The update.... I had the battery charged up at advance today.. Put it back in the car and same problem as yesterday.. Lights etc are fine but when I turn the ignition all I get is "click" and nothing else....

What should I be looking at now? Starter presumably? What bothers me is that the starter test I did just yesterday came back fine despite me having to crank for 5 seconds to get it to start...

So.. My guess now is either starter or one of the power cables attached to it.. I really don't want to have to change the starter and need to find a way to get it diagnosed..
I guess I may have to tow the car into the shop because the starter removal and testing may be beyond me a bit right now...
Unfortunately I definitely am going to need this car back up soon, I have a lot of vital driving to do in the next few weeks...

Any more ideas or suggestions?

Vehicle immobilizer sounds like the alarm disconnecting the starter. Are you still getting that message? As was said before, if the alarm is going off it should not allow the car to start or run. Perhaps all the trouble is related to the alarm control module. Most of my experience with bad starters is they either work or they don't, not just take a while to turn the car over. Good luck!

I agree to some extent. The starter should spin fast. If it spins fast for 4-5 seconds and does not start its not the starter. If the battery is fully charged and the starter turns over but sounds like its struggling its likely the starter.

For what its worth. I have never had a problem with my volvo starter. I did with my other car. The starter would turn over but slow and sound like it was struggling. It would take seconds for the car to kick over. It would eventually drain the battery and kill it. Its like locking up the end of a cordless drill and pulling the tirgger....the draw from lock-up will drain the battery in less then a minute but free cranking it will run for an hour.

The only other cause could be the battery. there are two parts to a battery volts and cranking amps. You may get good on the volts but the battery may still be bad becuase it can not deliver the cranking amps.

By the way you can pull the 5 amp siren fuse.

Jim

Take it somwhere else and see if they have the same issue with the "noise." You've obviously got a short to ground somwhere that's drawing amps while the car is shut off....Find the circut diagram and check the circut for shorts...Best of luck

Have you had it scanned for codes? Sounds like possibly your camshaft sensor taking a crap.

Check the simple things battery terminals, dirty air filter, fuses, etc.

Well, I tested all the fuses today.. All the expected culprits came back as good.. No problems with the starter or alarm fuses etc..

Concerning the battery itself, both voltage and CCA tested as good so im ruling that out..

After 3 or 4 days, the starter doesnt do anything when I turn the key, not even a click or anything to make it sound like its attempting to tumble the engine.

BPATRICK, when the starter was taking seconds to crank up the car the other day, I asked my usual volvo mech about it and he said it could be the camshaft position sensor, but that unless it was throwing a code there would be no way to know for sure.. The car isnt throwing any codes right now and I dont have a code reader to be able to check if any are stored.. I can try borrowing one and seeing how that goes...

I guess I may eventually have to get the car towed to my independent volvo shop and see what they can come up with....

just to update, no luck yet.. Waiting on some parts to come in then hopefully I can manage to get the car to the local independent volvo specialist to begin to figure out what I am dealing with...

Ok, i'm a bit late but I think I should update everyone on the conclusions..

Turns out that the starter had crapped out completely, which is strange cause I had it tested at advance earlier just an hour before it happened...

Other problem (which explains the drained battery) was that the alarm siren was apparently constantly draining the battery even when the car was off, so it would use a significant amount of amps, making cranking up harder (possibly leading to the early death of the starter?)

Mechanic didn't charge me too much to fix things.. I think an hour labour each on the starter and the new alarm siren module.. My sunroof also works in a much less moody fashion now that the alarm siren has been changed.. These electronic/computer system loops on this car scare me sometimes..

Overall, paid $75 for a used siren alarm with a lifetime warranty and about $120 for a new starter with a 2yr warranty.. I could have done better if I looked around but time was of the essence since I was carless..

Thanks for posting your problem and solution on here nicolaselias. I am having a very similar issue with my 99 s80 t6. I don't think i have a starter problem but have the security warning and my brand new battery drains overnight.
Any chance you could share where you ordered your alarm siren from?

Thanks

I got my alarm siren used from Genuine OEM Used Volvo Parts with Lifetime Warranty V70,S60,S80,XC90,850+
Call them and ask...

You should look into possibly fixing it if you have the time/tools
http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/for...p?f=11&t=17479

Thanks nolifetillboost, for the suggestion of wrapping the power wire from the fuse box to the starter in aluminum tape, and rerouting if possible. My tach has been jumping While trying to start and having difficulty starting. Will give it a try and see if it helps.