2005 S40 cut out and won't start

[TubbyT87]

I have a weird issue with my S40. I was driving along at about 30mph this evening when I noticed my headlights turn off. I slowed down to check my light switch and noticed that the engine had cut out. I was still in the middle of the road because the car is so bloody quiet I hadn't noticed that the engine had cut out to start with. I selected neutral and tried to start it but I got nothing.

With the key in the 2nd position everything is powered up. Stereo, heater system, but as soon as I turn the key to start it the whole car powers down until i release the key back to the 2nd position. I managed to push the car round the corner to a family members house but I am very confused with this one.

Earlier today I did have an issue getting into the car while trying the unlock button and I thought maybe this was related but apparently there are thieves operating in the area with 'jammers' that restrict the signal. Facebook has just come up with loads of people saying they had this issue while shopping in tunbridge wells today. So I'm thinking this is more than likely down to that and not my non start issue

[cheshired5]

Sounds like your alternator has given up and you were driving on battery power only, which would be dead at this time of year pretty quickly and certainly wouldn't have enough to start the engine again.
You need to run a multimeter across the battery and post the results.
Ignore Facebook........not just for this but in general.:)

[Wooders]

2nd its the alternator, but also maybe the battery? I would fully charge the battery, then start the car and measure the voltage, off the top of my head it should be around 14.5v. I had the battery go,then the alternator went a few months later ( related?).

[TubbyT87]

Ok thanks I will check the voltage tonight. It just seems strange, I've never had a car that just cuts off if the alternator had packed up. Usually the lights will all dim and the everything will turn off before the car shuts off. Hopefully it's just that then.

Haha I agree on the facebook comment. Although this time there is about 40 people stating the same key issue happened to them on the same industrial estate around the same time

[Wooders]

Cold temps are when batteries struggle the most,so a weak one will throw it's hand in,just when you need it!! When the alternator went, I got one flicker of a warning light the day before,which I think was it's final parting gift.(but just thought I hadn't tightened the terminals on the new battery tight enough). Then when driving home, the wipers stopped first, then the headlights went out, then the dash lights, Rev counter etc, ( about a mile from home,so upped the tempo,as I didn't fancy walking ) then the steering went heavy just as I pulled into the drive.

I did see something on FB about the key code grabbing,which i presumed was America as it referenced using a 'cell phone'.

[TubbyT87]

Ok well I went and checked the voltage this morning. Apparently the battery is putting out 16volts! Which is obviously high. It's just had the clutch replaced so I'm wondering if it's an earthing issue? Mr Clutch has said to recover it to them but if it's something I can fix is rather just do it and get it sorted sooner

[Guru]

After doing a clutch job on my car by myself I can confirm that the gearbox, left chassis beam and left strut tower are earth (-ve) to many electronic component of the car ..

To be fully sure all were reattached properly after the clutch job you had done on your car, you'll have to remove the air filter housing (easy), and the battery plastic compartment which is not so easy .. the box has a battery temp sensor on it's base and detaching it's connector is a PITA!

So before dismantling things, for starters> have the volt regulator of the alternator examined first ..

[TubbyT87]

Ok so Mr Clutch can't find any issue with earths or anything like that. Battery is good, alternator is good, starter is good. They think it's more ECU or another module. I've been given the number of someone else who specialises in things like this.

I haven't seen the car since I got it recovered to them but apparently it's now not showing any dash lights.

I don't wanna spend too much on this car because it's not really worth it.

[TubbyT87]

Ok so still no joy with this. I took it to a garage near me that specialises in ECU and module stuff but still nothing. They said it's definitely the ignition switch so, being cheap, I towed it home, bought an ignition switch from volvo and fitted it myself. Garage charged £75 to tell me it was the ignition switch, volvo charged £142.80 for the switch and the car still does the same thing :-(.

Anybody have any ideas where to go or what to try next? The video link below is what it is still doing

http://youtu.be/72-XSZyfH5c

[TubbyT87]

Anyone?

[SonyVaio]

It sounds very much like your immobiliser is not allowing the car to start. This would indeed point back to ignition switch where the key is read. You can try using your 2nd key to see if it makes any difference?

:star-wars-smiley-01

[fin]

My Volvo V40 (2001) is doing the same thing. If I get mine sorted I will let you know what the issue was / is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV_HIDz-Xc8

[TubbyT87]

Mine is with a garage and has been for over two weeks now. They can't find the issue. I disconnected the battery but when I reconnected it I get a random noise under the car that sounds like the fuel pump turning on and constantly running. Or like a mini Hoover under there but I doubt that a little. It sounds like it by the rear offside tyre area. If I disconnect the earth cable it will stop, as soon as I connect again the noise comes back

http://youtu.be/T8THNb07LHM

[danielm85948]

Ok well I went and checked the voltage this morning. Apparently the battery is putting out 16volts! Which is obviously high. It's just had the clutch replaced so I'm wondering if it's an earthing issue? Mr Clutch has said to recover it to them but if it's something I can fix is rather just do it and get it sorted sooner

if mr clutch did work on your car, then google complaints against Mr clutch. you will not like what you read.

