BBC Watchdog and Volvo ETM failures.

I heard via Watchdog about the ETM problem. My 2000 S80 2.9 suffered from very occasional erratic idle but when i heard about the ETM problem i figured it was the same problem, so i took it in to have it cleaned and new software. Alas, it was 10 times worse, idling up and down like a YoYo, and sometimes cutting out, which it did when going round a round about. Now i'm due to have a new ETM fitted at a cost of around £400 + VAT. Volvo will pay 30% towards the cost and my dealer will pay 10%, leaving me to pay 60% which equates to about £275. I think some dealers are ripping people of with the figures i see in this thread.

I spoke to Volvo customer services but they refused to pay any more. I will take Volvo UK to the small claims court and i urge others to do likewise. There has been 1 such case so far and i believe the Judge awarded in favour of the claiment + costs. The reasons i will do this are as follows:

- Volvo UK did not inform me by letter of the potentially dangerous problem and the need to have it cleaned/new software. I had to find it out via the TV.
- Volvo Sweden informed all 120,000 Volvo owners by letter a long time ago.
- http://www.fazmiclaw.com/Volvo.html makes terrifying reading, especially that Volvo internal documents are available showing that Volvo had known about the problem for years and knowingly fitted the defective parts even to production cars prior to 2003.

Cars from 2003 are fitted with a Bosch ETM i believe. The replacement ETMs we get are Italian and still subject to the same design flaw.

I will write to Volvo and if they don't cough up i will definately take them to the small claims court and i will drop a line to watchdog too, and also to a few choice newspapers.

regards