Volvo S40 1.6D jolt/chugging problem

buachailldana

Hello wise car people,

I purchased a '07 Volvo S40 SE, 1.6 Diesel approximately 5 months ago. It had been a dream.. until recently.

About 4 weeks ago, I noticed that it would lose power for a split second whilst accelerating. It was almost a 'jolt', in fact the first time it happened, I thought I had rolled over someone.

It began to happen more regularly; it happened when I was accelerating, when the car was on cruise control (which didn't flick the cruise off, which would happen if I touched the clutch/brake), when the tank was full, when the tank was nearly empty, at low speed, at higher speed; I couldn't find a correlation to anything.

I took it back to the dealer where I had purchased (still under warranty); there said there may be a problem with the Cam Shaft sensor, and replaced the sensor. I took the car home.

The problems continued, I took the car back again; this time, they cleaned out the fuel lines, drained the tank, did something with the fuel filter. The car was ok for a day or two, and the same problems began again.

Does anyone have any experience of this? The garage where I bought the car is a Citroen and Mazda dealer, not a Volvo dealer, so I am presuming they have limited diagnostics information from the computer? With the car under warranty, is it fair of me to expect them to get the car to a Volvo diagnostics computer if necessary?

To summarize; the car loses power momentarily whilst driving, resulting in a jolt or chugging sensation; it is quite frightening on the motorway when this happens. However, the car never actually cuts out fully, and the electrics never go.

Thanks for the help!

R.O.R

Pure guesswork, but I'd say the alternator is on the way out. Similar issues to our old V50 (1.8i) before the Alternator eventually gave up the ghost.

No other symptoms, no warning lights, just hesitation occasionally.

Not sure if this can be checked - possibly a data log of the alternator output?

Sobanek

buachailldana wrote: »

Hello wise car people,

I purchased a '07 Volvo S40 SE, 1.6 Diesel approximately 5 months ago. It had been a dream.. until recently.

About 4 weeks ago, I noticed that it would lose power for a split second whilst accelerating. It was almost a 'jolt', in fact the first time it happened, I thought I had rolled over someone.

It began to happen more regularly; it happened when I was accelerating, when the car was on cruise control (which didn't flick the cruise off, which would happen if I touched the clutch/brake), when the tank was full, when the tank was nearly empty, at low speed, at higher speed; I couldn't find a correlation to anything.

I took it back to the dealer where I had purchased (still under warranty); there said there may be a problem with the Cam Shaft sensor, and replaced the sensor. I took the car home.

The problems continued, I took the car back again; this time, they cleaned out the fuel lines, drained the tank, did something with the fuel filter. The car was ok for a day or two, and the same problems began again.

Does anyone have any experience of this? The garage where I bought the car is a Citroen and Mazda dealer, not a Volvo dealer, so I am presuming they have limited diagnostics information from the computer? With the car under warranty, is it fair of me to expect them to get the car to a Volvo diagnostics computer if necessary?

To summarize; the car loses power momentarily whilst driving, resulting in a jolt or chugging sensation; it is quite frightening on the motorway when this happens. However, the car never actually cuts out fully, and the electrics never go.

Thanks for the help!

Can you get it above 3k rpm? If not, it goes in limp mode for some reason (possibly alternator as that was our issue)

buachailldana

Sobanek wrote: »

Can you get it above 3k rpm? If not, it goes in limp mode for some reason (possibly alternator as that was our issue)

I had thought of this already, the car is driving normally apart from the occasional loss of power; I had already mentioned the DPF to the garage and they had ruled it out.

Row

Usually hesitation on these engines is down to the egr valve.....sometimes a good cleaning will sort this problem for awhile.

If the dealer cleaned out the fuel lines & drained the tank then i'm guessing there must have been low fuel pressure faults logged...

Do you get your diesel in the same service station..?

buachailldana

Row wrote: »

Usually hesitation on these engines is down to the egr valve.....sometimes a good cleaning will sort this problem for awhile.

If the dealer cleaned out the fuel lines & drained the tank then i'm guessing there must have been low fuel pressure faults logged...

