1998 V70 AWD ABS rear speed sensors

[tom_sawyer70]

Following my trip to the mechanic for the intermittant stalling issue,
the ABS light came on and they recommended replacing the two rear speed
sensors. There was a considerable part and labor expense associated
with the estimate to repair and in reading online, it seems to be that
those sensors are typically replaced for such conditions but do not
resolve the issue.

The sensors themselves do not look complicated, but I have not found
instructions on replacement. Are they hard to replace and/or in a
difficult spot (the reason for the high labor estimate)?

I've read where PnP switches, mass air meters and other components are
more likely to be the real root cause. Could these be replaced (less
expensively) as an interim step before attempting the speed sensors?

TIA

 

[John Horner]

Following my trip to the mechanic for the intermittant stalling issue,
the ABS light came on and they recommended replacing the two rear speed
sensors. There was a considerable part and labor expense associated
with the estimate to repair and in reading online, it seems to be that
those sensors are typically replaced for such conditions but do not
resolve the issue.

I wouldn't do it. The ABS controller fails on these cars with
depressing regularity and the computer codes often point to failed
sensors when in fact a trace inside the controller is what has really
gone wrong. Mechanics do what the computer tells them and customers
pay for sensor replacements, yet often the real failure has not been
fixed.

My guess is that your "mechanic" is clearly not a specialist in late
model Volvos!

This guy has fixed zillions of these controllers and has a good
reputation in Volvo enthusiast circles. Check it out:

http://home.earthlink.net/~vicrocha/

John

 

[tom_sawyer70]

I wouldn't do it. The ABS controller fails on these cars with
depressing regularity and the computer codes often point to failed
sensors when in fact a trace inside the controller is what has really
gone wrong. Mechanics do what the computer tells them and customers
pay for sensor replacements, yet often the real failure has not been
fixed.

My guess is that your "mechanic" is clearly not a specialist in late
model Volvos!

This guy has fixed zillions of these controllers and has a good
reputation in Volvo enthusiast circles. Check it out:

http://home.earthlink.net/~vicrocha/

John

John,
Thanks for the post. I had read that site earlier, which is one of the
reasons I had some questions whether or not to replace the sensors or
look elsewhere.

Dave

 

[Mike F]

Following my trip to the mechanic for the intermittant stalling issue,
the ABS light came on and they recommended replacing the two rear speed
sensors. There was a considerable part and labor expense associated
with the estimate to repair and in reading online, it seems to be that
those sensors are typically replaced for such conditions but do not
resolve the issue.

The sensors themselves do not look complicated, but I have not found
instructions on replacement. Are they hard to replace and/or in a
difficult spot (the reason for the high labor estimate)?

I've read where PnP switches, mass air meters and other components are
more likely to be the real root cause. Could these be replaced (less
expensively) as an interim step before attempting the speed sensors?

TIA

The sensors themselves are not hard to get at - the problem is that
they're joined in a very long common harness that goes over the gas
tank, that's what requires the time and costs the money. And the big
joke (as others in this thread have mentioned) is that it'll be wasted
money - 99.99% the problem is with the control unit.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)