I just bought a used V70 in Massachusetts and drove it home to Virginia. Luckily, it has a 60-day bumper to bumper warranty.

Here is the e-mail I just sent to the Dealer:

BEGIN

The problem which I could not reproduce at the shop was with me for most of the trip back to Norfolk.

If the AC was operating and I stopped the car for a rest stop, when I started it again, neither the AC or RECIRC lights would illuminate, nor was the compressor clutch engaged. If I left the buttons depressed, they would never activate while the car was running. If I stopped again, then restarted, the AC and RECIRC might activate, but usually would not. I once pulled off at a rest stop merely to stop and restart the engine. On several occasions, that worked. However, if I stopped the engine again, they would not activate.

For the second day (Saturday) and final 150 miles, I stopped and restarted the engine at every stoplight which I encountered. AC and RECIRC never activated. I tried again on Sunday morning in my driveway; no AC or RECIRC lights or clutch activation.

These symptoms lead me to suspect that there is a "ENGINE IS ON" relay which tell the AC and RECIRC logic system that it is safe to activate. This relay must now have gone from intermittent to total failure. Please tell these symptoms to Mr. ------ for his concurrence or other ideas on a cause.

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Can you experts tell me if I have made a correct assumption about a "ENGINE IS ON" relay? Does such a relay exist? What else might account for these symptoms? BTW, when the AC is working, it is great; you could hang meat in the car; turned my fingers blue.

Thanks