Got stuck in the snow and now several warning lights stay on

female_in_distress · Post by **female_in_distress** » 03 Dec 2006, 11:48

I got stuck in the snow and it took about 20 minutes of digging, rocking, and spinning of my tires to get my S40 free.

While doing this both the service engine light came on (yes there was a lot of exhaust and burning rubber fumes created while trying to get unstuck creating unusual emission levels)

And the light that is shaped like an arrow is blinking (this light also comes on when I push the "winter / wet weather button and stays on until I push the button again)

I believe there is nothing wrong with my car - these lights were activated because of the condition of being stuck in the snow.

My question is this: Is there any way to shut these light off (reset) without taking my car to a dealer and paying them $200 to hook it up and hit a reset button?

Thank you in advance for any feedback

female_in_distress · Post by **female_in_distress** » 03 Dec 2006, 11:52

My Volvo is a 2001 S40 with 84,000 miles on it

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 03 Dec 2006, 12:22

Not sure about on yours, but on our cars (see signature below) the blinking arrow light is usually indication that the PNP switch is bad (Park-Neutral-Position) or needs cleaning. This is the switch that tells the transmission that the car is in a specific gear. Usually the solution is replacement of this switch...it's in the engine bay. However with what you described for your car, I would go to a AutoZone, PepBoys, or most other autoparts store and get them to check on the diagnostic trouble codes that are stored in your computer (accessed through the OBD-II port under the triangular panel to the right of your radio, this side of the glove box, OR, VISIBLY under the same panel on the drivers' side- meaning you don't have to take the panel loose if it's on this side). They should not charge you for this. Make sure and write the codes down and then nicely ask the guy doing this to "clear my codes, please." Hopefully they will erase them for you without any issue. If truly, nothing is wrong with your car, the codes will not re-appear and the shift arrow light will hopefully not come back.

There is a slight possibility that a speed sensor on one of your wheels was damaged...not sure but maybe on your car, this is tied into your PNP or gear position sensor. If this is the case, it's probably something very close to your brakes on one of your wheels...I can just imagine that some hard ice (from rocking the car in the snow) contacted one of these sensors and knocked it loose from a connector, or out of position or even damaged it. Let's hope this isn't it and by reading and clearing the codes, you "fix" your problem.

Please post back the codes that they give you and keep us up to date on what's going on with your car.

NOTE: If your "W" Winter mode button is switched on (pushed in) the lighted arrow will appear on your dash, as it will in any gear besides P, D and R- This is normal.

2nd Note: Unhooking the negative terminal to your battery for 15 minutes or so will give your computer a "hard-reset" and will most likely reset your codes too but if you do this, make sure yo have your radio code to reactivate it. I personally don't like this method as the computer has to "re-learn" your driving style and re-calibrate many things...plus you never get the codes for your current issue(s) that may come in handy later. To me, this would be a last resort.

m02144 · Post by **m02144** » 15 Feb 2007, 13:37

The same thing happened to me today and I am trying to figure out what is wrong. I was stuck in the show for about 5 minutes, and then I parked my car. When I got back in and started it up, there was the blinking up arrow and the check engine light lit up on the dash.

i don't believe anything to be wrong, but does anyone have any ideas other than the PNP switch?