Volvo Repair: V70 ABS/TRACS/CHECK ENGINE, v70 wagon, w 126

Question
'99 V70 WAGON W/126 k.  Performed 120k service in mid-May '06.  just prior to that, the ABS and TRAC lights came on intermittently. was told that the problem is not in the wheel and that it will cost about $900 to replace module. I opted not to do repair at that time. all warning lights stayed off most of June. Then beginning late July-Aug CHK ENG light comes on along withj the ABS and TRACS, butintermittently.  Now mid-September car runs as follows:  two days no lights at all, then for a short while one or both of ABS and TRACS, then they go off again! The Check Engine (light) has only come on twice in the past month or so, and when it came one, all three lights lit up.  My question is this: do you think I need to rush to do the module repair?  Is there a danger here?  We will have snow and ice in the coming months...I am very thankful that offer your advice.  Michael in CT

Answer
Well the car is perfectly driveable without the module replacement.  If it was my car, I probably wouldn't be able to afford it right away either and I wouldn't have a problem driving it myself.  I WOULD however get it replaced.  The problem is intermittent so it will not always do this, but as long as the lights are on there is a GOOD chance that the ABS will fail to operate in an emergency stop situation.  It will make the attempt to use the ABS function whether it thinks there is a problem or not, however, it may fail.  I also do not have to worry about snow and such in miami.  I would be much more concerned about it in your situation.  That year, the ABS modules were not programmed to one car specifically (like the ECM, or TCM).  So if you searched hard enough you may find a used one that would work for your car.  The only thing is that it would have to be from a car of the same year and have TRACS as original equipment.  It could come off of a C/V/S 70.  It shouldn't matter.

James