Flashing check engine light!!! ARGH!

[dave854]

Today was a first... a flashing orange check engine light!

Has any one else come across this? and if so... any ideas what might be wrong?!

The car is a ME7 T5, it still drive normally, returning usual mpg and ticks over o.k. However, the christmas lights come on when it comes under heavy load (i.e. you put your foot down) in any gear. Once the power starts to come in the engine power seems to drop off rapidly as if the STC was doing its thing. It also has a similar feel to the STC operating, a kind of heavy vibration - the ecu limiting the power i guess. Let off and then it stops (doing odd things) and drives normally again.

The check engine light flashes for about 10-15 seconds if the car is under load and doing odd things for more than around 3 seconds.

I've had a look around under the bonnet but cannot see anything broken off fallen off. I will connect up to the laptop tonight and pull off the codes.

O yeah, it does it with STC switched on or off.

No previous problems like this that I know off

Any thoughts very welcome!!!

[dave854]

Ready the codes with the aid of my trusty ELM ready... well worth the money! using scantool software

P0305 is picked up (now cleared)... miss fire on number 5. Apparently it is usually down to a dodgy coil or plug.

Any thoughts?

Time to be getting diiirty!

[thebadger]

My ME7 had a big power failure (management lights) when Volvo forgot to reattach the intercooler hose!

Check you have no leaks on vacum & main hoses (get a mate to horse the engine with your head under the bonnet!) if it's something obvious, you'll spot it in a second!

[Filterlab]

Sap the coils round and then read the codes again, if the misfire has moved then it's the coil, if it hasn't then it's the plug. However my list is not exhaustive.

[dave854]

Plugs look a bit duff... due to be changed when I service it next... which will now be done a bit sooner! Will try and swap the coils over later and see if the code moves with it. I guess if it does the coil will be at fault. I'll update tomorrow

[ikp_77]

hi were did u get the soft were and stuf for lap top to read codes chears man

[dave854]

Swapped the coils around... fault code moved with them so I guess that means a new coil! Any idea on where the best place to get a decent one from? I don't want to put a cheep one on there. Would anyone recommend second hand?

I use Scantool 1.3 I think. This I believe available free as a download - I will check what version I have when I get home tonight. The interface I use is a ELM 327 USB Can based box as this is capable of reading the codes on '99 onwards. Have a look at item number 150299842884 on our favourite auction site.

[FatLadZ]

i had a coil from a local motor factors
it ended up being a cheaper alternative to the ones on ebay.
the one i got was a beru one and was £45

[dave854]

Volvo want £60 for a new one, i've spotted some second hand ones with buy it now for £12 on eBay (need to check the part numbers). Worth a try?

Will see what my local motor factor wants first I think.

[dave854]

Sorry, forgot to update this! Got a coil from a forum Memeber, all running nicely again now