My Volvo won't start unless I have my foot on the gas pedal

Here's a video Andres Nazario suggested as a solution to your problem from YouTube:


Fixing A Car That Cranks But Doesn't Start Up

Clean trottle body,Tune up,fuel filter,coils.

Have you checked fuel pressure?

Have you checked your starter yet?

put foot flat to floor DONT pump the accelerater pedal turn on ignition turn over engine as soon as it starts take foot off pedal happy motoring..

Try this. When you first try to turn your engine on, keep your foot on the gas pedal. The car should turn over but not start. (don't worry, its not supposed to). Take your foot off the gas and turn the ignition on again, but Don't touch the throttle this time. That should set your choke correctly. To summarise: Turn key with foot on Gas. Take foot off Gas, and turn key again.

just chiming in even though this is years old because i didnt see this answer. Theres a video on youtube and many equinox owners saying this worked.... clean the throttle body!

Try unugging the MAF sensor. I don't remember if these will run with it unplugged but it's worth a try. If performance improves then try cleaning it with MAF sensor cleaner. If there is no improvement with the above than I would suspect a plugged cat. I don't remember if this year has one cat or three. If it has one you can drop the exhaust ahead of the cat and drive it. It performance returns its a plugged cat. If it has 3 cats than you will need to remove the upstream O2 sensors and use a back pressure gauge to check exhaust back pssure. You should see less than 3/4 psi at idle Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer them. Thank you for using FixYa.com!

I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/jeremy_d728a59f986299fa

Hi,, your computer should be giving you a code. Do you get a check engine light? Most likely the IAC (idle air control) valve or throtle position sensor. If you can get the codes its giving you can track the problem down better without guesswork.
Mike

It could be a number of things. Have you tried to run any codes yet?