2003 S40 Issues. Need Help

[rsdrye]

Hi guys thanks for the add. I've got a 2003 Volvo S40. 1)It has sat for a while and now it clicks when trying to start. The battery seems weak so I'm gonna start there. If that's not it, what else could it be? 2)Before we parked it, after about 35mph it vibrated and shook in the front. You could feel it in the steering wheel. Any ideas? 3) It wouldn't pass NC inspection due to the check engine light being on. The code said it was oxygen censor. Is that hard to change? Are these things that I can do or should it go to a mechanic? Any and all help is appreciated.

-Shane-

[kieran40]

Clicking is 9/10 a duff battery . The shaking at the front could be any number of things buckled wheel, dodgy tyre, balancing I should think, or discs that have warped.

I can't comment on the light in youre country.

Wack a battery on and spray a bit of easy start in the air filter and it should fire up.

No need for mechanics on this forum lol it's all DIY or die

Youres is all doable apart from the light

[rsdrye]

Originally Posted by kieran40

Clicking is 9/10 a duff battery . The shaking at the front could be any number of things buckled wheel, dodgy tyre, balancing I should think, or discs that have warped.

I can't comment on the light in youre country.

Wack a battery on and spray a bit of easy start in the air filter and it should fire up.

No need for mechanics on this forum lol it's all DIY or die

Youres is all doable apart from the light

Thanks a lot. I'm new to Volvos. What do you mean by buckled wheel and dodgy tire?

[druid]

Originally Posted by rsdrye

Hi guys thanks for the add. I've got a 2003 Volvo S40. 1)It has sat for a while and now it clicks when trying to start. The battery seems weak so I'm gonna start there. If that's not it, what else could it be? 2)Before we parked it, after about 35mph it vibrated and shook in the front. You could feel it in the steering wheel. Any ideas? 3) It wouldn't pass NC inspection due to the check engine light being on. The code said it was oxygen censor. Is that hard to change? Are these things that I can do or should it go to a mechanic? Any and all help is appreciated.

-Shane-

If the oxy sensor is by the cat, them fairly easy. special tool required, yeah stillson's. Also when restarted the light went out. You may get lucky.

[kieran40]

Originally Posted by rsdrye

Thanks a lot. I'm new to Volvos. What do you mean by buckled wheel and dodgy tire?

Unlikely but they could cause youre vibration it's more likely to be balancing or discs though ,

I had a dodgy tyre I'm lucky I haven't been driving the car lately and any distance, the inside wall had a great big slash in it from a pot hole, all ready to blow out on the motorway, the Iraqi guy who does my tyres was like look at this lol. Binned, a new one put on about 2mm of rubber holding the air in

[gatos]

Sounds like a low battery.

With regards to the EML light, a failed lambda sensor would cause it to come up. If you replace it, you can then reset the light and it will stay off. Or, if you don't have a reset tool, then the light should dissapear after a few starts. Or you could disconnect the battery for a couple of hours and that would reset the code.

Replacing the lambda sensor is not the hardest thing to do. You just need a 22m spanner to remove the sensor. There are two sensors. One at the front of the catalyst and one at the rear. In most occasions, it is the front one that fails

[steakpie]

1 will be battery problem. 2 could be balancing or buckled wheel mine did that bad vibration wheel was buckled i dont think it will be your brakes mine was warped and rusty and you could feel that but not at 35mph. 3rd question yes 02 censor but ideal situation for you to get your codes checked to see what censor it is front or back or anything else.

[Antz]

Your vibrating through the wheel is most likely bad alignment, old tires that aren't round anymore or a bent wheel rim.

Easy thing to do is swap front wheels to back and see if it does the same. If not then swap one around until you find which wheel/wheels it is that's causing it and have a local garage remove the tire, check it for problems and run the bare rim on a balancing machine. That'll highlight I'd you've got a defective tire or a bent wheel rim as it'll be way off balance on the wheel balancer without a tire on.

[rsdrye]

The tires are new with less than 1000 miles. I hope it wouldn't be them. Haha. Never know. Thanks for all the in put. I keep yall updated.

[skyship007]

Originally Posted by rsdrye

Thanks a lot. I'm new to Volvos. What do you mean by buckled wheel and dodgy tire?

In American it would be a Kerb job (Probably caused by a snatch and grab raid, or texting) at speed.
A good one will fork up the tyre side wall (New tyre job), ding the rim in and knock out the tracking (Full alignement job in an IffyLube or Easycrash shop).

My guess at the cost:
2 new Gooyear 4 seasons (Or other top of the range major brand ones):
100 bucks (Conti and Dun are about the same)
New wheel: Another 100 dollars on Fleabay ?
Track rod end (Get one made in Germany or the USA): 20 usd
Full Alignement plus balance fronts: 80 greenbacks
Total cost: Wild guess, but 2 to 300 bills.

If the wheel is exactly in the centre and the car goes straight hands off, plus does not wobble at speed, with no side or verticle play (Car lift job with wheel off) AND the back tyres can be used up front, then the repair bill might only be 10 ponies for one tyre and balance from a Quickfort place!