fuse # 5!

applewf · Post by **applewf** » 06 May 2006, 16:47

Hello,
I live in New Mexico but am going to school in Washinton state and will be driving home in a week. I have a volvo 740 station wagon, 1991.
I have been noticing for a few weeks that when I turn the car off, something is still buzzing. I found what it is and it's something in the rear on the driver's side, under the floor of the rear compartment, just behind the wheel. It runs and wasn't causing a problem until I didn't drive it for a week and then tried to start it up and the battery was dead. I jumped it and it was fine again, but when I turned it off, same buzzing noise. So I tried taking out and testing a few of the fuses that I thought might be related to it, and when I took out fuse #5 (15 amps, controlling "glove compartment light, clock, radio, trunk light, door open warning, power antenna" according to the manual), the buzzing stopped. I checked each of those things to make sure I wasn't leaving a light on or a switch was being held down, and found nothing. Any clues as to what could be going on?
Also, though it seems like this is a separate issue, when the car is idling, the RPMs fluctuate and sometimes get very low and it sounds like the car is going to die (and once, about 6 months ago, it actually did, but started right back up again and ran fine). It sounds like it may be a fuel to air ratio problem but i'm not sure.
Mainly, i'm trying to sort out what I need to do for each problem and which ones I should get taken care of before I drive it 1000 miles home to New Mexico in a week. I don't have a mechanic here, and I really don't want to get screwed out of hundreds of dollars. Any advise would be really helpful. Thanks!

Kmaniac in California USA · Post by **Kmaniac in California USA** » 10 May 2006, 22:03

It sounds like the motor for you power antenna is running all the time. The antenna in my 740 is on the driver's side of the car, in the truck, behind the rear wheel (I have a sedan). Does your car have a power antenna? Your antenna, whether power or not is on the drivers side of your wagon, behind the rear wheel. If you are not sure, look at the accessory switches on your dashboard. According to the owners manual in my 1986 740, the symbol on the antenna switch will look like an upside-down "peace sign" without the circle. Should your car have such a switch, most likely it is stuck on causing the motor to run all the time. Check it out and let us know what you find.

applewf · Post by **applewf** » 11 May 2006, 02:00

you were absolutely right! thanks so much for the advice. i dismissed the idea of the power antenna because i didn't know my car had one (i got it second hand and at that point it was already broken off). anyways, thanks a bunch!