Volvo Maintenance and Repair

saras850 · March 2005

No that is not a dumb question being that she has only started driving. I pushed the car away from the tree and tried to start it myself several times. I disconnected the battery hoping that it would possibly reset. I have talked to a volvo service person thinking that there might be an inertia switch, but he told me there wasn't one. He seemed to think that maybe the speed sensor relay located in the front of the car might have been jarred. He told me to tap on it to see if it might release. I won't be able to try that until tonight.

jnolan3 · March 2005

Since I bought the car, I've had to jam down the brakes to get them to work after the car's been sitting a while, especially first thing in the morning. It's a pain and dangerous, as it takes a while to stop the car. The dealer says there's no problem and that I should let the car warm up a while. I think the brakes should work from the get go, and the guys in the parking garage aren't going to let it warm up either. Anybody hear of this problem before? I know there was a recall of a brake rotor but I had that fixed and it didn't make any difference. Thanks.

qbrozen · March 2005

well, completely different car, but the S70 maintenance requires the brake system be flushed and refilled every ... i believe its 30k miles. At somewhere around 70k, my brakes became unbearably spongey and dangerous. Read up on the service, found out about flushing the system. So i did this and refilled with synthetic. It made a HUGE difference.

rocksh · April 2005

My wife and I purchased a 1998 Volvo V70 XC in the first model year. We bought it for Volvo's reputation of safety and reliability; and have kept cars for as long as it is feasible. XC is a surely a safe car and fun to dirve. Once my wife dorve the car over a ladder dropped on Mass Pike at high speed and it went over with no sweat. It's AWL is a also blessing in NE winter weather.

However, its overall reliability is well below the par. We have piled up $4K repairs bill after the warranty expired. The AC went first, oil leak, ABS modules followed, etc. The AC job costed us $1.4K alone. The engine check lights went on numerous times and it can be handled by the dealer only.

Recently, engine check light came on and was told it needs a job on emission systems ($500); and oil leakage from differential (according to the dealer)---another $500. The problems keep come on and on. It makes me wonder if it is worthy to keep footing the repair tap. The car has had 81,000 miles and I like to keep it for as long long it feasible ( it is in excellent condition and being kept in the garage). By reading the board message, the oil leakage my possible come from the return oil line from the Turbo. If the leak is from differntial, then transmissison fluid should present. Am I correct?

We have Lexus ES 330 and are happy with it. I only need another small sedan or SUV to replace it. The repairing bill is skyhight with Volvo Dealership; the equivalent AC joob will be around $700. Certainly, the quality of Volvo XC is far less than desirable. Any suggestion as to my dilema will be appreciated. I do enjoy the roominess and manuverability of this XC.

rocksh · April 2005

1. Oil lekage: I guess it will be all right if I make sure the oil level is up there and keep driving it. Just hope it will not get worse;

2. If I let the CEL on, the XC still functions all right. I wonder if it can past emission test! The dealer guessed it may be caused by a loose wire, leaky canister or a bad valve. The estimate is not cheap--$500.

Appreciated any suggestion!

qbrozen · April 2005

my best suggestion is to find an independent Volvo mechanic.

jpgeremia · May 2005

Simple question, what's the expected life of the ft and rear break rotors? I was just told mine need replacing after 50K ?

Also, I replaced a headlight bulb for this car and it still doesn't work. I checked to see if the socket is live and it is not. I suspect a fuse somewhere, but the ones in the car are fine. Any ideas?

JohnG

volvomax · May 2005

Volvo rotors cannot be turned.
Replacement depends on the driving and maintenance habits of the owner.

qbrozen · May 2005

50K is pretty darn good for original rotors on these cars, IMHO.

You obviously drive much lighter than I do.

txconsultanttx · May 2005

I have a volvo s70 with about 100K miles on it. I think it is a 1998, my son drives it. Anyway, the coolant level indicator intermitently come on and goes off. My son has brought the vehicle in to a local shop (non Volvo) and they confirm that the coolant level is where it should be.

I am concerned that this problem could be indicative of a more serious issue, for example a failing water pump.

Possibly the coolant level sensor is going bad, which I can financially deal with.

Any theories as to why the coolant level sensor would be behaving this way would be appreciated.

-Dave D.

txconsultanttx · May 2005

My son drives a late 90's Volvo S70 and the coolant level sensor intermittently goes on and off. He has taken the car to a local ( non volvo) shop and they have verified that the coolant level is where it should be.

