Check Engine Light 98 Volvo Wagon

Annedrayuh · Post by **Annedrayuh** » 13 Sep 2003, 11:18

My Husband and I purchased a 98 Volvo wagon about a year ago with 55,000 miles. At 58,000 miles we had replaced the following :air pump and valve, thermostate and temp sensor and had the 60,000 mile check up performed. At 59,000 miles we replaced the purge valve and filter. The car now has 60,000 miles on it and the check engine light is on once again for the 3rd time (and some 2000 bucks later). All repairs have been done at a Volvo dealer. I hate the car and want to get rid of it. Has anyone else had these problems? Any suggestion on what to do?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 15 Sep 2003, 05:46

1) Keep the engine clean will reduce operating temperature and reduce electricity short circuits, extend life more than 10%

2) Keep the wheels and brake area clean will cool the brakes and calipers and extend their life by more than 10%

3) Keep the engine revolutions down by between 2,000 and 3000 when driving i.e 80-100 km/h will extend all components by more than 10%

4) Do not rev engine unnecessarily, accelerate and and brake gradually.

5) Good engine oil, synthetics and good petrol will extend engine life more than 10%.

6) Good coolants, water, power steering and auto trans oil will extend life more than 10%

Annedrayuh · Post by **Annedrayuh** » 16 Sep 2003, 18:57

Thanks for the feedback.

I brought the car to a Volvo dealer today. They informed me that the sensor in the gas tank needed to be replaced and it would be around $500 to drop the gas tank and replace the sensor. They also told me I could probably drive the car for a couple months with this sensor not working properly but the check engine light would remain on. However, when I started the car and left the dealer the light was not on and it has not come on since.

Question: Could I have just gotten bad gas? Why would the light go out otherwise if a probem still existed?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 16 Sep 2003, 22:48

oh yeah, bad gas is more common than most people think.

if you smell egg smell, its bad gas with high sulphur content

if engine runs for a few seconds after ignition switched off (and you are confident all mechanical things ok) then it is bad gas (with added kerosene)

once a while add fuel injector cleaner, say once every 5,000km /3000 miles or so. Do not add with every tank of gas, too much of a good thing is bad (there is a neoprene rubber connector in the fuel rail, which can dissolve, hoo hoo hoo)

as for "Italian tune ups" ie revving engine with high revs, it depends where you are. If you are in cold country with winters an italian job does wonders for the engine. In equatorial zones with hot ext temp of 34C the engine is already very hot when idling hoo hoo hoo

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 16 Sep 2003, 23:02

oops, in your case I think probability is high that it is electrical, more than 80% of problems in 850 is due to bad electrical connection. Sensors that fail are electronic/chemical sensors. sensors with non moving parts should last a lifetime (but the mechanics need to eat)

just clean connectors once a while, just a simple unplug and plug the connector will do wonders for your car.

even the ECU will benefit from a plug and unplug.

If you are into hifi then u know that u need to plug and unplug cables once a while to get the hifi sound even gold plated ones.

Again DO NOT overdo it, everytime u plug and unplug, u strip off one layer of metal, pretty soon there is none left, hoo hoo hoo. have a programme say once every 5000km/3000 miles do some plugging it is more relaxing than jigsaw puzzle.

Annedrayuh · Post by **Annedrayuh** » 17 Sep 2003, 05:55

Thanks for all the info.

My Volvo is a V70 (not the 850). Do you still feel that it may be the sensor? If so why would the light go off? I guess this sensor is not one that can be unplugged and replugged since it is in the gas tank. I would really like not to have to replace it if possible since they quoted me about 500 bucks to do the repair.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 17 Sep 2003, 06:25

V70/S70/C70 more or less the same with 850.

if the light is now off, then ECU does not sense a problem anymore. This proves it is connector problem.

the sensor is allways connected to connector which is connected to main wiring harness which is connected to ECU via the ECU connectors.

If you know how u can unplug/plug back the ECU provided u do not use radio code(do not use original volvo radio) or u know your radio code.

If u are not mechanically inclined just forget about it, if it aint broke why fix it?

just that if you are desperate and car broke down at roadside, just unplug and plug back everything u can see. Most times it works, even works for GM cars etc.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 17 Sep 2003, 06:53

err, I must add that sometimes I change sensor not because sensor is bad but because the connector is bad...beyond repair. unless u want to cut the cables and solder the joint...which makes maintenance tough...

My advice? go to sleep, sleep soundly...........if light is off, everything is ok. I know how you feel .........(the anxious feeling of .....must I change?....being by the roadside)....all of us have .........BEEN THERE DONE THAT.

As the man said, no need to change now.

Just relax