V70R P0088 when starting car about 50% of time

[derekss@hotmail.com]

Hi, I have a 2004 V70R 5 Speed Auto (126,000 miles) and have an intermittent problem where I get the engine management light set on solidly when starting the car sometimes. It happens about 50% of the time and usually not when engine is cold but only when it is hot. The driveability of the car is not impaired, it still goes great when this happens with no hesitation or engine problems and it never logs any other of the fuel pressure codes (P0193, P0629) while engine running. I bought a cheap scanner and found there was a P0088 code 'Fuel pressure too high' with another of the same pending. Once I clear these 2 to turn off the engine management light all is OK until it eventually sets again with identical codes, always at start-up. I could just ignore this as the car runs fine but it annoys me. I have used Vida (no Dice) to look into it but it wasn't much help. I have trawled forums and found some people with similar problems but no fix. I have changed the Fuel Pressure Sensor for a new Bosch part with the right part number (Bosch 0261230110 = Volvo 31272730 = Land Rover LR015294) bought from a Land Rover supplier at half Volvo prices and also changed the Fuel Filter at the rear of the car with a new Volvo part. Neither changed the symptoms at all.

I have only recently bought the car ( I absolutely love driving it) but it has a detailed service history using an independent Volvo 'specialist' that is not a Volvo Main Dealer. I see that it had the same problem about 10,000 miles ago but it was apparently fixed by changing the Fuel Pressure Sensor and Fuel Filter. Now the problem is back. I am wondering if there might be a Volvo fix to the ECM to make it less sensitive to fuel pressure at engine start-up. Because the car was serviced by an independent, it presumably wouldn't have had and Volvo program fixes (if there are any). I picked up from a forum somewhere that there might be a recall in the USA for something similar but there is no recall listed for UK cars. One other possible clue that may be unrelated is that If I drive along with the front passenger window down, I can sometimes get a faint smell of petrol.

Please can anybody offer any suggestions how to fix this? Otherwise I will just have to take it to the Volvo Dealer, I guess.

Many thanks, Derek Skinner, Marlow, West London, UK.

[Ihatespeedbumps]

Have you tried checking the fuel pressure with a mechanical gauge at the fuel rail?