I have a '01 s60. w/ 42,000 miles with no past problems and has been serviced w/out fail and driven as a go-to-work-car.
Recently in the last 6 weeks (3times) I have had a problem that when I attempt to start the car it won't turn over. No noises are made,and ALL the electric functions continue to work..ie radio, A/C, windows,gages etc.., but the car won't turn over!

The first time I had a tow and they attempted to jump it with no success! The dealer then did the "diagnostic" and told me it was a loose battery cable!!!! (Like I've ever played with the battery in a S-60 Volvo!!?) Plus note that it is the orginal battery! Car did fine for 10 days then, exact same thing happened!!! All lights came on but no turn/spark.It did jump however! This time the dealer did ANOTHER diagnostic and told me that the key had an "intermittent" short! I also during this time had and outside check on the main system and all was good (Starter, alternator,battery) Well, 3rd time is the charm, happened again!! Every time they do the check, after I get the car jumped, the battery checks out good. They have it now again for the 3rd time with of course a different key, and telling me that if nothing shows on the "all mighty diagnostics" that I will still be at square 1, my only option is to be stranded again, NOT to jump it, and have it towed to to the dealer!! To me that is not an option!!!
Also of note it happens when my gas tank is ALWAYS at 1/2 tank!?!?!

My question: Even though the battery test "good" can a cell be bad intermittently? It is the orginal one.
? a sending unit in the fuel tank?
? what else

 

I would say a bad starter.

 

Hey Sasha,

I have the same problem. The starter checked out good and all diagnostics were good when checked out at Winter Park Volvo in Florida (although they charged a diagnostic fee, of course). Mine has very similar symptoms so I'll spare the description, but my question for the Tech would be: Is it possible that a starter could have a bad spot and still check out good on diagnostics? I assume the starter check is simply hooking a positive and negative to the starter itself and if it cranks over then it gets a green light? If this is the only check, it could follow that the starter has a dead spot and needs to be replaced. I don't want to do it if I don't have to. Sasha, what has the temperature been like when yours fails? Thanks fellas.

 

Hey Tech, What about the Immobizer? I would guess there would be a code for if that was the case.

Have you experienced the starter failing on the P2 cars?

3B

 

If you want PM me I work in a Independant shop 2 miles from the Volvo store. Maybe we can look at it for you.
I would install a light bulb to the small wire at the starter to check it out.

To tripleb I have seen a few P2 starters go bad.
If it was an immoblizer problem then the message would be in the window when it wouldn't start.
Also there would be a code when it wouldn't start. But if it started next time it was tried the code would be gone. They don't keep the codes in memory.

 

My 2002 S60 2.0T had a similar problem. Try this first, before taking your car to the Volvo dealer. There is a design flaw on the live wire connection to the starter motor. It is susceptible to corrosion and leads to a poor electric connection. This is why all equipment powers up when you switch on the ignition but nothing happens (other than a click from the starter motor in my vehicle) when you attempt to start the car.



The first time this occurred to me the electronic message displayed “Car immobilized, see manual” after repeated attempts at starting the car. This is a red herring and must be a safety mechanism to prevent vehicle theft. After explaining this to my Volvo Dealership in Edinburgh, Scotland, they replaced the starter motor and key microchip receiver aerial in the ignition at a cost of £450 (US$900). The problem recurred 6 months later and as I was stuck I had to call out my roadside assistance. The helpful man from the RAC got my car to start within 2 minutes of arriving he showed me where the poor connection is and used a bit of sanding paper to clean the terminal. The problem recurs in the winter months but at least I can now fix it myself within minutes. After this and a few other bad experiences with maintaining my Volvo using main dealerships I have decided to buy a different brand when replacing my car.