Hi,

I'm hoping you guys can help me. I have a 2000 S40 with 62K miles on it. Sometimes .recently more often than not, the car loses power when I'm starting off and even at highway speeds. I took the car to the shop and they were'nt a volvo dealer. He found a code p0014 and all he could offer to do was reset it. I put some fuel injection cleaner on a trip to Florida and it seemed to work okay although whenever I accelerated hard at 70+ it would still 'stumble' until I let off. The thing that bothers me the most is that it doesn't happen all the time and I think if it were the timing belt my engine would be toast right now. I'm under the impression that it's related to either ignition or possibly a fuel pump but would appreciate any feedback. I also thought it might be an O2 sensor but I was getting 35-37mpg on the highway on the trip to FLA and average about 31-32 on an average week. Sorry for being long winded but I haven't found much help anywhere on the web and I'm cheap.. :>

Thanks,

JamesH.

Mine had the same symptoms at about 30k. Dealer said plugs needed changing, I thought he was just trying to take me for the usual ride. I tried a lot of chemicals with little effect. Finally decided to take the plugs out and sure enough, they were burnt--gaps out to about .05 or something. Got new, cheap bosch platinums, gapped down to .030 and all problems solved, including chronic CEL. Read somewhere the prob. is that the ignition doesn't have the juice to make spark jump a wider gap, thus the stumbling/missing. The plugs claimed to be factory gapped BTW, but were way to wide out of the box. You might want to recheck yours and demand a refund for the MAP sensor (can the dealer say "Fraud"? I'll bet your state attorney general can.)

Update. I took it to the Volvo Dealership today and was stuck for $175.00 to replace the MAP Sensor on the turbo. The mechanic, after I paid, had come and told me that it also needed plugs which he had already put it in for another $78. He said that he replaced two of the plugs, I'm assuming the two where the caps weren't bolted down. Of course, I told him to take them out as I wasn't paying that kind of money for 4 spark plugs. After leaving there I went and got double titanium autolites (Sorry I'm a ford fan and they didn't have NKG's in stock). I installed the plugs and the car ran fine for about a 1/2 mile or so and then when I gunned it, guess what happens. The car starts to stumble again, exactly the same way it had before the MAP Sensor was replaced, and the check engine light flashed several times. I called the dealership and they said they couldn't see me until Tuesday but they said it was probably the plugs. And that it isn't the MAP Sensor then I would have to pay another $87 Diagnostic Fee! HELP!

BTW, Looked at the New S40 T5 and am a little mixed. It's a sharp car and has the bigger engine and all, but it's kinda round. Also scheduled a test drive for the S60R, I'm in love after sitting in it and playing around. I was planning on buying an S80 or another S or V 40 for my wife but this screwing around isn't boding well for them.

JamesH.

I want to know how you were getting 35-37 mpg!!! I'm jealous!

I'd take 19MPG if I could get it to run right! I called the volvo dealership as I saw a post about the CVVT Solenoid (Constant variable valve timing) and the guy there said he doubted that it was the problem. Of course, he didn't offer a possible diagnosis and they are too swamped to take me in. PLEASE HELP!!! I love this dinged up little car.

Sounds a lot like the symptoms I was having w/my 850 when the fuel pump was going out...

Just went thru a similar situation with mine....25,000 miles.Dealer said it needed plugs and that only Volvo Plugs work.Thats bull as Champion makes them.Any way $100 latter for 4 plugs and it works fine .No stumble etc .Its fixed..How are you getting that MPG?