Help! S80 ABS Pump motor control - £1200 to £1500?!

[Arnold Layne]

I'm reviving this thread to update my situation.

I had the ABS Pump and Module removed by an Independent Volvo Specialist, and sent on my behalf to BBA. I'm happy to name the Volvo specialist, but I don't wish to break any rules here on the forum, so I won't unless you ask by PM. (Having said that though, I'm not sure I have enough posts to send and receive PM's! Help - Mod's!)

Anyway, it cost me around £200 for the removal and refitting, and another £500 for the repairs from BBA Reman. BBA had estimated it would cost around £300, so £500 was a shock, but I was held to ransom, I couldn't say no could I?

The repairs lasted just over 12 months, then the fault message reappeared. I contacted the Volvo specialist who removed the part and sent it to BBA once more. This was after consultation, where I learned that BBA offer a "Lifetime Guarrantee" to their work. Unfortunately I've had to pay another £200 to the Volvo specialist.

I got the car back, and within 3 days the fault message is back once more.

I've had discussions with the independent specialist, who confided to me that they have had "problems" with BBA Reman of late, and that when my ABS module and pump was inspected by them, they claimed it was NOT faulty. The independent garage believes that they (BBA) said this, in order to save face.

Basically, I'm now screwed. 6 months to my MOT, which I won't pass with this error message, and I've just thrown £200 away, because I still have the problem. The independent garage have told me it's not their problem anymore, it's BBA's, and have "washed their hands off me".

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

[KFCKFC]

Hi Arnold,

I feel your pain, I just shelled out £2600 to rework my 2008 SE Sport because the aux belt tensioner failed. I was tempted to sell it as a non-runner but it was more cost effective to repair and sell which I have done. I do miss the car as it was fully loaded like yours but in reality I could not afford another breakdown.

Back to your problem, as it has only been 3 days, will BBA contibute to removal/refitting so they can correct their rework?

Good luck with the issue and if you do get if fixed it might be worth getting a MOT straight away to put you in a stronger position should you plan to trade-up.

[Timbotambo]

What did the fault code say? What advice did the Volly specialist give? If the unit isn't faulty, then it could be an unrelated fault?

If it seems the unit is faulty, then a formal letter of complaint with the threaten to escalate to trading standards should get things moving. Did you pay on credit card? That may be a route to getting money back too.

If the car drives fine, then hopefully it's not a major issue but I know how disconcerting a fault code can be.

Last advice would be to find a unit from a scrappy - search Volvo V70 breaking on ebay.

[Arnold Layne]

The fault code is:
BCM-C00201C ABS Pump Motor Control - General Electrical Failures - Circuit Voltage out of range.

I paid Trevor Burgess Volvo £156,34 to remove the ABS Pump and Module, and refit it. I paid BBA Remanufacturing £500.40 to do the repairs. BBA Claim to honour a "Lifetime guarrantee" to their repair work, so, when, about 13 months later, the fault code reappeared, I took it back to Trevor Burgess, for them to remove it and send it to BBA Remanufacturing again.

BBA Remanufacturing bench tested it, and claimed it was fine, nothing wrong with it! They sent it back to Trevor Burgess, to refit it, who again charged me another £150 because it had been more than a year since they did it before.

Trevor Burgess owner, Rob, and the lady who does the bookings, Lyn, both said to me that they had recently begun to lose confidence in BBA Reman, and that they had had other recent problems where BBA Reman's work had been questionable. Obviously this is no help to me, as BBA Reman steadfastly remain convinced that my unit was repaired properly, and it is 100% fine. I cannot afford to keep sending it away, not to have it fixed.

[KBB]

The most accurate method of diagnosing this BCM ABS Pump DTC which is referring to the pump voltage control is with a good scan tool which has bidirectional control in the component activation menu. VIDA, Snapon, Autologic and Maxidas DS708 will handle this no problem.

You will also require a DVM, Current Clamp and 4 Channel scope would be an advantage. First test with scan tool is to activate the ABS Pump and see if it runs. The pump has a permanent ground and is power side switched. Place a current clamp around battery ground with key on note the current draw, now activate the pump via scan tool and note the current draw.

If the is no motor activity but current rises then the pump has stuck. Hit it with a hammer several times to see if it frees up. If the is no current rise a previously seized pump can blow the 40 amp fuse 11 B/13.

