So my barely a week old XC90 T6 won't start. Digital dash is powered and so is sensus but turning the start knob just has starter working hard and never succeeding. VOC is sending someone to jump start. If that doesn't work then they will tow the car to nearest dealer.

I'm very frustrated about happening to a brand new car. Any similar experiences ?

Seems not heard of. For an old car the diagnosis would be on fuel pump, ignition coil, throttle body etc. But a new car is totally different. Hope it is easy.

 

So the road side assistance person connected his jumper battery and we couldn’t start the car. His hypothesis is Car doesn’t have a sufficient gas. Last I checked it has 1/4 tank (with 80mi to empty showing on dash) so that shouldn’t not be the problem. VOC offers to send a tow truck but being a weekend I don’t see how that would help right away. So frustrating.

I wish VOC had a mechanic online to help diagnose the issue.

 

So the road side assistance person connected his jumper battery and we couldn't start the car. His hypothesis is Car doesn't have a sufficient gas. Last I checked it has 1/4 tank (with 80mi to empty showing on dash) so that shouldn't not be the problem. VOC offers to send a tow truck but being a weekend I don't see how that would help right away. So frustrating.

I wish VOC had a mechanic online to help diagnose the issue.

It is technically possible, if you buy a OBDII-Ethernet adapter and hooked up VIDA, like what dealers do, they of course can get access to your car.
However this would depends on how critical the case is.

It is easier if they can get you a rental of XC90 for several days, through Volvo car sharing service that they are trying to start. I think it is possible that there are other XC90 owners happen to be able to spare their car for a few days.

Well think again, I think remote diagnosis is still useful that it doesn't take dealer's time and resource, and diagnosis is usually the hard part. If Volvo has some engineers doing remote diagnosis, it actually help them reduce dealer cost within warranty.

 

So tried to start the car again this morning. Car cranks and seemed to start briefly and then turned off. Engine light came on with the dreaded 'Engine Reduced Performance message'. I called VOC for towing it to nearest dealership.

I pray this doesn't turn out to be a lemon. Any guidance on how/what to document in case it is? I have been taking photos and videos So frustrating!!:angryfire:

The good part is VOC is taking care of everything but to experience this within 10days of buying a 65k+ car is disheartening. I expect a solidly built and reliable car that performs as expected every single time.

I hope Volvo Operations and R&D is paying attention to Swedespeed posts.

 

I pray this doesn't turn out to be a lemon. Any guidance on how/what to document in case it is? I have been taking photos and videos So frustrating!!:angryfire:

First step is to relax. You bought a car, it's having problems. Happens to every brand & model and it's not dependent on how much money you paid. Just like in aviation, everyone assumes new planes will be more reliable, but the opposite is true. A new car has new systems that haven't been run repeatedly. It's good to suss out the issue early.

Volvo will get it solved; give them some time to work through the issues. Your best move is just to talk to your Service Advisor and the Service Manager. Tell them you're a little frustrated, but want to give them the time to get it right. Having those guys as friends will go a long way - If you continue to struggle to get it resolved, they can advocate for you.

 

Is the vehicle parked in an incline? I've seen something like this before (not on a Volvo), where the incline makes the remaining fuel (with a gas tank near empty) not fully accessible. The remedy was to call for assistance and fill in an extra gallon or so. Then, the car started without issues.

I'm not talking about the slight incline in most driveways; this was on a hilly street.

 

Good point! This is a relatively flat street. And not to forget it has 1/4 tank of Gas, that should be good enough in most situations.

 

Well! Drama continues. The towing truck was here but car wont release the parking brake either automatically or manually. So we are now going to get a Dolly truck.

Why not fill it with a few gallons of fuel and try again? I've heard of some cars having a calibration issue with the fuel. You could just be out of gas.

Any check engine lights etc?

Yes, the check engine light came on once in the morning as I mentioned earlier with message 'Reducing engine performance' It has not appeared again.
I could fill it but I would rather the dealer handle that. That would provide opportunity to deal with any VIDA issues. In addition, dealing with Capless fuel filler adds a bit more complexity and anxiety.

 

They have a filler nozzle under the truck as part of the emergency / hazard kit.

 

Yes, I did notice that. I would need a Gas container and local stores didn't have one.

 

It very well could be lack of fuel despite fuel gauge position and range remaining. Keep in mind that people have run dry with 30-40 miles of range remaining on the display. It is one of the XC90’s few faults in my opinion.

 

It very well could be lack of fuel despite fuel gauge position and range remaining. Keep in mind that people have run dry with 30-40 miles of range remaining on the display. It is one of the XC90's few faults in my opinion.

Agreed. And the CEL could be a direct result of lack of fuel, hence throwing a code.

 

update: Just got a call from dealership saying that the Fuel pump fuse is blown. They have opened a hot case with Volvo to diagnose the cause of blown fuse. If Volvo doesnt have anything to recommend, then they will be following the wiring to check if there is any pinched or stripped wire that's causing this.

anyone heard this before?

 

Probably they can replace the fuel pump and see if it works. Of course need to be approved by Volvo for warranty work. So need some time.

