1997 Volvo 8 SeriesRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

“ABS MODULE FAILED. LOOKS LIKE MAJOR DEALER REPAIR. THIS IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH AND NO LONGER TREATED AS AN ACCESSORY ITEM. FOR THESE DEVICES TO BE CONSIDERED AN "ACCESSORY" THEY SHOULD THEN BE MADE AS USER REPLACEABLE WHICH IS NOT THE CASE. THEN AGAIN, IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE EVERY SUNDAY-MECHANIC REPLACING SUCH A CRITICAL ITEM? I HAVE HAD AN ABS WARNING LIGHT FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW. DIAGNOSTICS SAY ITS THE ABS ELECTRONICS. I DO NOT HAVE THE BUDGET OR EXPERIENCE TO REPLACE IT. SEVERAL WEBSITES POINT TO FAILING OR DEFECTIVE CAPACITORS ON THE ELECTRONIC MODULE ITSELF. *TR”

“1. LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND SOMETIMES STALLING DURING FREEWAY TRANSITION FROM ON RAMP TO FREEWAY AND OR DURING LEFT TURNING AGAINST TRAFFIC. 2. THE CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND THE ACTION OF PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO DOWN SHIFT CAUSING THE EXTREME SLOWING AND SOMETIMES STALLING. THE CONSEQUENCES WERE THAT TRAFFIC WAS GOING CONSIDERABLY FASTER AND HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID HITTING THE SLOWING CAR. 3. TODAY THE MEDIA REPORTED A POTENTIAL RECALL OF VOLVO'S DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO 1997 MODEL 850 GLT. *JB”

“ABS LIGHT COMING ON AND STAYING ON REPEATEDLY. AFTER NUMEROUS RESETS BY MY VOLVO REPAIR SHOP, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE ABS TRACTION CONTROL COMPUTER MODULE HAD FAILED. THE UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $642.93. THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE DOING AN AVERAGE OF ONE OR TWO SUCH REPLACEMENTS ON THIS MODEL PER WEEK AND THAT THEY BELIEVED THIS TO BE A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURE FOR THIS MODEL IN GENERAL. THE REPAIR SHOP WORKS EXCLUSIVELY ON VOLVOS, HUBBARD WOODS MOTORS, 985 GREENBAY ROAD, WINNETKA, IL, 60093; PHONE 8470446-0711; OWNER, ROBERT L. BERGER. *NM”