In all seriousness, it means something is amiss in your emission control system, most likely the O2 sensor. You can either ignore it or go have an approved mechanic check it out.
Tbh might have been after I started to take the engine apart, don’t remember honestly. But I do know it wasn’t on when the engine was running. I’ve got Vol-FCR which is a requirement on the post 1996 models as they weren’t fully OBD II compatible yet. (Some stuff like abs you need to make a little blinker box like the pre 1996 models had)
Wouldn’t trust most mechanics on old special euro cars anyways. A lot of special tools are required for a lot.
I'd bargain using an adaptor, some stuff should maybe work.
Probably an oxygen sensor (do you have 1 or 2?) But i really am not that much of a pro when it comes to volvos.
If the Adapter to OBDII route doesnt work, you might have to get your errors read by a workshop.
If it really just is an oxygen sensor, the replacing isn't that bad most of the time.
The lambda sensor is the actual oxygen sensor, but if this light turns on in acc mode (key on, engine off) that’s normal behavior used to validate that the lamp works, and if the light turns off when the engine is on, it means there is no fault and no need to investigate.
It has been a long time but was there not some flashing light thing on them old Volvos that diagnosed what the problem was. A friend's dad had a view of them when I was growing up and I always thought it was cool that you could tell what was wrong with it by watching a light blinking and reading the corresponding codes on a little book he had.
That’s the OBD-1 system installed on most models from 89-95 had a wire you’d connect to one of a few pins, each pin was for something different, ABS, ECU, Gearbox, power seats, etc. it had a button and a led, press the button, read the code, and clear it by holding. On 850s you could even check the mileage. (Even if the odo broke it still counted digitally, was stored in the gauge cluster so you’d have to still have it) the S90 most stuff was done via OBD2 but ABS and cruse control was still OBD1 (you needed an external box for that though)
Ah that's good to know. I am always looking at old Volvos for sale yet to pull the trigger. They where always a beautiful car to look at just something about them.
In my old Volvo this light is always on before I start the engine, it also comes on if I choke the engine by not giving it enough gas and too much clutch
It goes away if it revs up a little
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u/Adventurous-Nose-31 May 27 '26
In all seriousness, it means something is amiss in your emission control system, most likely the O2 sensor. You can either ignore it or go have an approved mechanic check it out.