We just love our new to us '08 V70, but there's one niggling issue. Sorry if I'm carrying this over from another thread but surely someone has experienced this. Occasionally, maybe three times out of ten, when inserting the fob into the dash the car the start button has no effect. No dash warning lights, nothing. Fiddling with the brake pedal has no effect. Ejecting the fob, flipping it over or not, then reinserting will almost always result in the car starting as it should. It does this with both fobs.

The mechanism will usually chatter once the fob is pulled in completely, as if it is still pulling the fob. The chattering sounds like either a solenoid or a gear skipping.

Is the in-dash unit known to fail and are these known symptoms of a failing unit? I've watched a vid on how to remove it but I'm sure a replacement isn't inexpensive and must be coded to match the fobs.

Anyone go through this before?

Thanks,

Erwin

'88 745T M46/OD 210,000 miles sold
'94 945T 180,000 miles sold
'95 855T 220,000 miles sold
'08 V70 68,000 miles

I too have an 09 XC70 which is showing this odd behavior. I have been driving the car occasionally as we drive the 07 V70 every day. So I washed it and waxed the cross country and in order to reach the roof I had all the doors open. And I did not shut off the dome light. Anyways, I drained the battery so low that the in dash key fob would not release. Not finding the jumper cables, I brushed the corrosion off the terminal on the battery with an old toothbrush. It was mostly powder.

Since the 12V car charger, no snickers please, did not charge after 15 minutes of playing with that nonsense, I called the towing guy and he had the car started in a jiffy for a nifty fee.

I let the engine run for 20 minutes and then realized that while there was stereo, there was no turn signal or speedometer, so I drove it to my Volvo spa. The intern was nice enough to allow the Volvo master mechanic to turn it off and on. They said the system "relearned" and all was right. And that the system was in triage mode. I tipped the intern and was relieved to have a car for the weekend.

So today, when I intended to take my ward for the usual afternoon walk, the fob was sucked in and there was a clicking sound and I experienced that sinking feeling when you have left out no mistake in the arc of battery charging, tow service call, independent Volvo spa experience.

There were also weird code messages about the park brake which I never use and the front and back lights seemed to be lit weirdly as well. It certainly has been a moment to rethink the entire Volvo wagon experience. I really just want the damn thing to run and not be too complicated. Also the manual had nothing to say about seized fobs. I had to play with it like a cheap pin ball machine to get the key out. So alternator or battery or just go and buy a CAMRY and say goodbye to the full time job of babying Volvo wagons?

I have no understanding of the logic about using a 'motor' to insert the key into the dash. Newer cars have remotes that stay in the pocket or purse, and a stop/start button.

If the battery terminals are corroded, I suggest getting a terminal cleaner/brush and cleaning the posts and the loop at the end of the wire. Go out and buy a battery 'minder' to give the car a full charge. That usually solves the 'key' motor problem and other 'flukes'. BTW, when cleaning battery terminals, remove the negative wire first and reattach it last.

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Keeping it running is better than buying new

The logic of using a motor to insert the key is not logic.

I will look for and dig out the drip charger. And as for the battery terminals, I will give that a shot as well.

As always thank you for the advice in regards to the Swedish bankers cars.

I know I'm jumping into this party a little late but I got the "willies" when I shoved in the fob to a beautiful '08 XC70 non-turbo (w/46K) at a local gas station.
The bladeless fob gizmo inserted a bit and pushed itself out.
The seller told me just to shove it in. It responded but I felt I was revisiting the days of a finicky cassette player.
SHAME ON VOLVO for being cute.

Servicing battery terminals IS NOT a superficial job.
Mix up a paper cup of baking soda and water and dunk the entire battery clamp into the slurry. You can always tear the cup to accommodate the cable's length.
Remember to brush the underside of the clamp too. Don't stop 'til it's 100% clean.
Clean the battery's posts with the same slurry a suitable brush.
RINSE
Then get a spray can of BATTERY TERMINAL SEALER.
Tear a wee hole in a paper shield and spray coat the post.
Apply the clamp and spray it too.

