So thanks to rspi's video on resetting the service light, it is off and so far staying off. So seeing as I have a broken odo. Ive been wondering if it will it stay off or will it still turn on every 5000 miles...hmm

 

PS just turned it off today

 

Since the cluster is keeping the mileage, despite the odo not working, the light will return at 5,000 miles. You can change the oil and reset it again.

 

Sweet thank you x2

 

or pull out the bulb. =D

 

If you pull the bulb you will never know when to change the oil.

 

That is what the service light tells you?

Mine goes on and then goes off on the wagon. It doesn't need an oil change though.

The ABS and Trac lights go on and then off too.

 

it will come on every 5k miles no matter the condition of the oil, just a set timer

 

hi miles: dont confuse the service light with the check engine light. two different things entirely.

 

It depends how long it stays on for.

If it turns off after about 3 seconds, it is fine.

If it stays on for 2 minutes after starting the car, it needs to be reset when you have an oil change.

 

The SRI lamp has 3 scenarios which can trigger it:
1. Mileage since last service (last reset) can have a value of: 2.500, 5.000, 7.500, 10.000 and 12.500 miles
2. Actual time interval since last reset which can be:6, 12, 18 or 24 months
3. Engine hours interval since last service :500, 750 or 1000 hours.

The speedometer can be programmed for each combination.

The standard factory settings for USA / CDN are:
-VDO (not turbo USA/CDN), :, 15 000 km / 10 000 miles , 750 running hours , 12 calendar months
-VDO (turbo USA/CDN), :, 7500 km / 5000 miles , 500 running hours , 12 calendar months

 

As explained, the service light on the 850's are set to come on every 5,000 miles on the turbo cars. I believe it is programmed the same for non-turbo cars due to the severe usage schedule, but someone with a na can clarify that. It is linked to mileage, not the calendar.

I believe it can be recalibrated but really, who has done that? What dealer knows how?

The SERVICE light comes on when you start the car and stays on for 2 minutes. No longer no shorter.

The SRS & ABS lights come on when you start the car and will stay on until it runs through it's self test. If the test is good, the light goes off, if it fails the test the light will stay on. The test should only take a second or two.

If you have a post '95 car, you will need to have the SERVICE light reset by a Volvo teck or the dealer. You can purchase a reset tool from somewhere like Amazon or eBay but I feel safer just pulling the bulb. Not real excited about plugging some home made hack tool into my OBD2 port and having it send signals to my ECU to clear the SERVICE light.

 

I have been estimating the mileage (or max 3 months) for oil changes pretty good about it, but it is good to know I can better estimate the mileage PS I drive mostly local miles

 

Vol-FCR Software also clears it (you need a cheapo VAG KKL USB interface), the software communicates with the instrument cluster not the ECU, the ECU is also not on the OBD II Bus (Pin 7) it's on Pin 3 and it still ist OBD I...

As I wrote in the prior post, the light comes by one of the 3 conditions, depending on which one occurs first. According to VADIS the N/A turbos had longer intervals 10.000miles vs 5.000 miles for the turbos.
When the Service light comes it is possible to read out what triggered it, actually you can read how many miles since last service, functioning hours and time elapsed.

 

I had no idea that the OBD2 port in front of my ash tray would allow a tool to communicate with me instrument cluster and not my ECU.

I also did not know that the service light would come on in months if the mileage is not reached. Had no idea. I wish I would have paid attention to that when I had 2 or 3 cars around the house and wasn't driving my only car 4,000 miles per month. I have never depended on that light to tell me when to change my oil.

 

It is also nice that the service light will come on with running hours. That will be especially useful for situations where people idle a lot like in big cities.

This again is another situation where the engineering in the Volvo cars is way before its time. The newer cars have the oil life remainder system that tells you that your oil has 60% life left or 25% life left. The estimator is based on how the car has been driven to make its calculations. More highway driving and it says more life is left on the oil, more city driving and it says less. I believe it also knows how aggressive you drive so if you are a lead foot it will suggest you change the oil sooner.

One day the car will actually measure oil additives and and tell us when it really needs to be changed.

 

I will edit the notes on that video.

 

Other manufacturers have this but not Volvo (not even the new ones). Volvo is ahead with safety things, such as BLIS and Lane Departure and City Safe, but when it comes to a lot of other features, they are always way behind actually.