My car would not move when I press the gas pedal (most of the time)--Please help!
 

Hi,

I am in a desperate need of help. First, I have no choice but to keep my
car and fix it or try to fix the most important items to buy time
(unemployed now so no way to buy another car).

I took my car last Thursday to a VOLVO dealership for diagnostics. I would
start the car and when I press the gas pedal, there very little power to the
point that I can only drive the car for 10 miles an hour. It started as
once in a while instance that would resolve itself once I shut off the car,
wait and then restart. But now, it seems this temporary solution is not
working. I got to drive home earlier with 10 miles an hour speed.

The service guy at the dealership told me that I had a throttle problem and
the breather box was clogged and that it was not worth to fix because the
car is dying.

This is 99 Volvo s80 T6 with 152K miles. Isn't Volvo for life? or for life
when it's just broken and not driven?

Any way, I thought about it and I have no solution but to fix the car
otherwise it would be $200 at the junk yard. It's still beautiful car that
I drove just like 80 miles an hour on the highway...it drives great on the
highway.

The engine shakes (I think the engine is missing one support) but the rpm
fluctuates and I have been driving with it for the past 4 or 5 years. I
just want to be able to fix it to buy myself time to figure what I should
do. So I would appreciate your help.

I got used throttle that was locked and couldn't be programmed. This repair
shop (Volvo authorized) cleaned the other one and replaced it. I paid $196
and I got it out happy, runny a couple of errands and then again the same
problem the same day. Then I was thinking about putting a new throttle until
I thought about seeking the expertise of some of you here.

I looked at the codes again: it says ETM---no fault (why the dealer says
that it was the throttle body? and then didn't charge me the diagnostics
(felt bad for me as he said).

I am suspecting I have a major wiring problem in my car. Volvo has had a
bad history on this subject. So I am sharing the codes that came out. Once
again, I have no alternative but to keep my car for now (a few months).
what can I resolve urgently to solve the problem of the car/engine not
responding to the gas pedal

Please help....I would appreciate any feedback. Please not that car was
working fine at this diagnostics and responding to the gas pedal. So I am
assuming the 'no active' status is related to my problem. Also, I have a
feeling the dealer service guy was hiding something from me since he didn't
make pay for diagnostics when my car was there for almost 2 hours and half.

ECM-4000 Canister purge (CP) valve - signal missing-----DCT is found
active
ECM-4308 Leak diagnostic-major leak - major leak----DCT is found
acrtive
ECM-644A Camshaft control -Faulty signal ---------DCT is found
not active
ECM-903C Reconfiguration emission system -Information--DCT is found not
active
ECM-903F Throttle position (TP) - signal missing---------DCT is found not
active
ECM-904C Reconfiguration emission system - Information----DCT is found
not active
ECM-904D Text message - Information--------------DCT is found not active
ECM-9190 Throttle position (TP) - Faulty current------DCT is found not
active
ECM-91A7 Throttle position (TP) - Faulty control--------DCT is found not
active
ECM-91F0 Throttle position (TP) - Faulty current-----DCT is found active

CEM-1A07 15-power supply signal too high-----DCT is found not active
CEM-1A08 50-power supply signal missing------DCT is found not active
CEM-1C02 L-signal signal too low---------------DCT is found not active
CEM-1C05 30-power supply signal too low------DCT is found not active
CEM-2E03 Power steering initiation fault----------DCT is found not active
CEM-6A04 Door locked, right rear signal too low--DCT is found not active
CEM-1A04 X-power supply signal too low---------DCT is found not active
CEM-1C01 L-Signal signal too high-----------------DCT is found not active

CCM- 0003 Fan motor passenger compartment temperature sensor faulty
signal--DCT is found not active
DDM-0025 Mirror motor signal missing---------DCT is found active
DDM-003F Control, door mirror signal too high----DCT is found not active

PSM-E003 Configuration fault faulty configuration---DCT is found not
active
REM-6C11 Tilt sensor, power supply signal too high----DCT is found not
active
SRS-00D0 Seat belt buckle, driver signal missing-------DCT is found
active
SRS-00D1 Seat belt buckle, passenger signal missing----DCT is found
active
SRS-E003 Configuration fault faulty configuration-------DCT is found not
active

UEM-0004 Siren communication fault -----DCT is found active
UEM-0005 Sun roof commication fault------DCT is found active
UEM-0031 Reading lamp signal missing-----DCT is found not active
UEM-0033 Reading lamp signal missing-----DCT is found not active

ETM----no fault found
PDM ---no fault found
SWM --no fault found
TCM---no fault found
ABS ---no fault found
DIM---no fault found

Thank you so much in advance.
I am also not able to perform the work myself but I can get a meter and measure if I am shown what I should measure :-)

Well, your ETM (electronic throttle module, throttle body is the same thing) is definitely bad. Common problem on these. No, you cannot use a used one- they are "locked" to the car they came from.
Best solution that I know of is the rebuilt ETMs available through XeMODeX Inc. home. They redesigned the failure- prone sensor, so the problem is taken care of for good. Unfortunately, they are still expensive... but not as expensive as going to the dealer. They come pre- programmed to your car. they cost $550.00 plus a $100 core charge that is refunded when you send them the old unit.

