Volvo finally recall cars over the ETM issue
 

Looks like volvo have finally recalled the cars, but this looks like only in USA

http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...sbusinessclose

See here also: http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...ghlight=recall

In the UK it has been a low key affair even with all the coverage on Watchdog and the motoring press.
I contacted Volvo UK about this at the beginning of the year when all the rumblings had started Stateside. I was told they were working on a solution in the UK and took my details to let me know when it would happen.
A couple of months ago I did get a letter from Volvo UK asking me to arrange a visit to my local dealer. Luckily my car was aleady booked in for a service and when they checked the VIN it would seem my year 2000 built S60 predates the models that were affected.

Repeated message from the linked thread in IC's post above....

It's just the software. It's just a fix. It's available in the UK. It's not a full cure, but will enable the car to deal with a deteriorating mechanical design fault better. But it does not stop the mechanical design fault from deteriorating further and failing altogether at a later date.

What's needed is an alternative physical solution, not just software.

Thanks for the post though

Oli

Etm
 

Would someone be kind enough to explain what an ETM is and why it's such a big problem to fix. What sort of percentage of cars are affected and is it petrol engines only?

This website should explain it all:

http://www.vexedvolvo.org/

Etm
 

My 120k miles V70 started having the ETM problem symptoms a couple of weeks ago - outside lane of A1M!!!

Took it to the Independent Volvo Specialist who services the car and after code read, a clean was suggested - 'it cures it in 7 out of 10 cases' I was told.

Worked fine for a week (in between I saw Watchdog article) then it happened again

Had the problem again on Friday of last week so contacted my local Volvo Dealer who recognised the problem - booked in for next Wednesday for a clean (don't know why as I've just had one!) and software upgrade.

I was told that this procedure would be free and if it didn't work, the fitting of a new throttle body would also be free.

Looks like Volvo have now recognised there's a problem, but time will tell.

I'll report my experiences next week.

Alan

Alan,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the post. If what you report turns out to be correct, then that is more than has been offered before. When you say that the throttle body would be replaced for free, did they actually mean the ETM (the cause of the problem).

We'd all be very interested in having that confirmed as a)being the ETM and b) being at no charge and c) is now Volvo policy.

Please see what you can confirm when the car is in on Wednesday.

Thanks

Oli

Hi Oli
Forgive my ignorance - I don't know one end of an Etm from the other!! :-)
Does the ETM control the Throttle Body and its the software that is the problem, or is the Throttle Body a separate item altogether and my problem is a different one?
I suppose I really should get to know what I'm talking about before I go on Wednesday morning!
Thanks in advance
Alan

Alan

The ETM is part of the whole throttle body, but as far as I am aware it is not something that can be seperated. The software is not the problem, it is the throttle assembly itself. The software upgrade seems to fix the problem in some cases, but as it is in essence only masking the underlying issue which is a mechanical problem in the assembly, it is likely that it will eventually fail anyway (mine lasted 2 days after the clean and software update).

As Oli has indicated if your dealer has indeed offered a free replacement should the throttle assembly need replacing, then this is a change in tack on Volvo's behalf. They have been offering between 10-30% off the cost of the replacement depending on the age, mileage and how much grief they get!

If you get the throttle assembly replaced for free (and you don't have any warranty), there will be a lot of happy people out there as this is generally a £600 repair.

Good luck and make sure you let us all know the outcome.:)