I am concerned that the indicator could signal a worse problem, such as a failing water pump.

If the sensor is going bad I can deal with that $.

Theories appreciated.

-Dave D.

tmart · May 2005

I had the same problem with my C70 shortly after buying it. It was the sensor in the cooling system. IIRC it's in the overflow bottle. Was fixed/replaced under warranty so I don't know the cost. The indicator has nothing to do with a failing water pump, just the level of coolant.

zillz · May 2005

I've been a VW guy for over 40 years, since I was a little kid back in the 60's, and in fact I'm also in a VW club and own 2 VW's. However, the company of late has been plagued with reliability issues, sales have plummeted 3 years in a row, and will likely become 4. There are people who predict the end of VW in the US, and because of this, I occasionally "window-shop" other cars on Sundays, when salespeople won't pounce on you like a vulture, just to check out what else is "out there," should these prophecies of VW's demise ever ring true. The latest make I looked at was Volvo. I especially like the S40 and the S60 models. Used examples of both models are in my price range.( I NEVER buy new cars; they are ALWAYS 2-4 years old). Basic questions I have: Are Volvo's expensive to repair and/or maintain? I read above where the timing belt should be replaced at 105K miles. What is the ballpark cost? I also read where Volvo rotors can't be turned and that to replace, are $700 a pop. Is that PER rotor, or for the whole job? My private VW mechanic also does Volvos, and he says Volvo's are excellent cars. Would everybody agree with this? When did Ford take Volvo under their wing?
Has this affected quality in a positive or negative way? Will Volvo's go 200-300K miles?

qbrozen · May 2005

i can take a stab at some of your questions.

$700 would be for the whole job. And that is a bit of a high estimate, to boot. That might be dealer price for the job with tax. But find an independent volvo mechanic and you'll save a bundle over the life of the car.

Personally, I would not buy the previous generation S40. I believe its more Mitsubishi than Volvo.

You can probably do a search on this board for "maintenance cost". I've commented on this topic many times. Short of it is, I find it no more expensive than any other car I have owned or currently own, UNLESS you always go to the dealer.

Yes, my Volvo has been the best car I've ever owned and I plan on running it into the ground. Its now at 106K miles and I plan on driving it for a long time to come.

I replaced the timing belt myself, so I'm not sure what a dealer would charge. I did find it to be a much easier job than on the Subaru we had, so it shouldn't be more expensive than most cars with a timing belt.

Ford has pretty much let Volvo be Volvo. I think they are benefiting in being able to share development costs on things like the new S40/Mazda3/Focus platform, but Volvo does still have a hand in it and, for now, everything else on the car (engine, tranny, interior, etc) is purely Volvo.

zillz · May 2005

I DO like the 2004.5+ S40 much better, but I'll have to wait about 3 years for a used one in the 17K range, give or take. My maintenance costs are high because I have no mechanical aptitude, but if I did purchase a Volvo, I would take it to my private guy. There's no Volvo delaership in Eau Claire WI, anyway (I'd have to go to Minneapolis).
It's encouraging to hear that Ford is letting Volvo be Volvo; platform sharing doesn't bother me. I asked this because a lot of people have said that the Jag X-Type is really a glorified Ford Contour............Volvo is definitely on my list of possibilities if VW does a crash & burn in the US. I do notice , though, that Consumer Reports "recommends" the S60, but gives the S80 & XC90(I think that's the name...) SUV "Worse than Average." Reasons? I'm used to that, though, owning VW's.

qbrozen · May 2005

interesting about the X80/XC90. I wonder what the complaints are. I heard that the earlier S80s (pre-2001) had issues, but that they improved greatly after that.

I can probably sum it up my volvo ownership best by saying this: I've NEVER owned more than one vehicle from the same manufacturer .... but now that I own a Volvo, I would more than likely buy another one to replace my S70 when and if it finally dies. My only complaint is the depreciation that they face. But, like you, I would definitely NOT buy a new one, so its not as big of an issue as it could be.

cincymom · June 2005

My '98 V70 has had an unprecedented 18 trouble-free months, but now the ABS light is going on at random intervals for no apparent reason. It goes on whether or not I'm braking at that moment, stays on for anywhere from 10 minutes through three trips, and goes off at equally random points.

