Car; 1999 Volvo V70 XC, 130K

Me: Out of work accountant, handle my own oil changes, swapped the starter back in December but anything much more complicated than that could definitely be above my head.

So, I bought this car almost 2 years ago now. Previous owner took it to the dealership for everything and has all the maintenance stamps in the book. Since owning it it's gotten a new timing belt etc., I've changed the oil and filter regularly, flushed and refilled the radiator. In December, I had a major problem. The car had a stripped flywheel, so with that repair plus some other smaller stuff I dropped about 2K into the car.

Fast Forward to yesterday, on my way home the day before I was in a hurry because the wife and I had to get somewhere. So the first thing I did when I got in the car was go get some gas, but because the gas stations around my house are about 10-15 cents a gallon higher I just dropped 10 bucks, or about 2.5 gallons. I proceeded to drive to the Dr's office(on top of everything else I have a sinus infection), leave the Dr's office head to the autoparts store to pick-up some spark plugs. According to google maps, that was about a 28 mile trip, however when I'm trying to leave the store, the car turns over for a moment but then pretty much just dies. I try to re-start it, it cranks but won't turn all the way over. Figuring I must've been driving absolutely horribly, I decided I was out of gas. I walk the mile roundtrip grab a gas can and 2 gallons of gas throw that in the car. Starts right up and I drive over to the gas station, and finish filling my tank. On my way home I get about 6 miles down the road, and as I'm driving the car just dies. If I left things alone and tried to restart after a couple minutes, it would crank over for probably about 20-30 seconds then just slowly die, and no amount of pressure on the accelerator would help. Finally after I had called AAA to come tow me the final 2 miles to my house, I try the key again, and it starts and stays running getting me all the way to the house. I proceed to go about changing my spark plugs, get through 4 and then I start having some real trouble trying to get the last cover screw out to get to the 5th plug. I run to the local hardware store, grab a new torx bit, then to the local drug store to pick up my prescriptions. Upon trying to leave, same thing happens, just dies as I'm trying to pull out of the parking lot. push it back into a spot, wait 15 minutes, starts back up, get about .2 miles down the road, and it dies again. After about 25 minutes on the side of the road, knocking all the big stuff out of my K&N air filter, and playing with the little tire valve looking thing on the side of the intake, finally starts again and gets me the .25 miles to my house. *Edit, the check engine light has been on for a while and the reader says its an under-performing Cat.

Is there a fairly common, possibly Volvo specific, problem that explains these symptoms?

Anyone have a tip for getting that last fairly stripped torx screw out, so I can remove that cover piece and get to the 5th plug? I know last resoris to drill it out, but I'd really like to avoid that if at all possible.

Volvo bias aside, do you guys think this car is worth keeping? I've got a 9 month old, and I can't think of many things that would've been worse than having him with me yesterday. Having spent about half of the purchase price, on repairs and maintenance, not including things like oil changes, I'd like to keep it and get some more mileage out of it, but I drive a pretty decent amount and I really need a certain degree of reliability that I'm starting to really have doubts that this car can provide.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

If you do a google search on "K&N" and MAF, you will find reports of problems
due to contamination of the maf sensor from the K&N filter.

Here's one:
https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-...em-again-49937


Have you tried unplugging the maf sensor?
If that helps, try cleaning it.

On the stripped torx, have you tried taking the next larger size torx
socket and tapping it carefully into the bolt head with a hammer.
If it grabs, you might be able to turn it out.

An older Volvo can be really expensive if you pay someone else to fix it.

 

Good tip, wasn't the MAF sensor per-say, but apparently I drive in harsher than normal conditions requiring more frequent cleaning of my K&N air filter. Seems to run and stay running after throwing a normal paper filter in. Now if I could only get to that damn 5th spark plug....

 

OH and any ideas on the under performing Cat Code would be helpful too since I have to get it emissions tested sometime within the next month.

 

Do you have the Pxxxx number?

 

Hello, A Volvo with a well stamped book is a good thing. 1) Ask at the dealership (or check the repair receipts for) the latest ETM software download. 2) Take a look at the ETM and see if it's dirty. A clean ETM is a must. If your ETM is shot go with a Xemodex rebuild. Do a search on this board. 3) A personal favorite of mine: Make sure your fuel filter isn't 130K miles old. Rising prices makes people buy cheap gas and cheap gas clogs up filters-especially when they're 12 years old. 4) Volvos aren't known for weak CPS (Crankshaft Positioning Sensor) but my neighbor had one go out in a 1998 V70 XC. Just a thought. 5) bw77's post regarding a dirty MAF sensor is right on. You don't seem to have the rough idle. A rough idle gives you the opportunity to unplug the MAF to see if the idle will smooth out. 6) Check all the vacuum hoses for dryness, breakage and disconnects. 7) When this is all sorted out make sure your Volvo serviced lifelong transmission fluid isn't black and smelly. Volvo will claim that their transmission fill never needs to be refreshed-a total joke. Never have your transmission "Power Flushed" 8) Use anti-seize on those torx bolts even though they're little (on the sparky poos too). 9) Just don't freak out-this is one problem in a fairly well built car. Kira

 

Check fuel pump relay for interment running problem that is always the best place to start U should hear the fuel pump for about a second when U turn on the switch then it will stop until U turn over the engine may have to lay under the car while someone tries to start it to hear the pump if no problem there check spark could also be a fuel pump one bad spark plug would not keep her from starting car would run with a bad MAF but may not idle good or idle fine but have no power when U hit the gas. Could be a very simple problem or not but I bet simple.

