Greetings!

Getting 1-1-2 from socket 2 on my '95 960. Read, clear, reappear. The harnesses are sound and the car runs normally.

So, is the dealer simply transmitting a psychic message to the local area fleet to come in and replenish their management lounge doughnut fund?

All kidding aside, redneck experimentation on GM products in years gone by showed an illuminated CEL in an otherwise normally-functioning older car generally meant it was time for grandma to just panic and quickly dump a half-grand into the pockets of the local dealer. For, if all was left alone, the odd code(s) would "magically" disappear without any issue whatsoever after a few weeks; and the dealer would never be seen.

Being a clever sort, I've always suspected an undocumented routine in ROM which might be called after a certain number of miles/hours to "bring in the green."

Lesson taken: Never blindly trust OBD with your hard-earned cash.

Just sayin'

Anyway, assuming Volvo is indeed more ethical (ahem) than GM and there's a genuinely hideous issue to be sorted, does a decent diagnostic listing exist for this code beyond the terse and totally non-helpful "ECU Fault" mantra? If this is really legit, we all would need a good diagnostic table to track down and fix the real-world code issue without simply feeding the "buy and try" parts counter machine...

Any resources, ideas, anecdotes?

Thanks again --

 

Nice conspiracy theory. Codes can be set without having a noticeable problem you know.

For your code, you probably need an ECM.

 

@ES6T:

Thanks for dropping by! FWIW, no conspiracy need be involved with stuff like this; just a little greed and a little common moxy are all that's required

Any clue as to what this code might typically mean? A cap out of spec on the box's controller board? A noisy pulsetrain from somewhere? An oxidized interconnect? Cold solder joint? Again, the car starts and runs normally...

Hate to say it, but I've heard of countless "Christmas tree light" multihundred-dollar replacement goose chases which served no purpose in the end apart from extinguishing a persistent CEL and fattening the OEM. The final verdict from the hapless victim was generally, "I dunno, she's just a'fixed; and the gubment'll give me my priddy lil tag now!"

Really, it'd be fascinating to run a controlled swap experiment with two cars and 5 digits' worth of gear to see if any operational parameters could be highlighted in this type of case...

But, truly, I digress

So, does anyone out there have a story/experience to relate concerning this code and what system parameters would be affected? If BHP is good, temps normal, combustion smooth, and efficiency within spec what else is really there to consider? Some type of part-throttle emissions control strategy which may be off its map by 4.92%?!?



As always, thanks a bunch --

 

Haha I understand.

There really isn't much fault tracing available. It says there may be a problem with the knock sensor circuit in the ECM. So take that for what it's worth.

 

@ES6T:

Well, that figures

I guess I'll keep an ear peeled for any tell-tale knocking; and count my blessings that I'm one of those few "free" folks who will never need "inspected permission" to continue burning fuel and moving about in the US...



Thanks again, and have a great day!

 

Update:

Service Bulletin 2/28/917 (NHTSA ID Number: 44004) --

NEW REVISED SOFTWARE FOR THE CONTROL MODULE TO ALLEVIATE THE CONDITION OF THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT COMING ON WITH A DIAGNOSTIC CODE OF 1-1-2 IN THE MOTRONIC 1.8 MFI. *TW

Anyone know what might be entailed here (without feeding the dealer a fistful of green)?

 

Typically the older motronics will need the eprom exchanged.

If you can find a copy of the bulletin I would hope that the procedure and/or part numbers will be given, along with ways to identify if you have the firmware that the bulletin applies to.

If you can find the binary of the motronic software I have the equipment to program it into an eprom. I might have some blank eproms in stock, but I don't know which particular device this motronic uses.

 

@VDonkey:

Awesome. Thanks for the offer & I'll definitely tuck this behind my ear; as I was thinking they'd have some kind of proprietary serial "tool" to yank the nunnies for some bucks

Lots of work on other fronts in Volvoland these days: Was recently "touched" by local representation of the idiot mob. No bags or structural damage; but I surely won't need a hobby for a while as things are brought back to full spec.

Wonderful opportunity to refresh the isometric skills, eyeballs, dexterity, and tool supplies; but I'd much rather be building up the old crate with those efforts as opposed to just chasing the odd sheet metal and plastic bits.

Sigh. Maybe before Winter's early wisps...

At any rate, thanks again; and cheers to you