Help here please. 2004 s40 this is getting worse by the day. Start while cold drive a few miles and all gauges blank out or go to zero. Shut the car off and the radio and fan stays on and the car will not restart. If you let it sit maybe 15 minutes it starts right up and it all happens over again. Can someone get me pointed in the right direction please?

 

On the 2000-2004 models there are 2 connections on the back of the instrument cluster. The connections are made when the cluster is pressed firmly into position. It might be possible for one of those connections to be loose. Have you had any work done in that area? The cluster is secured with 4 screws that are hidden by the plastic surrounding the cluster. Are those screws still in place?

Have you checked your battery cables lately (positive and negative)? A loose or corroded cable can cause all kinds of issues. Check both ends as I have read of issues when the termination points came loose. Check for corrosion too. I've seen corrosion work it's way up under the insulation and eat through the wires. Look for that crusty blue/white looking stuff on the positive cable.

 

I have looked at the battery terminations they are fine no corrosion at all. I have done a lot of reading about the DIM panel that is my weekend job. Most of what I have read on the DIM was not on the S40 and the ones I have found mention loosing all the gauges but fail to bring up a no start fault. Seems to me to be a heating problem when you leave it sit long enough it cranks right up.

 

If the whole car went dead then started back up after 15 minutes then maybe the ignition switch itself could be suspect. But with the radio and fan staying on? That just does not fit. Just guessing out loud.