Folks:

Here is the Reader' Digest Version of my problem. My wife's 99 S70 base was struck head on a couple of months ago. After getting it back from the body shop, the brakes were a little weak. After bleeding them out all seemed well, except for an occasional drastic drop in RPMs when braking hard - I looked for vacuum leaks and could find none - although I don't have access to a smoke machine to really look things over. This was manageable until a few weeks ago when there arose a hard start/no start problem - the car would turn over fine, start then immediately die. This would happen intermittently - no "rhyme or reason" that I could tell. I replaced the fuel filter just to see if it made a difference and the problem disappeared for about a week. Now, about every third or fourth time we go to start the car this happens. I figure it is either fuel or spark, but I would think that either would be consistent. The thing is, once it starts it will be fine until the car is parked overnight. There are no codes stored and the check engine light is not on.

Could the accident caused an issue with the fuel pickup or something to that effect? Besides fuel pressure, whac should I check?

My wife said that on occasion she could "turn the ignition switch back a little" and get the car to start, although I have not had that success. Could the electrical part of the switch be at fault here?

I don't have access to a repair manual - so when I go to check fuel pressure, what readings should I look for?

Thanks for the suggestions. So far the problem has not manifested itself in a couple of days - so I will check each of the items suggested.

Thanks

Try another key, I got this symptom when the microchip in one of the keys failed. Common problem, the workshop said
The immobilizer antenna ring is also a known problem, use the search function..

Ignition switch on these cars (my '98 was the same way) are known to be trouble spots. With your wife saying she can turn it back a bit and it works was a dead give-away to me. Either live with it for now or get the tumbler section of the ignitino switch changed. Being a '99 there may even have to be some software download for new parts to be "married to the car." The circular key-insert is also a part of the car's immobilizer, so I suspect it really is this part that's giving you fits. Could have jarred something in the accident.
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1998 S70 T5 Emarald Green Metallic, 2004 V70 2.5T Ruby Red, Previous Owner of Black '94 850 Turbo Wagon. My cars have been running so well lately they've got me worried.

Yes as stated before. There are two known issues with not starting like this. 1 is the electrical portion of the ignition switch and 2. The antenna ring around the outside of the lock barrel. Disc-connect and re-connect the terminal plug to see if it is a bad connection.....Also check the Cam shaft position sensor/ fuel relay/ fuel pump.
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Tek