Sears-Roebuck (of all places) used that stuff on a battery I purchased and there was NO CORROSION over the life of the battery. I won't service a battery without it. I don't care if grandpa used moose fat or railroad grease.

Clean every ground you can find.

Unforgiving power supplies have been the rule for years now.

This is not just for Volvos. It seems that the 'newer' batteries don't have enough sealant around the posts, causing the white 'mold' to eat the zinc coating on the cable ends.

Buy a cleaning tool at the auto parts store, it is worth a couple of bucks. Disconnect the ground first and re-attach it last.

Baking soda really does work. I suggest removing the battery so that when rinsing it, the rinse water doesn't remain in the battery tray.

Before attaching the cables, thickly coat it with sealer. Especially the base of the terminal and the inside of the cable clamp.

For those with batteries in the rear of the car, make a note to inspect annually! Out of sight, out of mind, until it is too late. Reminds be to check my 2008 MB, where the battery is under the passenger seat - arrrgh.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Not that it will solve your problem, but check the battery terminals. It is common for an aging battery to develop corrosion around the negative post. That needs to be cleaned off and coated with di-electric grease. If it gets bad enough, you may have to replace the short ground cable.

A bad battery will result in a no start. Don't we just love new technology???

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Keeping it running is better than buying new

As always thanks for your help.

A new battery was required. The cars are juice pigs and when the charge is not sufficient the engine can run with shut down systems. The battery charges and or the battery replacement also messed around with some of the alarm programming which I reentered on the menu.

Klaus,

Done. Actually, the post were clean and tight, but the battery ended up being on it's way out. That led to a no-start crazy dash light problem mentioned in another thread. New battery went in, posts clean, terminals tight and it starts more enthusiastically but occasionally still doesn't respond to the start button without several ejection / reinsertion cycles.

I may follow James advice and consult the dealer on this one. It will be the first time in 11 years of multiple Volvo ownership.

Erwin

We're just experiencing the same issue with my wife's 2008 V70. Battery was new last summer, but terminal corrosion has been an issue for some reason. We'll clean that up first. We'll also try replacing the fob battery.

She tells me that she got the car to start after a few tries, but had no IP (instrument panel) and no signals. Headlights worked though. On a subsequent re-start, everything worked normally, except that the check engine light is on, for the first time in the five years we've owned the car.

I'd appreciate knowing what you found out at the dealer.

Aside from a leaking washer fluid reservoir, a bad brake caliper seal, and a split CV joint boot, this has been a superbly trouble-free car over 65,000 miles (total of about 120,000 on it now).

Figured out the problem. It was excessive corrosion on the negative battery terminal.

It's been cleaned up, and everything is working fine. We will continue to monitor this. The cable looks OK - corrosion does not seem to have penetrated the strands - but we may need to replace it at some point.

Sometimes, we just need to go back to basics! It reminds me of an old mechanic telling me a long time ago that the first step of a tune-up was to clean the battery terminals.

Same poster.

I have my car serviced at a dealer, as my other vehicles get my attention.

You really ought to talk to a dealer - you should have one, as there might be a recall or some other program going on.

BTW - in the last year, my dealer has twice offered a one hour trouble check for free, with written report of work that the car may need.

I also have an '08 (XC70)

It makes the chattering noise as it sucks the key in when it is inserted - it makes this noise every time. After I shut the car off, I push the key, and it spits back out with the chattering noise.

Once in twenty times or so, it spits it right back out - with the chattering noise. I just push it in again.

We have not had any starting problems.

Our '12 does not make any noise, and the key snaps into place.

If you do have to repair the key slot, see if you can use a later mechanism, such as in the the '12. The keys look identical to me, and I have inserted the wrong key into both cars by accident with no apparent problems - except the car won't start!