Volvo diagnostics alternatives?

OK, I'm getting tired of the stupid "Check Engine" light coming on all
the time. We mostly ignore them, but sometimes it's something
important, and Volvo charges $120 to run the diagnostics.

Sometimes, they say, in a long-winded way to make you feel like you
got your money's worth, "We don't know why it went on".

Do the typical independent Volvo shops have similar diagnostic
capabilities, or does it take a Volvo dealer to effectively read the
diagnostics?

max

 

Neither of my cars need the reader, but at$120 per visit, if they did,
I would look into an after-market unit. I knwo that they are readily
available for Ford, Chevys, etc., through places like J.C. WHitney. I
certainly would do some shopping before forking over $120 just to get
Forked by Volvo!


__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvos
'90 240 Estate - '93 960 Estate
"Shelby" & "Kate"

 

What year and type is your Volvo?

I can't speak for the newer volvos, but as Randy pointed out, there are
built in units for most of the older types.

Lance

 

I've got a 97 GLT850 wagon and a 99 C70.

I'm mostly looking for cheaper service options, rather than DIY, as
I've given up working on my own vehicles.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

there's a difference between working on your car and knowing what work needs
to be done on your car! At $120/visit, I'd sure want to find a code reader
that would at least tell me what was needed, so I could decide when and if
it would get done! As others have said, check around in the Auto stores (PEP
BOYS, AUTOZONE, and some others), or look in J C WHITNEY to see what's out
there...

 

Pretty much anything that turns the check engine light on can be read by
a cheap, generic code reader. Other systems with codes to be read such
as the electronic climate control, ABS or automatic transmission require
Volvo specific readers, which are generally only available at dealers,
or very high quality Volvo specialist independents.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

This is the best code reader that I have found.
It will read All OBDII 1996 and newer.
AlsoCAN ready systems for the 2008 mandate.
All 2005- Volvo's are CAN systems already.
There are LED's the will tell you if the readiness
codes are all set. The OBD is used for states that use
the OBD socket for emission inspection program.
No more tail pipe emmission readings.

Go to

http://www.iequus.com/ compamy info.

http://www.toolsource.com/ost/default.asp to buy it.

Last I checked, $199 us.

It will only read/reset the fuel/emission codes.
Will Not read any other system.

BD

 

I have a Vectron ODB II code scanner that reads most of the Volvo Codes.
When it doesn't know, it tells me manufacturer aux input/output. But, I was
able to cross reference certain Codes to Volvo codes through the alldata
website account I setup for that vehicle.

Volvo seems to at least use the universal computer connector for code
scanners.

Deacon

 

Thanks to all for the inputs!

max