I love my volvo, but I'm a student and I work part-time, so I don't have a lot of money lying around. I'm hoping someone here might be able to easily diagnose my problem and I can then proceed to fix it myself (if it is within my capability).

I have a 99 and for starters, it idles around 800 when just sitting. but when braking and making slow sharp turns, the RPM drops down to about 200. the latter is what worries me, as my car has completely seized up/stalled out while making turns on occasion. The power steering fluid and oil are both full. I've read a bit of what I could find on it, and have come across some things about the ETM failing often and possibly causing problems such as this.

also, a possibly unrelated problem/symptom: when starting my car, the interior electrical system does not always start up right away (windows, radio, wipers). It seems to be random. Sometimes it just starts up on its own, sometimes after a bump, and sometimes if i put the key in the other way. Could it possibly be a short, fuse or the ignition switch itself?

any help would be greatly appreciated, this is my 2nd volvo and everyone in my family has one. I would hate to have to get rid of betty white

 

Do you have a CEL? If so, get the codes read ASAP and post them here. Also, I do believe you do have a problem with your ignition. Here is the link for that info:
https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-...70r-awd-58205/

You likely have another problem, that would be vacuum. When these cars get down near idle, they switch to idle throttle control. I'm not 100% sure but if your car has a idle control valve, that could be bad or the vacuum leak is likely there. Torn hose or something like that. You could also have a bad MAF. When our car did it there was a vacuum line loose at the bottom of the idle control valve. Let me see if I can find a picture of it...


Check real good for a loose or torn hose.
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BTW, is your car turbo?

 

first off, thank you for replying! reading more into it I believe you are probably right with your first guess a. I'll be able to check better tomorrow when I can see it under a light in my garage. I was able to get the obd read today, and it is a non-turbo 99 s70 fwd automatic

OBD-II codes :
p0506 - idle air controller low revolutions
p1054 - rear 02 sensor
p0135 - front 02 sensor failure
p0136 - rear 02 sensor failure


edit: today i took a look in the throttle body, and it was extremely dirty, as well as the intake from the filter. I was going to upload a picture, but my phone isn't cooperating. I cleaned it, and it seems to run a lot better but still kind of rough.