddenly the electronic throttle system (ets) light lit up on my driver control panel, and I lost a considerable amount of acceleration as I was driving through an intersection. I quickly pulled over to the side of the road, and checked my owner's manual. As the manual instructed, I contacted my mechanic from the road and he suggested I bring it in right away. After several stops & driving on the shoulder I made it to my mechanic (15 miles) who was actually surprised I had been able to drive it there at all. He told me the ets would probably need to be replaced at approximately $950 to $1150. I was floored by the news, especially since it seemed to be a safety issue. After some investigating I found out that there is a class action suit against Volvo concerning the ets, and I'm going to complain as much and as loudly as I can about this matter. I am extremely frustrated--my car is sitting in the driveway because it is unsafe to drive, and I don't feel I should have to spend $1000 to have it fixed if there is pending litigation for a campaign to recall the car for the ets. My husband and I bought this car because we knew Volvo had a reputation for being a very safe car--so much so that we bought a 2001 Volvo V70xc--two wagons in one family! now we're considering selling both cars. I'm extremely disgusted about this matter. Ellenore pringle.

1999 Volvo V70 wagon. Vehicle stalled/lost power and died while driving due to electronic throttle module (etm) failure. The etm was replaced.

Cars stalls without warning at varying speeds. Sometimes I just lose acceleration without warning- has caused two near causes. I have written in the date of my last incident -but it has occurred intermittently for the past year.

1999 Volvo V70 wagon. Mass registration 9418pg my 16 year old daughter driving with her mother in the above described 1999 Volvo on rt 3 southbound between milton & marshfield massachusetts, when the ets light came on and the vehicle began to shake and stall. My wife having experienced this before instructed my daughter to pull over onto the shoulder of the road and restart the car. My wife & I paid south shore Volvo of norwell massachusetts $1100 to replace this ets or etm system January of this year. We have also had spent $800. On two oxygen sensors that south shore Volvo initially diagnosed as the problem. We have further spent an additional $125. On an ignition switch which has been causing all of the dashboard light to continuously light and go out, now the speedometer and mileage meter have begun to fail. . South shore Volvo has refused to correct the problems, they will not even return our calls. California has filed a class action lawsuit in an attempt to get some relief for it's citizens. I am going to attempt to join theirs, would prefer some appreciate some assistance. Thank you vincent p stancato. Ps, 20 year Volvo owner, I drive a 1991 Volvo 245, used to like these cars.

Rough engine idle, fluctuating idle speed, unpredictable acceleration rate.