V40 wagon dies while driving or stopped

I have a 2001 V40 Volvo wagon that I bought used. It has begun to die for seemingly no reason while I’m driving, and when I’ve stopped. If I leave everything off, it runs best, but if I turn on heat, air conditioning, radio/CD, defroster, wipers, lights, etc. the power cuts out, taking all electrals with it. Then my dashboard lights up, usually with the engine light, the arrow, and the oil light (plus the one to the left of the oil light - can’t recall!) My front end was demolished last year in a hit-and-run, and the dealer rebuilt it, which may be part of the problem.



I went to the Volvo dealer who has been servicing the car, and they can’t find it. I’ve been there 4 times, ever right after it’s conked out a bunch of times in a row, but they can’t make it die! It’s driving me crazy.



Does anyone know what the problem might be?

Sorry to tell you this but electrical components in Volvo’s don’t do well as they age. Volvo makes complicated systems that require all wires and contacts to work properly, but over time they fail. Your Volvo it telling you it is time for it to retire. If you find the answer to this mystery, another will soon take its place.

Those dash lights light up whenever a car stalls, all the mean is the key is on and the engine isn’t running. If your car stalls when you put too many accessories on, have the alternator output and the belt and tensioner that drive the alternator checked.