Erratic idle...your help is needed!
 

I own a ’02 S60 T5 (GT) and I just recently started having problems with the vehicles idle. It started couple days ago, I was letting the car warm up and noticed a slight difference in how the car idled, it was hesitating slightly throughout the warm up but drove fine. The next morning the idle had become increasingly more erratic, dipping way down then catching itself and coming up to about 1200-1400 RPM’s then doing it all over again repeatedly. I have decided not to drive the car since driving it home last night where it was at its worst. The car doesn’t actually stall or die. Nor did it throw a CEL. During driving the car accelerates (very well), up shifts, down shifts, builds boost and cruises as normal. The knowledge I have with cars leads me to believe it could be the IAC (Idle Air Control) motor but then again these are Volvos and they are unique to say the least.


Anyone have any suggestions or had similar problems? Any and all suggestions are helpful thank you!

Matt
:)

01-02s have probs. I believe u have an ETM issue. Check volvo recalls

After screwing around under the hood, I disconnected the MAFS and the car runs perfect (except for running a little rich now). Thank you for your input!

Started noticing this as well, it is barely noticeable but u can certainly feel it on the steering wheel and looking at boost gauge (vacuum side). The car does not stall and drive fine. The spike in the rpm @ idle is not much (100-150 rpm tops) from idle rpm of around 800 rpm and is periodic and continuous. The spike is biggest when coming to a full stop and parking.

I have not tried doing anything yet. Perhaps will try to clean MAF and check my hoses see if there are cracks.

start buy buying MAF cleaner http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-S60-P2/U...-202-625-2795/
My local AutoZone sells it same stuff.Remove MAF from the car.Takes a good Pull to get it off Intake hose and give the sensor inside a good spray down 10+ sprays both sides.Let it dry.Please be careful this stuff will go up like lighter-fluid if any spark gets near it.I had same issues but had to replace my MAF cost me $250 from www.fcpgroton.com Stay away from EBAY i made this mistake and caused a CheckEngine Light.Also ThrottleBody getting stuck will cause this unstable idle .This Video shows how to do it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zaxtm-hdyo. Its a S80 but its in the same place.

Thanks MYS6T. The video is well done. My wife's S60 has a similar trouble, so I think I'm going to give the TB a cleaning.

An update...we cleaned the TB & the S60 now performs like it should. There must have been gum at the edges of the TB as the throttle plate meets the TB. In our case, access to the TB was much easier than the car in the video. Ours was as simple as removing the plastic intake hose.
I'm sure we've saved at least $400 by avoiding the 'service' dept.

I am glad it all worked out. That is the thing with Volvo's most guys are intimidated about doing the work them self,but these like most cars are very easy to do the basic repairs and maintenance on. Like you said save hundreds and may be thousands a year doing so.