Hi Folks,


So I've recently been having an issue with our family v50. We bought it used, no faults (except a new tyre needed). A few months back had the error message 'Engine System Service Required'. Took it to a garage got it serviced, alll good (changed a bulb).

Three days later, same message shows up - garage says nothing showed in diagnostics, that it should be fine, or it's something more sinister. Instead of taking it to another garage or a volvo dealership (didn't have the funds at that time) we just carried on driving it.

Anyway, skipping to today. The central locking/unlocking didn't work with the key fob. It just wouldn't work - no lights flashing to indicate locking. Got the spare key and it unlocked fine after a couple of presses. Everything else worked fine again, no lights staying on on the dash. An hour later, the same problem. But this time neither key would unlock the car, no lights flashing etc. Used the metal key in the key fob to manually unlock the driver door and get in. Central locking didn't unlock passenger door. Put the key in ignition, passenger door unlocked, BUT - no lights on the dash, speedometer and odometer dead (not moving when revving engine), and window wipers going off like crazy. Took the key out of ignition, the car central locking worked. Tried the key in ignition again, and everything worked fine as if nothing had happened. Drove home everythings good. 2 hours later, same problem again, and now the speedometer and odometer dead, no lights, no wipers, no locking.

We tested the battery - charge is 12.4 all good. Key fobs battery changed with new battery.

What could it be? How sinister and more importantly, how expensive is this sounding? I'm thinking it might be the CEM or short somewhere? Any recommendations or thoughts would be welcome!

 

You may simply have a bad connection (at the battery) or a bad battery. Have you load tested the battery? How old is it?

CEMs do suffer from water intrusion on some cars - so that's a possibility (xemodex does not list water intrusion as a common failure on your CEM)

 

The battery was checked, and connections ( which seemed fine). I meant that it was load tested ( re the 12.4 charge I mentioned). It's only 3/4 years old. So it doesn't seem to be that. But it might be a cocnnection somewhere else?

 

12.4 volts would be the static charge, A load test is when a resistance is applied between the terminals, simulating a large current draw. As in the amount of current a starter might use. The voltage during that test is usually 10.5-11 volts.

Load testers are usually mechanical with a wire wound resister like below -