 

Maybe the fuse was blown due to the fuel pump becoming overheated and/or overworked due to lack of fuel in the tank.

 

Not supposed to be broken so easily I guess, with still 1/4 tank of fuel.
I never heard of a working fuel pump is destroyed this way even when car run out of fuel. Pump life may be affected but break down in a few weeks? Never heard of.

 

I generally think that automobile parts are built to tolerate edge conditions with sufficient margins so cranking with no fuel is something that a car should be able to deal with (To clarify, My car did have sufficient fuel).

On second thought, I did have Engine Start/Stop enabled. Wonder if that could have caused blown fuse. Manufacturing defect in fuse could also be another potential cause. We will know more once the technician gets back.

 

I generally think that automobile parts are built to tolerate edge conditions with sufficient margins so cranking with no fuel is something that a car should be able to deal with (To clarify, My car did have sufficient fuel).

Only up to a point. The fuel in your tank cools the fuel pump motor, and as long as the ignition is on, the pump is running.

https://jalopnik.com/why-you-shouldnt-run-your-car-low-on-gas-1796273605

 

Update: Dealership couldn't find any problem with the wiring. Volvo asked to replace the fuel pump and fuel control module. Dealership are now waiting for the parts to arrive sometime next week. They expect to inspect the fuel pump, while it's lowered for replacing the parts. Delivery ETA next week. Keeping fingers crossed 🤞

 

Document document document. Sounds fishy. hope for the best prepare for the worst (lemon/buyback)

 

 

Fuel pumps generally have long mean time between failures ratings. Just because you attempted to start the car a number of times would not have an impact on the fuel pump's performance. They test these units in very adverse conditions to insure that they will function. So this could be a defective unit. Typically a failure occurs early on when it is electronics based. They ordered both the fuel pump and the control module, so that tells you they do not yet know where the failure occurred. Stuff happens. Suggesting that this is the start of a lemon law return seems to beg the question. Some folks apparently are very litigious in nature. Only a small number of cars get returned via the lemon law or buy back. I have not participated in a forum where people are so prone to attack the manufacturer over relatively mundane situations and demand their cars be replaced. Once you begin thinking like this, your ownership experience will become sour. So don't listen to the disgruntled folks here. Misery loves company.....

 

perhaps my comment was misleading as can easily happen in text versus conversation. i think the advice to document is simple and sound ( although I am biased as it was my advice ). i would agree that the plan of repair as described implies they do not know what is wrong. Plan for worst, hope for the best. might be an easy fix, might be unfixable, time will tell. best of luck

 

Hey OP, any update on this? I hope they got it sorted by now. Please let us know.

 

Good news! I picked up my XC90 yesterday evening and its working great. The technician checked the wiring on fuel pump while it was dropped to replace the Fuel Pump and Fuel control module PEM. They couldn't figure out the root cause. I liked the fact that Volvo went the extra mile and replaced the parts, and that a Volvo Field Tech was involved in the case. Hopefully I can enjoy it now.

 

I had the same issue yesterday with my brand new XC90 T6 Inscription that I purchased Friday. I am concerned this is going to be the answer for me too. I wonder if this is a bigger issue since I've seen a post from an XC60 T6 owner with the same thing.

 

Hi All,

Picking up this thread as it was the only semi-relevant one to an issue I had today.

2016 XC90 with 33k miles. Very few issues, with an odd code (reduced engine performance) thrown a couple of times previously over the vehicle life.

I was reversing out of a parking spot and when shifting from reverse to drive the engine cut out. Like described in the thread above, engine cranked well for a few seconds, gauge cluster etc is fine. Just no engine start. I tried cranking the engine several times, with no luck.

I couldn't see any problems in the engine bay and was expecting to need a tow, but after 5 to 10 mins of letting the vehicle sit, tried cranking the engine again. This time it started, with the "reduced engine performance" warning showing briefly in the information line of the gauge cluster. I drove home with no further drama.

Temporary fuel delivery problem? Software glitch? If there are further issues I'll post again, but hopefully it was a transient problem.

 

Hi All,

Picking up this thread as it was the only semi-relevant one to an issue I had today.

2016 XC90 with 33k miles. Very few issues, with an odd code (reduced engine performance) thrown a couple of times previously over the vehicle life.

I was reversing out of a parking spot and when shifting from reverse to drive the engine cut out. Like described in the thread above, engine cranked well for a few seconds, gauge cluster etc is fine. Just no engine start. I tried cranking the engine several times, with no luck.

I couldn't see any problems in the engine bay and was expecting to need a tow, but after 5 to 10 mins of letting the vehicle sit, tried cranking the engine again. This time it started, with the "reduced engine performance" warning showing briefly in the information line of the gauge cluster. I drove home with no further drama.

Temporary fuel delivery problem? Software glitch? If there are further issues I'll post again, but hopefully it was a transient problem.

