Volvo 850 (problem with ignition?)

[Tony]

I have +7 years old Volvo 850 that until recently worked without a
glitch.
About a year ago it developed a strange problem: when turning the
ignition key, nothing happens - car behaves like the battery is
totally dead. Then, after trying several times it starts normally,
like there is no problem at all.
This is ghappening more and more often and always in more and more
'inapropriate' places (like waiting in line for a ferry...)
Using computer tester (terminal near the gear shift) never showed
anything what I guess is normal because I always reached the service
when car was working.

Does anybody have an idea what that may be; any similar experiences?

Thanks!

 

[Mike F]

I have +7 years old Volvo 850 that until recently worked without a
glitch.
About a year ago it developed a strange problem: when turning the
ignition key, nothing happens - car behaves like the battery is
totally dead. Then, after trying several times it starts normally,
like there is no problem at all.
This is ghappening more and more often and always in more and more
'inapropriate' places (like waiting in line for a ferry...)
Using computer tester (terminal near the gear shift) never showed
anything what I guess is normal because I always reached the service
when car was working.

Does anybody have an idea what that may be; any similar experiences?

Thanks!

The electrical part of the ignition switch is a very common intermittent
failure point. It's fairly easy to change, you only need to remove the
trim around the steering column.

 

[volvowrench]

[email protected] by Tony dropped his wrench, scratched his head and
mumbled,

I have +7 years old Volvo 850 that until recently worked without a
glitch.
About a year ago it developed a strange problem: when turning the
ignition key, nothing happens - car behaves like the battery is
totally dead. Then, after trying several times it starts normally,
like there is no problem at all.
This is ghappening more and more often and always in more and more
'inapropriate' places (like waiting in line for a ferry...)
Using computer tester (terminal near the gear shift) never showed
anything what I guess is normal because I always reached the service
when car was working.

Does anybody have an idea what that may be; any similar experiences?

Thanks!

Sounds fairly typical of a bad ground or bad battery cable end or
connection. You'll have to do a voltage drop test across the cables to
tell. Unless the engine is being turned by the starter and current is
going to the control unit, the OBDII system won't record a fault.

Bob

 

[Tony]

[email protected] by Tony dropped his wrench, scratched his head and
mumbled,
Sounds fairly typical of a bad ground or bad battery cable end or
connection. You'll have to do a voltage drop test across the cables to
tell. Unless the engine is being turned by the starter and current is
going to the control unit, the OBDII system won't record a fault.

Bob

I wish it is something so banal. During the period that this happens,
I changed the battery once and cleaned the battery terminals at least
every six months during regular service checkups. The problem comes
back, totally irregularly.
Is there something between the ignition switch and starter; some piece
of electronics? Dirty battery terminals often show up as dimmed
instrument lights (when the key is turned). Here, nothing like that -
the car is totally dead like the battery has been pulled out. Then
after half hour or half day the car starts normally.

Tony

 

[Kirth Gersen]

Did you consider that you have a bad ignition switch. They do
occasionally go bad you know.

Bev

They sure do, you may experience strange problems. As I did.
Replacing the ignition switch solved them all.

Kirth

 

[Tony]

Did you consider that you have a bad ignition switch. They do
occasionally go bad you know.

Bev

All checked OK. The car just came from workshop - condition 'perfect'.
In about a year this happened about 10-15 times. I hoped someone will
tell me it's anti theft device (came with the car) or maybe main
controller board. Just anything I can pull out and replace. I know one
Volvo 850 that would not start in humid weather; it was just that
controller.
Well folks, thanks anyway!

 

[RoadKill]

I have +7 years old Volvo 850 that until recently worked without a
glitch.
About a year ago it developed a strange problem: when turning the
ignition key, nothing happens - car behaves like the battery is
totally dead. Then, after trying several times it starts normally,
like there is no problem at all.
This is ghappening more and more often and always in more and more
'inapropriate' places (like waiting in line for a ferry...)
Using computer tester (terminal near the gear shift) never showed
anything what I guess is normal because I always reached the service
when car was working.

Does anybody have an idea what that may be; any similar experiences?

Thanks!

Hey, sounds like my 850. My wife spilt coke all over the gear shift. And then I started having the same symtoms as you. Every once in a while, I'd
turn the key.... nada. The engine would not turn. Just lights and fans would come on and even the radio. I knew the battery was good. I had to
have it towed once.

Then, someone told me he though it was a sticky switch that's attached to the gear shift, somehow. Hmmmmmmmm I thought... sticky switch. Then, one
day I accidently left the car in "drive" and turned the egnition key, and guess what happened???? Lights, radio, fan, but the engine didn't turn.
So, I put two and two together. When it happened to me again, what I did was to shake the gear shift while the car was in park. This seems to
loosened whatever was stuck and bingo..............the car fires up. This happens to me about every other month and this trick has worked for me
everytime.

In your case, sounds like that switch by the gear shift is worn out..... or did you also spill coke?

 

[Tony]

Hey, sounds like my 850. My wife spilt coke all over the gear shift. And then I started having the same symtoms as you. Every once in a while, I'd
turn the key.... nada. The engine would not turn. Just lights and fans would come on and even the radio. I knew the battery was good. I had to
have it towed once.

Then, someone told me he though it was a sticky switch that's attached to the gear shift, somehow. Hmmmmmmmm I thought... sticky switch. Then, one
day I accidently left the car in "drive" and turned the egnition key, and guess what happened???? Lights, radio, fan, but the engine didn't turn.
So, I put two and two together. When it happened to me again, what I did was to shake the gear shift while the car was in park. This seems to
loosened whatever was stuck and bingo..............the car fires up. This happens to me about every other month and this trick has worked for me
everytime.

In your case, sounds like that switch by the gear shift is worn out..... or did you also spill coke?

Bingo!
There is some switch near gearshift stick and that thing is 95% of
time dead for at least five years. Only sometimes it works, meaning
that I can get the gearshift stick out of 'P' without pushing that
small override button. I tried to change it but I have a mechanical
anti-theft device installed on the gearshift and it would be a major
workshop job. On the top of it, this seems to be very rarely changed
item and my mechanic has no clue about it.
|Some two years ago I found an illustrated procedure (following link
from this group) how to do that but because of my anti-theft device I
lost enthusiasm for doing it.
So I need two hands to get the gearshift out of 'P' but I can live
with that. It seemed to me that shaking gearshift helped but I was
obviously not energetic enough every time.
Does anybody know where to find the instructions on how to change that
switch?

 

[S. Nash]

I think....(someone correct me if I'm wrong)...its the PNP switch...I also
think my 94 850 has the same problem.

http://www.volvospeed.com/volvo_performance.php

HOT off the press...

I just looked at consumerguide.com for this model and this is what it said
for possible trouble spot:

Automatic transmission: If the transmission is sometimes difficult to shift
out of park, it is due to improper contact of the lockout microswitch.
(1994-96)

The shift microshift replacement is what you want to look for on the same
sight.

Does anyone have an idea of the parts an labor for this?

T&S




..

Hey, sounds like my 850. My wife spilt coke all over the gear shift.

[/QUOTE]
And then I started having the same symtoms as you. Every once in a while,
I'dto the gear shift, somehow. Hmmmmmmmm I thought... sticky switch. Then,
one