Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Volvo S70 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 23 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S-70. WHILE REFUELING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG, OVERPOWERING GASOLINE FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK AT THE TOP OF FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
THIS COMPLAINT IS AGAINST VOLVO AMERICA, I OWN A 1999 VOLVO S70 WITH 214,000 MILES. VOLVO CLAIMS THAT IT HAD A SOFTWARE UPGRADE FOR MY ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE. VOLVO HAD A RECALL FOR THIS ITEM, BUT IT ONLY COVERED THIS RECALL UPTO 200,000 MILES. MY VOLVO NEVER HAD THE PART REPLACED, VOLVO ONLY DID A "SOFTWARE UPGRADE." THE ETC IS FAILING AND MAY FAIL ON THE FREEWAY, PLACING MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF OTHER AMERICAN DRIVERS IN DANGER. WHY HAS VOLVO GOT AWAY WITH FAILING ELECTRONICS WHICH WILL TURN THE CAR OFF ON THE FREEWAY AND WILL TAKE PEOPLE'S LIVES. DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. *TR
1999 VOLVO S70. MECHANICAL PROBLEMS STARTED IN 2005.THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL WITH NO WARNING, USUALLY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT OFTEN IT WOULD GO NO MORE THAN 20-30 MPH. ALSO, SOME OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF. THE CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AT LEAST SIXTEEN TIMES.THEY SAY THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO THEY CAN'T FIX IT. MEANTIME, MY CAR COMES TO A DEAD STOP ON HOUSTON STREETS AND FREEWAYS WITH 18-WHEELERS, TRUCKS, AND CARS BEHIND IT. THIS A ROLLING COFFIN. I AM GOING TO GET REAR-ENDED AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED. MAYBE SEVERAL "SOMEONE'S". VOLVO OF HOUSTON DOESN'T CARE. WE BOUGHT THE CAR THERE. IT HAS HAD MAINTENANCE SERVICE THERE OVER THE YEARS. THESE PEOPLE TOOK OUR $27,000 AND GAVE US A "KILLER" CAR. I AM TERRIFIED WHEN I HAVE TO DRIVE IT. SINCE 2005, EVERY TIME I GET IN THIS CAR I WONDER IF I WILL GET HOME ALIVE. I WOULD LIKE FOR SOMEONE AT VOLVO TO TAKE THIS CAR AND LET THEIR WIFE, MOTHER, OR DAUGHTER DRIVE IT. LET THEM WORRY ABOUT GETTING KILLED ON A HOUSTON STREET. THIS CAR HAS DONE THIS AT LEAST 20 TIMES, MAYBE MORE. I NEVER KNOW IF I WILL GET WHERE I AM GOING OUT AND I DEFINITELY DON'T KNOW IF I WILL GET HOME A L I V E! THIS CAR IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE KILLED. THIS CAR IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE KILLED. DID I MENTION THAT THIS CAR IS GONG TO GET SOMEONE KILLED?? I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THIS CAR TO A PRESIDENT OR VICE-PRESIDENT AT VOLVO SO THEY COULD LET THEIR LOVED ONES DRIVE AND WORRY A BOUT "SOMEONE GETTING KILLED". I HAVE DEALT WITH VOLVO SINCE 2005. THEY DON'T CARE. MAKING MONEY BY SELLING CARS IS ALL THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM. EVEN IF THE DRIVER GETS KILLED BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT IS GOING TO CAUSE THE DEATH. I ASKED THE [XXX], AT VOLVO OF HOUSTON TODAY IF HE WOULD LIKE TO LET HIS WIFE, MOTHER, OR DAUGHTER DRIVE THIS CAR. HE JUST LOOKED AT ME AND SAID NOTHING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S70. FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS THE CONTACT COMPLAINED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ABOUT THE STRONG SMELL OF GAS ACCUMULATING OVERNIGHT IN THE GARAGE AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK TO FULL. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED IT WAS EITHER THE GAS CAP OR THE FUEL TANK. THE GAS CAP WAS REPLACED, BUT THERE WAS STILL NO IMPROVEMENT. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS FAILED SEALS ON THE METAL FUEL LINES ENTERING AND EXITING THE LID OF THE FUEL PUMP INSTALLED ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK UNDER THE TRUNK. THE ADHESIVE OR SEALANT THAT SECURED THE METAL IN THE LINE AND METAL OUT LINE TO THE FILTERS PLASTIC LID HAD CRACKED AND GAS VAPORS AND GASOLINE LEAKED OUT OF THE CRACKS. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 170,750. UPDATED 03/15/11 *BF
