I am new to this forum yet I share your many frustration. Please bear with me through a long story that I will attempt to abbreviate.

I purchased a 1999 V70 with 55K miles in May 2003. Our first ETS problem occurred at 65K. The ETM and new software cost $1,200. The car ran fine for the first four blocks when the ETS light went on again. The map sensor was replaced and cost $100. The car ran fine for 9 months and since then, has been at the Minneapolis dealer eight more times for ETS related issues. (Over the past year, the ETS light has gone on almost everyday.) This past December, the dealer had the car for three weeks and replaced the ETM (second replacement), uploaded software, replaced the thermostat, and installed a new gas accelerometer. The ETS light went on when they delivered the car to my wife. They reset the software and the ETS light went on four blocks later.

The dealer has treated us very well but acknowledges that they have tried everything they can think of over the past two years but cannot fix the car. Besides my $1,300 expense, the dealer has invested $4,300 of their own money. Last summer, the Volvo technician from Chicago looked at the car. He determined that there was a voltage problem and replaced the battery, cables, and wiring harness. The ETS light came on four days later.

A large part of the frustration is due to faulty error codes when performing diagnostics. Either no code can be read, or work is performed based upon one code only to have another code appear. Here is a list of the ETS related work done over the past two-plus years:

Mileage Part # Part Description
65,621 8644347-0 Throttle Body
8636753-9 Gasket
9438298-3 ETM Reload
9209863-1 Hose Clamp
65,625 9470007-7 Map Sensor
78,047 1275636-7 Mass Air Flow Sensor
Code for Internal Control Unit - ECM 900E
Reset
79,258 Code for Internal Control Unit - ECM DENISO
Reset
Cleaned and tightened connections
92,813 8601577-3 Replaced Electronic Control Module
8601577-3 Core Return
92,957 9438297-4 ECM Gasoline
Cleared Code ECM720A
Upgraded ECM Software
9442961-0 Replaced Immobilzer Antenna Ring
96,512 Traced wiring for ECM and TCM
Correct improper ground
99,054 8628771-1 Battery cable
9456161-0 Wiring Harness
9494448-5 Relay
9438746-1 Battery
9456836-7 Wiring Harness
99,458 30683511-7 Accelerator Ped
8644347-0 Throttle Body
9438298-3 ETM Reload
8636753-9 Gasket
1271988-6 Oil Trap
8653339-5 Hose
976584-3 Hose Clamp
976561-1 Hose Clamp
9458534-6 Gasket
271664-5 Thermostat Kit
99,500 ETS light continues to stay on, engine continues to surge, acceleration voids. Cannot reset by re-starting engine. Car is too dangerous to drive. Sits in garage.

The dealer will not look at the car anymore without being compensated, the Volvo tech from Chicago refuses to look at the car again, and Volvo of America supports the dealer's claim that more analysis is needed (my expense). The car now sits in our garage. My wife is not allowed to drive it and my children are not allowed to ride in it.

I'm convinced the car is terminally ill. I may strip it down and sell its mechanical organs over Ebay. In a sense, I can spread its ashes across the highway and byways of America. However, I did see someone state in another forum that a clogged crankcase ventilation system can create ETS problems. I also saw someone state that the o2 sensors can be polluting the ETM. Is there any merit to these ideas? My car is an automatic.

Thank you very much for your patience and interest in my "Nightmare for Life" story. I appreciate it.

 

You have a huge problem there. I would just sell the car and let the person know about the problem. And or sell the car for parts. Is it a turbo?

 

Volvo is making the 10 Year 100,000 mile warranty affective. Before you sell or strip make sure you get your REFUND FOR THE THROTTLE BODY'S.

What about Coil packs and spark plugs.

If you live near a Auto Zone have the codes pulled and let us know.

 

Ok how do we go about getting the refund?

 

Try contacting the local dealer.
If not Call Volvo Cars of North America.

If you get no help let me know and I will try to find out for you.

 

Thank you for the advice. I do have an Autozone store nearby and did not realize they would do this sort of testing. I am very interested to see what the codes reveal. I will keep you informed.

FYI - No turbo

 

Took my daughter to dance last night in the dredded Volvo (My wife had taken my son to hockey). After, a few minutes, we reached the end of the block. Not bad except for the fact that the end of the block is one house away. ETS and check engine lights were on upon starting the car. Car stalled a dozen times on the trip and again, no acceleration trying to merge. Even upon restarting, the ETS light would come on immediately. After dropping off my daughter, I went to Autozone. On my way there, the car ran poorly but better.

Autozone was very helpful. They used their OBD II reader and captured codes of 108 (Map Sensor - which was originally replaced about 30K ago) and 1017 (Unidentifiable). Upon leaving Autozone, only the check engine light was on and the car ran normal. I stopped at my local Valvoline facility to have some windshild wiper fluid added. Upon leaving Valvoline, the check engine light went out, the car ran well and everyone was happy the rest of the evening.

No one needs to read this or respond. You've got better things to do and I'm just venting wondering why the car runs so sporadically. The ETS light resets at Autozone and the check engine light goes off after adding about 12 ounces of washer fluid. When the symptoms return (next time I drive the car), I will return to Autozone. I am very curious to see if the diagnostics will reveal the same two codes.

Thank God for a great wife and kids. family, friends, and health. It keeps this whole Volvo thing in perspective.

 

Are you still less than 100,000 miles?

 

Barely. I'm at 99K+. I believe about 99,800.

 

Call the local dealer. Volvo Extended the Warranty on the electronic throttle body's to 10 Year 100,000 miles.

Hopefully in a way the codes come back soon and are throttle position sensor codes. Or the code that Auto Zone pulled that was Unidentifiable is most likely a throttle body code.

If the throttle body is bad they will replace it for free. Also if you payed in the past they should tell you how to get the money back for it.

 

My 99 v70 GLT started having these issues in May...the car was in the shop a week and out a week...for 6 weeks...Now it is surely unusable. It will only creep upto 25 mph on level road...
Resoldered wiring to ECM
replaced positive cable between ECM and battery
replace throttle body (not the fix, so removed the new part)

Shop says it is the electronic control module, ECM...overheating and not fireing the fuel injectors. Bought a ECM at the junkyard, but was not installable. Shop worked with Volvo to install the ECM. Turns out the ECM needs to be de-programmed while in the donor car prior to removal. Not gonna happen with a junk yard... New part is $1200...

If there is a shop that can rebuild/recondition my ECM? And would that need 're-programming'? (can I remove and reinstall the repaired ECM?)
Or we at the junk it state?

 

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