ETM Magnet Marelli

[ivor]

Hello
There seem to have been alot of troubles with these electrical throttle
motors so if someone knows this i will be happy to know:
It is of course possible to change it as as DIY, but it is possible to drive the car in "limp home mode" or similar or is the car just dead untill the ETM software is loaded.
Cheers
Michael

[Loadsamiles]

Car will drive at up to 20mph

[Porcine_Aviator]

Hi Ivor, the best bet is to take off the Magnetti Marelli unit, if it's faulty, and throw it as far as you can. These units are a nightmare I know I've been through the hoop with a Volvo Main Dealer with them.

Volvo recognised that there was a problem with the a few years ago and extended the warranty on them to 200,000 miles, but they will not repair or replace them under said warranty unless the car has a full Volvo service history. They will give you a small amount towards the cost. They are now being replaced by a Bosch unit which I have on my V70 P2.

The problem is the way the system works, there are small copper strips that are rubbed up and down a track, similar to a potentiometer, the problem is that the track wears out in the middle where the most use is, city/town driving.

Originally when these were fitted to Fords, they went high and there were a lot of fatal crashes. So they made they go into limp mode, which, when it happens on the outside lane of a motorway in heavy traffic, can be very scary.

So if you are getting a new unit make sure it a Bocsh, Magnetti Marelli went bust and if they try and sell you an MM unit as new it's a recon and it will fail, I know it happened to me.

[Loadsamiles]

Hi Ivor, the best bet is to take off the Magnetti Marelli unit, if it's faulty, and throw it as far as you can. These units are a nightmare I know I've been through the hoop with a Volvo Main Dealer with them.

Volvo recognised that there was a problem with the a few years ago and extended the warranty on them to 200,000 miles, but they will not repair or replace them under said warranty unless the car has a full Volvo service history. They will give you a small amount towards the cost. They are now being replaced by a Bosch unit which I have on my V70 P2.

The problem is the way the system works, there are small copper strips that are rubbed up and down a track, similar to a potentiometer, the problem is that the track wears out in the middle where the most use is, city/town driving.

Originally when these were fitted to Fords, they went high and there were a lot of fatal crashes. So they made they go into limp mode, which, when it happens on the outside lane of a motorway in heavy traffic, can be very scary.

So if you are getting a new unit make sure it a Bocsh, Magnetti Marelli went bust and if they try and sell you an MM unit as new it's a recon and it will fail, I know it happened to me.

Interesting to see . . .

Since when did Volvo start retrofitting Bosch ETMs on MM ETM equipped cars?

For a long time they said it was impossible as the units work in a VERY different way.


Also interesting to see a supposedly bust company (part of FIAT Automotive) currently sponsoring the WRC

http://www.wrc.com/index.jsp

[Porcine_Aviator]

Interesting to see . . .

Since when did Volvo start retrofitting Bosch ETMs on MM ETM equipped cars?

For a long time they said it was impossible as the units work in a VERY different way.


Also interesting to see a supposedly bust company (part of FIAT Automotive) currently sponsoring the WRC

http://www.wrc.com/index.jsp

Pass on the first question, they fitted a Bosch to Christine around 18 months ago. At the time of fitting I was told that the company that made the Magnetti Marelli ETMs had stopped making them, had gone bust due to the problems with said ETMs.

I spent months going through hell with a bunch of cowboys that called themselves Volvo Main Agents and found out a lot about the ETM and just how some Volvo "mechanics" work, and it's made me vow never to go to a Volvo Main Agent ever again.

I now have Christine serviced and looked after by an Independent Volvo specialist who knows and loves Volvos.

As far as companies going bust, it happens all the time, they go down and get resurrected. Maybach, Mini, Think Nordic, Spiker, Chrysler, Hispano-Suiza, Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Saab to name a few :)

[Loadsamiles]

Less than 12 months ago I purchased a brand new Magnetti Marelli ETM for a 2001 Volvo, fitted it myself, and got the dealer to re-load the software.

The ETM was less than £150.

The failed ETM had completed 250,000 miles on the original car before any signs of failure.

The connections for the Bosch unit are different to the Magnetti Marelli unit and are not interchangeable without butchering the wiring loom.

The Magnetti Marelli unit has it's own ECU onboard and performs most of its own control. The Bosch unit is just mechanics and is controlled directly from the ECU. A total different wiring arrangement is necessary for each device.

As you can see in the picture below, the Magnetti Marelli (on the right) has a trailing wire that connects to the loom on the subframe, the Bosch unit requires wires to the ETM directly.

For Magnetti Marelli to have gone bust, it would have been major news. a HUGE amount of motor manufacturers use their parts.

They employ 28,000 people and had a turnover of 5.4 BILLION Euro in 2008, so I doubt a little ETM ££££-up would bust them.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t82/j0u1es/DSCF1351.jpg

[ivor]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
I have been offered a new unit from Rufe at a very good price, so my intension was to change it myself and go to stealer and have the SW installed.
I also think it is impossible to fit the Bosch unit as the ECU have different no.


As a DIY mec. it could be fantastic if we could purchase the software from Volvo and download it to the car.
Cheers
Ivor

[Al115]

I did what you describe. Fitted it on my driveway and drove (very painfully, at 2am... nearly didn't make it up the long hill :) ) to my nearest Stealer to have the sw downloaded. Cheapest way by far.

[Al115]

Oh, and I'd be amazed if they had gone bust as well. Particularly after I've bought three of their ETMs, that must have helped to help keep the company afloat :D ??