Do you get your diesel in the same service station..?

I thought about the "dirty diesel" angle; I always fill up from a 24 hour unmanned station on the Southside of Cork City. In fact, I suggested this was the problem to the garage, maybe prompting them to do the fuel line cleaning etc.

But having done some research, I know a number of people filling up at the same place with no issues - housemates, parents, work colleagues.

I have the car booked into the garage again next Saturday; I was hoping to get some ideas from here to go to the garage with then!

From what I gather, their diagnostics computer is giving them a "general" type of fault code, nothing specific; does this sound feasible?

I'm still holding out that someone on here will have had an issue like this with an S40/V50 before!!

road_high

I think it's the egr. Had one myself a few years back, slight hesitation under acceleration. That's what it was.
Nice car but dissapointing engine.

php-fox

+1 on the EGR. Had the same problem with my S40.

TheBoffin

Had a similar experience with BMW and turned out to be the fuel rail and air-flow sensor

road_high

php-fox wrote: »

+1 on the EGR. Had the same problem with my S40.

Did any EGR last on those cars?!

Citroen2cv

Is this a ford engine? If so you may be able to find more info on a ford forum perhaps.
I had a very similar problem although with a different car/engine. Alfa 1.9jtdm.
I always felt it was an injector problem and when I threw a bottle of sTp Diesel Injector cleaner into a full tank of diesel, the problem which was regular has not reoccured in the last 3 months, touch wood. I enjoy driving the car again. This hesitation seems to be very common on modern diesels, heard a good few issues like this with mondeo 1.8 diesels.

buachailldana

As far as I know, it is a Ford engine.

Thanks for all the replies! I will definitely mention to them about the EGR, and anything else that has been mentioned here.

I do love the car, apart from this problem of course.

Really hoping it gets sorted this time, 3rd time back to the garage for the same problem.

keithclancy

Could be anything.

I had a similar problem on my V50 2.0D (PSA unit)

Turned out to be a bearing on the Transmission, was causing a hesitation between 1800 and 2000 rpm.

Have you checked the obvious stuff like the Air Filter ?

Also is there any vibration in the clutch pedal when changing gears at higher rpm ?

Might be worth posting over on Swede Speed

bazz26

The 1.6 is a PSA engine.

Sobanek

bazz26 wrote: »

The 1.6 is a PSA engine.

2.0D is the 2.0 HDI engine.

bazz26

Sobanek wrote: »

2.0D is the 2.0 HDI engine.

And the 1.6d is the PSA 1.6 HDi engine.

buachailldana

Yes agreed, it is the PSA engine!

Would it be reasonable to expect the garage to source a Volvo diagnostics computer, considering the car is under warranty, as currently the mechanics are basically working blind?

swe_fi

This happened on my 2012 Focus 1.6d as well, from new. It now has about 60.000 km, 2 services and it has stopped happening, can't remember since when . Always happened on the motor way doing 120/130 in 6th.

I don't know what solved this issue, the services or the fact that I am driving the car a bit harder. By driving harder i mean I am revving it out frequently, full throttle frequently, driving prolonged periods of time in 4th/5th on the motorway on occasion (a few mins).

We have a few cars in the company same as mine and same has happened to pretty much every one, only one of them car stopped completely on one occasion (had to get towed).

Just saw by reading back this is prob not the same engine as yours, but my 2c anyway.

bazz26

buachailldana wrote: »

Yes agreed, it is the PSA engine!

Would it be reasonable to expect the garage to source a Volvo diagnostics computer, considering the car is under warranty, as currently the mechanics are basically working blind?

If the car is still under warranty then it is reasonable to expect the garage that you bought it from to send it to either another garage with the proper diagnostic equipment or a Volvo dealer, if they don't have the knowhow to fix it themselves.

buachailldana

Having just spoken with a knowledgable Volvo mechanic, he believes it may be the DPF on the way out...

Thank god it is still under warranty!! DPF is approx €1000+ to replace.

I rang the garage that I will be bringing the car to and suggested this to them, I will post back with the outcome.

Thanks for all the suggestions thus far!

