US: Volvo to extend warranty on stalling cars

Volvo has quietly reached a deal with California regulators to extend the warranty of defective throttles in about 330,000 of its vehicles that are prone to stalling in the United States, the company said Tuesday.

The Swedish car maker will extend the warranty of the ETM throttle, which can become corroded and force the car to stall or slowdown, according to internal memos obtained by The Associated Press and later confirmed by the company.

The warranty will be expanded to 200,000 miles (320,000 kilometers), or 10 years. The warranty now offers protection for up to seven years, or 70,000 miles (112,000 kilometers).

The &to=http://english.pravda.ru/comp/2002/09/10/36268.html' target=_blank>Ford Motor Co. subsidiary has reached a deal with the California Air Resources Board, which began eyeing the devices more than a year ago after a lawsuit by plaintiffs demanding that Volvo replace the devices, said Volvo spokesman Don Johnston.

"We've finally agreed with CARB," Johnston told the AP on Tuesday.

The deal would also reimburse consumers who have paid as much as $1,000 (Ђ857) to have the part replaced. However, the deal does not trigger a recall. It only provides motorists with a replacement, or coverage for the part's cleaning, if it fails or begins to fail. A dashboard light indicates the part is becoming defective, Johnston said.