Limp Mode issue 940 2.3 Estate

[Fulci]

Hi
On the whole, I've really enjoyed my first Volvo, acquired 6 months ago. A friend gave me it and his late dad bought it new in 1996. Low mileage 106k. However (!) I'm getting an ongoing issue of the lambda light and limp mode, something that neither my friend nor his dad ever experienced.
I took it to a mechanic who thought it was the turbo. He removed the turbo, drilled a hole in the waste gate pivot pin and fit a split pin. The performance was smoother, but ultimately this did not fix the issue. Another mechanic (the one who has known the car since new and returned to work after an op) says there are too many variable to know what the cause is and that diagnostics from this era are next to useless.

For what its worth the times its gone into limp mode were all in a built up area (thankfully not whilst going 70 on the M25) and there's not much else to say. There's no particular pattern to it. Sometimes it starts first time afterwards, sometimes it had to be turned over maybe 3 times, and when it doesn't start again first time, it sometimes doesn't even turn over and look for a spark, it sometimes has nothing when turned, but then later turns over and fires up. But often it has no issue turning over and firing up first time after the limp mode issue forces me to pull over again with the hazards on....

Does anybody have any ideas what causes this?
I'm in Essex, does anybody know a great mechanic who knows these cars?

I'm desperate to sort this out as I start a new job soon and in that job will be travelling locally throughout the day and I can only own one car at a time these days.

Thanks in advance
Danny

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Fulci

Hi
On the whole, I've really enjoyed my first Volvo, acquired 6 months ago. A friend gave me it and his late dad bought it new in 1996. Low mileage 106k. However (!) I'm getting an ongoing issue of the lambda light and limp mode, something that neither my friend nor his dad ever experienced.
I took it to a mechanic who thought it was the turbo. He removed the turbo, drilled a hole in the waste gate pivot pin and fit a split pin. The performance was smoother, but ultimately this did not fix the issue. Another mechanic (the one who has known the car since new and returned to work after an op) says there are too many variable to know what the cause is and that diagnostics from this era are next to useless.

For what its worth the times its gone into limp mode were all in a built up area (thankfully not whilst going 70 on the M25) and there's not much else to say. There's no particular pattern to it. Sometimes it starts first time afterwards, sometimes it had to be turned over maybe 3 times, and when it doesn't start again first time, it sometimes doesn't even turn over and look for a spark, it sometimes has nothing when turned, but then later turns over and fires up. But often it has no issue turning over and firing up first time after the limp mode issue forces me to pull over again with the hazards on....

Does anybody have any ideas what causes this?
I'm in Essex, does anybody know a great mechanic who knows these cars?

I'm desperate to sort this out as I start a new job soon and in that job will be travelling locally throughout the day and I can only own one car at a time these days.

Thanks in advance
Danny

your ECU is not as sophisticated as modern ECU's which have limp mode. you are loosing power for some reason how about low fuel pressure for example, tank or main pump worn out? connect a pressure gauge and monitor it as you drive.....

[griston64]

Originally Posted by Fulci

Hi
On the whole, I've really enjoyed my first Volvo, acquired 6 months ago. A friend gave me it and his late dad bought it new in 1996. Low mileage 106k. However (!) I'm getting an ongoing issue of the lambda light and limp mode, something that neither my friend nor his dad ever experienced.
I took it to a mechanic who thought it was the turbo. He removed the turbo, drilled a hole in the waste gate pivot pin and fit a split pin. The performance was smoother, but ultimately this did not fix the issue. Another mechanic (the one who has known the car since new and returned to work after an op) says there are too many variable to know what the cause is and that diagnostics from this era are next to useless.

For what its worth the times its gone into limp mode were all in a built up area (thankfully not whilst going 70 on the M25) and there's not much else to say. There's no particular pattern to it. Sometimes it starts first time afterwards, sometimes it had to be turned over maybe 3 times, and when it doesn't start again first time, it sometimes doesn't even turn over and look for a spark, it sometimes has nothing when turned, but then later turns over and fires up. But often it has no issue turning over and firing up first time after the limp mode issue forces me to pull over again with the hazards on....

Does anybody have any ideas what causes this?
I'm in Essex, does anybody know a great mechanic who knows these cars?

I'm desperate to sort this out as I start a new job soon and in that job will be travelling locally throughout the day and I can only own one car at a time these days.

Thanks in advance
Danny

Has anyone read the codes ??

[Forrest]

If the car is recent enough to have an OBD socket in the armrest compartment then you will need a homemade code reader like the ones described in this thread.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?p=2660813

Otherwise, it will have a diagnostic module under the bonnet as described in the FAQ.

Either way, the meaning of the codes is covered in the FAQ.

Speaking from personal experience, it is worth trying new leads, rotor arm and distributor cap if the condition or age of the current ones is at all suspect. I found the centre contact in my distributor cap had completely worn away and the car started playing up only when the arcing burnt away too much of the copper on the rotor arm.

There is a sort of limp home mode which is how the car runs if you disconnect the MAF. The only time I tried this I don't think it would have made it home.

[Fulci]

Not been able to personally, and the mechanics Ive taken the car to have not had anything to read them.

[griston64]

Originally Posted by Fulci

Not been able to personally, and the mechanics Ive taken the car to have not had anything to read them.

Loki the GLT on here can make you a code reader or there may be a VOC member near you that has one

No point in just firing the parts cannon as it can get expensive

Being a 96 car it will have the OBD port in the armrest but you need a homemade reader

I'm curious about the mechanic drilling a hole on the wastegate arm as there should be one there ???

[Fulci]

Originally Posted by Forrest

If the car is recent enough to have an OBD socket in the armrest compartment then you will need a homemade code reader like the ones described in this thread.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?p=2660813

Otherwise, it will have a diagnostic module under the bonnet as described in the FAQ.

Either way, the meaning of the codes is covered in the FAQ.

Speaking from personal experience, it is worth trying new leads, rotor arm and distributor cap if the condition or age of the current ones is at all suspect. I found the centre contact in my distributor cap had completely worn away and the car started playing up only when the arcing burnt away too much of the copper on the rotor arm.

There is a sort of limp home mode which is how the car runs if you disconnect the MAF. The only time I tried this I don't think it would have made it home.

Thanks for your responses. I forgot to mention that over the last week theres a fuel smell coming through, so the fuel pump might be on its way out, and that is quite possibly related to the bigger issue of limp mode.

[griston64]

Originally Posted by Fulci

Thanks for your responses. I forgot to mention that over the last week theres a fuel smell coming through, so the fuel pump might be on its way out, and that is quite possibly related to the bigger issue of limp mode.

As others have said these cars don't have limp mode. It's just an intermittent fault somewhere.

[Dirty Rooster]

Originally Posted by Fulci

Hi
On the whole, I've really enjoyed my first Volvo, acquired 6 months ago. A friend gave me it and his late dad bought it new in 1996. Low mileage 106k. However (!) I'm getting an ongoing issue of the lambda light and limp mode,...

Wait. What? There's a limp mode??

...or is there ... (sinister
music plays)

I've had great results with a new ebay O2 sensor, £23 last year.

[Mertz]

Originally Posted by Fulci

Thanks for your responses. I forgot to mention that over the last week theres a fuel smell coming through, so the fuel pump might be on its way out, and that is quite possibly related to the bigger issue of limp mode.

Fuel pump relays are a known issue. Fuel pressure regulator also suspect if original.

What you need is diagnosis in person, not Internet idiots like me giving ammo for the parts cannon.