Disconnect the BCM electrical connector locate the heavy duty red grey wire test for open circuit voltage, if no voltage check fuse. If voltage is present loads test the circuit with a 30 amp load to eliminate voltage drop. Once you have gotten this far I can list the next step.

Just to add BBA Reman are slowly losing their name in the reman world and trade forums are full of failed ECU, BCM and cluster repair stories, but in their defence this component in question can often be misdiagnosed as the only part that is being sent off for inspection and testing in the Electronic control portion and not the modulator and motor.

[Arnold Layne]

I spoke again to a chap at BBA Reman. He spoke to his engineering colleagues, and based on my fault codes, and them having given my unit a clean bill of health, he felt strongly that the fault may actually lie with the ABS Pump fuse, or wiring from the unit to the fuse box.

This is indeed encouraging news, if true, but it's very difficult to check the ABS pump fuse, as it's buried in a lower layer of fuses, designed not to be easily accessed by unqualified people.

Can anyone please tell me how to lift and remove the top layer of fuses, so as to gain access to the level 3 fuses in the engine bay? (2007 S80 D5)

Here is a diagram.

Here is another

Failing that, any sensible advice or recommendation of a garage or mechanic in the North West who doesn't want to fleece me, and at least knows what they're doing would be tremendously appreciated. Regretfully I called the closest Independent Volvo Specialist, and discussed checking this fuse, but he was tremendously arrogant, and only wanted to take £35+Vat off me to read the codes (again), even though I have the printout in front of me. He also insisted that fuse 13, the ABS Pump fuse, is in the top layer of fuses, when I know it isn't, and it's clearly in my owners manual.

Thanks for any help.

[Arnold Layne]

Just bumping this thread.

The ABS Pump fuse is fuse 13. It's a JCASE fuse, in the lower part of the fuse box in the engine bay, indicated as "3", in this attached picture from the manual:

Untitled.png

With all the knowledge and experience on this board, surely there must be somebody who knows how the top layer ("1" in the diagram) is removed, so I can check the fuses below it.

Please help.
Thank you.

[godoh]

Sent ABS module from 2011 S80 to BBA Reman for repair. Told it would take 2-3 days. After a few days they said that the repair had failed due to a faulty part and that they were waiting for a new batch of that part to arrive in a couple of days. Called the following week to check if it was repaired and was told that the parts were delayed in customs and could take 5-10 days. This is very dubious. I have been an importer for nearly 20 years and I have never known customs inspection to take more than 3 days when sent by courier or freight forwarder. I called Customs and Excise and they said that they would need to know the arrival port to check delays for a courier arrival (they did know that Royal Mail delays were running at 4 days and they are nearly always longer than courier delays). Called BBA Reman and asked for the port of entry, but they said they didn't know, but that it was coming from China with DHL. So I asked them for the DHL tracking number. They said they would have to get it from the supplier and they would call me back but never did. After 2 weeks and 3 days from the original due date they tell me that the part arrived that morning and that they would rush the repair. 2 days later I call to check if it has been done. They tell me that they have tried multiple chips but it seems they have received a batch of parts that are all faulty and that they need to check with their purchasing department to see when they can get new parts. Later in the day the story changes to the parts being the wrong ones and they can no longer obtain the correct ones so they will return the unrepaired unit to me.

All in all I have been without a car for more than 4 weeks. I originally thought I'd just work from home until the repair was done. In the end its cost me a lot as one of my staff went long term sick and I had to pay for a taxi to get me to work. I don't believe the parts could have been stuck in customs for more than 2 weeks. In my experience that just doesn't happen (and seems to be backed up by them not supplying the tracking number). I find it very doubtful that I am being told the truth when, at first, they say it was faulty parts and then change their mind to it being wrong parts, but the correct parts are no longer obtainable, so I certainly won't trust them with anything again. I know there are quite a few happy BBA Reman customer comments online, which, together with their lifetime warranty, persuaded me that it was the best option, but it seems that they are not as good as I perceived.

[glengibson]

have you got family legal protection on your car or home insurance? if you have ring them up. good luck

[godoh]

Thanks for the thought. I can't really imagine that there would be a legal case, but worth a try.