Not idling/starting

BrianS40 · Post by **BrianS40** » 28 Dec 2007, 17:17

Hello and in advance, thank you for any advice you may give.
I have a 2001 S40 1.4Turbo with 58,XXX miles. I just purchased it about a year ago and have regularly changed the oil.

Now to the problem. The S40 will start with a full functioning dash and heallights, but as soon release the gas it dies/shuts off. If I continue to apply the gas and rev the engine up it continues to run, will not remain on if I remove my foot from the pedal.
Before owning a Volvo I had an older 1989 Blazer that I could work on and this car is much more complex to work on. I am also away for the holidays in my hometown so don't really know where to take it.
Prior to this issue the car seemed to be running fine. A couple of people have suggested a fuel pump, but I've had to replace fuel pumps before and everytime there were warning signs. Any suggestions will be helpful. And I am in the Fresno, CA area.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 28 Dec 2007, 17:35

Can you go to an autozone and have your codes pulled? There could be so many reasons for this to be happening....bad plugs, wires, even an vacuum leak or bad MAF sensor. The codes will help send you in the right direction rather than a wild chase.

BrianS40 · Post by **BrianS40** » 29 Dec 2007, 21:18

Thanks for the advice. Before I went to autozone a friend and I decided to take a look one last time before getting the code reader. The throttle, that sets the Idle and had slipped and was extremely low. After we adjested that the car started, continued to run. I have only driven it around the block, but it is starting. I think I will take it in still to get a tune up just to make sure nothing else was wrong sense my drive back home is 400 miles. Thanks again for letting me know about getting the code reader from autozone, although its a 200 dollar deposit, it would have been well worth it.
I am just posting this in case anyone else has this problem. So if your car will start, but will not remain on if you foot is not applied to the gas, check the throttle, which was found next to the battery under a plastic screwed in casing.
Thanks again and hopefully that is all I needed to do.

Another note: do not disconnect the battery without knowing th radio security code. Luckily for me the previous owner wrote it on owners manual.

Good luck to anyone else having car problems.

BrianS40 · Post by **BrianS40** » 31 Dec 2007, 02:15

Update:
This fix did not resolve the problem, although if it does not start messing with the throttle and adjusting the rpms seems to help.
Anyone know if the weather may be playing a factor? I live in southern calif. where the weather is pretty moderate and am currently in my hometome where it is drastically colder. Wondered if this could have that much of an impact? Although I can get it to run, I think im going to bite the bullet and take it into the dealer, which seems to be the only place around here that will work on a "european" car.

Any othe suggestions would be helpful.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 31 Dec 2007, 09:10

Did you ever do the code reader at AutoZone? You can get them to read your codes for you without you having to rent the thing, from what I understand.

BrianS40 · Post by **BrianS40** » 03 Jan 2008, 00:00

I went to autozone and picked the code reader up today, but it was not helpful. It did tell me that my RPM was high, but we raised that to help my car to start. So, I guess I'm taking it into the shop blindly and I hate doing that. So any other suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

BrianS40 · Post by **BrianS40** » 03 Jan 2008, 17:20

Well I had to bite the bullet and take it in, although I did not go to the dealer I came out feeling over charged.
I had to replace the Idle Control Valve, costing about $250 U.S dollars. I hope that fixes the problem I was experiencing. The car is running better, but I still have yet to test it during colder temperatures during the morning.
I was wondering if 250(US) dollars was overpriced, and by how much if it was. The mechanic did have to order the part, but it still seems a little steep. Thanks again for all the advice.
Hopefully this helps someone else diagnose their problems.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 03 Jan 2008, 19:27

I think you did pretty well actually. I just checked the price of the idle control valve from www.foreigncarparts.com (fcpgroton's on-line extension) where parts are cheaper than almost any place else. The cost there for this is $192.24 plus shipping. That means that you paid about $50 for diagnostics and the labor to replace this part. Count yourself lucky and let's hope that it works in the cold like you say.

edtalusan · Post by **edtalusan** » 29 Sep 2008, 18:44

hi, brian, did your problem go away w/ that idle control valve replacement?
ed