A bit of back story to myself and the car. I’ve done a lot of back yard mechanicing. Full engine and automatic transmission rebuilds, rear end, transfer case,etc. As long as I have a good manual, I can figure it out. Pretty much all of my wrenching tutors have been aircraft and jet engine mechanics, and as a pilot, I guess you could say I have a different approach to maintenance than most. Now, by no means do I feel confident throwing a wrench on anything, I definitely do my homework and read through a few good manuals before I even think about grabbing the tool box. And I am far from knowing it all. I know just enough to know I know just enough to be dangerous.
My wife inherited the car, and it’s in pretty good shape, it’s all wheel drive, which means, at least in the US, the 5 cylinder turbo. My first Volvo, my first inline, and my first turbocharged car. It sat outside a lot, and didn’t get driven very often, and there’s lots of loose ends and little things I’d like to fix. I’ve got a Bluetooth OBDII scanner and I use the torque Android app. I’ve got a list of things from dash info, the scanner, and just good old fashioned ears.
1) parking assist light – could be dirty sensors, the car did go in the car wash green and come out white, but even after a good bath, the light is still on, so I’m assuming a bad sensor. Would VIDA/DICE be able to tell what sensor is bad, or how do you tell what sensor is bad? I’m not against replacing them all, other than I believe the ones on the car are color matched to the bumper, and the ones I can get are just black. Would be sensors have to be painted, or is that just a cap?
2) alarm system service – two thoughts on this one, one, the siren module. But, the key we have is also broken. The metal blade(switchblade style key) broke out of the upper half, and is now held back together by a zip tie, so I don’t know if the key is the issue. When we got the car, before the key broke, the moonroof worked, and I believe the moonroof is one of the things that gets disabled with the siren module, and I don’t think it’s likely the siren module died a few days after we got the car.
2a) the sunroof no longer works. Could be the siren module, but I’ll be in there anyway, at least a little, to tighten those bolts down. It’s not rattling, but I might as well check.
3) Winter driving button – not that I think we’ll use it often, I’ve heard people say it’s hard on the transmission, because it starts in 3rd, so there’s more clutch slippage, but I’d like it to at least work. Right now, you push the button and nothing happens. I do have a few U0167 “network” codes that come up on the scan(screenshot posted) no idea where to go on this one
4) P0100 pops up on my scan for a MAF. I don’t see any dash lights, but I know all codes don’t throw a light. I’m not a fan of cleaning MAF’s, I haven’t had much luck, so I’d rather replace it, but seeing it as just a generic code makes me think that since the car didn’t get driven much, rodents might have nibbled on wiring. I haven’t seen much in the way of nests or other evidence. I could probably probe around with a multi meter to check continuity. Any other ideas here?
5) P0530 pressure sensor circuit – more rodents? Any way to narrow this down? Jump the pressure switches until the compressor kicks on? I’ve got a set of AC gauges, so I can check pressures on both sides.
6) these P0167 codes, is that something the Volvo diagnostic software can read? The way I understand it, VIDA is the programming side of things, and DICE is the diagnostic part?
6a) getting VIDA – I assume there’s no mobile app, so a laptop it is. Will VIDA take a Bluetooth plug? If not would a simple USB one be fine it does it have to speak swedish?
That’s really the end of what I need help with, but I do have other things that I think I have pretty well sorted out, but I’m open to guidance.
7) the old clunks and bangs going over bumps – I’m sure the spring seats are gone, sway bar end links, and I’ll probably do the easy motor mounts. I tried going through IPD to do their strut builder, but I’m just confused by all the options. Not a fan of unleasing the best that is coil springs, and at least one of the front tires has some cupping, so I’m leaning towards replacing it as an assembly. There also seems to be a clunk that comes from center of the car, to me it sounds like it’s under the center arm rest area. It sounds like a suspension clunk. About where a center differential would be, if this car has one.
8) timing belt – there’s a gates sticker(I can’t remember if it’s on the fender well – under the hood, or on the power steering pump reservoir) stating that the timing belt was done,I believe on “schedule” at 105k. But the shop that did it, I haven’t been impressed by their work. My wife took her Elantra there while we were dating for what turned out to be a bad ignition coil. Once the engine bay got hot from running, it had an occasional miss at idle. Since it only happened after a good bit of driving, the shop wasn’t able to duplicate it. They didn’t even plug a scanner in, because if they did, they would have seen a soft code for a cylinder misfire. They also must vacuum the oil out then hit the drain plug with a few ugga-duggas, because every drain plug I’ve tried to get out after them has been not even excessively over tight, but extremely excessively over tight. My wife’s Elantra was a fight, that ended up needing the drain plug replaced, and this thing is no different. I was hanging my not so slim self off a half inch drive breaker bar and it won’t budge. The oil filter on this i believe was supposed to only have 2500 miles on it, but it was just packed, so I’m not sure they change the filter on it every time, and they don’t use good oil. I know timing belts aren’t a simple task, but I have done a few timing belts and chains(just not in the vehicle) so I’m not sure how difficult gaining access to the belt is, because if it’s an afternoons task, I might throw a new belt in.
9) and last, keys – we’ve got the one broken key at the moment. A top key from IPD will solve that. I’d like a second key, and thought the whole key and remote from IPD would work, but you need to transfer over the immobilizer and electronics from your key into it, so no go. The Volvo remote from IPD is 215 bucks, but I was really hoping to score a cheap key. I know VIDA is particular about keys, and you can’t really reprogram a used one (I believe you need the keys serial number, I know it’s on a paper you don’t want to loose but everyone does, and I doubt an old key will have it. Is there a reliable place to get at least remotes from cheaper than IPD? Can I get like a service key? Just a key that will start the car and unlock stuff, but not have the remote? I’d like to have some kind of backup key.
Well, I think that about covers it. If you made it this far, thank you