Does anyone know what this means?

qbrozen · June 2005

Sure do. Its the control module. you can either get a new one from the dealer for ~$400 or you can remove it and ship it to a gentleman on the west coast who rebuilds them for, if the price hasn't changed, ~$130. I had mine done last summer and its been flawless ever since.

What happens is the circuit board develops cracks in it over time, so the circuit lines break contact at random intervals. As time goes on, the intervals will get closer together and the light will stay on longer until, eventually, its ALWAYS on.

check out this article:
http://www.volvospeed.com/Repair/abstrax.php

oh, and here is the gentleman who fixed mine:
http://home.earthlink.net/~vicrocha/

cmeuchel · June 2005

Living in Kalispell, Montana, I have figured out that most "all season" tires are crap on the the snow. I strongly recommend going to snow tires in the winter and performance tires in the summer. The S80 is a high performance automobile and my opinion is you are not getting the best out of it by running all season tires. My preference for snow tires are the Nokia Hakkepalita from Finland (they know snow in Finland).

cincymom · June 2005

Thanks. You are exactly correct. Especially appreciated the links. Went the independent Volvo mechanice route for expediency; set me back quite a bit but thanks to your info, avoided going into shock when they gave me the price!

ck2001 · June 2005

I've had this problem occur so many times with my 2001 S40 that I had asked Volvo how I would be able to turn this off myself. They stated that you push down the black button (the one that resets the top odometer) prior to starting the car. Then start your car while continuing to press the button until the CE light flashes and turns off. I've tried this once and it worked, but when I tried again recently, it didn't work. Does anyone know how to get rid of this problem.

Also, my car is at 52K and I have not once changed the brake pads. I hope my car isn't damaged in anyway, but I'm checking a brake inspection this week. Would it be better to get the work done by the dealer or Midas??

qbrozen · June 2005

I've never heard of this for resetting the check engine light. Are you sure you aren't thinking of the maintenance indicator light? On alot of cars from other manufacturers, the odo button reset works on the maintenance light.

v40alfred · July 2005

Hey Gang! Bought a 2000 V40 a few days ago, and this morning it won't start. Dash lights just flutter and the starter doesnt turn over, although it makes a loud buzzing/clicking noise. I thought it might be the battery, but I've had it on the charger for awhile tonight and it still won't start. Anyone had anything like this before? Thanks! AL in Tampa.

qbrozen · July 2005

Definitely sounds like battery.
The charger might not help for a couple of reasons. Is it a REAL charger? Or something like a float/trickle charger? In any case, it is possible that the battery has a dead or shorted cell, in which case nothing you do to it will fix it, so you'll need to replace with a new one.

cgofil · July 2005

I picked up the note that Volvo recommends changing timing belts at 105K. However, the shop I brought my V70 XC last week told me that they recommend changing the timing belts after 50K, with failures much more likely prior to 80K.

My mechanic gave me a long history of the development of Volvo's recommendation. Bottom line, the original maintenance schedule (1976) called for changing ever 50K. When Volvo changed the engine type in 1992, the factory replaced belts after 20K at no charge, then recommended changes every 40K, pretty much because the newer four valve types would incur massive internal damage if the belt were to break or get out of sync. From 1994 to 1998, Volvo increased the interval to 70K (with no chagne in engine design), and after 1998 increased to 105K (with no change in design).

My guy thinks the lengthened intervals were a marketing response to reduce maintenance costs.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

qbrozen · July 2005

Interesting.

Well, admittedly, I haven't been searching for any such problems, but I have not come across a rash of broken timing belts, so I wouldn't think its a problem.

And I could be completely wrong about this, but doesn't the difference in intervals between the 98s and the 99+ (actually, there switch was made in mid '98, so there are some '98s that the 105k interval applies on) correlate with the switch from mechanical to hydraulic tensioners? And, along with that, the size of the timing belt is different, too. So I assume the change in interval is directly related to these differences.

I have no idea on those earlier years he speaks of.

volvomax · July 2005

Belt technology has come a long way since 1976.

No motor co is going to risk a rash of belt failures just to lower maintenance costs.

