November 24, 2006
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall of 360,000 Volvos because the vehicle speed control systems can cause the engine to lose power without warning.
Volvo reports a problem inside the electronic throttle control module in cars built between 1999 and 2002 which could cause the vehicle to shift into a "limp home" mode limiting the maximum speed to roughly 15 miles per hour.
The recall applies to Volvo C70 and V70 models built between 1999 and 2002, S60 models built between 2001 and 2002, and S70 and V70X models built between 1999 and 2000.
Volvo has already repaired the speed control problem in about 165,000 vehicles of the recall total after sending out notices to owners in March.
NHTSA informed Volvo that the agency was making the recall mandatory earlier this month. Volvo owners who bring their cars to dealerships will have new software reinstalled for the throttle control unit.
The "limp home" setting is a safety feature in Volvo cars intended to prevent unintended acceleration in case of a throttle malfunction.
Volvo is owned by the Ford Motor Co.
Pacifica Recall
NHTSA also ordered DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group to recall 128,000 Pacifica sport utility vehicles because of a problem with the software governing the fuel pump and power train control.
NHTSA reports the defect could cause the engine to stall in some cases. The recall applies to Pacifica models built between 2005 and 2006.
Chrysler dealers will reprogram the power train controls and replace the fuel pump on certain cars as part of the recall.
