ON 12/31/2004 WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE ETM DASH LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO "LIMP" MODE. I BARELY MADE IT HOME, AND SINCE IT WAS FRIDAY NIGHT, I COULD NOT CALL MY LOCAL GARAGE. ON MONDAY I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL GARAGE, WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT I HAD THE "ERROR CODE OF DEATH", THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST BIG CITY VOLVO GARAGE. THEY HAD SEEN MANY OF THESE TB PROBLEMS. I HAD IT TOWED TO SMC, INC. WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE ETM UNIT FAILED AND IT WAS MY FAULT FOR "USING CHEAP GAS" AND "FAILING TO SERVICE THE AIR CLEANERS". SINCE I ALWAYS BURN THE BEST FUEL AVAILABLE, AND ALWAYS GO TO THE DEALER GARAGE FOR ALL MY MAINTENANCE, I KNEW THAT WAS BOGUS. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED AS WAS A GASKET. I WAS OUTRAGED, AND EXPRESSED THIS TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, AND CHALLENGED HIS ACCUSATION. I EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE RELIABILITY OF THE REPLACEMENT PART. THE MAGNETI MORELLI ETM MODULES WHICH IS COMMON IN ALL 1999-2001 70-SERIES ENGINES ARE ALL STARTING TO FAIL. DOES THIS MEAN THAT WE ARE ALL USING "CHEAP GAS AND FAILING REGULAR MAINTENANCE"? NO, IT MEANS THAT THEIR LOUSY DESIGN USES METAL WIPERS AGAINST A THIN-FILM POLY RHEOSTAT, GUARANTEED TO RUB THRU WITHIN 30-60K MILES. IF THIS HAPPENS IN THE FAST LANE ON THE FREEWAY, SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE. IF THIS HAPPENS ON A REMOTE WINTER HIGHWAY, SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE. I WAS TOLD THAT VOLVO'S "LEGENDARY SAFETY" ONLY APPLIES TO CRASH TESTS, AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DEFECTIVE DESIGNS AND OTHER SAFETY ISSUES. JUST THIS WEEKEND A STRANDED MOTORIST WAS PLOWED DOWN BY A SEMI-TRUCK ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY. *JB
2008
STEERING
THE REAR CAMBER ARMS OF THE VOLVO C 70 ARE FAILING AT AN ALARMING RATE. NOT ONLY ARE TIRES WEARING UNEVENLY AT OWNERS EXPENSE, THE FAILURE OF THE ARMS CAUSES THE CAR TO BECOME TOTALLY UNCONTROLLABLE. VOLVO IN A RECENT PUBLICATION ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT BUT YET FAILS TO ISSUE A RECALL AND REPLACE ORDER. *TR
