The alarm interfered with the ignition module to the point of bringing the car to a complete blackout where no electricity would flow, therefore the car completely stopped. This would only happen after some 100 kms, stopping and then trying to start the car again. When it worsened it did it in the middle of a driving session!!
It took an expert several days of investigation to find what the reason was. I had the ignition module (a square flat like black piece of about 5 x 5 cms) replaced.
As I read today that another man, owning the exact same car and model as I do wrote "the car is a bust in snow" I must publicly let people know that we nearly found death yesterday on the road driving a Volvo 70GLE Automatic on the Highway A15 from San Sebastian to Pamplona Spain, April 9th 2004. Before we entered the tunnel there was no snow whatsoever on the tarmac, but as we were coming out to my terrified surprise the tarmac was covered by a thin blanket of snow. Despite that the cars ahead of us kept driving without alterations my Volvo completely slipped toward the right side till we hit the protection bars, the car still continued slipping and turned 180 degrees around its vertical axis to send us again to the protection bar on the other side of the highway where it came to a halt. None of us were injured, but we shall never forget this. So I investigated why my car was the only one to have encountered such a terrible problem with snow, and I have found out that the reason was the gear traction, as another man from Michigan leaves his testimony.
Therefore my purpose herein including this experience is to serve as a valuable information to help other people avoid entering this kind of experience. I think it helped the fact I was driving 80 Kms an hour (the speed limit in a tunnel), had I been driving at 130 like most people did, I cannot say what could have happened to us.
On the upside, the fact that the wheels were very wide and that the car was also very wide contributed to stability. Had we been driving a "thinner" fragile vehicle it would have been worse.
After the accident and while examining the chassis of the car I was surprised to find out that, far from being steel made and built, the touch of it felt like plastic fiber.
We have been able to notice the change in the policy of Volvo. As the first cars appeared in the market, they were like war tanks, made of pure steel and thick, the cars were so resistant that they would survive their owners, extending their lives up to 20 - 30 years. Those were the times when corporations competed with each other proudly for bringing the most perfect creations. Same happened with the Mercedes brand.
As time went by, policy makers realized that it was not economically interesting to produce such perfect cars since their owners would find no reason to replace them. So the perfect bullet proof machines of the Volvo 200 and Volvo 240 were replaced by fiber and plastic, adding actually ornamental but useless things in order to divert attention from the fact that there would no be any more perfect models. Not surprisingly, these Volvo 200 diesel models are still around after 30 years, but the models built 10 years ago are already resting at the car cemeteries. We could infer further conclusions, but this is not the context to do it...
A faulty ignition module never ever causes a "complete blackout". Maybe the car stops suddenly, and after a while when the module has cooled down you are able to start the car again - but that does not bother the rest of the electrical system: Lights, wipers, hazard-lights, radio...
Tom245KMSt.
When you commented on the chassis having a plastic fiber feel you would be completely wrong. The Volvo 740 has an incredibly well constructed chassis which is designed to tackle some of the worst head on collisions imagined. It is regarded as one of the last of it's type. You could drive one off of the edge of a building, which was demonstrated in numerous video clips ending in the front end being lest cosmetically pleasing than desired, but the car would still operate. Yes, the Volvo doesn't handle quite like other lesser cars in the snow mainly due to it's 2 ton weight, rear wheeled, rear end lighter than front end construction. But if you know how to drive then this shouldn't worry you.
I am looking to understand why my volvo S80 year 2000 with less than 25K has and continues to drive terribly in the snow. I have talked to other volvo owners who all agree that volvo stinks in the snow. You have to own one and drive in the snow to understand how poorly they drive.
I have owned 6 Volvo's which were 2 244's, 2 245's, 760 and a 740GLE wagon and have never had any problems driving in the snow. As long as you are not driving faster than what is safe the Volvo will drive just fine in the snow. Also it helps to have good performance tires. Also the 740GLE is a very well built car that I would recommend to anyone looking to buy a nice car.
The chassis of a 740 Volvo is made out of thick steel. It was the safest car of its day. My 740 has been driving me around for 19 years and a half. 310.000 Km on the clock and NEVER failed. I've changed the clutch ten years ago and the steering shafts a week ago. That's all!
The reason why the 740 does not perform well on snow it's because it is a rear wheel drive and it is very heavy. Put snow chains on the back wheels and the car performs like a snowmobile!
You will never find a better car.
Snow handling, please see link, I think it answers it all: http://videos.streetfire.net/search/volvo/7/f/8EF69852-561B-4281-80CC-633BF1FB3A32.htm.
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