S40 - Software glitch?

tango · Post by **tango** » 06 May 2003, 10:57

Hi folks! Sorry for the lengthy post, but hopefully someone can help with my issue.

I live in Canada and own a 2001 S40, which I have been driving for 2 and a half years problem free . . . until 2-3 weeks ago!

I've been having problems getting the car to start. When I turned the key, the ignition would not turn over, not cranking, etc. All of the lights would turn on as usual, but the engine would not start. At first, I thought it might be the battery, but the same problem persisted once I got a boost. I then gave up and tried again a couple of hours later and, low and behold, the engine started.

Over the past couple of weeks, the problem persisted intermitently. The car would start with no issues most of the time, but occasionally, I'd get the same problem. Eventually, I would get the car started by playing with the gear shift, giggling the key, etc. Totally, hit and miss!

I finally took it to the dealership yesterday, who checked the battery and starter system, with no problems noted. The head mechanic then told me that my car was on a list of vehicles with "potential software glitches" in the system. He then downloaded appropriate software into the vehicle and assured me that this would fix the above noted problem, and told me that it is all covered under the warranty.

Question: Has anyone heard of this issue or am I getting hosed? I am most concerned since I am planning a road trip in a couple of weeks and do not want to be stranded at some truck stop.

dpauto.com · Post by **dpauto.com** » 06 May 2003, 23:50

Sounds to me the gear selector switch (pnp) are going bad intermittently. It is mounted on the transmission. Tell the dealer to go hang themself. I am very awared of these S40s. There is no software downloads for this particular problem.

Dave

Olivia · Post by **Olivia** » 18 May 2004, 13:26

I have that exact problem with my 2001 S40. I turn the key, all lights etc. come on, but no turnover at all. I tested my battery and it tested fine. The starting probelm began about 2 years after I bought the car, i.e. this year. Sometimes it takes up to 10 tries to start it, and there's no discernible pattern to the problem. It might start fine for a week, then randomly not start well once or twice. I took it into the dealer, and they ran diagnostics and didn't find anything. They told me I was using bad gasoline, and that I should only fill with premium, but I did that for two full tanks and the problem persisted. Have you tried anything else to fix it? I was planning to go to another dealer, but seems like they'll have the same problem in that the computer won't be able to tell them what's wrong....

Post by **matthew1** » 18 May 2004, 14:35

Olivia, have you tried what dpauto mentioned?

You can test this next time you try to start it and it doesn't start:

Move the shift knob from Park to 3 10 or 20 times. Then try to start your Volvo.

Please post back with your results.

Thanks!

Olivia · Post by **Olivia** » 20 May 2004, 16:45

Thanks for the suggestion, Matt. I tried it today when the car didn't start. I moved the shifter from P to 3 about 15 times, then tried to start the car again, and it started right up. What does this mean for getting the car fixed, do you think? And how can I tell that this really helped? Sometimes it starts on the second try anyway...

Olivia

Post by **matthew1** » 20 May 2004, 19:34

Repeat the test every time it doesn't start. If you get 9 or 10 out of 10 times, it's for sure the pnp switch. If 5+ it's probably the switch.

Call some independent Volvo mechanics and the dealer and see what they would charge you to replace it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 02 Jun 2004, 18:50

My girlfriend has had the same exact problem with her 2000 S40 since she bought it new. When she first took it in, they gave her some BS about it being a relay or some nonsense ( of course that was after they couldnt get it to duplicate the problem at the dealer ), who knows if they really did anything as I wasnt there. Then it started happening again about 6 months ago ( off an on like the others posted, with no "resonable" cause ) so she took it in without my knowledge and they told her that it was her battery....BAH! I have been wrenching on cars for about 20 years and have never heard of a car that if the battery was bad wouldnt have the amps to crank over the first try ( good, clean ground......and all lights nice and bright, checked with multimeter and all looked good ), but after simply re-positioning the key and then re-cranking it would somehow miraculously create enough juice to start it up after the constant draw of trying to start the vehicle. Anyhow, Im rambling as I dont trust dealers very much when women take in their vehicles......but for now it has not reoccured as of yet.....

Olivia · Post by **Olivia** » 13 Jul 2004, 14:37

I took my S40 with the starting problem in to a dealer and was lucky enough to have the start glitch happen when the repair people were trying to start the car. It turns out that everytime the car had the starting problem, a light on the dash would light up with a picture of the car and an X through it. Of course, all the lights on the dash lit up on the false- starts, so I'd never noticed that particular one. The dealer said that this light was an anti-theft indicator. Apparently, there's an antenna ring (I think that's the right term) that recognizes the key that goes with the car. If another key tries to start the car, this anti-theft device won't let the car start. According to the dealer, this antenna ring had been on the fritz, so it was recognizing my key sometimes and letting the car start no problem, and not recognizing it other times, not letting the car start. The dealer replaced the antenna ring for me and I haven't had any starting problems since. That was about two weeks ago.

Olivia

Post by **matthew1** » 13 Jul 2004, 15:07

Wow... that's an amazingly hard problem to diagnose. Thanks so much for getting back to us with the solution. Glad you and your '40 are friends again

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