Oh, yeah... about the "Volvo for Life" thing: There's an asterisk at the end of it, didn't you see it? if you look at the fine print, you'll see a little note: *S80 T6 and XC90 T6 excepted. Seriously- and I'll probably get some flack for this-, the S80 T6 and the XC90 T6 are probably the worst Volvos ever made. Some might even say that every Volvo made between 1999 and 2001 is the worst due to the ETM issue, but there's ways to fix that reasonably now. But the XC90 and S80 have a lot of electrical and suspension gremlins, and the T6 versions like to eat transmissions. Fortunately, after the ETM is dealt with, if the transmission has already been rebuilt and you're not too hard on the car, the biggest problems are solved.

Thanks 'Carrots' for taking the time to reply. I appreciate it.
I actually got confused since it says 'ETM no fault found' so I was puzzled and I thought it may not be the throttle (I mean hoping). Now I have a confirmation that's it's the throttle. I am going to look into the XeModex. It definitly better than the $1000 Volvo dealership is asking (actually they refused to give me the quote saying it's not worth fixing and from one thing you would get to another).

Someone (I trust) wants to sell me the transmission for $100. Actually $100 for hiring someone to take it off the car which has many already sold part. DO you think I should invest that $100 for that used transmission in case mine fails anytime? Actually mine is leaking so I have been watching the fluid and at one point the whole fluid was gone but thanks God it's working well now. It just has to move faster :-)

Thank you so much for your insights and I appreciate it.

I am impressed by the list of cars you have!...At least you have a back up. May be I can buy a $600 car as a back up :-) as I can't afford a volvo now!

"Oh, yeah... about the "Volvo for Life" thing: There's an asterisk at the end of it, didn't you see it? if you look at the fine print, you'll see a little note: *S80 T6 and XC90 T6 excepted"

I love it! so funny and right on the money :-)

I mentioned it to the customer service representative at the Volvo America and she said: that's SAFETY ...

Someone was joking the other day, saying Volvo for life because you don't get to drive it much as it is broken so it last you a lifetime ....

:-)

Since you are the only one who answered me in this forum, I am going to ask you a question. Do you know how I can tackle this message:
ECM-4308 Leak diagnostic-major leak - major leak----DCT is found
active

What the best way to find out the leak?
My transmission leaks also but it seems that they didn't get a trainy code.

I think that a major since the oil escapes from the broken oil dipstick to the alternator and it seems that it got the throttle per the dealer (I doubt it though).

That's my number #2 problem after I resolve number #1 problem which is the throttle.

Thanks so much and I appreciate your time :-)

I never had a ETM go but based upon all the other codes which were set, you probably have other problems to deal with besides the ETM. I am sure all those components are not bad but something has gone wrong with the system to cause it to malfunction creating false codes.

I would see if you can have someone reset all codes and then check them again.

PS- You can get a lot more money than $200 for the car by selling as parts if you have a way to get rid of the shell afterwards. Nose is worth close to $1000 in the North East area

Sorry for the late reply. I have been traveling vising my parents and family. So I left my car as it is and will deal with it when I get back mid-September. I would like in the meantime to do more research and see what I have to do or should do. I feel so relieved that my car's parts are worth something but I don't have a space to dismantle. However, it's something I have to look into though.

That's very wise idea to clear and check again. Someone suggested that I have to change the alternator and I do agree. The E. Power system message started coming out after I changed the alternator. When I press gas it disappears. I also hear a noise when my car starts, only in the morning. So it's not the starter. I changed it a local mechanic who apparently changed it without disabling the battery and I got the SRS message.

I would start with the ETM and then clearing the codes and probably tackle the alternator.

Thank you so much for taking the time and write and for sharing what your know

All the best!

I replaced the throttle body in my S80 with one from xmodex last fall and it seems to be the way to go to eliminate the oem throttle body issues. Not hard to change - about 20 min and basic tools.