Help needed

[SWFS40]

Hello guys,

My first post here and unfortunately its a cry for help

We have a 2000 "V" reg. Volvo S40 1.8 auto that we've had since May 2010. It's an inbetweener in as much as its a phase one with phase two bits for example, it has phase one lights and suspension but has the B4184 S2 engine with VVT. When we bought it, it had covered just over 37,000 miles and has now almost reached 80,000 miles.

I have always carried out my own servicing on her and all thats ever been needed is oil, oil filter, air filter and spark plugs. I've always used genuine Volvo spares.

The issue I have is that after carrying out the same service as usual, 'plugs, oil and filter, air filter, this time she has developed a serious miss-fire so bad that the engine stalls completely at times.

I took a look at the coil packs and they both had long cracks pretty much down the entire length so I replaced both with new replacements. The miss-fire was still present. I then replaced the two plug leads again with genuine Volvo items and this seemed to make the difference but on a run just now the miss-fire returned just as bad and I had to nurse the car home.

I've put the old plugs back in and the miss-fire is still as bad.

I'm getting desperate for help now, as I need the car for work and I'm due back on Friday. I just phoned a Volvo garage in Chelmsford for a diagnostic check and the service reception manager laughed at me when I said I do my own servicing and that they were not interested in doing a diagnostic for me.

I need help guys...

sincerely

Pete H.

[V70 Graham]

.....I just phoned a Volvo garage in Chelmsford for a diagnostic check and the service reception manager laughed at me when I said I do my own servicing and that they were not interested in doing a diagnostic for me.....

Sorry Pete, can't help with your question, I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to help you out, though I do have some advice.....find another garage, disgusting reply imho

[volvokid]

If that was a genuine volvo dealer you need to make a complaint there!

[SWFS40]

Garage was Waterhouse Volvo in Chelmsford. Have the car booked into Lookers Volvo, Colchester tomorrow for a diagnostic. Have just downloaded the Torque app and bought a bluetooth code reader off ebay. Also booked into KwikFit tomorrow for a test on the cat...I've got a funny feeling the cat might have collapsed, giving a partial blockage in the exhaust.

[JUDGENINJA]

Have you done the MAF test? Run the engine, unplug the MAF and see if it changes. If there is no change then it could be that?

[SWFS40]

Have you done the MAF test? Run the engine, unplug the MAF and see if it changes. If there is no change then it could be that?

Guys,

Just home from Colchester and we have success. I can't praise Lookers Volvo Colchester enough for their help and honesty today. I delivered the car, explained the symptoms and what I'd tried to put things right, they actually listened.

After about an hour the Technician produced a big piece of plastic and said he'd found it attached to the MAF sensor inside the air intake. They'd found a code referring to a faulty MAF sensor, had a look and found the plastic. The chap reckons its been in there for a good while flapping about but christ knows how it got there, I've never even started the car without an air filter in place.

They reset the ECU, took it for a test drive and that was that. It now runs perfectly.

They could've put a new MAF in for all I know and charged me likewise but I was only charged for the diagnoses.

I'll have a look back in the vehicles history to see if the MAF has ever been changed before, we bought the car from the son of a Doctor who owned it from new, we have the original bill of sale and all the Volvo service receipts. One of these details that the CEM was replaced at less than 30,000 miles so its had some issues before.

Done now though and what a relief!

Cheers again for all the advice

regards

Pete H.