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850 1995 is slow to start

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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etrain80
Posts: 20
Joined: 12 January 2009
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850 1995 is slow to start

Post by etrain80 »

When I am starting my 1995 850, it starts really slowly and the battery warning light comes on occasionally. I've had my battery checked at a Napa parts store, and both the battery and alternator checked out fine. It usually starts, it just seems slow to start. Do I need to replace the starter?

mcp
Posts: 76
Joined: 28 May 2007
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Post by mcp »

How old is the battery, what brand and how many months was it supposed to last?

In my experience I have had batteries test "good" but be bad.

This summer my wife went out one morning to start her S70 and the battery was completely dead. (She had just driven it the day before.) Thinking maybe an interior light had been left on or a trunk light, I took the battery to Autozone and had it tested and it tested good, but low on charge, so they charged it and retested it and it tested good. I took it home, put it back in the car, it started right up. I found no lights left on. Next morning completely dead again. I looked at the battery again and checked the purchase date and found that the 60 month Interstate battery had gone 5 1/2 years. Purchased a new Interstate battery, no trouble since.

Before replacing the starter, it sounds like a bad battery to me.
1998 S70, 5 speed manual, 146k, wife's car
1997 850 Wagon, 5 speed manual, 185k, son's car
1996 850 5 speed manual, 220k
1985 MB 300D 268k, running on B20 biodiesel
1983 MB 300D 240k , converted to vegetable oil
1981 VW Vanagon 184k

FCPEURO
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Year and Model: 2006 XC90 V8
Location: Milford, CT
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Post by FCPEURO »

Also, how are the connectors to the battery? I had some crude on my battery cable and it caused the same issue. I replaced the battery cables and the issue went away.

etrain80
Posts: 20
Joined: 12 January 2009
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Post by etrain80 »

The battery is about 12 months old. This morning I went out and cleaned the battery posts and the end of the cable that connects to the posts, but the problem still remained.

atxf4i
Posts: 31
Joined: 1 October 2009
Year and Model: 1995 855 Turbo wagon
Location: DeKalb, Il

Post by atxf4i »

Did oyu ever find the solution? I have the same issue - after I replaced the battery cable and battery - still cranks slow. If I turn the key to position II and wait a few seconds, it seems to crank faster.

polskamafia mjl
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Year and Model: 1995 Volvo 854 T-5R
Location: Hershey, PA
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Post by polskamafia mjl »

How old are your plugs as well as the rest of your electrical ignition components?
'All my money is gone and I have an old Volvo.' - Bamse's Turbo Underpants

Current: 1995 Volvo 850 T-5R Manual - Bringing it back from the brink of death
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atxf4i
Posts: 31
Joined: 1 October 2009
Year and Model: 1995 855 Turbo wagon
Location: DeKalb, Il

Post by atxf4i »

I had my starter rebuilt - problem solved.

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