By all means look at the belt, if it is cracked or has a number of teeth missing, change it. Otherwise a 50k belt replacement is a waste of money.

wkgjr · July 2005

I have a 1998 S70 T5 that is having an AC problem that can't be figured out by the dealer. The car has 120K miles on it, and I must keep the AC fan at 3/4 or higher speed or the air stops blowing from the vents. After this happens, I can turn the fan on high, and hear the fan blowing, but only a touch of cold air come from the vents. Everything works again after the car sits for a few hrs, but just turning the engine off & back on does nothing. The computer is not providing any codes to help figure this out. Any ideas?????

tmart · July 2005

Has the dealer checked the low temp sensor? Three weeks ago my sensor went out causing the AC to not cycle off and on, causing the AC to continue until the coil froze which stopped the air flow. After being off for about 30 minutes the ice melted and cold air flowed again...til it froze up again. This happened on a 3 hour trip to Dallas with the outside at 97 degrees!! In my case the fan on high did nothing with the coil frozen solid.

wkgjr · July 2005

I don't think the dealer has checked this sensor yet. I would think failure of this sensor would result in a code showing up on the computer? However, your issue sounds similar to mine because I still get cold air flow, but no increase in flow with adjustments in the fan. Thanks for the input I'll see what the dealer thinks about this.

the_dead_lives · July 2005

Thanks for the reply about the ABS light. Here's my question:

I'm about to sell my 1996 850 GLT, but the ABS light is on. Is it worth paying the $130 to ship it to the person in So.CA to get it refurbished? Or do I take my chances and try to sell it like it is?

Also, I've been told that the AC condensor unit in my car needs to be replaced -- at $550, plus labor. Is there an alternative?

qbrozen · July 2005

$550 PLUS labor?? Man, I want whatever your mechanic is smoking. LOL. Are you sure that doesn't INCLUDE labor? Well, if it is $550 for just the part, then ask them how much for just labor, because I just checked your condenser on alloemautoparts.com and they want $179.

And, YES, I believe in making all repairs before selling a car. There is no way a potential buyer can trust what you are telling them is the truth. And I always think "well, if you know what's wrong and you know what it costs, why didn't you do it??" IF it were me buying the car, the ABS light wouldn't bother me because I know the deal, but that light is going to scare just about everyone else off the car. For the AC, I think most would deduct at least $1K from the price for what could possibly be a dead compressor, for all they know.

Spend the $130 on the ABS, definitely. Hopefully you can remove and replace yourself. For the AC, if it really is just the condenser (maybe a 2nd opinion is in order?), then buy the $179 part and the labor should be about another $180, in my opinion (2 hours), plus the coolant ... so $450 would be the TOTAL repair bill (which makes me think that $550 you were quoted includes everything). So you've spent less than $600 and you will EASILY see an extra $1K on the selling side after doing these repairs.

dcarter2 · July 2005

Occasionally in hte past - particularly on short trips, once trying to start my Volvo 960 again - would simply click and not turn over. Leaving for a while (5 to 10 mins) and tryingin again would result in firing up.

It has just jeasterday become more serios. Stopped any cranking (just the consol click-buzz of relays), and not till 3 am this morning would its start.

Got it home and since 9 been repeating the same issue (its now 2PM).

Gonna hit the starter motor now incase its the bendix.

qbrozen · August 2005

sounds like a loose connection. Could be a bad starter, but i'm surprised you got it to start at all if that were the problem. Oh, you also might want to check the battery ... my S70 is VERY sensitive to its battery condition. The one time I had to replace it, my meter was telling me the battery was fine, but the Volvo just wasn't happy with it for some reason. Lights and everything worked, it just wouldn't crank.

rideyourbike · August 2005

I love my wagon! With almost 230,000 miles on the engine, she runs just as well, and even better on a cold morning, than my 2000 Hyundai with 75,000 miles. But I digress...

About a month ago I came out of the supermarket, fired up the old mule and noticed the check engine light came on. Engine was running fine, so I went on my way. After about a quarter mile the light went out. This happens now everytime I start up the car. Doesn't matter wheter I turn it off and on with 5 seconds or 5 days in between. My mechanic is stumped. Before I drop the cash on a visit to the area Volvo expert can someone maybe give me some help?

