1999 S70 Suddenly will not crank nor turn over

Whitebird · Post by **Whitebird** » 14 Jun 2011, 21:26

1999 S70
206,000 miles
US import model
Manual transmission

My S70 will not start, not even crank. Onset was sudden. I ran an errand one morning and the car started as usual (immediately) then. 4 hours later it would not even crank, a condition which has persisted for several days now.

When I turn the key to position II, all the usual dash lights come on, and the wipers, headlights, etc. work. I also hear, while leaning over the engine, a high-pitched whine coming from the vicinity of the starter, or possibly from the metal boxlike part that connects the large hose coming from the air filter to the body of the engine (what is this part called?). After several seconds there is a click and the whine stops. I'm ashamed to say I don't know if this is normally how it sounds. Usually I'm not trying to start it while leaning over the engine.

When I turn the key to position III, nothing happens except my ABS dash light turns off. But occasionally, I hear a click. I am more likely to hear the click the first time I turn to position III after leaving it sit for a while. With someone helping me test, I've determined that the click does not come from the starter, but from the general vicinity of the fuse boxes, or behind or under them. It is a much softer click (quieter and more mellow) than the click of a bad starter.

Battery?
Jumping does not even make it crank, which, along with the sudden onset, leads me to think the battery is not the problem. After reading several threads on here, however, I disconnected and thoroughly cleaned the battery terminal contacts, then reconnected them. This made no difference.

Neutral Safety Switch?
This thread for a 1990 740 GL advises pumping the clutch while holding the key in position III. This did not work. Also, my problem is not intermittent, which would probably indicate that it is not a finicky switch.

Starter?
That same thread says the solenoid can fail to pull current, in which case there will be no starter click.

At this point, what diagnostic steps should I try?

Might I need to replace the starter? Is the sudden onset of this problem consistent with a bad starter? The starter has not been replaced at least in the last 20,000 miles (the time I have had the car).

If I need to replace it, how much does my 1999 S70 differ from the 1998 model, for which Tina posted such an excellent guide? It doesn't look the same to me.

Thank you for any ideas you may have.

Post by **bronxnativ** » 14 Jun 2011, 22:20

Sounds to me like your ignition switch (electrical). Worst case scenario: Starter, BUT allow the more tenured folks to chime in before you start purchasing parts.

Post by **FlyingVolvo** » 14 Jun 2011, 22:52

My grandma had something like this happen to her 99 S70. Have you tried unlocking and locking the car 3-4 times with both key and the remote? Sometimes the immobilizer does funny things and won't let the car start.

Post by **Matty Moo** » 15 Jun 2011, 05:32

Also check the large ground that connects to the engine block in the same area, and your cables.

Small things start popping up on 12 year old cars.

Whitebird · Post by **Whitebird** » 15 Jun 2011, 14:55

Thank you all for the ideas.

I tried unlocking and locking. That doesn't seem to be it.

I don't see any loose cables, Matty Moo. Are there particular ones I should be looking at?

Whitebird · Post by **Whitebird** » 17 Jun 2011, 20:07

I'm pretty sure I've found the problem!

After accessing my ignition switch (great tutorial here: http://web.archive.org/web/200903290536 ... n_S80.html), I realized I should figure out if I could do more diagnostics before replacing it.

Some more searching pulled up this very helpful tutorial on diagnosing starter problems: http://www.type2.com/bartnik/starter.htm

Following the steps there, I used a multimeter and found 12v coming from the ignition switch to the solenoid, so that wasn't it. I also found that my starter motor would spin when the solenoid was bypassed (welded the tip of my pliers to my jumper cable figuring that out

), but the solenoid was putting out 12v like it should be. It turns out that the short (2 in.) braided wire connecting the solenoid to the starter was almost completely corroded through. Apparently, it got down to the point where it just couldn't carry the current. I broke the remaining few strands accidentally and that's how I discovered what was wrong.

So I think all I need to do is replace that wire. That would be easy, except that the end that attaches to the starter motor feels like it's secured with a flathead screw. But there's a metal plate sticking out over the screw head, with just 1/2 in. of space-- enough for my finger to fit in and feel it, but no way to fit a screwdriver in. I'm afraid I'll have to pull the starter out completely, which means also pulling out the fan!

Anyway, that link above may be helpful for anyone else trying to figure out if their starter is shot. Also, there are some good ideas in this thread.

I'll post a final update once I've made the repair.

Whitebird · Post by **Whitebird** » 05 Jul 2011, 22:58

A closing update: I had to replace the whole starter, since no one sells the wire I needed separately. I was told, too, by a starter repair shop that the end of that wire on the starter is welded in, since it carries so much current. I followed Tina's tutorial to make the replacement, and the process on my 1999 S70 was very close to what she outlines. I'll post the differences there for the benefit of any other owners of my year.

chunksdaddy · Post by **chunksdaddy** » 01 Mar 2017, 08:53

So I have a 1999 Volvo v70 T5 wagon just purchased it and I am now experiencing the exact same issue where the car won't crank or turn over. Any thoughts please help first Volvo ever and I love the car when I got it it drove like a dream so would like for it to run again instead of the wife having me sale it.

Post by **abscate** » 01 Mar 2017, 23:42

Greetings! You can bypass the cranking function of the switch using a white connector under the hood of your 1999 (we are special to have this)

Search ' remote starter terminal' in this Forum for a picture

WARNING. CAR MUST BE IN NEUTRAL GEAR!

Post by **theWIFES_S70** » 02 Mar 2017, 07:32

abscate wrote:Greetings! You can bypass the cranking function of the switch using a white connector under the hood of your 1999 (we are special to have this)

Search ' remote starter terminal' in this Forum for a picture

WARNING. CAR MUST BE IN NEUTRAL GEAR!

Is this that little sensor/switch that is activated when the clutch is depressed? (I think someone disconnected it on our car, our car cranks without having to press the clutch.) I remember you writing about that last year... Or was that the year before....