My girlfriend got the check engine light on her Volvo S60 yesterday. I advised her to get the codes read at AutoZone and then take it to a trusted mechanic.
She got the code read this morning and it was P0027. I advised her to check the oil, which she did, and it was full. she just moved to the area so she didn’t have a trusted mechanic, and felt comfortable taking it to the dealership, which is where the car is now.
I am not familiar with Volvos, and just wanted to check to see what it could be, to make sure that she is getting the correct repair from the dealership. The dealership has not yet provided a diagnosis, she just dropped it off there this morning.
Thanks for your help guys, I really appreciate it.
exhaust valve control solenoid on car equipped with variable valve timing drivetrain. the solenoid can be replaced if defective. you can also google the code yourself.
That code refers to a malfunction in the Exhaust Valve Control mechanism, and it can be the result of sludge build-up in the engine. What can you tell us about her maintenance schedule, in terms of both odometer mileage and elapsed time?
The elapsed time factor can be very important, because cars that get mostly local short-trip usage, and which therefore accumulate miles slowly, are prone to sludging if the oil isn’t changed at least every 6 months–preferably every 4 months.
FYI OP, variable valve timing VVT refers to a fairly recent engine technology development where the time the valve opens and closes w/respect to the crankshaft rotation angle changes due to changes in rpm, engine load, etc. For example, the faster you go, you might like the intake valve to open sooner in the cycle to get better power and mpg. B/c it takes some fixed time for the mass of air and fuel to overcome inertia & move through the valve opening. Similar reasons for the exhaust valve.
The trick for the scientists who design car engines – and the reason this is fairly recent thing – is to find a reliable way to change that valve opening time, responding to all the appropriate inputs. There’s a lot of force involved, so it’s usually done with a combination of electrically operated gadgets (magnetic selenoids) and harnesses the oil pressure to develop the needed force. If a solenoid fails or the oil has gotten dirty and gunked up the mechanism, this can be a symptom.
I had looked up the code on the Internet. I was wondering (hoping) if it was something as simple as the solenoid or, if it was sludge. The car was bought at Carmax, so I’m not sure of it’s early maintenance history. All car maintenance is handled by her father, so she’s not exactly sure about the timing of oil changes, etc. But, to me, the car runs well and seems well-maintained. I guess we’ll see what the dealership has to say.
The dealership came back and said that Autozone had misread the codes. The dealership provided Volvo specific codes ECM142D and ECM143D, relating to the ambient temperature sensor. They wanted $240 to replace the sensor.