Tech, really need your help on this one... Short version of the story.

The last time it snowed heavily here my wife drove through a big snowbank. She, of course, neglected to tell me about it until a week later after the car had driven progressively worse and would hardly start.

Well, we shoved it into the garage and drove the 3rd car until the weather broke, and then took it to my former independent shop. They looked at it and determined that my wife, when driving through the snowbank pulled the connector for the right rear O2 sensor loose. Then, driving the car, with the check engine light on (which she ignored), friction with the ground got rid of both sides of the connector. I have bare wires on each side now.

The independent shop suspects that the ECM is bad due to the water from the snowbank conducting the bare wires on the engine side. There are 8 codes set off in the computer right now, and it hardly runs any longer. It was progressively running worse and worse, I guess.

Anyhow, my brain says fix the O2 sensor first, then see what else is wrong with it. The indy shop told me the sensor was damaged and needed replacement along with the computer. We stuffed it back into the garage until the weather broke and this is the first time I've had to crawl under it.

I have discovered that the majority of the clips that hold the o2 sensor wires to the heat shield have not been displaced or moved. I see no evidence that the sensor is damaged other than the plug is gone and the wires are bare.

I think what I should do, is reconnect the o2 sensor that's in the car with heat shrink insulated butt splice connectors, clear the codes and see what comes back.

My problem is that the wire colors are different and I don't know which wire is which.

the wires on the car side are: black, grey, green, green w/colored stripe. The wires on the sensor are: black, grey, white and white.

Common sense tells me to match the black to black, grey to grey, and white to green and green w/stripe. But, I know that common sense and Volvo don't necessarily apply to one another.

Does anyone have a better wiring diagram than I've got, that shows the colors? I haven't even tried to buy the connector from volvo. I figured that was a fruitless exercise that'll just **** me off.

Also, has anyone had their ECM rebuilt that could recommend someone in case I have to go down that road, or recommend where I could buy a used one? Its a 2000 s80 T6 with 80k miles, and today the dash looks like a christmas tree with all the pretty lights, <sigh> <grr>

Thanks!

Mark

 

It might save you a lot of money just to get a connector off a Salvaged Volvo...in a salvage yard...

Or you might try car-part.com..there's a lot of Salvage yards all over the U.S. on that website..that can find any part you would want. Good Luck

 

Did you look at the other rear O2 sensor to see if the colors were the same?
You might be able to get it that way.

I doubt the ECU is bad.

 

Hey AFR - Thanks for the tip. I've used that website before for parts for my Mercedes.

Tech - Yeah that dawned on me Monday night. I pulled the connector and the wire colors were different, but it helped.

Essentially the green wire with the brown stripe is the power wire for the heater. That makes the green wire the return for the heater. That left black & Gray, staring hard at the damn diagram, I figured out that the black wire was the signal wire, which left gray for the ground.

So, if anyone cares here you go:

rear passenger:

Black on the car goes to black on the sensor (signal)
Grey on the car goes to grey on the sensor (ground)
Green on the car goes to white on the sensor (heater return)
Green/brn stripe on the car goes to white on the sensor (power)


rear driver:

brown on the car goes to black on the sensor (signal)
yellow/blk stripe on the car goes to grey on the sensor (ground)
green/blue stripe on the car goes to white on the sensor (heater return)
green/brn strip on the car goes to white on the sensor (power).

So, that got the sensor reconnected. Still have issues. Still need help. Please see next post.... THANKS

 

per the above, I reconnected sensor. Disconnected battery overnight to fully clear codes (I was tired, went to bed ).

Next, I reconnected battery, switched key on didn't start car. Read codes.

Had ONE code. P0238 (turbo boost sensor circuit high)

Started car. It started right up, but was missing.

Let run 15 seconds. Shut off. re-checked codes.

Have 4 -

P0238 - turbo boost sensor circuit high
P0118 - engine coolant temp sensor high
P0452 - evap pressure sensor low voltage
p0103 - mass airflow circuit high

So, bad ground? Don't know. Only wire I've been able to figure out so far is the maf sensor. The violet/white wire appears to be the sensor ground. Tomorrow I'll check for continuity.

If anyone has any advice I'd appreciate your guidance. I'm dangerous with tools. I can replace things, but troubleshooting is not within my skill set. That's why I became an accountant.

thanks for all your help.

 

First check and make sure there is no fuses blown.

If you clear them they come right back on the next start up?

I wonder if the MAF is bad as well.

 

Update.

Car is still not fixed. All the continuity checks that I did indicated that the ECM was bad. I took it to the dealer, who confirmed that.

After discussion with dealer, I purchased a used ECM from a salvage yard. Volvo refuses to release programming to dealer to re-program used ECM. My local dealer says that policy has changed, and if he could clear used ECM he could reprogram.

Volvo insists that I must purchase new ECM from Volvo, OR, I can put my used ECM back into the car it came from, take that car to dealer and "unprogram" while in car. (yeah right)

Service manager has worked with area rep, who refuses to do anything to help. Policies are policies after all.

