'99 S80 Brake Control Module part+labor = $1k

Post by **matthew1** » 18 Nov 2010, 17:41

Just FYI for anyone out there. My dad just had this done at a Volvo dealer in an attempt to solve random stalling, occasional rough running and an occasional Christmas tree light show of dashboard warning lights.

Part was around $650, labor the rest. My secret indie mechanic source told me indie shop cost is over $550 on the BCM. Volvo's making a killing on these replacement parts.

The problem isn't fixed

.

Post by **matthew1** » 19 Nov 2010, 14:50

Yesterday the dealer put their best tech on it, Dave, who very coincedentally was the tech that did the 90k "Old School" Service on my 2004 V70 R back in June.

Dave switched shops from Volvo Specialists to McDonald Volvo sometime in late summer, sadly. I feel techs are far less accessible when they work for dealer shops. And Dave is good. Too bad.

Anyway, Dave had my dad drive a loop that caused the Christmas tree light condition a week ago, twice, while he rode along. They replicated the condition and drove back to the shop and downloaded the codes onto the shop VIDA system. From there I don't know what happened. Yet. Dave still has the S80.

I say it's the ignition, but that's a guess, based off of my absorption of causes/effects here.

I wish I could help my dad more, but he doesn't have weeks to let me mess with it, and I don't have VIDA.

I'll add details to this repair saga as they come in.

jimgrames62 · Post by **jimgrames62** » 24 Nov 2010, 05:47

I would look at cem???

Post by **Matty Moo** » 27 Nov 2010, 11:59

jimgrames62 wrote:I would look at cem???

x2.

I've dealt with a few instances where a new module does nothing, yet the dealer says that's the problem. Even though I don't own one, I've spent at least 25 hours researching those things and talking to the people that own them.

The dealer's scanner will say it's the module, yet it's something in between.

I'll be the first to say that I hate s80's and generally try to avoid dealing with them. Even in my ebay listings, I'll leave s80 out of the compatibility list intentionally to save a headache later on.

Post by **matthew1** » 02 Dec 2010, 10:51

Thanks guys, I'll pass that on. Update: The S80 is still in the service department.

Dave got Volvo Cars Of North America (VCNA) tech help in on it. They sent McDonald a "flight recorder" that records all ECU data as it happens. That is installed, and the car is being driven almost every day to collect data. If you hadn't guessed, my dad's good at making noise. (I pity the service department who messes with a retiree who can borrow a car [my 850] for extended periods of time. My dad literally has all day, every day, to devote to this problem. He is the paradigm of the "squeaky wheel", after having spoken to the service manager several times.)

Dave continues to deliver outstanding communication about everything that's going on with the diagnosis. My dad is impressed, to say the least.

Matty: years ago I made my dad fully aware of the substantial downsides of owning a '99 S80. Paraphrasing, I told him it's going to cost more and more to keep running, and the cost/benefit ratio is going to get worse and worse, above and beyond any other Volvo model.

Post by **matthew1** » 06 Dec 2010, 12:01

Quick update: no flight recorder after all. The availability just isn't there; they don't have enough.

(And if they chose to use them on bigger problems, I don't blame them. A '99 S80 is a lost cause anyway.)

Dave continues to be spectacular. The tech writer Andy asked to drive it home and back to work, my dad quickly agreed. The S80 has been there for 2-3 weeks now.

jimgrames62 · Post by **jimgrames62** » 06 Dec 2010, 23:07

If it doesn't fix it, DON'T PAY FOR IT! I made that very clear to my dealer!

Post by **matthew1** » 09 Dec 2010, 16:22

He won't, don't worry. My personal opinion is that they're dragging their feet hoping he'll go away. He won't. He's retired, and has all day to wait, call them, etc.

I can't say I blame them. Who wants to work -- or fight over invoices -- on a '99 S80?

grensuvs · Post by **grensuvs** » 09 Dec 2010, 17:35

I missed something here...

If he already had the $1k part installed, which was supposed to fix the problems, how did he drive it off the lot without paying???

Or it crapped out as he was driving it off the lot and he canceled payment or?

grensuvs

Post by **matthew1** » 10 Dec 2010, 10:40

He paid, drove home for a few days, the problem returned. Then he took the car back, and that's where we are today. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

My dad's had my 850 for about a month now while his S80 has been at the dealer. I work from home, and rarely drive my 850 anyway, so my dad has nearly unlimited car-borrowing power to play the waiting game.

Jim and Matt, the latest is that Dave suspects the CEM.

News trickles in to me every few days.

For the record, I have no animosity toward McDonald Volvo. I suspect them of absolutely nothing, except maybe not hurrying the situation up. I think they're doing what dealer shops do, and like any business, when you turn the heat up on them they move a little faster.

The problem is a classic, frustrating case of finding a needle in a haystack (complicated electronics in an older car), except you don't know which haystack the needle's in, you have to guess.

As for the other players, Dave the tech, he's a super guy, like I've said. He's forgotten more about Volvos than I'll ever know, so the S80 is in good hands. My dad is a regular guy who wants his money's worth, and wants to get his beloved S80 back.

Just so the record's straight

.