Volvo RWD 900 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 4/2002 900 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Prospective Purchase Advice Needed (Electrical Issues) 900

posted by  lanciat on  Wed Oct 29 12:19 CST 2008
Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
last visit: Wed Jan 21 05:15 CST 2009
[RELATED]

Just went to look at a very clean 940 turbo wagon. About 120K miles on the clock. However:

1. The current owner does not have extensive service records, which means that I'd do a timing belt change as a matter of course. That's something I could handle on my own.

2. Looks like some oil leakage at the turbo hoses, which could mean a turbo rebuild and turbo hose replacement ($$$$, per the FAQ).

So far, normal wear and tear. But the BIG issues are electrical:

3. Owner has been experiencing stalling on start up, and has been taking it to a (non-Volvo) repair shop, who has been selectively throwing parts at the problem. New alternator and battery installed in February. Owner said that she last drove the car a week ago, but the battery was virtually dead when I tried to start it up tonight. I had to jump the car to start it. Yellow warning light on the dash when I turn the headlights on, which the owner said occasionally goes into flashing mode. Power windows, mirrors and sunroof all work fine.

All of my instincts are telling to to run, and yet . . . .

How tough is it to diagnose electrical issues on these cars? I've had some experience with a multi-meter (though not a lot).

Thanks a lot for any help.








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Owners manual for you - Volvo Club Thailand 900

    posted by  someone claiming to be V70driver on  Sun Nov 2 13:46 CST 2008 [RELATED]

    http://www.volvoclubthailand.com/man/pdf/om/volvo_940_owners_manual_1995.pdf


    Volvo Club Thailand has the owners manual online as a pdf file. This is a great resource, thanks Thai Volvo fans. I think most Thai Volvos are right hand drive.

    If the 940 you are looking at has some erratic electrical problems, the solution may be as simple as a general cleaning of contacts, grounds, and lamp sockets. Get some beers in the cooler and spend a Saturday cleaning every contact and connector you can find. Use steel wool or a sanding stick (the type for your fingernails). New bulbs, the genuine European ones, can't hurt either. I have found that new battery cables are a wise investment (not the clamp-on tips but genuine cables with soldered connectors). Good luck.








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Prospective Purchase Advice Needed (Electrical Issues) 900

    posted by  trichard on  Thu Oct 30 01:37 CST 2008
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Fri Oct 24 05:52 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    logic, common sense, a multimeter and patience are all you need to resolve electrical troubles and usually very little money. sometimes almost none.

    since they are the most difficult problems to solve on a car and for mechanic....because they are so time consuming for him he must charge a lot to a customer who does not see the value for money received...you should be able to negotiate a very good discount off the price to buy.

    after all a mechanic might charge 3 hours labor to find a 20 dollar problem.

    if it isn't leaking oil out the rear main seal or a seized engine....about the only problems which usually stop me from a buying a car unless it is near free.... go for it








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Prospective Purchase Advice Needed (Electrical Issues) 900

    posted by  Steve on  Wed Oct 29 14:11 CST 2008
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Fri Oct 24 07:16 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    The electrical issues should be both easy (but time consuming) to diagnose and cheap to repair. They will cause a large drop in the price of the car.

    You can handle the turbo removal. Rebuild=$350 and new hoses around $200.
    --
    See the 700/900 FAQ at the select shortcut button on the top right of the screen.








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    Prospective Purchase Advice Needed (Electrical Issues) 900

    posted by  Horatio on  Wed Oct 29 12:32 CST 2008
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Wed Aug 20 22:11 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    I think you have an easy to fix problem since it seems to be non-intermittent, so you can isolate the problem by pulling fuses or just taking a few measurements of charging and draining, etc. I just recently got a 940 but it looks as easy at a 740, which was never a hassle. Which yellow light is that? I'll look on my car. I personally love electrical problems because the parts are cheap, usually. You might want to start with determining if there is an overnight drain of a fully charged battery. So, is the problem faulty charging or faulty draining? I remember using the faq for the 740 and it was helpful.








    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      Prospective Purchase Advice Needed (Electrical Issues) 900

      posted by  lanciat on  Thu Oct 30 00:36 CST 2008
      Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
      last visit: Wed Jan 21 05:15 CST 2009
      [RELATED]

      As I recall, the yellow light was in the lower center of the dash pod, and looked like a light bulb with an exclamation point in it.








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

        Prospective Purchase Advice Needed (Electrical Issues) 900

        posted by  Horatio on  Wed Nov 12 12:04 CST 2008
        Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
        last visit: Wed Aug 20 22:11 CST 2014
        [RELATED]

        Yep, that light may just mean that a brake light is out or something very minor. (Or even that that a bulb is drawing a bit too much current). Maybe that is also a clue to the battery drain problem.








      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

        Prospective Purchase Advice Needed (Electrical Issues) 900

        posted by  Jim Holst on  Sat Nov 1 08:39 CST 2008
        Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
        last visit: Tue Jan 4 11:05 CST 2011
        [RELATED]

        I believe you are referring to the "Bulb Out" indicator which comes on when there is an imbalance between two matching lights such as the two headlights or two brake lights. This imbalance usually occurs when a bulb burns out thus giving no current draw to the burned out bulb and normal current to the other bulb. However, this imbalance could also occur if one of the bulbs in the pair has a partial short to the chassis. Have checked the headlights, brake lights, tail and parking lights when the yellow warning light is on? This will tell you where to start looking.

        I agree with the others that electrical problem can take long top solve but usually don't cost much to fix. If you can get a wiring diagram for your car, it will help a whole lot.








        •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

          Prospective Purchase Advice Needed (Electrical Issues) 900

          posted by  lanciat on  Sun Nov 2 04:31 CST 2008
          Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
          last visit: Wed Jan 21 05:15 CST 2009
          [RELATED]

          I actually went back to take a closer look at the car today. The yellow warning light in question is in the left center of the dash pod, and actually looks like an upside down light bulb (or an old-time drawing of a bomb) with an exclamation point in the center and lines radiating out from the outside of the bulb/bomb. As the car had no owner's manual, I was unable to determine the light's function.

          Anyone know what this light signifies? And does it ever flash, as opposed to being illuminated in a steady state?

          Problems with the car are (a) something is draining the battery; and (b) stalling on start up when cold.

          Other things I noticed from repair records or visual inspection are (a) A/C compressor is dead; (b) looks like slight coolant seepage from the block/head joint at cylinder 1, indicating need for head gasket change in the future (although no oil visible in coolant reservoir, which is a good thing); and (c) radio appears to be dead.

          On the positive side, car has Bosch FI, rather than Rex Regina, and interior of turbo hose showed only oil hazing, rather than oil wetness.








          •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

            Prospective Purchase Advice Needed (Electrical Issues) 900

            posted by  hardknocks! on  Sun Nov 2 04:36 CST 2008
            Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
            last visit: Sun Oct 12 06:42 CST 2014
            [RELATED]

            Hello
            sounds like maybe the bulb out light.
            all turbos are bosch. although it seems like rex/regina is just as if not more reliable than bosch.
            good luck
            mike







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.