WE OWN A 1999 VOLVO S70. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IT STARTED TO SURGE WHILE AT A STOP WITHOUT AND FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AT ALL. WHILE TRYING TO PULL OUT FROM A STOP SIGN THE CAR HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. IT DID WHAT IT WANTED TOO WITHOUT MY CONTROLLING IT. THE GAS PEDAL WENT UP AND DOWN ALL BY ITSELF. THE CAR THEN STALLED AND WOULD NOT START AND RUN. A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A ETS LIGHT CAME ON. LUCKY WE WHERE NOT ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND WHERE ABLE TO PULL OVER. WE HAD TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO BRING IT HOME. I CALLED A VOLVO DEALER IN OUR AREA. AFTER SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FIND OUT THIS WAS A PROBLEM IN ALL 99 TO 2001 VOLVO'S. A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE VOLVO DEALER WILL ONLY UPGRADE A SOFTWARE ISSUE. IF THE PART { ETM} FAILS THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT. WE NEVER HAD A CAR THAT THE GAS PEDAL IS CONTROLLED BY THIS SYSTEM. AFTER GETTING OUT CAR BACK FROM THE DEALER THE SAME DAY IT DID IT AGAIN. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR MEETS THE RECALL REQUIREMENTS THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT THE ETM. NOW WE HAVE A CAR THAT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A INTERSTATE WE COULD HAVE BEEN REARENDED OR RAN INTO SOMEONE ELSE. PLEASE HELP. *TR
ETM ISSUE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING ENDED UP HAVING TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. ETM MAY ACT NORMAL OR GO INTO LIMP HOME MODE AT ANY MOMENT SOMETIMES YOU CAN DRIVE ALL DAY N PROBLEMS OTHER DAYS YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE. WHEN AFFECTED RPMS WILL NOT EXCEED 2500 AND TOP SPEED SEEMS TO BE ABOUT 20 MPH. *TR
I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY ON A PARKWAY IN WASH DC. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT GO MORE THAN 10 MPH. I "LIMPED" TO A GAS STATION AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, INSPECTED FOR LOOSE WIRES, OR OTHER OBSERVABLE DEFECTS. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN THE ETS LIGHT WAS ON AND STAYED ON. NOW THE CAR RUNS ERRATICALLY LURCHING FORWARD OR SPUTTERING OR JUST PLAIN LOSING POWER AT RANDOM. *TR
AT APPROXIMATELY 206,000 MILES MY CAR WOULDN'T DRIVE OVER 40 MPH, THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP ON ITS OWN AND SPUTTERED THROUGHOUT THE REDUCED RPM RANGE. RPMS WOULD NOT GO OVER ABOUT 3500. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DROVE IT TO VOLVO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AT AN OUT OF POCKET COST TO ME OF APPROXIMATELY $1,000. THEY STATED THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UP TO 200,000 MILES AS THIS PART HAD A RECALL. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I WAS ADEQUATELY NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. I RECEIVED A LETTER ABOUT A RECALL LAST YEAR AND CALLED THE DEALER TO ASK WHAT IT ALL MEANT SINCE I DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS JUST A SOFTWARE UPGRADE AND WOULD ONLY TAKE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR THAT SOFTWARE UPGRADE IN MARCH OF 2007 WITH LESS THAN 200,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE ETM / THROTTLE BODY ISSUE. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT THAT TIME. *TR
PURCHASED USED CAR 1 WEEK AGO. 87,000 MI. NO PROBLEMS, ETS LIGHT CAME ON. YELLOW LIGHT, NOT RED = NOT AN EMERGENCY. GOT HOME SAFELY, NO ODD BEHAVIOR, AND READ ABOUT IT IN MANUAL, WHICH SAID TO TAKE TO DEALERSHIP, VERY VAGUE DESCRIPTION. WENT TO START CAR, SMELLED GAS, ROUGH IDLING REVVING 1,000 RPMS WHILE PARKED - I WASN'T EVEN TOUCHING THE PEDAL, BLINKING HEADLIGHTS A.K.A INTERMITTENT POWER. IF THIS OCCURRED ON THE ROAD, I CANNOT PREDICT WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. READ SAME COMPLAINTS ONLINE...EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE ETM UNIT, CONTINUED FAILURE, NO RECALL OR WARRANTY COVERAGE. I DO SEE A RECALL ON 11/14/2006 BUT I'M UNSURE IF THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB
