Anti-skid service required, car unusable...
 

I’ve read a lot about this problem, but it has happened to me and has rendered my car un-driveable, looking for any extra knowledge/ideas that might get me back on the road without selling my soul to a Volvo dealer.

Chronologically here’s what’s happened, and what I’ve done / spent so far:

2003 Volvo V70 Base 140k miles

•”Anti-skid Service Required” message appears while driving...car eventually goes into “limp home mode”. I limp home.

•I go after it with my mid-priced, Volvo specific code reader/eraser/diagnostic tool...a variety of codes come up, I erase them, message disappears for a while, then comes back.

•Take it to my mechanic, he uses his diagnostic tool (much more advanced, although not the VIDA/VADIS thing)...says it’s the ABS module.

•I send the ABS module to be reconditioned, re-install. Everything seems ok for a couple days. Then, anti skid happens again, car will start up only to turn off immediately. ($250.00)

•Check the battery, it’s 11 year’s old, won’t hold charge. Buy new battery. Starts right up, no codes or messages. ($160.00)

•Drive around a day or so, anti-skid happens again. Get it back to mechanic. He gets a guy with different “codes” to possibly “reprogram” or further diagnose. His nomenclature starts sounding less computer literate at this point. Discovers that left front wheel speed sensor might need replacing. But, instead, they get the message to disappear again and say it’s driveable but the check engine light will probably come on again and that “two of the computers aren’t talking to each other”. Suggests I will have to take to another guy who can reprogram it with software, and that’ll probably cost at least $350.00.

•Drive around cautiously a few days, everything fine, no messages or codes, then, once again, anti-skid appears, and car will start then immediately die. No code erasing or button holding does squat. This was last night and unless it starts today I’m looking at a tow.

Wondering if at this point I have to just cave in and get it to the closest Volvo dealer for at least their diagnostic. I’ve heard it could be related to the steering wheel sensor, the front wheel speed sensor, the ABS module, software, etc etc. I don’t want to go broke at a Volvo dealer, but I would like to cure the problem and keep the car (3rd V70, love them).

Any suggestions about how to proceed intelligently without spending possible thousands of dollars would be greatly appreciated.

What are the codes? All that without codes doesn't really tell us anything.

I don't have the codes from my mechanic's diagnostic device. I did get to the car today (it had stopped working a few miles from home). It started right up, with the check engine light lit, the red triangle illuminated, and a new message in the message center "Engine System Service Required". I plugged in my code reader to see if I could turn any of the lights/warnings off. There are a few modes in my device, and one goes through all the systems in the car and diagnoses their condition (to the best of its ability, anyway). I was anxious to get the car home while it was running, so I did not fully document the codes, but can tell you that I went through the systems manually and there were two codes showing that I shut off with the ECU ('communication" of some sort), there was one ABS "communication" code...while I was erasing this one, the ABS light on the dash flashed, and when the code was erased, it went off. There was also another code related to the passenger side mirror motor, which I've seen before. Once I shut off all those codes, all the warning lights and messages disappeared, and the car once again runs perfectly, with every accessory and system working perfectly. I will document everything more specifically next time this happens, if and when it does, but with what I was dealing with today, the anxiety around getting my car away from where it died and back to my house was over-riding careful documentation. I think/hope you can tell that I'm pretty invested in being completeist about describing the problem and codes, both here and to whoever works on the car eventually ...I'm just trying to sort out this car, like everyone else is with theirs.

Maybe my code reader saves a log of erased codes, I'll check....

All the codes that I cancelled this morning are still gone, car running seemingly perfect displaying no messages or check engine light. There were a couple codes, which I shut off when able to, as follows:

UEM-0083 Rain sensor internal fault, erased

PDM-0030 Door mirror potentiometer faulty signal (I was unable to erase this code), but the passenger door mirror motor works perfectly

PDM-0032 door mirror potentiometer faulty signal, as above

PDM-0025 door mirror motor disconnected, erased.

I am pretty sure that none of these codes are directly related to the problems I’ve been having, but you never know. The codes I erased this morning were more significant and had to do with the ECM and the ABS modules/systems.

An additional behavior, ever since my mechanic did his erasure of codes, is that the warning triangle flashes five times after the car starts, and occasionally you hear the beep following that, the same beep that you hear when you reset the service alert.

Following this thread with interest.
Given how deep you are into this problem these questions might resemble annoying guesses instead of possible solutions.
1) Have you inspected the ABS sensor wire and notched ring (for cracks) at each wheel?
2) Does your DIM (instrument cluster) exhibit any of the typical symptoms of failure?
3) What's the general, everyday level of upkeep of your vehicle?
4) Might be early for this one but.....Wasn't there an issue with water ingress on some P2's at or near the base of the windshield thus effecting the "behind-the-dash" nodes?

Please mention the brand/model of the "mid-priced Volvo specific" code reader you own.

1) Have you inspected the ABS sensor wire and notched ring (for cracks) at each wheel?

•I have not. I assume that my mechanic did after he produced a code of some sort indicating the need for a front left sensor replacement, which after the code was erased or dealt with never happened (or he was expecting me to take the car somewhere they could diagnose and reload/ flash software before chasing the problem down by throwing more parts at it). I’ll check that, or have him check it.

2) Does your DIM (instrument cluster) exhibit any of the typical symptoms of failure?

•If you mean the self-advancing clock and the occasional non-function of the bright indicator, yes, other than that it seems to function properly.

3) What's the general, everyday level of upkeep of your vehicle?

•Good to excellent. Fluids/filters changed/checked regularly...kept clean and dust free, tires, etc., parked off the street in a private spot. Driven a few times a week and in 500 to 1000 mile trips between 10 and 20 times per year.

4) Might be early for this one but.....Wasn't there an issue with water ingress on some P2's at or near the base of the windshield thus effecting the "behind-the-dash" nodes?

•Unaware of that issue, but investigation finds it dry back there, to the degree I can inspect.

Please mention the brand/model of the "mid-priced Volvo specific" code reader you own.

•iCarSoft 906

Thanks for the answers.
I have a vague memory (meaning I don't KNOW) of bad components poisoning the data stream. Something like a bad speed sensor (located on the transmission, I think) can generate spurious codes. Maybe a faulty DIM can generate such codes?
However my DIM exhibited your exact symptoms (off-and-on bright indicator operation and run-on clock) without generating codes.

I did some looking and found 2 familiar suggestions as possible cause of your problem.
1) Check to see that the axle bolts -the ones right behind the front wheel center caps- are tight.
2) Full inspection and probable wire brushing of the notched ring.

Interesting ideas, and probably cheaper than a Volvo Dealer diagnosis! Thanks George!

Mspencer70 - did you get your problem sorted out? Great detailed thread. Would like to know the outcome. Tia.

Me too.

I must confess to forgetting to visit this site regularly. Given the frequency of dead-end and abandoned threads, I think I'm not the only one.

Did u ever figure it out??

One I completely forgot about was the panoply of error problems caused by the common failed solder joints in the ABS control block itself.

They say there are E5 Torx bolts on the unit's underside. The electronics can be removed and the car can still be driven. It just won't have ABS.