Service light...no codes/ '94 850 850

Nov 30, 2005 8 Replies

Got back from the UK last night, and pulled the '94 850 n/a out of long term parking at the airport...8 days since last driven.



I got a Service Engine light immediately, but it went out after 2 or 3 minutes. Car ran fine. Stopped a few minutes later for fuel (I left it at the airport nearly empty), and it did the same thing. All day today, each time I started the car, warm or cold, the light came on, and went out in a few short minutes. The car continues to run fine.



I just checked for codes, and both A2 and A6 are 1-1-1. (Nothing else should trigger the light, per VolvoSpeed) Started the engine, and the light came on as it has been. Shut the car down while the light was on, checked for codes, still nothing! I even tried starting the car, and checking while the engine is running (supposedly not advised), still all I get is 1-1-1! Checked all other sockets, and only got the speed sensor signal, as expected.



I did find the rubber fuel line the the fuel rail is starting to crack, no seepage showing but a faint fuel odor under the hood, so that'll need to be replaced, but I can't imagine that triggering the service light. I also replaced the flame trap the day before we left, but had no Service light until last night. I did check to see if it or one of the rubber lines came loose, but they were fine.



Any ideas why the Service light is acting this way?



Thanks!



Ron


Ron/Champ 6


1963 8E5 Champ (Champ 6)
1995 VW Passat (Vanilla..yuk)
1994 Volvo 850 (Tilley)
1973 Volvo 1800 ES (Hyacinth Bucket)

Is it the service light or the check engine light?

If it's the service light, it just means that you've gone 5000 miles since someone last reset the service light, i.e. it's time to change your oil. It comes on for a couple of minutes every time you start the car, until you reset it.

Depending on the year of your 850 it's either trivial or impossible to reset it yourself. See

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1963 8E5 Champ (Champ 6) 1995 VW Passat (Vanilla..yuk) 1994 Volvo 850 (Tilley) 1973 Volvo 1800 ES (Hyacinth Bucket)

If you have access to the super-expensive Volvo diagnositc computer (VADIS), like the dealer does, you can reprogram the Service Light Interval, i.e. how many miles between turn ons.

On my 1996 850's, you can't turn off the service light without the fancy computer (a short-lived Volvo ploy to make you get a $99 oil change at the dealer every 3 months). One minimal workaround for this problem is to cajole your dealer into setting the interval to the maximum (15,000 miles, I believe), so you can do normal affordable oil changes 4/5 of the time.

-RL

Or, if you're like me (another '96 850 owner), just ignore it :-)) It goes away after about 2 minutes anyway. Some people have suggested a small square of black electrical tape over the indicator, I don't think it's worth the bother.

The

Regards Barry

Ron/Champ 6

1963 8E5 Champ (Champ 6) 1995 VW Passat (Vanilla..yuk) 1994 Volvo 850 (Tilley) 1973 Volvo 1800 ES (Hyacinth Bucket)

Ron/Champ 6

1963 8E5 Champ (Champ 6) 1995 VW Passat (Vanilla..yuk) 1994 Volvo 850 (Tilley) 1973 Volvo 1800 ES (Hyacinth Bucket)

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