Seeking Guidance on '05 Volvo XC70 Issues: Persistent Check Engine Light, Black Smoke Emission, and Pre-glow Light Complication

Hey folks, really hoping someone can help me out here. My '05 Volvo XC70 (diesel, with about 178k km on it) has been acting up lately. Got my check engine light on and it's belching black smoke when I hit the gas. Also, it's taking longer than usual to warm up in the mornings, the DPF regeneration is failing and the pre-glow light just stays on. I've had some rough luck with mechanics in the past, so I'd rather go in with a bit of info this time. Got a hunch it's a glow plug issue. Has anyone out there dealt with similar snags? How did you guys find the service at your workshop? Cheers for any insights you've got.

(Translated from German)

4 comment(s)

Hey, I've got an '02 Volvo V70 diesel and had a similar issue not too long ago. The trouble was with the wiring harness between the glow control unit and the engine control unit, which had gotten damaged but no smoke, just the long warm-up issues and uneven starts. The problem with the wiring makes sense because it affects the overall performance of the engine management system, and explains the behavior of the DPF regeneration and the pre-glow light. Once the mechanic identified it, the underlying cause was evident; the damaged wiring harness had triggered a domino effect of sorts on the connected systems. Replacing it is never a quick job either. It took my mechanic several hours. That said, remember every car situation can be unique so this might not be the only solution in your case. But, going to the workshop aware of this possibility won’t harm. Good luck!

(Translated from German)

Hiya, thanks for the speedy reply! Sounds like a proper pain that wiring issue. Yeah, reckon the game plan should be to brace for a similar scenario, then. Say, do you recall how much you ended up shelling out to get it fixed? And has anything else cropped up since or been it smooth sailing? Cheers again, your insight's a big help.

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Hey again, glad I could be of help! Repairing the damaged wiring harness did put a bit of a dent in my wallet, I won't lie. It ran me about 395 Euro. But since I've gotten that sorted, the glow plug issue has been taken care of and it's been smooth motoring so far. So, costly, but well worth it in the end. Hopefully, it's the same story for your Volvo. Keep us updated and best of luck!

(Translated from German)

Hey, thanks for the quick response and the honesty. I was bracing myself for a hefty bill, and your figures put it into perspective. I'm just hoping it's a one-off and not a burgeoning series of issues. Your experience suggests it could be the former, so fingers crossed there. I'll keep you posted once I get 'er to the workshop. Thanks again for the help, much appreciated. Cheers!

(Translated from German)

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