About four months ago, our 2000 S80 started giving us problems. It wouldn't start every time. You could put the key in the iginition, turn it, all the lights would come on, the fans would start blowing, the radio would come on, the fuel pump would whine, but the motor wouldn't turn over. It took three weeks for our local mechanic to duplicate the same problem. AFter consulting with two other dealerships, he finally concluded it was a problem with the security chip in the ignition key. He got the keys "re-programmed" and everything seemed to be OK. Until last night. It started doing this again. We had to leave the car overnight in a shopping center. We got back to the car this morning, and the damn thing started right up.

Has anyone else experienced this problem?

I had the same problem with starting my engine last month. My car wouldn't start on two occasions (each time during a winter storm). My car was towed twice to the dealership. The first time, they blamed it on a blown starter fuse. Two weeks later, my car wouldn't start again. They attributed it to a faulty starter that was sucking up the battery juice (an something about the solenoid shorting).They had to replace both the battery and starter. Now that that's fixed, I had about 2 weeks of vacation from visiting the dealership...until now. My power steering fluid is leaking. Since I've bought this car (in 2003), it's been a weekly, expensive nightmare.

I had a similar problem recently. Occasionally wouldn't start and left me stranded a few times. It would even sometimes give an immobilizer warning. Had the immobilizer fixed and updated immobilizer software downloaded for about $250. A few days later it did the same thing. The dealer kept it for a few days and found the starter to be the problem. Replaced the starter about four months ago and no more problems.

A friend had similar problems with his S80 -99, his mechanic suspected corroded terminals on the starter. This is obviously a common problem at least here in Sweden with lot of salt on the winter roads...

Your local mechanic most likley has no access to the most important tool that they need to do the most basic fault tracing on your car,that is a Vadis cart and the knowledge how to use it.The immoblizer system on your car is very complex,however once that nothing is verified wrong with that the basic way the starter is engaged is simple.

This shouldn't be an immobilizer problem. It won't keep the car from turning over. They tend to start (sorta) and then stall immediately when the antenna ring or the immoblizer module are faulty. In theory, there are only a few items that would cause a "no noise at all" fail to start, the neutral safety switch, the battery or the battery connection, or the starter. Of course I doubt my usual theories when it comes to these cars, so I will check for service bulletins and such. I can't think of any right off the top of my head...so if this had been a routine "issue" with this car I think I would have been plagued with it by now.

I'll let you know if I find anything,
Chris

I beg to differ with Chris. Immobilizer problems on S 80 WILL prevent the starter from operating.

Okay, I have just never experienced this. I checked my tech net notes, and you are most assuredly correct. Thank you for alerting me to the error in my thinking...I did say I didn't trust myself to "wing" it on the newer models. However, in the quick sheets, on this TNN 36-35 08-01-2002, it states:

No Crank, no text, no DTC (and I am assuming we have no text, or it would have been noted since it flashes before your eyes in the information screen):

S60,V70, V70XC, and S80 will not allow you to crank the car if:
* the gearshift is not in park/neutral mode
* clutch not pressed (Manual with start blocking)

As an FYI here, I have had to adjust TONS of gear selector cables and even replace two of these cables(for people who couldn't get their car out of park on an incline) so I guess it is reasonable to "assume" (yes, I know what assume stands for) that an out of adjustment or totally worn cable could cause a this no crank problem.

All the other No Crank sheets state that there is text displayed, such as

IMMOBILIZER SEE MANUAL
START PREVENTED TRY AGAIN
IMMOBILIZER START PREVENTED in which case there will be a hard code:
DTC 6C41 ICK short to plus
DTC 6C42 ICK short to ground/OC
DTC 6C43 IDS short to plus
DTC 6C44 IDS short to ground/OC
DTC 6C46 IAU internal fault
DTC 6C48 Wrong, not programmed, not recognized, or no transponder in key
DTC 6C49 Wrong transponder response

ICK = Immo clock, IDS = Immo data signal, IAU = antenna

So, I hope this helps everybody make a now "educated guess". Still a guess though...To the original poster of this thread...try wiggling the gear shift if/when it happens again.

Chris

I appreciate the feedback. The local guy (who handles Volvos, Saabs, BMW's and other foreign imports) is pretty decent -- and he knows what he doesn't know, if you get my drift. He took our car to a major Volvo Dealership in Lansing, and again to another dealership in Grand Rapids. My guess is that the dealerships have the equipment you mention, but whether they have mechanics qualified to use it properly is anybody's guess. I will mention this to our local guy, though.

At this point, my wife is losing confidence in an otherwise great car (it's left her stranded in awkward situations twice, now), and I'm not too keen on it, either. My '31 Model A is looking better and better right now. Simple. Bullet proof. Reliable. But a bit chilly for Michigan winter mornings.

Kevin

Kevin,

Sorry to hear about your troubles with the S80

By your thread you sound like your just around the corner. Local guys who do foreign car repairs here in Lansing are great for mechanical repairs, breaks mufflers etc. May i suggest you contact Swedish Engineering North in Ann Arbor. They are supper on tough problems. Call Corky Zaron at 374 761-1081

You can find me in the phone book Leo C Christel

2002 S80 2.9 model "an outstanding car"

I don't see any reference in this thread of messages to one "random no start" cause several others have experienced on this Forum and other Volvo forums: too many keys on your key ring. Evidently, other keys can interfere with the communication between the security tranceiver and the transponder in your key.

If not your normal practice, try removing any other keys or metallic trinkets attached to your remote.