When did you last have your SW updated? The reason I ask is, even my Volvo use to give out "Reduced Engine Performance" messages (although it has never cut-out on me, as is your case). The recent SW updates probably seem to have solved this issue as I no longer get the error message even though my driving style remains the same. Keep the dealer in the loop and go see him. Make sure your SW is up-to-date. There might be a 100 reasons for the error message to pop-up but mine was just a SW update.

 

Just had my 2019 XC90 with 400mi on it towed from the garage for the same thing. Definitely either a fuel or spark issue because the starter is working hard but won't turn over. I have also seen an XC60 post with the same thing: blown fuel pump fuse. I have yet to hear from the dealer but concerned this might be an issue affecting many more vehicles.

 

"Won't turn over", does that mean that the crankshaft isn't turning?
English is not my native language, hence the question, to avoid me misunderstanding

 

^^ Agreed. I hope you have better luck.

I was replying to zahra and his understanding of our slang for “turn over” and crankshaft reference.

I am really happy with both of my Volvos. No major issues to complain about.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Got the call today and yes, it's the fuel pump fuse and so they are going to replace the pump and control module. Hopefully Dragon*Volvo your car has been worry free since!

 

yes, that specific issue didn't re-occur. *fingers crossed* I'm still not able to figure out what happened. If same issue is happening to more folks, I smell a recall class issue emerging.

 

No, I haven’t heard back nor do I expect to hear back. In best case it’s sent back to Volvo for analysis. in worst case, those parts were thrown out.

 

2016 XC90 T6 - we were on vacation for 3 weeks, car was locked. It started just fine and drove for a week. Yesterday afternoon, the car wouldn't start and would only click once loudly and another quieter click. If you keep trying, after a dozen or so times, the car starts and runs without issue. I had the car on my CTEK battery maintainer for most of the day and all night which analyzers the voltage after charging it and it passed. But the car still wouldn't start on the first try. My wife took the car out after getting it started and it stalled at a red light.

It sounds like it could be the battery, but it's fine. We do a lot of highway driving with ample time to charge the battery. I wouldn't think the car would start after several attempts if it was the battery so this fuel pump fuse and module sounds like it could be a likely cause.

Has anyone else had these same symptoms?

 

I would have the starter checked, if it is hard to start but can make it after multiple tries.

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Could be a starter cable

So my barely a week old XC90 T6 won't start. Digital dash is powered and so is sensus but turning the start knob just has starter working hard and never succeeding. VOC is sending someone to jump start. If that doesn't work then they will tow the car to nearest dealer.

I'm very frustrated about happening to a brand new car. Any similar experiences ?

I had a very similar experience with my 2016 XC90. It became very unpredictable about starting, but somehow, I always got it to turn over. Finally it refused to start. I disconnected the main battery to reset the system and also tried to jump it. Nothing. It turned out that the connector cable to the starter was loose. Tow truck guy could see arcing at the connector. He could reach in and manually reestablish temporary connection and it started right up. It's fine to drive after that, BUT remember to disable the auto stop/start function before trying to drive to get a permanent fix.

 

I had a very similar experience with my 2016 XC90. It became very unpredictable about starting, but somehow, I always got it to turn over. Finally it refused to start. I disconnected the main battery to reset the system and also tried to jump it. Nothing. It turned out that the connector cable to the starter was loose. Tow truck guy could see arcing at the connector. He could reach in and manually reestablish temporary connection and it started right up. It's fine to drive after that, BUT remember to disable the auto stop/start function before trying to drive to get a permanent fix.

Hello agp, do you have a picture of which connector was loose? My MY16 XC90 is now stuck without cranking at all, it happened suddenly today, and I tought something related to the starter motor too.
It's still parked, I've to wait 2 days for towing it in a Volvo shop, but maybe I can do some checks in the meantime...
Thanks in advance

 

Hello All

We have a 2019 XC 90 T6 Momentum
53,000 Miles
We bought it at about 19k miles and haven’t had any issues to date. Yesterday while idling at a stop the RPMs went to 0 and the engine wouldn’t auto start when letting go of the brake pedal. I turned the car off then on and it worked. It happed the same way at 3 other stops but I got it on each time and made it home.
Today when I went out to turn the car on it wouldnt turn on. I checked the fuses under the hood and the Fuel Pump module fuse in the cab and none are blown. I am certain the vehicle has fuel and the tank shows 3/4 tank full. When trying to turn the start knob all I hear is a click in the engine bay but it does not sound like when a battery is dead. I am going to try to jump it.
Has anyone else experienced this?

 

Hello All

We have a 2019 XC 90 T6 Momentum
53,000 Miles
We bought it at about 19k miles and haven't had any issues to date. Yesterday while idling at a stop the RPMs went to 0 and the engine wouldn't auto start when letting go of the brake pedal. I turned the car off then on and it worked. It happed the same way at 3 other stops but I got it on each time and made it home.
Today when I went out to turn the car on it wouldnt turn on. I checked the fuses under the hood and the Fuel Pump module fuse in the cab and none are blown. I am certain the vehicle has fuel and the tank shows 3/4 tank full. When trying to turn the start knob all I hear is a click in the engine bay but it does not sound like when a battery is dead. I am going to try to jump it.
Has anyone else experienced this?