I have found a 3rd party company in Tennessee who thinks they may be able to rebuild my existing ECM for $389. They claim their repair work doesn't affect programming and that the car should be fine. They charge $55 in the event my unit is not rebuildable.

The volvo mechanic told me that if I could find some way to "unprogram" my used unit, he can reprogram. Does anyone know if this can be done?

Are there any 3rd party programming options?

I sense I'm really screwed here and I don't like it. Clearly this will be my last Volvo. I've never seen anything like this, EVER.

Any help anyone can give would be much appreciated.

retailguy

 

I do not know of anyone that can work with the ECU's I wish I did.

I know a used one will not be able to be programmed unless it is wiped clean.

P.S. do not let this totally turn you off of Volvo. Next time get a 98 or older no problems like this.

I think you got a bad one to begin with.

 

Tech, do you know how it can be wiped clean? The mechanic told me that the software does it, but Volvo has to authorize it, but that is the policy that changed. Does any 3rd party make a "competing" software? Does anyone's 15 year old know how to wipe the thing? Lord, it can't be that difficult.

Volvo has turned me off to Volvo. I agree that I got a lemon. I guess that's why I don't manufacture cars. If I put a piece of crap like this on the street, I'd feel guilty and actually want to help my customers keep it on the road instead of erecting roadblocks to take every last dollar in their wallet.

I can't believe there is no way to fix this without buying a new computer. There has to be a way...

 

I do not know of anyone If I did I would help write the program to fix the modules.
It is not very often you even see a module go bad.

Yes Volvo is getting really bad.
On the 2004.5 and up S40's they will not even turn the daytime running lights off anymore. Which in my opinion it is BS that they will not do it. They would rather have a customer sell the car and go to a different brand then help by turning the daytime running light off because they are a private investigator and need them off to so their job.

 

Maybe these guys can wipe it for you. I think a guy named Lucky is their tech guru. Might be worth a phone call or email. http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-S80-1999...p-76-634-2194/

 

Thanks Vegas. They won't do it either. I got the feeling while talking with them yesterday that they could, but they won't.

They say they only address some of the performance settings, and they aren't geared towards this. I can find NO ONE who does this type of work as a 3rd party vendor. Volvo has really adapted the Apple model with this computer type stuff. They seem to be the ONLY game in town.

I'm leaning towards not fixing it, and just selling the car on ebay for parts. I just cannot bring myself to do this with Volvo. I've been ripped off so badly with this thing, it just has to stop at some point.

My calculations on the value of the car fixed and not fixed suggest that I'm putting my money at risk and best case, I just get it back.

this is a very sad deal. I just can't believe it is working out this way. Volvo should be ashamed of themselves.

DO NOT buy an s80. Buy anything else. Maybe a skateboard? Or a sled?

 

I really hate seeing posts like this!!!!
It really Pisses me off!!

But I wonder if they did their tune to it in the end it would fix the problem or hide it.

 

Updates?? I have the same issue

 

Hi there..so sorry to hear about all your problems and once again dealers are crap everywhere.Really scares me further down the road about my s80.From what i've seen looks like 1999 has been the "lemon" and the T6 have most of the problems.We love our s80..it's 2003 2.9 non-turbo 54200 miles on it and the dealer we purchased it from went out of business.
I feel your pain of keeping your wallet open to these blood-sucking scumbags who charge an arm and a leg for everything and this is the bad news for newer cars that they run on computers and codes and so on,can't just take'em to anyone.I really hope you find someone to help you with the ECU,wish I knew somebody but I don't...just writing to express my opinion .Like you said if it becomes too expansive to fix just get rid of it and go with someone else like Acura or BMW.
GOOD LUCK

 

I was thinking about my former Volvo today, and logged in and found a private message asking about any resolution to this issue.

I fixed it and sold it. I now drive a highlander and a Mercedes E430. No more volvos.

But, to give back to the forum that helped me keep the thing on the road, here is the final outcome. Maybe it'll help someone.

I took the computer apart prior to sending it to a rebuilder. It had a brown burn streak two inches long right in the middle of the board. I carefully put it back together, and mailed it off to http://www.autoecu.com, in rodgersville Tn. I figured for $55 bucks it was worth a shot for them to see if they could fix it. After what I'd seen on the board itself, I thought it was hopeless but I thought I'd let the experts make that call.

$389 dollars later, it worked! I was stunned. Came with a 3 year warranty (non transferrable). autoecm.com told me that it is imperative that the programming not be messed with at all, but if it isn't, 90% of the time they can repair. They sealed the thing with stickers, so I don't know what they did, whether they put in a sub board, or just re-did the solder marks. Unsure, but it worked, so I don't care.

I drove the thing for 90 days, just to make sure it was truly fixed, and it was. I then put it up for sale, and it now belongs to someone else.

Tech & all the others who willingly offer help, THANK YOU. I can't begin to express my appreciation for the time you offered to help me with my problem.

Take care all.

Mark