Hello everyone. I am new her. I'd appreciate your input on my spirit car LOL
I always wanted a VOLVO. I could only afford a used one but I Love the moody Suv!
It all began about a year ago. Sometimes I turned the car on and the clock would go nuts so i would reset it. Soon I gave up on resetting it. Then the error messages would look nutty.
Finally, I'd be drivin' along fine, safe(?) and sound.
Suddenly I could have sworn that the entire dashboard , radio lights and all randomly blinked off/on .
Nah! It was so quick!
Yep, It really happened! The lights blinked while all needles would drop to zero &
swoop right back up to normal, gas would swoop down below empty...It was like a split second.
No rhyme or reason. Car and external lights just kept on workin normally. It seemd like a quirky thing until it continued.
Now the episodes are closer and closer and the blink outs last a tad longer , still a couple of seconds..
This is so strange that I don't know who to trust! Naturally it did not do it quickly enough for the
recent mechanic to even take notice.
Even at the dealer they gave me a strange look! I am actively looking for a nearby Volvo "specialist".

 

Sounds like a loose connection somewhere.

 

This is a common problem on the S80's XC70's and XC90's. The dashboard controls quite a number of things and is loaded with Integrated circuits. It is called the DIM or Driver Information Module
There is a 100 pin chip on the board that will likely have several of the pins where the solder has let loose between the pins and the circuit board.
I found the fix at Drivers Information Module (DIM) diy repair - Volvo Owners Club Forum
I did my repair in about an hour. I have 2 sons that work on Volvos at a shop. They used to send them out for repair and they had to charge $600 to the customer.
They now do it themselves and charge 300. They have not had any returns either way.
This is the link to a site that rebuilds them Volvo DIM

 

I have taken my DIM partially apart, but I'm a little afraid I'll screw something up if I go any further. I've taken it down to the point where all the gauges are exposed, and I can see the back side of the circuit board. Where do I go from there?
Tom

 

Hi, I drive a 1999 Volvo V70 and was able to trace the same problem back to the ABS unit a simple solder job and theres a detailed info about it somewhere around here (With Photos) Ive still yet to do mine as i need someone handy with a solder Iron but when I do I'll post But the way I tested it was to remove the Abs connector and then refit suddenly they all came back on.. and on the dash the ABS light and the "!" would come up and then the speedo and fuel drop like a stone

 

Creep, I'd be curious to read the thread you found about the ABS being the problem. Do you have any idea where it is? I have another 2001 S80 here, so maybe I'll swap the ABS units out and see what happens.

 

|Hi Tom Hp, sorry about the delay (Christmas etc.. by the way hope you had a good one!!) theres a you tube vid, and I'll find out more info for you
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=80669

There maybe a problem swapping over a 2001 as I read here:
https://www.midwest-abs.com/ABS_Modules.php