# 240 volvo no lights indication when you start eng. and kills battery, has neg drawing

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/240-volvo-no-lights-indication-when-you-start-eng-and-kills-battery-has-neg-drawing/78723>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** volvo, 240\
**Created:** [April 16, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/240-volvo-no-lights-indication-when-you-start-eng-and-kills-battery-has-neg-drawing/78723 "2013-04-16T02:15:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pabst4950](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@pabst4950](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pabst4950)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/240-volvo-no-lights-indication-when-you-start-eng-and-kills-battery-has-neg-drawing/78723/1 "2013-04-16T02:15:19Z")

</div>

when i start eng . usually your dashboard light turn on , eng,seatbelts,etc, but that doesnt happens ,but engines starts for awhile and than you see the volt indicator drawing negative.and after a few minutes of running it dies and will not start , battery is dead , I believe there is a short circut or a relay problem

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 10:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/240-volvo-no-lights-indication-when-you-start-eng-and-kills-battery-has-neg-drawing/78723/2 "2013-04-16T22:03:07Z")

</div>

Or a defective alternator.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![researcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/edb3f5/32.png) [@researcher](https://community.cartalk.com/u/researcher)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/240-volvo-no-lights-indication-when-you-start-eng-and-kills-battery-has-neg-drawing/78723/3 "2013-04-16T22:14:51Z")

</div>

I would suspect no power getting to the instrument panel. Could be a fuse or the accessory side of the ignition switch. IIRC the alternator gets its starting current thorough the charge lamp in your year 240.

Hope this helps.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2013, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/240-volvo-no-lights-indication-when-you-start-eng-and-kills-battery-has-neg-drawing/78723/4 "2013-04-17T03:51:06Z")

</div>

Check the fuses and make sure they are getting power through them. There may be a relay involved with the circuit and it may have some bad contacts. In order for the alternator to charge the battery the battery warning light most likely needs to work.