Non-contacting Etm

[decker]

yes, you do still have to pay for the dealers download, not to mention paying somebody to bring the car to the dealer after you install the ETM, because your car will not be driveable with a new ETM installed without dealer software downloaded. I looked at this option and I was quoted around $850 to do this.(Mine was under warrenty so I did not have to pay.)

from their website... "ETM throttles that are send to us for DAS sensor upgrade will not need new software, as long as they are installed back in the same vehicle."

this bodes well for people that can live without their car for a day or two in my opinion... especially those with cars that have been "tuned" right.... correct??? from what basic information i have gathered here and on swedespeed if you have the ETM software update done at the dealership it will wipe out your computer "tune"

i will be picking up a '99 V70R in one week... it has the "yellow label" and so i'm crossing my fingers that i won't have any issues with it... especially on the drive home. so "yellow label" owners... how have yours been holding up?

fwiw... i'm sorta' new to volvo's... but not new at all to cars... repairs... and reengineering something that was engineered wrong in the first place. does/did/will this ETM "issue" bother me... sure... but it won't stop me from buying the car... driving the car... and at some point... fixing the car.

[decker]

Erratic and varied commercial driving is probably what's kept your ETM alive.

The folks who drive consistently at the same speeds (I.E.: cruise control on the interstate, etc.) are the ones who have/are replacing their ETM's...the design of the mylar potentiometer lends itself by design to wear out with consistently similar or same type of or speed of driving.

this information really needs to be cross posted with links back and forth to every volvo site that there is... let's begin. http://www.___.com/forums/vi...f=1&t=17820

i'll guinea pig one of their units for them if they want... please send one no-charge non-contacting ETM to...

[MadeInJapan]

Thanks for linking to MVS.

There is also an update on the site from Don Willson (the "let's go after Volvo concerning their defective ETM" guru) here: http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/vi...f=1&t=18155

[decker]

Thanks for linking to MVS.

There is also an update on the site from Don Willson (the "let's go after Volvo concerning their defective ETM" guru) here: http://www.___.com/forums/vi...f=1&t=18155

Posted here as well... http://www.v70r.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16895

[Crabolsky850]

Kind of expensive! Especially considering getting an ABS module rebuilt is only 100 bucks!

Yeah have to say, that takes it just outside being worth it. Being without your car for 3-4 days, paying shipping etc. I can appreciate the that there is time involved, but what are we talking 2-3 hours of refub time (just guessing) plus parts. I could see the value if it were in the range $300-$400. It would be worth the risk. But there is no guarantee beyond a year. At a price that you could have another replacement that it proven to last (granted not great) 100,000. Offer a 3 year warranty at that price it maybe more would consider it.

[Bearclaw]

...

i will be picking up a '99 V70R in one week... it has the "yellow label" and so i'm crossing my fingers that i won't have any issues with it... especially on the drive home. so "yellow label" owners... how have yours been holding up?

I bought my 2000 V70R with 93,700 on the clock, and the ETM was yellow-tagged. I got no records with the car, and never tried to recover a service history with Volvo so I don't know at what point it was serviced. It lived out in a rural area for its first 5 years, so it may have had the 'constant-position' problem from highway driving. When it got to about 105K, it started to act up. It spent about 3 weeks at the dealer while they tried to A) get the right codes out of it to have the field service rep. buy off on a warranty repair, and actually wait for an ETM to become available. It was fixed under warranty, fortunately. So my experience after the yellow-tagging was not encouraging. I thought the yellow tag just meant a "cleaning" and software update?

[MadeInJapan]

ETM update: Don Willson has now tested the new, third party ETM and confirmed that it works without a hitch. Here is the info about it: http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/vi...f=9&t=18155

[Ghost Shadow]

ETM update: Don Willson has now tested the new, third party ETM and confirmed that it works without a hitch. Here is the info about it: http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/vi...f=9&t=18155

now all we have to do is hope for a price drop to a point where the ETM replacement will be a no brainer to get the upgrade.

$600 plus shipping is still a little expensive, but i am hoping my ETM will go later than sooner.

[1999_V70]

Agreed.

[Ghost Shadow]

Agreed.

spoke too soon, now my etm is dead.

calculating the cost to ship to canada is $150 next day, and return shipping is like $100. so there will be $250 in freight charges on top of the $599 price tag.

dealer part cost is $520, programming upload $100

that's $850 xemodex at least 3 days.

vs

dealer is $600-650 same day service.

would help alot if there is a usa office to send to.

[MadeInJapan]

Contact them, explain your situation and see if they cut you a deal.

[Ghost Shadow]

Contact them, explain your situation and see if they cut you a deal.

Contacted chris today,

He is getting my ETM tomorrow. Rebuild it tuesday, send it out next day and i will get it wednesday. I will post my findings on wednesday night.

