I recently bought a '95 850 turbo, and all of a sudden when I turn on the car, 50% of the time, the ABS light stays on, I cannot use the turning signals, (or get the brights to STAY on, they will stay on as long as I hold in the switch) also the lights for the AC switch and the REC switch flash.

the other amount of time the ABS light flickers and turns off, I can use the signals/brights, and the lights on the AC and the REC switch only flash for about 30 seconds.

Is it a computer? or hopefully a dirty sensor?


EDIT:

Never mind fixed, it was the ignition switch, if you pull back on the key slightly, all the electrical comes on.

 

aha honestly i just came across that myself, u cant shift no lights work, nothing, then u jsut turn the key slightly back and heavens gates open it was quiet funny wen i foudn out about that aha

 

Lol, I was all frantically checking fuses, and connections, I get in the car to see if its still doing it and accidently hit the key back alittle.

oh the relief that ensued.

 

If the ABS light comes on again and does so intermittently while driving you likely have a bad ABS unit. This is probably the second most common problem on these cars right behind A/C failures. I'd be willing to bet everyone on this board has had this problem at some point or another with an 850 that didn't have its unit rebuilt. From what I understand the solder goes bad in these units over time.

I had this problem happen to me over the summer. The solution is simple and inexpensive as long as you steer clear of the dealer. Have your mechanic remove your ABS computer (or do it yourself if you're mechanically-inclined; the directions can be found somewhere on this forum) and send it to one of the outlets that repair these computers. I used ModuleMaster in Idaho, who guaranteed the part for 5 years. The total cost including shipping was about $125. If you pay the mechanic to take it out/put it in, you're still usually looking at under $200 (I think with labor everything came to $180 for me).

A Volvo dealer will attempt to sell you a new ABS computer, which doesn't have the long warranty, probably will develop the same problem in a timely manner, and costs close to $1000 after labor.

 

Being a 95, I would bet it is a brake pedal position sensor, look for my previous posts and you can see how simple it is to repair.