Hi,

I'm posting this to give information to anyone else affected by this and hopefully receive some advice.

My wife's 60,000 mile 1997 V40 2.0 has started cutting out at a random time, usually after it is fully warmed up. It's not stalling - no spluttering or coughing - but just turns itself off and it will not restart for about 15 minutes. Attempting to restart before this is a waste of time - engine turns over but doesn't sound like there is a spark or any fuel going in. It sometimes seems to lose power on the road - coughs and hesitates a bit - but if you can keep it going the problem seems pass and it carries on without problem. It never happens when accelerating - only when off the gas and approaching or at idle.

So the cut out usually happens when warm and at lights, junctions, in traffic etc - usually on the way home from picking up the children at nursery - nightmare.

Dealer has checked the car top to bottom 3 times, run VADIS and now produced error code 116 ("the ECU is condemning itself.."), but I want to make sure that the £500 replacement will fix the problem. Auto Electrical specialist I took it to has told me there is some kind of conflict between the immobiliser and the ECU, but as I have a digital immobiliser he can't bypass it. Also Volvo ECU can't be accessed to diagnose the fault precisely (they are covered in a thick putty).

So, I'm shelling out for the dealer only ECU replacement. We've had this car since new and the cost per mile is now about 0 so I want to keep it.

Anyone else seen this or heard of this? I'm still not convinced that the ECU is causing the stall in the first place and don't understand why it would go wrong after 7.5 years.

Any advice, input etc very welcome!

:thumbsup: i had a similar problem on my 2000 s40. the main dealer diagnosed it as a wiring fault and replaced the loom under warranty. i'd suggest looking around for a cheaper replacementif the ecu is atfault as 500 is a lot to spend when an uprated ecu can be found on the internet for <£300 and fitted by most autoelectricians for cheap, if not by yourself. or snoop around the breakers and volvo specialist sites for second hand ones, just check first!

try these sites for replacements or exchanges:

www.ecuexchange.biz

http://www.partsgateway.co.uk

www.volvotuninguk.com/

i found them on a quick search. you may find more if you have the time, i just have these bookmarked.