I will be installing the ETM on my 01 C70 first to test the theory of interchange between vehicles.

Then removing it to be installed into the 99v70 xc.

Then i will be driving 20 miles to get the V70 XC, and install the rebuilt ETM. Hopefully I will drive home and take notes on the drive home.

I descided to go ahead with the ETM rebuilt since i do have another car in the garage that this will be able to swap into if i ever do get rid of the v70xc. if only i can prove true, the theory of interchangeable ETM's between my two cars.

The big question is money. i feel the cost will be almost the same as OEM.

$550 - $575 depending on the dealer.

$100 - $250 for software and install at the dealer

$100 - $200 for towing

$750 - $1025 total at dealer

vs

$599 for a rebuild

$68 for next day air from philadelphia to missasuagua-whatever place in canada

$0 for towing since car is at a relatives

$0 for programming since it should be plug and play.

$0 - $150 for labor, guys it took me less than one 12 minute episode of Thomas the Tank to take the ETM out of the car.

$667 dollars still about $125 cheaper than the OEM route.

OEM still going to fail, this route still not a proven route may fail but the odds are more in my favor.

Stay tuned to the ETM channel.

[Crabolsky850]

Contacted chris today,

He is getting my ETM tomorrow. Rebuild it tuesday, send it out next day and i will get it wednesday. I will post my findings on wednesday night.

I will be installing the ETM on my 01 C70 first to test the theory of interchange between vehicles.

Then removing it to be installed into the 99v70 xc.

Then i will be driving 20 miles to get the V70 XC, and install the rebuilt ETM. Hopefully I will drive home and take notes on the drive home.

I descided to go ahead with the ETM rebuilt since i do have another car in the garage that this will be able to swap into if i ever do get rid of the v70xc. if only i can prove true, the theory of interchangeable ETM's between my two cars.

The big question is money. i feel the cost will be almost the same as OEM.

$550 - $575 depending on the dealer.

$100 - $250 for software and install at the dealer

$100 - $200 for towing

$750 - $1025 total at dealer

vs

$599 for a rebuild

$68 for next day air from philadelphia to missasuagua-whatever place in canada

$0 for towing since car is at a relatives

$0 for programming since it should be plug and play.

$0 - $150 for labor, guys it took me less than one 12 minute episode of Thomas the Tank to take the ETM out of the car.

$667 dollars still about $125 cheaper than the OEM route.

OEM still going to fail, this route still not a proven route may fail but the odds are more in my favor.

Stay tuned to the ETM channel.

Agreed. How about the warranty period though? Still not proven in the real world just yet and not offering a longer warranty that the stock ETM.

[Ghost Shadow]

Agreed. How about the warranty period though? Still not proven in the real world just yet and not offering a longer warranty that the stock ETM.

true.

warranty is for 1 year.

oem warranty 3yr 36000 miles? or 50k? They failed at 10, 15, 30 ect....like me it ETS light on 4 weeks after the 10 year anniversary, and total failure at 8 weeks after original delivery date.

For all the headaches i get trying to get the dealer to replace the ETM paying for it and never having to worry about it again is priceless. we all know the OEM ETM will fail again, but when? On a 1500mile cross country trip? on the way to the supermarket? on the on ramp to the expressway? on the way to the hospital? when? we do not know. do you want to be able to NOT worry in the back of your mind that it may fail? NOT ME.

Plus, i rather give back to the community and invest in someone that will make a better product. than make volvo rich and buy another unit that WILL eventually fail again. spend it now? or spend it later. piece of mind is priceless. take it from me, the ETM is on borrowed time. i have two of these effected cars, so if i do get rid of one, then i will keep the rebuilt etm.

[Crabolsky850]

true.

warranty is for 1 year.

oem warranty 3yr 36000 miles? or 50k? They failed at 10, 15, 30 ect....like me it ETS light on 4 weeks after the 10 year anniversary, and total failure at 8 weeks after original delivery date.

For all the headaches i get trying to get the dealer to replace the ETM paying for it and never having to worry about it again is priceless. we all know the OEM ETM will fail again, but when? On a 1500mile cross country trip? on the way to the supermarket? on the on ramp to the expressway? on the way to the hospital? when? we do not know. do you want to be able to NOT worry in the back of your mind that it may fail? NOT ME.

Plus, i rather give back to the community and invest in someone that will make a better product. than make volvo rich and buy another unit that WILL eventually fail again. spend it now? or spend it later. piece of mind is priceless. take it from me, the ETM is on borrowed time. i have two of these effected cars, so if i do get rid of one, then i will keep the rebuilt etm.

Well put. I imagine I will also be going this route, I just want to float some of those questions out there so that they are aware or some of the concerns that some might have with such a product. Definitely keep us all posted!