'04 S60 2.5T - Limp Home Mode

y2kdad · Post by **y2kdad** » 27 Jun 2018, 12:47

So I bought this 2004 S60, used last month. It's been a great experience until yesterday. I went to start the car and none of the instruments worked (tach, speedometer, fuel gauge) and the lights on the instrument panel didn't work either. The check engine light is on. The turn signals and hazard lights do NOT function. The headlights DO work, however.

I can't get out of first or second gear, but the car does start up fine.

Does anyone have any idea what the cause could be? Is there a way to reset the safety mode? I'll take it back to the place where I bought it, but it's past the 30-day warranty now and they will make me pay. Unavoidable.

Thanks

Post by **oragex** » 27 Jun 2018, 13:04

The kind of scenario one doesn't want to find himself at the main dealer

Did it rain recently? The 2004 was weak at the CEM (google up)

Just to see how tricky these could be, here's another somehow similar issue with another owner https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=280975

y2kdad · Post by **y2kdad** » 27 Jun 2018, 14:15

Wow. I barely understand what was in that post. I think I need to study basic mechanics now!

It has been raining periodically for the last week but nothing severe. I’ll do some more research. Thank you for your reply!!

y2kdad · Post by **y2kdad** » 19 Jul 2018, 15:44

Update.

So, I dropped off the car at the Volvo specialist. He used the scan tool to reset the car and then kept the car for 7 days. They ran it through a battery of tests, including the CEM. They also drove it for about 50 miles. Nothing happened.

So, I brought the car home and it was fine for about 2 weeks until today. This time, it happened at a stoplight. The gauges went dead and I couldn't get out of second gear. It seemed to correct itself after I restarted the car, so I drove home. But the SRS air bag and brake failure warning lights came on. When I got to my house, I shut the engine off and then restarted it. I then noticed a strange clicking sound, which was accompanied by the gauges "jumping". I took a video clip of it as well.

Any idea where to go from here?

Post by **mrbrian200** » 19 Jul 2018, 18:17

Make sure all your relays are pressed down all the way. Both under the hood and on the CEM. This sounds remarkably like another friend of a friend whose 2004 XC70 (basically the same car as far as diagnostics are concerned) was acting up in a manner that sounded exactly like what you're experiencing. He found a relay not seated down all the way on the fuse panel in the engine bay. Which fixed it. I don't know which specific relay it was.

y2kdad · Post by **y2kdad** » 19 Jul 2018, 19:07

Thank you! I will give that a shot

Post by **abscate** » 19 Jul 2018, 19:19

Google how to check battery condition and either have it tested or evaluate yourself if you have the tools.

P2 Volvo’s hate badbatteries.

You could just put it in a charger overnight, too

y2kdad · Post by **y2kdad** » 19 Jul 2018, 19:38

I would never have suspected the battery as a cause. Thank you, I will check that as well.