Hi. I'm having a ton of problems electrically, and was hoping someone here might shed some light. I will try to describe as accurately as possible:
1996 850 Turbo, auto
- been having a random no-start issue similar to a PNP switch problem....lights on the dash, turn the key and nothing. But has always started after a little patience and a few tries
- today. will not start. nope. BUT....here are some funny symptoms that have all seemed to present themselves at the same time:
- if I have the key in the ignition in the on position, drivers door open - the courtesy/overhead lights are on, door chime is dinging, and all the dash lights are on (except the rear fog light is dimmer than the rest)
- IF I turn the key to start, i hear some random clicking, the rear fog indicator get brighter, courtesy lights go out
- IF i press the brakes, the chime stops, courtesy lights go out and the headlights come on (and the stop lights). The rear fog light does not work at all.
- IF I turn on the heater fan, courtesy lights go out, chime stops.
- TRACS light and up arrow light come on and off randomly
- headlights come on sometimes, when I try to start but not always.

Some background info:
- the PO wired in A LOT of accessories as I've just found out. Some for towing, some for bluetooth mirror and god-knows what else.
- I see a bunch of things wired into the taillights.
- everything has been working fine for months, and all of a sudden it seems there's a bit of a meltdown going on
- fuses are fine

If anyone can shed some light, point me in the right direction to diagnose, or track down shorts it would be greatly appreciated. My plan now is to remove all the funny wiring the PO installed, disconnect the battery for a while and hope for a reset. I won't be able to touch the car until this weekend, but any advice between now and then is great.

 

It sounds like something is back feeding a circuit or two. Best thing to do is pull all that add on wiring and see where you stand with the starting.

There is a chance you have a wiring issue and an ignition switch starting to go. It would be helpful if you could get to the small wire going to the starter and check it with a test light to see if you have voltage present when you turn to "start".

 

Just to update....I disconnected the battery to put it on a trickle charge so it was good to go when I start playing around this weekend. I then did a quick check to see if there was a short, and nothing present. So, I decided to give it one more try....and the car fired up. I could tell it was going to start as all the lights on the dash were the same brightness, and I could hear the fuel pump building pressure. I think the disconnecting the battery reset something. The rear fogs worked again too. Anyway, when I'm done tearing out all the old stuff, and inspecting wherever it was tied-in to, I'll post up with where things stand. Also, I forgot to mention this earlier - the starter is new - maybe about 3 weeks old.

 

Check your main +/- lines from the battery. See if they are corroded. Its a bit difficult to see at a glance but if the line has been saturated with battery acid the inside will be hard, not pliable. If it breaks internally you can get these symptoms as it randomly makes sort of a contact. Probably the best way to tell is to turn the key on and make it freak out then go tug on the + and - wires to see if it makes a difference.

 

Kenm.10, I think i'm having similar issues, when i start the engine, a bunch of the lights on the dash come on and stay on. today, when i got home, I tried to restart it, and it wouldn't start. my roommate said that it sounds like the battery (I HOPE that is all it is)
we went outside to look under the hood and it started...I have a new alternator so I know it isn't the alternator.

 

If the battery were failing and it wouldn't start because of the battery, it still wouldn't start later as the battery would still be as bad or dead. In your case you might have a bad ignition switch. Sometimes makes good contact, sometimes not. One of the symptoms of them starting to go is you will get one or more of the idiot lights coming on when you don't actually have that problem occurring. When mine started to go it would drop out of cruise control intermittently and not reengage and also give me phantom idiot lights.

Always keep an open mind on what could be bad. Even though you have a new alternator it could still have failed. It's much less likely to have happened but never rule it out or you may spend a ton of time trying to condemn something else. Plus, they're easy to test even in the car !! But alternator doesn't sound like your problem.

 

Hi kiss4afrog, thank you so much. i remembered last night that when my alternator was replaced, they put in a new battery as well. So i kind of knew it most likely wasn't the battery. would an ignition switch going cause the radio to shut off, or more precisely lose power, then come back on?

the thing is, the vehicle is a 95, so i know things are starting to go. yet, I'm really attached to the car, even replacing things, and this past year it has been quite a few things, I still feel like it is a much, much better car than anything else out there.

 

It could cause the radio to drop in and out. The power for the radio is controlled depending on the position of the ignition switch. If you check everything else you can out and everything is good you might want to consider replacing the switch to try and cure the problem.

 

kiss4afrog, it just stopped running the other day, half way home from whole paycheck, er, I mean Whole Foods. I just just barely able to coast into a driveway to get off of the street. my mechanic said that it didn't sound like the ignition switch, it was most likely the fuel pump...he has the car, so he'll call me when he get's to it. I'm lucky that i live in town, and all of my clients are within a about a 6 block radius, so I can walk to them all....I really appreciate you guys giving me feed back, I'm clueless about cars.

 

I'm with Boxpin. I also think you have a bad battery. Sounds like you don't drive far enough to charge it up good enough.

 

how hards it to change the ignition switch? i know mine's dodgy, so better change it sooner rather then later...

 

Pretty easy. It's not the part that you put your key in that goes bad, it's the part on the other side of the colum, the electrical contact part that does.

You remove the colum collar.
Pull the plug in the switch.
Remove the 2 screws that mount it.
Pull it out.
Reverse the order to install.

Takes about 15 minutes if you like to scratch between screws.

 

sweet, may pop on down to the wreckers and fetch me a new one!

cheers

 

I would not jy that part. It aint worth it.

 

You're not clueless because you're willing to search, ask and listen. Clueless people just ask questions that don't make sense and argue when they don't like the answer. Trust me I know, I deal with them daily

If it quit running, fuel pump or fuel pump relay could very well be the problem. But if the switch craps out the engine will die too. Interested to find out what it turns out to be, please post the "fix" !!

 

Hey, guys, I absolutely will post the 'fix' and thanks so much for your input. I appreciate that you all take the time to offer your insight.

 

Hi Kiss4afrog, I just got off the phone with my mechanic. yes, a week later. he is slow, but honest, so i'll not complain about his slowness. apparently it IS my alternator. which was just replaced a year ago...at Pep Boys. yes, I know, but it went out as I was on my way out I-20 in the middle of nowhere, so i did the best I could. oh, and it happened on a Saturday evening, too.

I spoke with a neighbor about this situation, he said that i can get the invoice number from the repair and go to any Pep Boy and get a replacement part, which will save me the cost of the part. I just missed the year warranty on labor...by ONE WEEK.

*sigh*

 

i have a problem with my volvo someone please help me. i left the key in the ignition and my car died over night, next day i charged the battery and the car is cranking but will not start. note the dashlights will not come on, and the radio an cig lighter will not work, i checked the fuses and they all seem good, and the battery is fine, please someone help me get my car running