MY THROTTLE IS DEFECTIVE ON MY 1999 VOLVO S70. THE CAR IDLES TOO LOW AND WILL DIE AT A STOP. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME ONLY VOLVO CAN REPAIR THIS. *JB
SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. COMPUTER CHECK AT SHOP SPECIALIZING IN VOLVOS SHOWED THROTTLE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE. IT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. OUR SERVICE SHOP ESTIMATES THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 75 OF THESE.*JB
ETS LIGHT CAME ON STALLING, RUNNING ROUGH ECT... DEALER INSTALLED NEW THROTTLE BODY (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM) COST TO CORRECT $1041.00. *JB
SMELL OF GAS, CHECKED UNDER HOOD GAS LEAK AT FUEL RAIL, DEFECTIVE END CAP ON FUEL RAIL CAUSE OF LEAK REPLACED FUEL RAIL WITH NEW IMPROVED FUEL RAIL FROM DEALER,ORIGINAL FUEL RAIL DEFECTIVE COULD CAUSE FIRE. OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. *NM
REGARDING VOLVO THROTTLE CONTROL JULY 2001-PURCHASED 1999 S70 WITH 22,600 MILES; CRUISE CONTROL QUIT, WARNING LIGHTS LIT, CAR BEGAN DECELERATING. DEALERSHIP SAID CHECK GAS CAP SECURELY-FITTING. AFTER RESTARTING, CRUISE CONTROL WORKED AND WARNING LIGHTS OFF. 30,000 MILE SERVICE- TOLD AGAIN TO CHECK GAS CAP WHENEVER CRUISE PROBLEM OCCURRED. AUGUST 2002-USING CRUISE CONTROL, ACCELERATION WITHOUT REASON. IMMEDIATELY, CRUISE CONTROL QUIT, CAR DECELERATED, WARNING LIGHTS ON. NORMAL FUNCTION WITH MANUAL ACCELERATION. BY THIS TIME, I HAD "LEARNED" TO RESTART CAR TO GET WARNING LIGHTS TO TURN OFF OR TO GET CRUISE CONTROL TO START WORKING. AT DESTINATION, CAR WOULDN'T RESTART. TOW TRUCK DRIVER JUMP-STARTED BATTERY. ETS WARNING LIGHT STILL ON. WROTE TO DEALERSHIP OCTOBER 28, 2003, REGARDING ETS WARNING LIGHT. AT 37,500 MILE CHECK-UP, I WAS TOLD CAR REQUIRED ONLY NORMAL SERVICING. WHEN I LEFT DEALERSHIP, ETS LIGHT NO LONGER ON. LATER CAR BEGAN IDLING ROUGHLY AND DIDN'T ACCELERATE AS SMOOTHLY. AFTER 37,500 MILE SERVICE, CAR OPERATED MORE AS EXPECTED. WITHIN WEEKS, AGAIN IDLING ROUGHLY AND NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY AFTER TURNING CORNERS. DEC. 31, 2003 (38,695 MILES), VOLVO TOWED TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WHEN TURNING, CAR BARELY MOVED FORWARD. ALSO, MOTOR STALLING OUT DURING ACCELERATION AFTER TURNING. NOISE SOUNDED LIKE IT EMANATED FROM POWER STEERING. POWER STEERING RACK REPLACED. AFTER SERVICING, ENGINE'S ACCELERATION BETTER FOR FEW MONTHS. (DID DEALERSHIP CLEANED THROTTLE DURING SERVICE?) REST OF THIS SENT IN SEPARATE DESCRIPTION DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS. *JB
DT: WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE SURGED. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER E PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE ROAD AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD HIM TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC FUEL REGULATOR. THIS OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER 22, 2004. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE, BUT HE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE WAS CURRENTLY AN INVESTIGATION OPEN REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, PE05041.*AK *JB
THE CAR STALLED IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC LOSING PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE AUTOMOBILE SCARED DRIVER AND CAR LUCKILY RESTARTED OR COULD HAVE BEEN MAJOR ACCIDENT - FOUND OUT THROTTLE BODY MODULE WAS TO BLAME. THIS IS ONE SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLE THE CAR OFTEN STALLED AT STOP LIGHTS AND GOING AROUND CORNERS. *JB
