I’m a first-time Volvo owner – just bought this 2002 V40 from a friend last week. It’s been driving beautifully up until yesterday afternoon. I was taking the freeway home from work and things seemed normal but once I’d exited and started driving through residential neighborhoods, the DSA light came on and stayed on. Each time I stopped at a light or a stop sign the car died. I’d put it in park and it would start up just fine. No DSA light. But at the next stop, it would happen again. It happened each time I stopped.

This morning, I started the car and it died as soon as I took my foot off the brake to pull out. DSA light came on, same issue. I restarted it and drove it around the block with no issues. Anyone have any insight for me? No experience working on Volvos at all.

Thank you in advance!

 

DSA light?

 

Yeah, it's the one to the left of the arrow pointing up (which is the weather mode light). It's a triangle with a car sliding around it looks like.

 

That's the anti-lock brake system and traction control. You'll need an appropriate scan tool to narrow down what it needs.

 

Well, that makes sense about the traction because in the owner's manual it is referred to as the DSA light and says,
"Dynamic Stability Assistance
This is a system which helps keep the drive wheels from spinning. The light flashes if the road surface is slippery, the wheels are spinning and the system is working.
The control light comes on if a fault occurs in the DSA system. It also comes on if the system is switched off via the switch."

Thank you for your help man! I am a complete newbie.

 

It also interfaces with the steering wheel angle sensor to know how you are driving and whether you are in a turn, etc.

Again, without a proper scan tool to read codes, it would be a guess tossing parts at it.

 

Disconnect the AFM (air flow meter), start it up and see if it idles - be warned that this WILL store a code and illuminate the CEL.

If your problem dissappears then you either have a vacuum leak or a faulty AFM.

Check the small hose going from the top of the intercooler to the idle control motor, these are very common to crack and introduce air, causing a lean condition