Battery or some other electrical problem?

AviatorD · Post by **AviatorD** » 15 Oct 2011, 15:36

Hi all, I'm having great difficulty trying to diagnose this problem I'm experiencing.
I have a volvo 850 GLT 1996.
I'll give a brief overview of what I'm experiencing. When I start my car, the starter engages, but quiets before the engine kicks over. So I'm thinking it's a battery problem, so I have my car jumped and it starts right away. I get home and I'm able to restart the car and it works fine. So the next day, I start the car and the starter engages and the engine seems to struggle to turn over before it starts. While the engine is off, I take a voltage reading of my battery ( I just bought it in the summer of this year) and it reads about 12.5ish volts and when the engine is running, the battery reads close to 14 volts. I also take it to autozone and they do a battery and alternator check, and they both turn out fine. So I figure it's the starter that's bad. I end up replacing the starter.
Once installed, the starter works and the car works normally. The next day, I go on the freeway at night and I notice the lights are starting to dim and my battery light on my dashboard starts to illuminate constantly changing from bright to dim. Now I have the same problem. Sometimes my car will start just fine and other times It will engage the starter, but fails to turn over the engine. And I was also waiting in my parked car while it was idling, and the engine shuts off.

Any help or suggestions would mean the world to me. I'm a struggling aircraft mechanic student trying to fix my car myself cause I can't afford the cost of an auto mechanic to diagnose my problem.

Thanks in advance

Post by **Pauloil** » 15 Oct 2011, 17:37

volvo starting prob eval diagrams start out with checking the cables. now I doubt with 14V that your strarter cable is bad, but would still advise that you search "voltage drop" on this forum and read up how to check your cables. if you have a meter, you can check cables easily. it is like asking "under load, how much voltage cannot get through this cable?"

AviatorD · Post by **AviatorD** » 15 Oct 2011, 20:10

Thanks for the advice Pauloil, but I'm also wondering why would the battery light be one after the engine has started and why would it would the engine shut off when the car is idling? Thanks

VolvoTurbo850 · Post by **VolvoTurbo850** » 15 Oct 2011, 20:53

I thought it had to do with your cables too. Low power can cause lots of issues with these cars to the point that they wont start.

Other common issue with these cars is the ignition system. The tumbler on where you put the key in. JIggle it around and see if it makes a difference. Normally this would effect headlight and other things too.

AviatorD · Post by **AviatorD** » 15 Oct 2011, 22:45

Hey volvoturbo 850 thanks for the advice. Could that also be the cause for the engine to shut off when it's idling? Thanks

Post by **Pauloil** » 16 Oct 2011, 07:47

consider cleaning IAC valve

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... r+#p202433