Good news.
It seems like EPA finally are looking in to the faulty throttle body
modules on 99 to 01 Volvos.
The below is from the Swedish paper Aftonbladet that claims Volvo might
have to recall up to 300.000 cars in the US.
I tried to have the article translated via some web service but with no luck.
Maybe someone else could give it a try.
Anyway here it is...
/Thomas

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/bil/story/0,2789,640839,00.html

Motorfel kan kosta Volvo en miljard
Drabbar V70, S80, S50 och C70 från 1998-2001
Göteborg.
Motorfel kan komma att bli en dyr affär för Volvo.
Nu ska gasspjällen bytas på 120 000 bilar i Sverige.
Enligt Göteborgs-Posten kan slutnotan hamna på mer än en miljard kronor.
Kraven på att Volvo ska agera kommer från USA.
Kraven på att Volvo agerar kommer från USA. US Environmental Protection Agency är en av de myndigheter som har ansvar för luftmiljön i USA. Den vill att Volvo ska byta ut samtliga gasspjäll, som reglerar bränsleinsprutningen, från de aktuella åren.

300 000 bilar i USA – 120 000 i Sverige
Enligt Los Angeles Times, som avslöjat Volvos problem, handlar det om 300000 bilar enbart i USA som i så fall måste åtgärdas.
I Sverige är det oklart hur många bilar det kan handla om, ifall Volvo beslutar åtgärda alla bilar. Men enligt G-P såldes 120000 av de aktuella modellerna 1998-2001.
Gasspjället är elektroniskt styrt och satt i V70, S80, S50 och C70. När Volvo bytte leverantör 2002 upphörde problemen.
Volvo redovisar i ett dokument från juni 2004 att det har kostat 13,5 miljoner dollar att byta ut eller reparera 27200 fordon. Bilar har också köpts tillbaka, uppger G-P.

”Hemlig garanti”
Volvoägare i Sacramento i USA har stämt företaget med påståendet att det funnits en ”hemlig garanti”. Den ska ha inneburit att de som klagat högljutt har fått sina bilar gratis reparerade, medan andra fått beskedet att de själva orsakat felen genom att tanka dålig bensin.
Problemen för bilarna visar sig på olika sätt. Det handlar ibland om att motorerna inte klarar avgaskraven, ibland om att bilen är svårstartad eller att motorn går ryckigt.
Volvo personvagnars presschef Christer Gustafsson säger till G-P att Volvo inte har haft några sådana här problem i Sverige, såvitt han vet. Vore felet generellt borde det dyka upp även på andra marknader än i USA.

TT
Publicerad: 2005-05-04

I found two new articles in Göteborgs-Posten today. Interesting to read that Volvo claims that the ETM can be fixed with a software upgrade!!!!
I added some clarifications within brackets ().. Watch out for possible translation errors!
Rgds Erik

Göteborgs-Posten 2005-05-06 15:10
Unclear how Volvo will handle malfunctioning throttles

Göteborg
Volvo Personvagnar has sold approximaltely 860 000 cars with the electronic throttle which is often subjected to failures
Approximately 120 000 cars with the throttle in question is in Sweden. Many more, 360 000, have been sold in the U.S.
The throttle is a part of the system that has replace the old carburettors
- The throttle controls the air flow to the engine, and therefore also the rpm. The failure may imply that the car goes down to idle while driving. This is the first the customer experience, the Volvo press chief Christer Gustafsson
says to TT.
Volvo Personvagnar has not yet decided how to act. Gustafsson do not want to exclude any alternative before the on-going discussions within the company are finished.

The most extensive is to recall and fix all the 860 000 cars. Another possibility is to give an extended warranty to the car owners. Different solutions on different markets can not be excluded. An answer from Volvo can be expected first within some weeks.
The company is not willing to give any calculation of the cost the failing throttles may cause. Considering the large number of affected cars, the economic effect can be expected to be significant, possibly billions (SEK)
- In Sweden, between 4000 and 5000 cars have already been repaired. In most cases within warranty, Christer Gustafsson says.
The failing throttles was delivered to Volvo by an Italian company. In the cars of model years later than 2001, the component has been bought from another source.
The throttles can either be replaced, or be fixed by changing the software that controls the function.

The problem affects five- and six-cylinder S60, V70, XC70 and S80 with petrol engines, and affects model year 1999, 2000 and 2001

TT


Göteborgs-posten 2005-05-06 14:06

Volvo promises to treat customers "generously"

Volvo Personvagnar now promise that customers that have had to pay for repair of throttles shall be treated "generously"

Since GP wrote this wednesday about the problem Volvo have had with the electronic throttle on cars of model year 1999-2001 emails from affected Volvo-owners have flooded in. Approximately 120000 cars of the models in question have been sold during these years in Sweden.
One e-mailer describes how he had to pay 9000 sek for a repair of the car, a S60 of model year 2001, driven 85000 km. This is 5000 km beyond the warranty limit.
Bo Larsen, Press chief Volvo Personvagnar, says that the marketing company has now given instructions to the retailers that customers on the margin shall be treated generously.
- I can not give any exact figures, Bo Larsen says, but it is clear that if the milelimit has been exceeded with a few "mil" (10km) you should get the repair done for free. If you are within the warranty limit of five years or 80 000km there is no discussion whatsoever.
Bo Larsen recommend all who feel affected to contact their retail or workshop where the repair was done. He regret that the information earlier has been as he describes it "sprawling".
- But this was a problem that had its peak already 1999. And the fact that the problem appeared in so many different ways made it difficult, there was no clear view of the problem.
Over time, Volvo has realised that the problem could be traced to the software in the electronic throttle.
Crister Gustafsson, press chief of Volvo Personvagnar, says that they are not closer to any conclusion regarding the major threat against Volvos economy, namely if U.S. authorities will force Volvo to repair all 300 000 cars sold in the U.S.
- The authorities wants us to extend the warranty from seven years (applicable on environmental parts in the U.S.) to ten years. Vi have not yet decided how to act, Crister Gustafsson says.
Volvos own investigations indicates that approximately 94% av all throttles may fail within this period, Los Angeles Times writes.

