I went out to the car this morning and it was dead. Bought a new battery from the dealer and when I connected the positive terminal there was a humming sound somewhere beneath the battery. Unplugged the power to the windshield wiper motor and the sound was still there. Unplugged the power to the air pump and the noise stopped. The airpump running overnight killed the battery.

Questions:
1. If I leave the air pump unplugged will I cause any problems? e.g. O2 sensors, etc. (I was told the check engine light will come on)

2. How much is a repair like this usually? I was quoted around $700 from both an indy shop and from a dealer to replace the relay, air pump, and valve.

3. How many hours (book rate) do dealers put on a repair like this? I am trying to figure out if it is worthwhile to buy the parts by myself (at a discount) and have an indy shop do the work.

Thanks in advance.

--
Brian M. - 1998 S70GLT, 1998 S70 GTA

P.S. If the engine is not running and the airpump comes on isn't this an obvious relay problem?
--
Brian M. - 1998 S70GLT, 1998 S70 GTA

I could not agree more!

BB - 1998 V70

Why not just replace the relay first? Obviously the air pump works! It ran until your battery ran out of juice. If not the relay, check the wiring for a crack/short. Perhaps some battery acid dripped on the wiring.

Klaus
--
98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 75 164E(173K mi)

Airpump $279 valve $139 an easy DIY 1 1/2 hours

No idea what the going rate is for this repair, but it sounds like a good scenario for Erie Volvo, a volvo recycler located in western NY. They've helped me out many times. Excellent prices, easy and fast shipping. They can tell you over the phone, immediately, what the cost of the (used) parts will be. www.erievovo.com.

Good luck!

--Dan L.
96 855T, 95k
93 Camry Wagon, 115k