Mycroft H

road_high wrote: »

Did any EGR last on those cars?!

Never had a problem on the two we've had. Or the DPF. Or the turbo.

Mind you they are looked after and live on the motorway where they should be.

road_high

BX 19 wrote: »

Never had a problem on the two we've had. Or the DPF. Or the turbo.

Mind you they are looked after and live on the motorway where they should be.

Mine was a secondhand from the UK. Supposedly FSH and all bought from a well known dealer in south Kildare. When I had it, it was doing long commutes on back road, N road and M-way. Car cost me a fortune in various engine repairs when it was all added up. Car is still in the family and going fine (after spending so much there was no pont giving it away!). I would be very hesitant to touch one again, perhaps I should investigated the history of my one further before buying. Turbo and DPF on mine were fine (touch wood), it was the EGR (replaced twice) and inlet manifold (?) and turbo breather pipes which all gave me plenty of grief.

buachailldana

An update!

Car went back to the garage last Saturday. I suggested possible DPF problems. Was expecting them to maybe have to replace the DPF.

Anyway, long story short, the mechanic rang me to say the had "cleaned out" the DPF with a "special detergent" and that a "lot of ****e came out of it".

So the car was running perfectly the last 4 days, then last night cruise control on, on motorway, hesitation and chugging started again.

So back to the garage 4th time on Saturday.... Still under warranty.

What is the story with the DPF could people tell me, I was under the impression it would have to be replaced, that they can't simply be "cleaned out"? I presume, because it is under warranty still, they were looking for a cheap quick fix.

While the car is running better, and the hesitation is less so, they have not made the problem go away!

So.. DPF.. Possible to clean, or they should have replaced? Car is on 80k miles.

buachailldana

So I'm back to the garage for the 6th time at the moment... I'm almost pulling my hair out in frustration.

The car decided to go into Limp Home mode, "Reduced Engine Performance" warning message, last week. Took the car in again. The latest theory from the garage was that there was an issue with the glow plugs.

This seemed unlikely to me, considering I had no issue starting the car. Anyway they replaced the glow plugs, promised me all was fixed, and I went on my way. Only for the car to again go through a period of losing power/chugging on the dual carriageway.

They are adamant that these faults are not due to the DPF; I am adamant that it is ALL down to the DPF.

So we shall see. 6th time lucky, as the saying goes! Although I do love driving the car, and it came with so many extras, I'm at the end of my tether now!

road_high

You're lucky it's still under warranty, how long left? I think if it was me and the problems were persisting I'd be considering moving it on, depending on how long is left of course. Though I'm sure you know all that!

tkelly121

I had similar problems with mine,dpf problems & had it replaced & sorted by the dealer on the naas rd, Koping Volvo, it didn't cost a € 1000 + either, why haven't you brought it to a Volvo dealer & stop dealing with muppets who know nothing about them.

buachailldana

road_high wrote: »

You're lucky it's still under warranty, how long left? I think if it was me and the problems were persisting I'd be considering moving it on, depending on how long is left of course. Though I'm sure you know all that!

Still 6 months left on the warranty, shockingly they gave me a 12 month warranty, great for me of course.

But yes, definitely thinking of shipping it on! And as suggested below, if they don't solve it this time I'll just take it to a Volvo dealer myself.

Pity.. Lovely car!

MayoForSam

Does anyone know if the DPF's have been removed from the more recent S40's? A dealer told me today that any S40 since 2010 does not have a DPF - if not, how do they comply with the regs?

Mycroft H

I've not heard of that to be honest.

bazz26

MayoForSam wrote: »

Does anyone know if the DPF's have been removed from the more recent S40's? A dealer told me today that any S40 since 2010 does not have a DPF - if not, how do they comply with the regs?

Every new diesel car from 2011 were required to have a DPF fitted. You either misunderstood the dealer or he was telling you porkies.

MayoForSam

bazz26 wrote: »

Every new diesel car from 2011 were required to have a DPF fitted. You either misunderstood the dealer or he was telling you porkies.

Porkies methinks, I asked him explicitly and he started waffling about the particles being extracted 'closer to the source' :rolleyes:.