I am looking at buying a 1999 Volvo V70 XC AWD wagon. The guy that owns is tried installing a new battery and by accident reversed the connections to the battery. After reconnecting the battery cables correctly, the car will not start and is completely dead. No doubt that a number of electrical components got damaged.

Can someone tell me where the engine ECU is located? I'd also be interested in the location of all other computers (e.g., transmission, ABS, other)?

Thanks!

Alex

Unless the battery thing checks out (it shouldn't have fried everything..) as dead (or several fuses/wires/relays, check them all out). I'd run as fast as I could from the car.. Changing the computers is a pricey endeavor and even then you might find out a more's wrong with the car. There's also the chance that the PO pulled the computers for a different car and gave you ones that were fried (or just none..)

Maybe I'm a little jaded

LOL. Putting in a 'new' battery backwards will kill the battery in short order, the car's electrical components should be OK.

Check the ground strap at the fender to make sure it isn't fried. Try trickle charging the battery (out of the car) for a few hours and see if it will hold a charge.

Klaus

Hello,


Maybe nothing has been damaged. Check the terminal end of the positive cable, sometimes they corrode and maybe those extra joules kicked the bucket.

The computers are in the engine bay near the passenger headlamp. If the lights don‘t work, check the battery cables.


Goatman

Thanks for all responses received thus far.

I installed a known good battery, and when I turn the key, nothing happens (i.e., no sound from the solenoid, no cranking, no dash lights, NOTHING!).

I then re-checked the fuses in the engine compartment, and found that fuse 1 (a 15 amp fuse) was blown. I replaced the fuse and put the key into ignition without turning it. The LED odometer lit-up, as well as the LED clock. Also, the key-in-ignition warning chime started sounding. As soon as I turned the key to try starting it, again, NOTHING!!! I then then rechecked the fuses, and again, fuse 1 was blown.

There is definitely one (or more) shorts somewhere.

I'd like to try disconnecting all the computers, and then insert a new fuse and turn the key. If the fuse does not blow, then I will try reconnecting the computers one by one to see if one (or more) of them are causing the fuse to blow.

I can't do this now, as the car is with the owner, and I need his permission.

Maybe I should run away from this car, but I was told the car ran beautifully before the unfortunate owner hooked up the battery wrong.

I may also just offer him scrap value for the car ... maybe he'll take it. I already located a donor car that was wrecked. Maybe I'll end up with a really good car.

Will update you all as things progress.

Alex

You have me wondering what year car you are looking at. For 1999 V70, fuse #1 is not used. The key chime is on a 10amp fuse.

There are 3 red wires at the battery; Alternator, starter, and ignition. All 3 wires are capable of taking large amps.

The computers are easy to unplug from inside the box. Just make sure you do not put them back in in the wrong order.

Check the battery polarity again.

Klaus

Hold on a second, fuse 1 is a spare.

the other corners (fuse 19) 15A - left high beam
18- central locking 10A
36- 15A power seats/ rear cig lighter

None of them is important to the function of the car (especially if its fuse 1!!!)

fuse 10 would be important to ignition, its 15A.

I'm recalling from memory now, as I haven't seen the car in 3 days,

I recall that there were two enclosed fuse boxes under the front hood. Both are on the drivers-side ... one near the windshield and a smaller one further away from the windshield. The smaller fuse box contains the blue 15 amp fuse I was referring to, and it's the fuse furthest away from the windshield. The smaller fuse box also contains some larger-style fuses along with a number of relays.

Hope this clears-up some of the confusion!

I'm going to try looking at the car later today or tomorrow to take a look at the computers, do a smell test, and write down the part #'s.

Will update as things progress!

Thanks for all advice!

Alex

The smaller fuse box, kidney shaped, doesn't have any 15 amp fuses. It sounds like you replaced the ignition switch fuse which is supposed to be 10 amps. I will list them here:



Fuses in Relay/Main fuse box (main system fuses)



Location * Amperage
1 Electric cooling fan 60 A
2 Fuses in Supplementary fuse box 50 A
3 Starter motor, air pump 50 A
4 ABS 50 A
5 Headlights 50 A
6 Fuses in Supplementary fuse box 60 A
7 Fuses in Supplementary fuse box 60 A
8 Control modules - engine/automatic transmission 60 A
9 Electrically operated windows 60 A

10 Ignition switch, Control modules - engine/automatic transmission 10 A
11 Fuel injectors, A/C relay 10 A
12 Fuel pump, fuel injection system 20 A
13 Control module - automatic transmission 10 A
14 A/C relay, emissions systems 10 A


--
Always willing to listen, just not able to take direction.