I HAVE A 1999 VOLVO S70 THAT I BROUGHT IN TO A VOLVO REPAIR SHOP FOR A 105,000 MILE CHECK UP (MOSTLY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIMING BELT). THE CAR WAS OTHERWISE WORKING FINE. FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF THE TIMING BELT, TENSIONER, OIL CHANGE, LUBE, ETC. (ALL THE THINGS IN THE STANDARD 105,000 MILE CHECK-UP), THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER IDLE. THE SHOP IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHY IT FAILED AS PART OF A ROUTINE CHECK-UP. THE PART WAS REPLACED AND THE REPLACEMENT PART ALSO FAILED TO WORK (IT WOULDN'T ACCEPT THE SOFTWARE). THE SECOND REPLACEMENT THROTTLE MODULE DID WORK AND THE CAR IS NOW WORKING. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR, HOWEVER, WAS $902.00--$551.50 FOR THE PART ALONE. THE REPAIR SHOP SPECIALIZES IN VOLVOS AND INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A FREQUENT PROBLEM, CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION BY YOUR OFFICE (NTSB ACTION # PE05041). I WANTED TO ADD MY EXPERIENCE TO YOUR COMPLAINT FILE. THIS CAN BE VERIFIED THROUGH THE REPAIR SHOP, RANDALL AUTOMOTIVE INC., 1720 WASHINGTON AVE. EXT., RENSSELAER, NY 12144-9482.
I OWN A 1999 VOLVO S70 FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM (ETS) HAS FAILED, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM THAT VOLVO DOES KNOW ABOUT. THEY DO NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE HIGH REPAIR BILL ( $800.00 - $900.00). I AM A MEMBER OF A VOLVO WEBSITE, AND MANY, MANY OTHERS ON THE SITE KNOW OF THE PROBLEM. THE ETS FAILS ON THE VEHICLE, AND THE DRIVER IS LEFT UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLES SPEED, AND SOMETIMES DIRECTION ( IF THE CAR QUITS) WHEN MINE FAILED, I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL ON ABOUT 72 MPH. I ALMOST COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR EFFECTIVELY, AND ALSO UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR EASILY BECAUSE THE ENGINE WENT DEAD. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. IT IS ABOUT THE SAME AS A THROTTLE CABLE BREAKING WHILE DRIVING, AND THE CAR JUST GOING DEAD. VOLVO KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE ETS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *NM
99 VOLVO S70 STARTED TO BUCK AND HESITATE AT 60 + MPH. I DID NOT FEEL IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE SINCE THE ENGINE ACTED LIKE IT WANTED TO CUT OUT ENTIRELY. I TOOK VEHICLE TO VOLVO DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED ETM, ELECTRONIC THROTTLE, AT A COST OF CLOSE TO $ 1000. VEHICLE ONLY HAD 76000 MILES ON IT.*JB
IN THE LAST MONTH OUR 1999 S70 VOLVO HAS STALLED - ONCE WHEN TRAVELING AT SLOW SPEED AND THE OTHER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT. IN BOTH INSTANCES THE CAR COULD BE RESTARTED. ALSO, THE "CHECK ENGINE" INDICATOR ILLUMINATES FREQUENTLY - AS IT IS NOW - AND WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WE ARE ADVISED THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *JB
VOLVO 1999 V70 ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL FAILURE. INTERMITTENTLY REALLY ROUGH IDLE, NO POWER, TOTALLY UNRELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. THIS IS BRINGING THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT LIGHT ON AND EVENTUALLY PUTTING CAR IN LIMP HOME MODE. IF THIS CAR EVER FAILED IN HEAVY, HIGH-SPEED TRAFFIC, THERE WOULD BE A MAJOR CATASTROPHE WITH POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF THIS FAILURE RECORDED IN INTERNET CHAT ROOMS. VOLVO IS APPARENTLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT DOES NOTHING TO SOLVE IT.*AK
WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. I START THE CAR AND IT STRUGGLES TO TURN ON AFTER A COUPLE OF SECOND IT IDLES NORMALLY. I THINK IT'S A FEUL DILIVERY PROBLEM BUT I'M NOT A MECHANIC. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO SERVICE AND THE PROBLEM PERSIST.*AK
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS AND AUTOMATIC TRUNK LOCK FAILED TO OPEN. *CJ
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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