 

After dropping my son at Daycare this morning, my car died again. Unplugged the MAF sensor, and it started right back up and drove fine when I got home I pulled the MAF and cleaned it with the spray-on cleaner, let it dry and re-installed. Didn't look dirty to me and the appearance didn't seem to change much after cleaning. Now it seems to be running fine again.

My inclination is that since when I unplug the MAF it runs fine after not running at all, the MAF is the problem and may just be going bad since it doesn't appear to be dirty. Does that seem correct? Or is this pointing to a larger problem I'm missing?

 

The MAF may have been the underlying problem.
Time will tell.
Did your CEL go away?

 

The CEL has gone away for now, but its gone away intermittently at other times, so as you say, time will tell.

 

well, drove to school yesterday, approx 50 miles or so, about halfway there lost all throttle response and it died luckily was able to get all the way over before it fully died. Unplugged the MAF, started right up, got to school, and as I'm parallel parking it dies and won't restart. Had to Barney Rubble it the rest of the way into the spot. 3.5 hrs later when I get out of class, starts right up and gets me home without issue.

Luckily, I live right around the corner from FCP Groton, going to pick up a new MAF in a half hour or so(in the wife's car) and I have another class tonight, so we'll see how that goes.

 

Hello, You've had the experiences which underscore the huge benefit of owning your own scanner (code reader). They start at $50. Buy local or through a company which allows returns as not every scanner communicates with every car (personal experience). Kira

 

Mass Air Meters fail all the time and the "try unplugging it" test is NOT any indication of it's integrity. If the MAF was bad, it would more than likelt be throwing code. If the new MAF fails to resolve the issue, the camshaft position sensor is something else to look into. Lastly, 130 grand is NOTHING when it comes to mileage on your car, especially if properly maintained. Good luck- and keep us posted!

 

One more thing- you mention cleaning your K&N filter often, how much oil do you use when re-oiling it? That oil fouls MAF sensors all the time...just another thought...

 

@Kira-any recomendations on the low end for scanners that speak Volvo well? Communicating with my Honda Pilot would be nice too, but lower priority since I have a good friend thats a Honda mechanic.

@BPatrick-I hadn't yet cleaned the K&N before this. They say it only needs to be cleaned every 50K, I've only got about 30K on it. The oil issue was mentioned in the thread that was linked about the MAF on the 1st page and since I didn't notice a real gain in gas mileage when I got the K&N I'm thinking I might just go with regular paper filters from here on out. The car had been throwing a code for a while which the reader at Advance Auto was interpreting as "Underperforming Cat."

In any case, drove about 100 miles last night with no issue after replacing the MAF, and my CEL turned off so I think I may be good for now.

 

So, after stopping to get gas, and having my car refuse to restart for about 5 minutes, I picked up a scanner. I'm getting 2 codes, P0102 MAF circuit low input. This is with a brand new MAF sensor. All Vacuum hoses look a little worn but intact and connected.

The other code I'm getting is P0422, Main Catalyst System Low Efficiency Bank 1. As far as I know the only fix for this is to replace the Cat, correct? I guess its possible the rear O2 sensor is bad but I think far more likely at 130K that its just an honest bad Cat at this point.

 

The P0422 can be due to other problems than a bad cat.
Good thread on that is here:

http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/for...hp?f=1&t=29526

The P0102 - could be a bad electrical connection, have you tried electrical contact
cleaner and securing the cable?

Could also be a bad maf.
When the car won't start, have you tried disconnecting the maf?

 

Try ditching the K&N. Use paper. Is your new MAF an OEM volvo unit?
If you do have an electrical issue, check fuses and relays. You got a manual? Again, don't abandon ship at 130k unless you HAVE to. I know times are touch, but that's low mileage. Keep us posted.

 

When was the last time you did your timing belt?

 

Timing belt was done about a year ago, or approximately 25K miles ago. I broke down and took it to a shop yesterday. It was no longer starting at all, even with the MAF unplugged, and I just need the car ASAP. Pretty sure I eliminated all the little silly things it could be hopefully, whatever it is it won't be too expensive. At this point I'm about 9K deep on a car thats less than 2 yrs old to me, thats equal to a 375 dollar monthly payment over 24 months, except I'm driving a 12 year old car. Thats a pretty crappy track record if you ask me.