No crank, intermittent start issue. 99’ V70T5 Auto.

[Paul240480]

Hi. Long post I reckon.........
I know there are lots of start up issues, antenna ring, trigger wire , bad earths etc.
According to my cars history, it’s had a random starting issue for many years. One garage replaced the starter motor to attempt to solve it including a heat shrink over the trigger wire.
When I bought the car just over two years ago, it ran fine from Doncaster to Derby. I collected it from my Mums in Derby ( brother collected it from Doncaster). It had been sat for about 6 weeks. Started fine and I drove up to Silloth.
Next morning it started just fine. We drove down to Derby. Having stopped in a service station, tried to restart and nothing. No crank. Dash lights good but no crank. After three or four goes, bingo fired up off we went.
Next day in Derby started fine. Did some running around and fourth or fifth start nothing again. Eventually it randomly leapt into life.
Anyway, we were heading back to here in France. I drove down to Kent into a campsite, stopped to check in and when I went to start up to drive to my pitch....guess , yep nothing again. Left it a few minutes and off it went again.
Anyway, long story short, we got back to south Brittany, with it happening a few times along the way. It always started all be it eventually.

So once home had a bit more time to have a look. First I put a new antenna ring on, I now know antenna fault is fire and die, not no crank. But after fitting it , it was okay for about a week, when the issue returned. That was the longest it had been ‘good’ for.

Moving on, the car was left for a good 8 weeks whilst we were away . On return it started, but only just as the battery was weak. Charged it and it fired up fine. Next day battery was flat.

Got a new battery. Before fitting it I removed the battery tray and saw that the earth connections under it were as cruddy as anything. I cleaned them up and applied a bit of grease and re-fitted them. Then fitted the new battery.
After that it was brilliant for a good 18 months, started on the button every time, really thought I’d cracked it.. Then one day whilst I was out 4th or 5th fire up, nothing, dead, no crank once again....Grr!

Earth straps still look clean.... the last time it failed, was going for its French test. I drove to the centre and parked up. Tester went to start and came back saying it was ‘dead’. I told him it was an issue, he went and got a crow bar and tapped the starter as I tried to start it. It fired right up ( but as said it always eventually starts) He reckoned it was the brushes in the starter..... I’m not convinced as the motor isn’t that old.... tho, what do I know?

As said this has been an issue with this car for about 15yrs according to its history file. And is probably the reason I’m it’s 11th owner, lol. The UK reg was
V 558 LGN if anyone ‘knows it’ , now French registered.

Any suggestions as to what to try next appreciated. Thanks for reading a long post too!

[mankypaws]

In the past I've wired a bulb holder into the solenoid feed wire and brought it into the car that way if you get the non start but the bulb lights you know it's the starter (as long as you know main feed and earths are good)

[PNuT]

Its an auto.....

Check the inhibitor switch!

[Paul240480]

Inhibitor switch, is that also called PNP switch?

[Luxobarge]

Originally Posted by Paul240480

Inhibitor switch, is that also called PNP switch?

Yes, that's the one. When it's "no crank" try moving the box selector back and forth a few times, if that helps then PNP switch is the culprit - clean it up or replace it.

[Matthews 855 T5]

Hello Paul

I read back through the posts from 2017. One of the codes you got was VGLA-441 glass wire signal too high.

Is this intermittently tripping the immobiliser?

Hope this help,
Matt

[Paul240480]

@Luxo , yes I’ve done the move the gear selector a number of times whilst in ‘no crank’ most times no it didn’t work, occasionally yes it started after, but not convinced it’s that.... yet. Reverse lights work and no random flickering of the shift up light on the dash, which I think are other symptoms of PNP failing.

@Matt, I imagine that’s possible, but wouldn’t have a clue on how to check/fix that issue.

It’s still weird that I got a good 18 months with it starting perfectly all the time.

[Derek UK]

Is the PNP switch up at the selector mechanism? Is it on a bracket where you can adjust its position? If so it might be a bit loose or it has moved fractionally out of adjustment.

[PNuT]

The PNP is just a switch in the starting circuit, it is just open circuit when the gearbox is in the wrong position to start.

I dont think it has anything to do with any dash lights or reverse etc....

[Paul240480]

Thanks PnUT, I was looking through Matthews Volvo Site earlier. Quite a few on there seem to think if the PNP is not correctly adjusted it’ll cause the yellow arrow lamp to flicker and /or the reverse light can suffer. I’ve no idea on that score.

I have got as far as locating the thing......