I bought my daughter her first car. A 2011 Volvo C30 T5. It has 85000 miles on it, but looks fantastic. According to the Volvo dealer it was a very well serviced car and always in for oil changes and regular maintenance.

We were very happy with the car, but then last week, it wouldn't start. All the lights on the dash would come on and then nothing. No crank at all. I looked at the lights and they don't dim, so I suspect it's not engaging the starter at all. I checked all the fuses and relays and all seemed fine. I searched the Internet looking for a pattern, but really didn't find anything.

I tried to jump it thinking that maybe the battery was bad and didn't have enough amperage to start it. But that didn't help. I even pulled the battery and took it to AutoZone to have it checked and they said it was fine too.

I thought that maybe it didn't think it was in Park (Automatic) so I moved the shifter up and down and a few times and then tried starting it again. And low and behold, it started. I thought, maybe since we were parked on a small incline that it was just a fluke. My wife drove the car the next day and it started just fine. Then after getting home and getting back in it again, it wouldn't start again. I tried moving the shifter again, but didn't help this time.

I didn't have too much time to play with it so it set for a few days. Then last night I got in and it wouldn't start, but I tried the shifter moving again a few times. At first nothing, but then it started again. I stopped and started it a few times and it was fine. Drove it around the block, came back, parked it and then it wouldn't start again.

This had me thinking for sure it's got to be in the shifter. So I tore down the center console to try and get a look at the shifter and how it engages. It looks like it has some sort of computerized board just under the cover of the shifter with LED indicators. I tried to check the connections, but it didn't seem to change anything. On the dash, when you put it in N or R, it will show the N or the R even when it won't start.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Does it sound like it is the shifter controller? Should I buy a new one and try that? I can get a used one for $63 on ebay, but I just hate to get it and it doesn't fix anything.

One last note. As I said I had the battery tested and two places said it was fine. But when I checked the voltage again last night, it seemed low and I put a charger on it and it was at 55%. Which seems strange for a car that has just been setting for a few days doesn't it?

Thanks so much for your help. I am new to Volvos.

 

Re the battery - your normal voltage should be 12.5 or so. Its possible you have a slow drain - you can put the multimeter to see what current draw is (car off, key out) then start pulling fuses to see what changes if its above normal.

Check out this pic -

Gear selector passenger compartment. Fits: Volvo C30 2.4l 5 cylinder | Volvo Parts Warehouse

looks like there's a solenoid in there too. is that being actuated???

Side note - dunno if the C30s are similar to the older Volvos but the PNP switch on the older cars could create a similar no start. The standard work around is the "shifter row" (park to lo to park 10x fast) to clean the contacts. Seems you're in the right area that some switch is not sensing the position of the shifter...

 

After taking the center console all apart to see if I could find some sort of issue with the shifter, I ended up taking it to a mechanic. He diagnosed that it was the starter and I am now waiting on it to be replaced.

 

To the part I bolded "older Volvos" Does that mean that newer Volvos do not have issues with the PNP switch?


Just did my PNP switch on a 2003 S40, I drilled out the rivets and I was surprised at how immaculate mine was inside, I cleaned it and added some dielectric grease and then bolted it together with stop nuts so it should not vibrate loose.

My Intermediate lever is warped/bent but I doubt it causes any issues, although if I do have more intermittent starting issues I may just go ahead and replace the lever thinking that is is slightly out of alignment in those occasions with no start.