V50 Electronics Problems - advice required

[lill1971]

Hi all,
I've finally come to the end of my tether with my 2.0 diesel V50 (57 plate), the car is fine, but I've been beset with electronics problems for the past three years, breaking down on a busy dual carriageway with two toddlers and being recovered from Welshpool to Preston on a family holiday is the last straw.

In the time I owned the car I've broken down in various places and moved house which means that four different Volvo dealers (Penrith, Welwyn Garden City, Bury and Preston). have seen the problems but been unable to satisfy me by fixing it.

I believe the root of the problem was having a 3rd party Parrot hands free kit and reversing sensors fitted, the problems started soon afterwards, I subsequently had the Parrot Kit removed professional by a Volvo garage.

The car has been serviced regularly from new by Volvo dealers and only once by a trusted Volvo specialist.

I'm now based in Preston, my issue is that because it's an intermittent fault, it's 'fixed' by the garage and I have no confidence whether the problem is resolved or not, you can see the catalogue of shame further below.

Basically, when the electrical storm is triggered (for no discernible or regular reason) the warning lights come on, the wipers go haywire, the alarm triggers for no reason, when this happens sometimes the brakes fail and it cuts out with no warning. It's a dangerous basket case.

I have two questions:
1. Can anyone recommend a specialist Volvo electronics electronics individual or garage who might be able to help? Obviously North West is best, however I would be willing to travel to get this resolved.
2. Could anyone recommend the most effective course of action to take a complaint to Volvo.

Details:
21st May 2011- Electrical haywire, at Wedding in Birmingham, two small children and elderly mother, entered limp home mode. Corrected itself.
2nd June 2011- Anti skid warning light, meltdown. £58.00 at Hatfields Bury to go through diagnostic.
7th Jun 2011- Complete meltdown at CentreParcs near Penrith, with wife and toddler in car, lost brakes! Towed inby Eden Garage. ‘Repaired’ by Lloyd Motors, Penrith, cost £136.00. ‘found blue connector insecurely fitted to CEM, disconnect and CEM, inspect and clean pins and re-fit’ . Missed almost two days of family holiday sorting this out.
16th Aug 2011- Full electrical haywire and limp home, whilst on business in Welwyn Garden City, £50.00 ‘removed CEM, cleaned connection, refitted CEM, roadtested, all OK’. Cost £50.00
12th Dec 2011 – Limp home mode, £66.73 for service update.
17th July 2012 –Electrical haywire again, checked by Hatfields Bury, cost £105, combined with full service.
3rd May 2013 – complete electrical haywire, vehicle towed into Hatfields Bury, charged £66.67 to ‘fault on A pillar, rectified’!
21st June 2013 – Alarm keeps going off in warm weather, Mass movement sensor fault, replaced sensor Cost £398.00
19th Aug 2013 – Alarm fault reported again at annual service, ‘ the sensitivity is not adjustable’. No cost.
Feb 2013 – Enters ‘limp home mode’ with no warning light, not reported to Volvo, resolves next day.
22nd April 2014 – Booked to Doves Volvo, Preston. Car checked because alarm keeps going off in warm weather – ‘software download and recalibration’. No cost.
2nd May 2014- Early morning ‘alarm triggered warning’, later in morning broke down at full speed, lost all power, including brakes, windscreen wipers going haywire, no indicators, warning messages cycling ‘anti skid service/brake failure’. Happened on blind bend on busy country A road (A4075) in West Wales, horrific experience with two young boys in the back, engineer called out, could not replicated fault, could not find fault. Car restarted and driven (at risk) to Tenby.
4th May 2014 – Broke down on dual carriage way, luckily managed to limp to slip road and family including two tired boys aged 3 and 4 recovered from Welshpool to Preston, approx. wait and journey time 5 hours. Engineer from ERS recovery could not find or replicate fault.

Total cost without satisfaction: £880.40

[JRL]

That is a horror story! No idea about the V50's unfortunately but bumping this back to the top in the hope someone else sees it.