[danielm85948]

Anyone?

i would say bad earth wires near the bell housing .the fact that mr clutch did the clutch says ,google complaints against them .

[marccowley]

Try removing and re installing the CEM its under the dash where te passangers feet are, there are lots of plugs on it and it can sometimes help to remove and refit as a sort of restart procedure.

[pgm]

In the passenger footwell behind the glovebox is the ecm. All the electrical wiring goes through this unit and it does play up. It has to be removed to replace the pollen filter also. I would remove and check /clean all the connectors on this and see what happens. I have had similar problems myself after a pollen filter change.

Paul

[tomweston]

My 2001 S40 died on the drive. Would not start, turned out the throttle body was at fault.

[gswede]

Did you get to the bottom of this? I had the very same problem, out of nowhere tha car refused to start. Not even a tic noise from the starter. Key position II all lit up, but no start nor cranking over. 2 months at the dealer and their resolve was to put a permanent ground to the starter relay in the engine compartment fuse box. A foot long piece of black 3mm wire from under the fusebox and up to strut tower. They went over the entive wiring harness. Changed battery, starter, alternator, gear control ecu, engine ecu, ecm etc. To no avail. The wire did the trick. I was not impressed. This was a Volvo dealer.
Several mails were sent to Volvo head office, no help there. Sold it while the POS still started. Good luck with yours.

[TubbyT87]

Did you get to the bottom of this? I had the very same problem, out of nowhere tha car refused to start. Not even a tic noise from the starter. Key position II all lit up, but no start nor cranking over. 2 months at the dealer and their resolve was to put a permanent ground to the starter relay in the engine compartment fuse box. A foot long piece of black 3mm wire from under the fusebox and up to strut tower. They went over the entive wiring harness. Changed battery, starter, alternator, gear control ecu, engine ecu, ecm etc. To no avail. The wire did the trick. I was not impressed. This was a Volvo dealer.
Several mails were sent to Volvo head office, no help there. Sold it while the POS still started. Good luck with yours.

Well it's at the main dealer now and they have spent 3 hours looking over it but still can't find the issue. They have said the next step is to replace the ECM but they can not guarantee this will cure it. At £730 (plus the £362 I owe for 3 hours worth of nothing) I am not convinced I will be doing this. The car is just not worth this amount of money. So it may be time to scrap or strip for spares. Although the permanent ground trick sounds like it could be worth a try. If I can afford to have it recovered yet again out of the stealership now.

I have a tow bar that I was using but now the issue has become even worse that it won't 'wake up' when position 2 is selected. So steering lock is stuck on at the moment.

[gswede]

I suggest you have them take out CEM, clean all the connectors and re-install. All done in less than 15 minutes.
Connector corrosion are known issues on these.

Do you have a sun roof? Ever had a leak from it or the AC drain connector come loose. Damp rear floors? If yes to one of those Q`s, suspect moist created corrosion on the pins. Also, if this is a right hand drive car, there are known issues with cem interference when changing out interior air filter come service time. Maybe a connector wiggle is all it takes.

Volvo dealers are truly the worst people I ever dealt with, no codes = no problems dohh. Got mine "fixed" sort of. They gave it back to me and MPG had dropped to 10mpg. They tried telling me ohh with such an engine that was normal. Told them I`d owned the car for 7 years and I knew the normal MPG. POS car and service.

[TubbyT87]

Did you get to the bottom of this? I had the very same problem, out of nowhere tha car refused to start. Not even a tic noise from the starter. Key position II all lit up, but no start nor cranking over. 2 months at the dealer and their resolve was to put a permanent ground to the starter relay in the engine compartment fuse box. A foot long piece of black 3mm wire from under the fusebox and up to strut tower. They went over the entive wiring harness. Changed battery, starter, alternator, gear control ecu, engine ecu, ecm etc. To no avail. The wire did the trick. I was not impressed. This was a Volvo dealer.
Several mails were sent to Volvo head office, no help there. Sold it while the POS still started. Good luck with yours.

I tried to PM you gswede but I'm not worthy enough yet. Do you have any more info on how they did this? I thought I might give it a go before scrapping the car but it's not as simple as I thought it would be. I managed to get the fuse board out and the starter relay is apparently number 13 but I can't see much else

[tomweston]

My 2001 S40 died on the drive. Would not start, turned out the throttle body was at fault.

Yes my S40 1.8GDI died on the drive as well, AA man saw loads of codes and could not help, towed to Volvo in Warrington who could not sort it out either without charging me for all the parts they thought it might be.

It turned out to be the throttle body, solved by indi garage in Queensferry.

[TubbyT87]

Yes my S40 1.8GDI died on the drive as well, AA man saw loads of codes and could not help, towed to Volvo in Warrington who could not sort it out either without charging me for all the parts they thought it might be.

It turned out to be the throttle body, solved by indi garage in Queensferry.

I know it's not the exact same car but how much was that roughly?

[TubbyT87]

She runs!!!!!

£761 for a new CEM and she runs. Turns out a CEM is basically a big fuse board lol.

Now I just need to work out what the hell they have done with my handbrake and why the ABS light is now on! both were working fine when they went in to the main dealer