Hey I was wondering if anyone could help me out with my Volvo problem. My dad gave me his 1991 Volvo 960 Turbo and Im trying to make the car last. Now the other day my "Check Engine" light came on. I stopped the car and popped the hood. The only thing wrong I could see was my coolent line was below the minimum line. Now my question to those out there is should I just top off the coolent tank or do I need to take the car into the dealership? If you guys could answer soon it would be a great help.

1. Top off the coolant and check the rad, hoses, expansion tank for leaks (white crust at hose junctions, etc). Keep an eye on the coolant level until you figure out where the leak is.

2. Usually the check engine light means trouble codes are stored in the on-board diagnostics box. Read the section in the FAQ on pulling and interpreting the OBD codes, then see if you can pull any... lots of info in the FAQ on whatever you might find... or you can make another post here. Did you experience any problems with the car when the light came on?

3. Stay away from the dealer unless you're in a big hurry, or have gobs of $$$ (or quids, or whatever) to spend. Your best bet is to find a good independent Volvo mechanic, and try to do as much maint./repairs yourself as possible.

Your car model - 960 Turbo - may be a bit confusing to some of us (yanks, anyway). in the US, your car was sold as a 940 SE (1991 only). All of the US 960s have the inline 6 engine.

- Brian '93 945T