John :confuse:

naive · August 2005

My 2001 S 60 loses power upon acceleration The RPMs race into the 4000 range but the car seems stuck in a gear and feels like it's going to stall. After about a second, the speedometer catches up with the RPMs. This problem is random and intermittent and I have not been able to duplicate it for the service department, nor have they experienced the problem when test driving the vehicle. Does anyone have any information about this problem?

qbrozen · August 2005

auto trans, right?
sounds like its slipping.
How many miles?
Ask them to service the transmission (flush and fill) and see what happens.

crystal3 · August 2005

I had the car towed back to the mechanic twice for car not starting after water splashes under the engine. It may take 4 to 5 days before it starts again. Also, I turn right at a corner & the car just dies on me. Once = it restarted immediately then another time, I had the car towed again: but they won't fix it. I had sprayed the wires with Silicon a few days ago, and I hope that solves the problem . The mechanics won't fix the car!!!!

qbrozen · August 2005

sounds like u need a new mechanic.

cranecrew · August 2005

105,000 miles and always Volvo dealer serviced. Never had trailer hitch. 1,000 miles ago started a howl at low speed now it's a vibration at high speed. We're told that the center bearing on rear propeller shaft is junk. Approx. $1.k to fix.

First ?: Can a good drive line shop replace this bearing?
2nd?: Since vibration started, tranny shifts with a 'BANG'. Is this caused by bad bearing?

nipp41 · August 2005

This is deep: I have a arrow on my instrument cluster which should only come on when I select o/d on my gearshift lever, however this light is on as soon as I turn the ignition on. When this happens I lose my temp gauge,fuel gauge and my speedometer needle is jumpy. Initially this problem would occur and fix itself. Recently the condition last long enough to kill my battery because of the steady draw(about two weeks) Now I the battery went dead two days after having it tested and charged. This time I had the battery replaced and checked the Alternator for proper Voltage. At 2000 rpm the alt. is putting out 13.6 to 13.9 volts I drove the car from from Petersburg VA. to Charleston, S.C. On the return trip I was once again on the side of the road with a dead battery only two hours into the trip. What is killing my battery? Could the Instrument Panel have a short or is it something with my voltage regulator. I looked for broken wires underneath the dash and behind cluster and checked O/D relay

cranecrew · August 2005

we had a similar problem and after many agonizing months we discovered that the glove box lamp stayed on all the time which was killing the battery. the switch was bad. replaced the switch and no more problem.

nipp41 · August 2005

Thanks, I removed the glovebox for troubleshooting purposes and did realize I had to re-install because that light was on as long as the box was out. That switch is Okay!

vestokes · August 2005

I have a hands free cell phone system. The one with the head set build into the headrest on my 2000 Volvo S40. Unfortunately, the speaker system was somehow disconnected and the cell phone cradle (Nokia) does not work with my new Treo 650 phone. I would love to have the hand set cradle replaced and I know the speaker issue can be addressed. Unfortunately, I have not found a company that could assist with the hand cradle issue. Anyone know of a similar system for newer phone systems. It would be nice to reuse my current system but I'm willing to replace it if need be.

qbrozen · August 2005

ok... here's the thing... u are saying that your car died while driving and left you on the side of the road? Because, no matter what is going on with the battery, once the car is running, you are running off the alternator. So, if the battery drains while driving and the car dies, that means your alternator is not putting out enough juice and the car is relying on the battery to power it.

pfdill · September 2005

My '92 240 wagon has a short in the circuit that includes the rear wiper and the radio - both on 8 amp fuse #1. When the rear hatch is open, both radio and wiper work perfectly; when I close the hatch, the fuse blows. Obviously, the short is somewhere in the hinge - there appears to be a piece of frayed, unshielded cable running through both the driver-side and the passenger side hinges, and the wire harnesses run underneath that, and appear to be intact. What's the function of the cable in the hinge - a ground wire? Has anyone run into this and have any suggestions?

dmkara · September 2005

Can anybody provide instructions on how to do it in the current S80-XC90 platform or point me to the right software download or ECU reprogramming forum?

I refuse to go to the dealer and pay $100 every time I want to change settings. I know where the appropriate screw is in the 850 platform but can not find any references to the current platform.

Thanks in advance.

tmart · September 2005

Your profile doesn't show where you're located. DRLs are mandatory in Canada, optional in the US. The owners manual for the 05 says to see the dealer. My question is WHY you would want them disabled. :confuse:

brigham · September 2005

Have an 02 C70 and 03 XC70 ... it appears that at 30,000 the tires or ? produces considerable road noise even at relatively low speeds. Anyone else with similar issues?

tmart · September 2005

I have a 99 C70 and am very impressed with your getting 30k if it's on the original Pirellis. Mine were replaced at 20k and were very loud for around 5k. Sounded like a grinding noise from about 25mph down. Above 25-30 it wasn't noticable. Went away with new tires, same brand.

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