Well, I was left stranded in a cold, snowy parking lot today for about 2 hours. Went into the store, came back out and the car would not start. All the lights, heater blower, radio, etc worked. I waited around for 40 minutes and still no start. I called AAA and they gave me a 1 hr timeframe for a tow. At the 1/2 hr mark I thought I'd try starting it again and it fired right up! Went to the bank, about a mile down the road and when I got back into the car it wouldn't start again! Arrrgh! I left it there and am going back now to try and start again.

There is no crank, no clicking from starter/selenoid, nothing when key is in cranking position. After I take the key out of the ignition, 25 seconds later there are two clicks from the engine. These can be heard from inside the car with the hood closed. I also popped the hood and listened to see if I could figure out where they were coming from. One from the D/S somewhere in front of the fusebox and one sounds like it's right in between the radiator and the engine, right in the middle.

Can anyone help me out? What could the problem be?

 

Is the car over heating prior to shutting off, what ever it is seems to need to cool off before you start. Just a though

 

I have no idea what's going on. I guess it isn't a hot start problem because I left it in the parking lot for 3 hours in 18 degree weather. Came back to get it home and still wouldn't start! Gaah - used my last free tow from AAA. I'm getting fed up with this car. Same thing - all power works, but no crank. Battery wasn't low because we tried a jump.

 

Does a message come up in the window on the left when it happens?

 

Nothing for the first 15 or so times of trying to start. When I went back to start after 3 hours, it gave me the immobilizer message once, but after that it never came up again. I just replaced the immobilizer antenna like 2 months ago.

 

OK next thing to try is when it will not start if you can test the small wire at the starter for power. If you have power at the small wire when someone is holding the key in the crank position then the starter is bad.

 

Ok, I figured maybe the starter was next. Thanks! I always thought that there were supposed to be clicking when the starter is bad? Could that be the two clicks from the front of the engine bay I was hearing about 25 sec. after I turned the key back to position 1 after trying to crank?

 

I guess whatever it is is pretty common....

http://www.volvo-forums.com/t12386-s...g-problems.htm


I read a few more posts and someone also suggested the starter relay.

 

I would see if you have power or not. You could always wire a small light to the starter wire and keep it by the hood and watch it everytime you start the car.

 

Did you ever figure out what the problem was? I've searched through dozens of these threads on "cold" and "Start" and your problem seems closest to mine.

I also have the double click after the key is back to position 1.

Just had the tune up performed, so I'm assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that it is not the spark plugs, etc.

Have read a lot pointing to the fuel system, so wondering where is best to begin troubleshooting.

Any help in the right direction would be appreciated!

 

At first I thought it was the immobilizer antenna ring, so I got that replaced. The problem went away for awhile, until it suddenly stalled in a parking lot (the problem in the original post in this thread). Had it towed to my mechanic and they found the problem: a loose connector at the starter. He said the connection was a male/female connection, which is very odd. With normal vibration from the roads and such, they became loose and the loose connection is what was giving me my intermittent starting issue. That was about 2 months ago, and haven't had the issue since :knocks on wood:

They tightened the connection and put something on it so it wouldn't come loose again. What a stupid design, though. Oh well. Good luck!