Intermittent fault with a volvo?

Question

My friend's elderly but reliable automatic volvo has an intermittent fault which is proving impossible to find. Within the first 5 minutes of using it from cold, when he takes his foot off the accelerator e.g. approaching traffic lights, it cuts out. During that time he has no steering or brakes. It can be started after a short wait. He has had the rev sensor + associated parts changed and the throttle sensor repositioned, all to no avail. The garage cant detect the fault while its not happening and as its intermittent............. He can't afford a new car but can't keep driving like this. Has this happened to anyone else or does anyone have any idea what might be wrong?

Answer 1

I would take the advice of BINXTARO and clean the throttle body, sometimes referred to as the mass airflow sensor. Take it to a reputable shop familiar with Volvos. This is a relatively common problem with some Volvo models. I wish you would have included year and model in your question. What happens if your friend lets the car warm up for a bit before driving it?

Answer 2

Get a new car. Volvo's are c**p.

Answer 3

the only thing i've ever found to stop volvos stalling is cleaning out the the throttle body.  for some reason volvos get a heap of carbon build up in there and it really effects the cold idle.

Answer 4

Yes, this was a common fault with VOLVO although VOLVO denied it existed.  I put my VOLVO (490) in for the same fault to VOLVO (£400)main dealers and other top garages who either said it was fixed or the can't find a problem.   I later read in a car mag' that the fault is VERY difficult to correct.  I got rid of the car.