just bought a 95 960 wagon to replace a failing honda [long story] we already own a 97 850 slt that the daughter drives [beautiful all stock car]

bought the 960 with a bad fuel pump and other little issues and have done the following so far - - -
1.replaced fuel pump with one from a local salvage - -car started right up
2.replace both drivers side outer door handles - same salvage
3. replaced rear hatch handle assembly
4. new battery
cleaned the nastiness from the interior from the prior owner
5. replaced both rear tail light lenses

did i mention that the salvage has the same year same color wagon ....lol

so now shes on the road - needs rear shocks [todays task] and im going to have snow tires put on the rear as well

the only real issues we have now with the pimpwagon are

1. she starts right up but lopes like a diesel real bad for about 10 minutes when cold or after she cools down during the day....then she runs flawlessly

2. the rear defrosters on the back side windows and rear hatch dont work

3. and my wife isnt happy that the heated seat function doesnt work


any ideas on fixes?

i havent had time or the money to do a really good tune up which im hoping will help alot as we've been dumping extra cash into body parts and general "get the car on the road stuff" we were not prepared to replace the Honda so this is an out of pocket as we can during the slow time of year for me and Christmas season to boot


thanks for any help...love the site

 

Congrats on the 960 wagon. I really like those cars.

One #1, my guess would be that you have a bad temp sensor. Most people replace them with the thermostat.

Not sure about the other 2. The heated seats in the 850 are usually more problems than the 960 seats. They have a thermostat wire under the seat that comes loose in the middle of the lower cousion. The pads also break when people put thier knees in the seats. Have to take the lower cousion apart to see if the pads are damaged.

 

were is this temp sensor located.....

also...im reading a lot on OBDII code reading and such for trouble shooting....any idea were the OBD plug in is on a 960......i found the one on the daughters 850slt in the center console under the ashtray....no such luck on the 960

 

I thought I had one in my '95 960 but someone told me it does not. In my '97 it was next to the parking brake. Part of the trim came loose. Check there...

If it does not have an OBD-II port, it will have the OBD-I port under the hood which is actually more useful once you learn how to use it.

The temp sensor should be right at the thermostat housing.

 

ok.....did the rear shocks yesterday.....wow.....very quick and easy

how much trouble am i getting into on the front end? im sure she needs news shock up front but im wondering how "heavy" these cars feel normally.....do they drive like a boat naturally or should they be sports car-ish.......main reason i ask, is should i just put new cartridges in there or should i be looking at complete strut units........

 

I would just put new inserts, not the entire assemply. The tough thing is that you need to have spring compressors and be careful. These cars are NOT suppose to drive "boatish". More solid heavy feel.