Just got car back from "mechanic" with several problems it didn't have before (ABS light, dash messages, running slow)

aethera · Post by **aethera** » 30 May 2016, 08:25

I needed an ignition coil for my 2005 Volvo s40. I took it to a person my uncle knows who was supposed to have a lot of experience working with foreign cars.

I absolutely knew it was just the ignition coil and NOTHING else was wrong with the car. Nothing major anyway.

I take my car to him and then he's telling my mom (who went back to check on it for me). All this BS "Oh it has seven messages!" Saying my car that literally only needed a coil, suddenly needed damn there a new engine. She told him, fix the coil like we asked and nothing more.

I get back from a trip. My car is now giving me.

Engine System Service Urgent
Engine System Service Required

I head in the house, put my travel bag down. Come back to the car to run to Autozone for a read. The messages are gone. I'm thinking it's a fluke, but I'm going to go to Autozone anyway. I run back in the house because I forgot my house keys. Get back and the car is going bonkers.

It's saying my brakes are failing (they weren't, I wasn't even out of the driveway and moving slow down an incline backwards to re-park and they were working like normal it seemed, but I was moving slow so who knows. I was too afraid to drive further.). I have an ABS light. The gears are not reading properly on the dash. It shows -- instead of P or R or whatever. I couldn't even move the car at first when it was telling me to stop slowly because of a brake failure. The battery light came on, and it was like I had a dead battery. I turned the car off, wouldn't turn back on. I waited a few seconds, then it turned back on like normal, but jumped back to saying the brakes were failing and as I was pulling into my parking area moving it was moving sluggishly like I still needed a coil again.

What did this guy do to my car? I'm going to Autozone however I can to test the battery, alternator, starter, and voltage regulator since reading about this so far, many people have done the same. But I'm looking to see if you guys might know of anythings he might have done off the bat or what might be wrong. As well as what else I should have looked into. He seemed like he was trying to squeeze me for money the entire time. Kept racking up the bill. Tried to say my coil was $150 when I know for a fact that it's $70 at the Autozone right up the damn street. He was paid then tried to get even more money from my mother who picked up my car for me when I was out of town. He wouldn't show her receipts for anything purchased nor any of the parts he supposed removed. I'm feeling like this guy messed up my car on purpose out of spite or to try to extort money out of me.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 30 May 2016, 08:31

Welcome to MVS. Sorry for this guy- sounds like a jerk and don't blame you for your rave. I think you're on the right track though in checking the battery. Sometimes a low voltage battery causes all kinds of signals in the system. If your car has never had one replaced, it might need one anyway. Remember if you disconnect it, put the key in to position II before hooking up a new one- it's a safety thing and will keep codes at bay too. Otherwise, I have no idea what this guy might have done to your car- I would say he ran into the same thing- crazy codes that go away once the battery is charged from driving it and wanted to tackle each and everyone of these. I hope I'm right! Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

aethera · Post by **aethera** » 30 May 2016, 08:41

Thanks MadeInJapan. I did put a new battery in some time last year. I think it should be fine, but the car was sitting for a LONG time before I could get to the coil (i have another car) since a bolt was snapped and it took finding someone who could get the remains out to fix the car. I was going to put the coil in myself, but after so long I just said screw it and let this guy put it in while he had the engine open. Big mistake I suppose.

Could the battery have something else going wrong or actually just be low from not being used for a long time? The car did need to be driven about 5 miles away, super slow, to get this guy.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 30 May 2016, 08:57

I don't know- you might check the battery posts to make sure there is no corrosion- it does sound suspicious but also similar to what others describe with battery/power issues. Btw, you car being an '05- I think I should move it to the newer S40 forum...let me know if it's old style or version 2 of this car.

aethera · Post by **aethera** » 30 May 2016, 08:58

It's the version two, sorry I didn't realize I posted to the wrong place!

I'll remember to check for corrosion too.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 01 Jun 2016, 22:28

Any progress on this?

aethera · Post by **aethera** » 18 Jul 2016, 09:52

No. There wasn't, only more problems.