I have intermittent starting problems with my 1999 Volvo V70 AWD 101000miles. It normally starts just fine and once running it is always absolutely perfect in performance,idling, acceleration etc. The starting problem seems unrelated to any particular conditions, the engine turns over fine but won't fire. Usually when I leave it for a few minutes and try again it will start but sometimes it needs a wait of 30 minutes or even a few hours. Eventually it always starts, without flattening the battery. I have had the car checked at two local garages, there is no fault light on the dash and no ecu fault codes logged. When it has been at the repair garage it behaves just fine so they can't diagnose the fault. The frequency of the starting problem is becoming a little worse, it is now failing every few days rather than every few weeks; it has now been going on for about 6 months. I have tried new plugs, fuel filter, thinner oil (5/30), and nothing is better. Any ideas? thanks

 

Do you have a second key? It might be an immoblizer problem.

 

Could be the check valve in the fuel pump or the fuel pump relay

 

I had nearly the same problem with an 05 Altima once right after I bought it. It would typically decide to start up right after we got it off the tow truck and nothing ever came up on a computer check. About the fourth trip to the shop, a fault code came up, and it was a computer control issue. They replaced some chip or other.
You might try keeping an ODBII scanner on hand in the car and hooking it up as soon as it happens rather than waiting to get it to a garage.
Hope that helps.

 

On The Volvo's it will only set and immoblizer code when it isn't starting.Thats before the ignition is shut off. If you turn it off then back on again and it starts the code is gone.

 

Thanks for the hint, I'll try the immobilizer issue first and then ask my garage to check the fuel check valve etc thanks Michael

 

thanks for the help, I'm afraid I don't have such a scanner or know really what to do with it - thanks anyway michael

 

Thank you for this info', most interesting, I didn't realise that the fault code could be wiped on a restart. Regards Michael

 

Problem solved: it was in fact the immobiliser aeriel in the ignition key switch that was faulty. My local Volvo agency plugged in a proper Volvo fault code reader and there was a code logged, they replaced the immobiliser aeriel unit and the problem appears solved. However, I won't be totally convinced until a few weeks have passed without a starting problem. Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Michael

 

I have used the car now for six weeks and have had no more starting problems with the new imobiliser tranciever unit fitted in the keyswitch, thanks everyone Michael

 

Glad it is all fixed now.