'94 960 160k was running like a Swiss watch cruising at 55mph about ten miles into an extended road trip. Suddenly, it was as if someone flipped a switch and the engine started running poorly. I was able to drive it home and park it, but it had no appreciable power - could not accelerate (estimated 0 - 60mph in ten days or so) or maintain flow-of-traffic speeds up a slight grade. During the drive home, the symptoms would periodically change (engine developed a shudder for a few seconds then quit shuddering - just ran poorly). The car sat for four days, and then I cranked it and drove it around the block. It ran fine.

I'm thinking the sudden failure and intermittent nature of the problem points to an electrical problem. FAQ info seems to suggest a power stage amplifier failure.

The car already was showing a check engine light with the code 2-1-2, even after I replaced the O2 sensor. Now it has an additional code 1-1-5. The fault table codes in the faq shows that 1-1-5 is not applicable, so I apparently don't know how to translate a code table.

Can anyone suggest a course of action for diagnosis? I'm a little reluctant to start pulling ignition coils unless I really need to, because I've read posts on this board about the wiring harness crumbling when disturbed.

BTW, if it turns out to be a power stage amplifier, where is it on the engine, and where can I buy an aftermarket? FCP Groton doesn't show it for the 960.

Thanks again for all the advice and instruction you can share.

Robert Reagan

It sure sounds like a power stage possible has a ground issue or I would also check the relay suppling power to both power stages. The stages should be locate on either side of the intake manifold below the throttle body. A poor connection on the plug to pin on the red wire on the relay suppling power to the power stages can give the symptoms you experienced. I had so many 113 and 115 codes I lost track of the number. Each time I had a problem I would put the transmission in N and turn the key to the off position and restart the engine which would run fine until the next time. The engine wouldn't restart with the car moving unless the key went to the off position.

I did the same thing and replaced the O2 sensor when I got a 212 code and still had the code afterwards. Turned out the problem was related to the 113 and 115 codes. When that was cleared up then no more 212 code.

Your car should have the Motronic 1.8 system in which a 1-1-5 is a code for the injector group 2.

Look for poor electrical connections as a first effort.

In particular if I remember past posts, check for worn away insulation where the harness runs between runners in the intake manifold. (Later cars like mine didn't run the harness there.)

Of course the usual checks of the connectors and grounding points should be done.

Let us know what you find.
--
'96 965 with 16' wheels at 120K. Had '85 745 Turbo Diesel for 200K.

If the problem is with injector group 2, what is the remedy? Does that mean that one of the injectors in the group is bad? Or is there a module somewhere that controls the group 2 injectors?

And does this mean that I can rule out the possibility of a power stage controller - assuming the problem is related to fuel injectors and not ignition?

I've never had this problem so the details haven't been burnt into my brain, but if my memory is correct from just scanning the wiring diagrams, the injectors are run by the ECU.

As I said before the first place I would look is at the connectors and wires.

I believe you are correct in that the "power stage" are ignition only units.
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'96 965 with 16' wheels at 120K. Had '85 745 Turbo Diesel for 200K.

Dear Robert,

Good p.m. and may this find you well. According to the Volvo Pocket data booklet - Cars; 700,850,900 󞩷-1996], Fault Code 1-1-5 is:

Motr 4.3 - Injector, cylinder 1, faulty signal.

This is the only mention of a Code 1-1-5, amongst all the codes listed.

I'm not familiar with the 960. The term "fault signal" suggests a problem in the power supply to that injector, or that injector 1 is not sending a signal to the ECU.

Wish I could tell you more, but I shall defer to the Board's many 960 experts.

Yours faithfully,

spook

115 does apply to your car. 115 is a fault with an injector group. Typical causes are bad injector relay, you can swap the injection relay with the ignition relay and see if that changes anything, a bad injector, caused by poor contact with the plug at the injector, corrosion on the big plug on the driver side wheel well, that I think was the cause of my 113/115 code. There has a number of people who had this code, it is not an easy one to chase down. Good luck.

DanR 94 964 265,000 miles (31,000 on the new engine)
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DanR