I've got a '94 960 that more often than not, will not crank unless the driver's door is opened. Not joking - if I open the door it will crank and start just fine. Door closed, it may crank or may not - if it doesn't, I open the door and it cranks. Lights on dash come on and then go off when it won't crank. New starter, new ignition switch, new cam sensor, new temp sensors (both), new thermostat. No fault codes now. No difference. This is driving me bats - Any ideas? Leaving the door door open is not an option... Could it be some crazy ground issue? Why just the driver's door?

Thanks!

 

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Did you try changing the door plunger switch? It's got to be some ground somewhere. Does the car run after it starts?

 

Haven't swapped out the switch yet - but no problems running once it starts.

 

It sounds to me like a starter inhibit problem caused by the antitheft system. Because the system is enabled by the drivers door lock or trunk lock, my guess is that you have something odd happening in the drivers door.

Can you confirm that using the remote to lock and unlock the car won't fix the problem and that disconnecting the battery and connecting it again doesn't fix the problem? And last, is your central locking system functioning -- drivers door locks and unlocks all doors?

I have not yet discovered a simple way to disable the antitheft system but you can disable central locking by pulling the correct fuse (interior fuse box). I would try to disable the central locking system because the two are linked.

If that works, please let me know. I have an occasional nostart situation that isn't quite bad enough for me to disable the central locking system to test. In other words, if I disabled it and that didn't help, there might be weeks before it happened again. It sounds like you might know right away.

 

my mechanic tells me that the 960's can be unlocked with the key on the right front pass. door...try unlocking all the doors via the right door then trying to start the car with doors closed. You should be disengaging the central locking system this way....
I asked my volvo guy how I would get into the car if for any reason the electronic keyfob became inoperable thus the info stated above...;-)
as an aside i occaisionally unlock the car with the fob and while getting in sometimes the CLS will re-engage by itself...just alittle funky...LOL