I'm a newbie when it comes to car forums but I'm so frustrated that I thought I would just post here to get some idea as to what could be wrong with my 2004 V70 2.5T.
It has about 67,000 miles on it and according to the people at the dealership where I get it serviced, everything is fine with it mechanically; however, it has all these software glitches and every now and then, will just die on me.
The other day, I was driving on the highway and everything seemed fine until I slowed down and stopped to pay a toll - when I started accelerating again, it started to drag and wasn't really picking up. The "Transmission Service Needed" message came up and so did the "Check Engine" light. I stopped on the side and when I started it up again it said "Brake System Failure Stop Safely". The ABS, Battery and Check Engine lights also came on. The guys at the dealership cannot seem to figure it out either and the car has been there for the last three days. Basically, it keeps giving error messages for different things for no apparent reason. Any ideas as to what might be going on??? I thought Volvos were supposed to last for at least 150,000 miles. I've been taking good care of it and getting it serviced regularly so why all these issues?

 

almost sounds like a problem somewhere within the CANbus system, maybe you can get someone with the proper equipment to diagnose it. You know I have noticed that the Volvo dealer in my town is arrogant and unwilling to help with pretty much anything without getting their $98 or whatever per hour labor. Whatever, I don't use them anyway, but perhaps you should try an independent repair shop? I have found independent shops that are much more helpful and even tend to be more knowledgable.

 

With so many fail messages and trouble lights it’s difficult to determine which message and which light coming on is real and what’s a symptom of another problem. The problems appear random and different but there should be something in common with all of them.

When the car is running “normal” does there seem to be any actual problem with the transmission, the brakes or brake module, the engine or the alternator? The battery light coming on (if real) is a little suspicious to me. If the voltage regulation was going bad or some other problem with the alternator this could potentially cause weird problems with the modules but I would think you would easily notice this though,. Do the lights get significantly dimmer or brighter as the car is running, any problems starting the car, burnt out bulbs? You mentioned the car dying on you. Any pattern to when it quits on you?

Any word from the dealer?

 

The people at the dealership are scratching their heads trying to figure out what is wrong with my car. Its been there for almost a week now.
I definitely feel that there is something "off" with my car when I'm driving it. I drive it the most so whenever my husband takes it for an occasional drive he doesn't notice the subtle changes. The mechanics at the dealership also seem to think its running fine mechanically but I have noticed that in the last 4-5 months, there is a considerable "push" or "jolt" when the car goes from 19 mph to 20 mph. Also, the car is just unusually quiet when I start it up in the mornings and it seems like its not running at full steam. It just doesn't feel right.
Is there anything specific that you would recommend that I ask the dealer to take a look at - maybe they're just missing something.

 

When random stuff like this occurs, I always ask myself "What are the conditions of the ground connections"? This is so critical for electical circuits on a car especially.

Follow the ground (negative) of your battery terminal to where it goes (somehwere on the metal chassis of your car). Make sure it is tight and clean. Also make sure the connection on the battery is tight and clean. Then find other ground "straps" on the engine to make sure they are secure. Look for signs of excess corrosion or dirt. Clean then refasten. Also, try purchasing a service manual that will show you where the ECU is so you can check those connections. But make sure to always disconnect the ground from the battery first before disconnecting other things or you will get more error codes.

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