[SonyVaio]

Given your initial symptoms I would have said 100% CEM problem. I would have then also commented that you should have the CEM removed (you can do this yourself, 2min job) and with the use of some connection cleaner (Halfords) then ensure both the plug and connection ends of the CEM are cleaned and triple checked for water ingress or corrosion.

Now, what also seems a common problem and unsure if it is perhaps the cause or just an effect of the CEM. Basically I have the feeling that your alarm battery may be failing and causing voltage spikes which is then causing havoc with the CEM (my theory).

Next question is how common are these problems in line with any servicing etc?? Basically the CEM is disturbed for 2 main reasons:

1. When the car is serviced and the pollen filter is changed the CEM is moved and if not 100% put back correctly can cause all sorts of electrical failing. Classic symptoms are multiple error messages over multiple systems.

2. Front seat passengers kicking with their feet to the under dash upper carpet area (where the CEM is) and is causing it to be moved and again causing all sorts of electrical gremlins!

I also wouldn't rule out the possibility of the cars main battery being a root cause here either as these cars are extremely sensitive to voltage disruptions and changes. To this end the alternator should also be checked too.

Last but not least your problems can also be caused by either a frayed negative (earth) wire or corrosion on the earth wires. I would check and clean all you can find but especially the ones leading to the starter, alternator and battery.

Hopefully something to go on but I do realise it probably hasn't really helped narrow down your exact problem. If you are ever down near Bristol then I highly recommend MRG in Chippenham, they were Volvo but are now Subaru but don't let that put you off they are awesome.

[lill1971]

Thanks guys, not sure about the correlation with servicing, I don't think that is a linear relationship. Battery and alternator checked thoroughly the other day by one of the repair call out guys, both good and charging fine. He mentioned earth wire too and checked and rubbed down one of the earth strap terminals.

I don't think the front seat area is ever 'kicked', the front seat passenger is normally my wife, however thinking about this, the problem does seem to occur more with a passenger. In fact I don't think it's ever happened without a passenger, I'd not considered this variable previously. That's pointing toward the CEM.

I don't expect to be in the Chippenham area anytime soon, so I'll have a go at least inspecting the CEM connections myself, I sell electronic connectors for a living so understand some basics. Once I've inspected I can make a call on cleaning them myself or point this out to Doves Volvo in Preston.

Can you give me numpties guide to accessing the CEM please?

[SonyVaio]

Originally Posted by lill1971

I don't think the front seat area is ever 'kicked', the front seat passenger is normally my wife, however thinking about this, the problem does seem to occur more with a passenger. In fact I don't think it's ever happened without a passenger, I'd not considered this variable previously. That's pointing toward the CEM.

Doesn't necessarily have to come from being kicked, it could just be a bag or some shopping have been pushed up there into the foot well that may cause this.

Do a search for v50 pollen filter change or s40 pollen filter change and you should get results for someone that done a 'how2' for changing the pollen filter. This pictures and describes removing the CEM.

If you can't find it post back up and I'll see if I can. Probably be tomorrow now though.

The correlation between servicing and your problems was due to the fact that when being serviced they will remove/disturb the CEM to change the pollen filter.

All the best,

[lill1971]

SonyVaio, thanks for the advice, very much appreciated, I found a German You Tube clip which I'll watch later.

Re servicing/pollen filter change, I understood your point. I didn't explain myself very well - I couldn't find a clear link between service and problem dates.

[Gazzza]

Watch and enjoy . . . . This fixed my fault yesterday . . I hope. . . all good up to now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHyE8Vm1QIA

[lill1971]

Thanks Gazzza, good clip.

[v70stu]

A horror story indeed! I hope you get it resolved. What this also highlights us the general p155 poor knowledge of some (most) main dealers. I NEVER trust a brand's dealer other than by word of mouth. You'd assume that they would know their product but sadly they usually do not.
Good luck, hopefully the excellent combined knowledge here will help.

[spokoluzik]

Seems like CEM for me too. I have done quiet few with similar symptoms. All reported to be working correctly after repair.