Stephan Lövgren
031-62 41 17 stephan.lovgren@gp.se

I'll give it a try! My apologies for my english, I did my very best... :)
Here we go:

Engine failures may cost Volvo a billion
Affects V70, S80, S50 and C70 from 1998-2001

Engine failures may be an expensive story for Volvo.
The throttle shall now be replaced on 120 000 cars in Sweden.
According to Göteborgs-Posten, the bill may end up on more than a billion Swedish Crowns.

The claims on Volvo to act originates from the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency is one of the authorities who have responsibility for the air environment in the U.S. They want Volvo to replace all throttles, which controls the fuel injection, on the model years in question.

300 000 cars in the U.S. - 120 000 in Sweden
According to Los Angeles Times, who has revealed the Volvo problem, 300 000 cars in the U.S. only have to be corrected. In Sweden, it is unknown how many cars that are affected in case Volvo decide to recall all cars. But according to
G-P, 120 000 of the particular models were sold 1998-2001. The throttle is electronically controlled and was used in V70, S80, S50 and C70. When Volvo chose a new supplier 2002, the problems disappeared.

Volvo declared in a document from June 2004 that the cost has been 13.5 million dollar to replace or repair 27200 vehicles. Cars have also been repurchased according to G-P.

"Secret Warranty"
Volvo-owners in Sacramento have brought an action against the company stating there has been a "secret warranty". It is said that people complaining loudly have got their cars repaired for free while other have been told that
they have been using poor gasoline.
The problem appears differently. Sometimes the engines do not pass the emission requirement, sometimes the cars are difficult to start or the engine runs roughly.
The Volvo press chief, Christer Gustafsson, says to G-P that Volvo has not had any such problems in Sweden as far as he knows. If the problem was general it would appear also in other markets than the U.S.

TT, published 2005-05-04

Good evening Erik,

No apologies are necessary, your translation is great.

Thanks for posting this for all to see.

Don Willson
VEXEDvolvo@comcast.net

I just found some interesting updates on www.gp.se. I have tried to make a correct translation but there may be errors or misunderstandings...
Rgds Erik


Göteborgs-posten 2005-05-04
Volvo admits that the problem is well known

Volvo admits that the problem with the electronic throttle has been well known in Sweden.
- We have repaired thousands of cars in Sweden, Bo Larsen Volvo PV Sverige, says

In the wednesday newspaper, GP revealed that Volvo risks a billion since U.S. authorities require the company to replace an electronically controlled throttle.
The reason that the U.S. authorities require the replacement is that the faulty throttles will cause excessive exhaust emissions.
When GP started to ask questions about the faulty throttle, the Volvo press spokesman did not know anything about the proportions in Sweden.
But after the article, more fact have been revealed
- We can just regret, says Bo Larsen, press spokesman for Volvo Personvagnar Sverige. It was late in the evening and difficult to find the right people. But now we know that the problem exist also in Sweden.
During these years, approx 120 000 cars of the particular models have been sold. The problem affect all five or six cylinder engines of the model year 1999-2001, but it is worth noticing that the throttle in question was mounted starting week 20 1998 and well into 2002
Bo Larsen says that the car owners who have had problems had their cars repaired under warranty that covers five years or 80 000km.
After that, there is a machine insurance that had gone into effect.

But it is clear from the email-flow to GP after the article that all are not included by these warranties. One reader writes:
"Do you get pissed or? Got a V70 2,4T -00 that I had to replace the throttle on last year. Of course I did ask if there was a warranty covering the fault but No, no. You just have to pay and look happy.
Pär Manfredsson in Ljusdal writes:
"I can tell that my V70 AWD -00 recently got its verdict that the throttle housing is broken and that Volvo want me to pay 7000 crowns for the replacement
My car has been running roughly for 10 months, but I have not considered it as a major problem until now when the dashboard flashed like a christmas tree
Christer Gustafsson, press spokesman Volvo PV says:
- Those who has been affected by problems which they belive have something to do with it shall talk to their retailer.
In the U.S. Volvo may have to replace all faulty units, which is a cost exceeding a billion.
Furthermore, a law office has gathered Volvo-owners to a law suit in California. The reason is that they consider Volvo to have cheated customers by applying "secret warranty". Volvo has repared for those who have complained loudly but not generally solved the problem for free, the laywer speaking for the group says.
Crister Gustafsson point out that this is an on-going process.
- We are following it to see how it turns out

A job well done. We all neded to view those articles.

Klaus
--
98 V70Rawd(108Kmi), 95 854T(88K mi), 75 164E(173K mi)

the los angeles times business section ran an article yesterday, i dont think according to the article that anything is actually settled yet. The biggest thing that has happened is that california has a secret warranty law and that portion of random selecting customers to cover or not cover is what has been settled.

The secret warranty is old news and caused the states of California and Mass to force Volvo to cover the ETM until 70K miles. However what was new in the LA Times article was that it found that Volvo knew about the defective ETM's as early as '99 and continued to make cars with them in it.

The repercussions of this is going to be huge!
And, it's about time.
--
1998 S70 T5 Emarald Green Metallic, 2004 V70 2.5T Ruby Red, Previous Owner of Black '94 850 Turbo Wagon