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Electrical system S70 1998

I have ABS dash lights come on and go off intermittently, accompanied by a "growling" sound under the floorboard on the driver's side. This is heard and felt by the driver, the passengers hear the noise. Also, there is an intermittent off and on of the "bulb out" bulb. When the light is on, no bulbs are out, although I have replaced several bulbs in the past, both in the front and the back. I have had the brakes checked by 3 different shops, including Volvo, and no one can find a problem. There was a recall on my car for the electrical system....could this be the problem? I am an older woman, so know nothing about these things!! The car has 72,000, is serviced every 3 months.








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    Two different problems. S70 1998

    If your car is being serviced regularly, I would expect the recall work was done a long time ago. (Still, check it out at a Volvo dealer.)

    But you are more than likely looking at two separate issues.

    First, the 1998 models have a history of failed ABS control units. Typically, there is a period of intermittent ABS/TRACS warning lights on the dash, eventually it just comes on and stays on. The circuit board for this model year was defective, and it frequently cracks. Replacement is the only cure if the board has gone bad. Your service tech can scan the car for ABS problems, and if the results point to the right rear wheel then a failed ABS controller is the most likely problem - this particular circuit seems the most vulnerable. At 72K miles, you'd be right on schedule for this failure. The part is $416 at the dealer, can be obtained over the internet for $358. Labor is extra, of course. Shop around for the best price.

    Second, the bulb out warning. In my case, this turned out to be an infinitesimal amount of corrosion on my rear taillight fixtures. (The giveaway is the lamp out failure would happen when I stepped on the brake so I knew it was the problem was in the back somewhere.) I solved the problem by taking out the rear fixtures from the inside (easy, they just snap out), sanding the connectors with emery cloth, and spraying them with Tri-Flow (an electrically conductive lubricant that prevents mositure, dirt and corrosion from building up again). For good measure, I replaced all the lamps, and the problem hasn't returned in 18 months.
    --
    David
    98 S70 T5SE // Black, misc mods (mostly lighting), red calipers
    92 940GLE // Hella Micro DE foglights








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    Electrical system S70 1998

    The recalls (possibly more than 1) could be for turn signal bulbs/sockets, ignition switch, headlight switch, or possibly a couple other minor issues. If you take the car to a Volvo dealer, they'll run the cars VIN on what's called DCS which will tell them what (if any) open recalls might still exist for your car. They could also tell you that over the phone too but if anything needs to be done, they'll need to have the car there. Any of those recalls are simple and usually only take minutes to do.
    As for your bulb warning light, a bulb or two is failing and needs to be replaced.
    As for ABS, the '98 X70s have known ABS control unit problems and it's likely that you'll need a new control unit. When it fails, the ABS and tracks lights come on but it doesn't usually cause noise. When ABS functions normally on slippery roads, it will make a growling noise too so perhaps that's what you're hearing when it's working? If you're seeing those ABS/tracks light on, you should first have codes read to see what's been stored. If it has stored codes for rear wheel sensors (usually RR) and or "pump motor failure", the control unit is NG and needs to be replaced.








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      Electrical system S70 1998

      Davidm and vic are right about the ABS module. It is a defective part that Volvo should replace at their expense. You will end up paying $500-600 for the repair. Remember, this is a safety related issue because when the ABS light is ON, you DO NOT have functioning anti- lock brakes, so brake accordingly. You should contact Volvo customer service and tell them that Volvo should replace this part on hundreds of cars, at thir expense. Also contact the NHTSB and tell them that this is a safety issue that volvo need to address.







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