2007 V70 2.0T AT - cranks, won't start, strange warning chimes

[AnthonyH]

Hello everyone

I hope someone can help me with this - it's not my car, I've been borrowing it...from my dad!

Got into the car today and it just won't take. Haven't had any issue with starting or sluggishness. The battery is basically new (±2 months) and still has charge. The last I started up was yesterday, that was only to move the car a couple of feet in the driveway. No problems. We had an absolute deluge of rain overnight and drop in temperature (it's parked outside) but I can't imagine that would affect the car so it won't start. 15deg Celsius is really not that cold.

The "emissions system" warning light comes on, stays on while cranking the engine, and turns off shortly later. I've noticed the oil pressure light come on briefly after trying to start, then it turns off. The oil level is fine and I can't see any leaks. Very strange is that there is a warning chime that goes off when putting the key in the ignition (4 times) and after trying/failing to start (6 times). The number of beeps is the same each time and seem to relate to the warning lights. It's the same sound heard for the seatbelt or open driver door.

Any ideas? The fuses are all fine, can't see any hoses loose vacuum hoses. I'm thinking 'fuel pump', maybe. I can't seem to hear a pump going when turning the key - can anyone tell me where to find it? I'm not familiar with this car and don't have a repair manual. Maybe a reset of the ECU would help? Don't know how to do that, though...

thanks in advance for any advice!

[AnthonyH]

EDIT:
There are 5 chimes at first, not 4. And then 6 afterwards. Not sure if there's anything significant about the number of chimes, but it's never happened before. Also, the airbag warning light comes on at ignition position I, stays on for a few seconds, and I can hear a faint click behind the passenger glove box. That hasn't happened before.

Another unusual thing I noticed is that, while trying to start, the accelerator pedal movement feels 'sticky'/'uneven' to me... like it's catching slightly towards the floor.

[abscate]

Welcome! How many kms are on the car?

Is it cranking over well? It sounds a bit like the battery is weak which will cause a no-start, and then funny operation of electronics

The chimes and lights sound normal.

[AnthonyH]

Hi, thanks for replying!

The car is on 179000kms. It's cranking over well, but I think the battery was a bit drained from all the trying. I charged it up full today and gave it a good long crank. It actually seemed to be getting somewhere, even got some slight movement on the tach needle, but ultimately no start. Thought I smelled some fuel or exhaust after that but if there was anything it was barely a whiff and only for a moment.

I just found out about the onboard DTC list and have gone through that - it's rather worrying because most modules have a DTC set. These are the readings for all the modules:

AUM, SRS: Ready
TCM, ECM, PSM, REM, UEM: Checking (I think the engine needs to be running for these checks?)
BCM, SAS, CEM, DIM, *DDM, CCM, PDM: SET (*The driver door was open, but not any passenger door.)

Would these DTCs put the car in "safe mode" and prevent it starting? If so, how to reset it? I followed an ECU reset procedure I saw in a forum here, disconnected the battery, touched the cables, turned ignition to II. Can't say it did anything.

Thanks for clearing up the chimes. It was much quieter today than when I was trying yesterday, and I could hear the fuel pump coming on. I've read some strange things about cars not starting after being parked facing down an incline, because the fuel pump reservoir empties. It's on a VERY slight incline, but I'll try topping up the tank from a jerry tomorrow just in case. I topped up the oil, and the pressure light went off after a few cranks, but came back on a few cranks later. I checked the belt, and it seems quite new and tight - but for the life of me couldn't see the timing markers down there?

The car went in for a service about 9 months ago for the first, and last, time with a new mechanic - absolute nightmare, took 5 weeks to get the car back! Ever since, we've noticed a sound from somewhere in the front-left (it's a right hand vehicle). It sounds like a pump or servo hum/whine, especially when first turning to ignition II and continuing a while after starting. It would change or disappear with pressure on the brake pedal. We put down to a pump dealing with the brake fluid reservoir, which the mechanic had completely over-filled. Whatever it was, it's not making a sound AT ALL since the no start and I have a feeling it might actually be the vacuum pump - but I do realise that feeling is coming from an amateur who usually drives a Honda

[oragex]

I think you should hear the fuel pump priming for a few seconds with the key in Pos II, at least after a whole day parked

You may get a rug, try starting the car, then walk to the engine bay and remove the cap of the fuel pressure release valve, put the rug over it and depress with a screw driver, see if there's fuel pressure. Another thing to try is bring another car and jump the batteries with the other car running. If it starts jumped, inspect the alternator pulley (and the a/c pulley while there)

[AnthonyH]

I was going to try the pressure valve, but it's now started raining again. Hopefully will get a chance later.
However: I noticed another sound in the engine after cranking today which definitely sounds like "something's wrong" with whatever it is. It seems to be coming from a component sitting below the intake manifold, towards the right-hand end of the fuel rail, which looks like a switch or sensor on a pipe coupling... there was a continuous high pitch beep/whine, not very loud, then some fast ticks/clicks like something is stuck, then it went silent. Thought I heard fluid movement too. Had another crack and heard it again.

Also noticed faint humming coming from the important looking servo/lever arm thing that has a spring-loaded cable and sits at the bottom of the engine compartment, sort of underneath the airfilter box, behind the vacuum pump....

[oragex]

hopefully not a broken timing belt. Was it replaced? You can lift the small plastic cover just on top of the belt, force it a little bit or remove the cover over the engine with 4 torx screws

[abscate]

I was going to try the pressure valve, but it's now started raining again. Hopefully will get a chance later.
However: I noticed another sound in the engine after cranking today which definitely sounds like "something's wrong" with whatever it is. It seems to be coming from a component sitting below the intake manifold, towards the right-hand end of the fuel rail, which looks like a switch or sensor on a pipe coupling... there was a continuous high pitch beep/whine, not very loud, then some fast ticks/clicks like something is stuck, then it went silent. Thought I heard fluid movement too. Had another crack and heard it again.

Also noticed faint humming coming from the important looking servo/lever arm thing that has a spring-loaded cable and sits at the bottom of the engine compartment, sort of underneath the airfilter box, behind the vacuum pump....

This might just be normal sound from the electronic throttle body.