Battery Life

[Baldrick]

Hi there

Anybody know how long the battery in the T5 should last? I have a late 2005 model with the Comm pack, Winter pack, etc., and the other day I left the parking lights on by accident. When I eventually noticed they had been on for some 4 hours and when I tried to start the car I first got a repetitive clicking noise/starter would not turn over. Having left it for 5 minutes I then tried again and the starter turned over but the cary would not start. Kept trying to start the car for some 3 mins on and off and eventually it caught and started. I then took the car for a good long run and have had no problme since but it strikes me as strange that the battery should just about give out when the parking lights have been on for just 4 hours?

Does anyone out there know if this is normal or if there is something wrong, ie, battery about to give up the ghost and therefore needs changing?

Any suggestions/recommedations would be gratefully accepted.

Best regards




Baldrick

[audimadmike]

Sounds normal from my experience.
I once had a new 405 and left the hazards on for nearly an hour on yellow lines, went to start and was like you describe.
Called AA and patrol man said thats all it takes to lower the voltage so won't start. Jump started ok.
If in doubt, as its new take it back and ask at the dealers.
I've also had two new cars where the battery died within a week of new!
Mike

[M44K TS]

I sat for half an hour with my headlights and ignition on one night when i went camping, luckilly i had a set of jump leads but took a good 10 mins for it to start, no bump starting as it's an Auto. The headlights looked like sidelights when i realised how long i had left them on.

note to self, pitch a tent in daylight!

[After_Shock]

Yeah sounds about right. the ones in the showroom at work are always flat when try to start them up! Pain with the electronic boot releases as can never show customers the boots!

[Baldrick]

Hi there

Thanks for the replies. The strange thing is that when I tried to start the car I first got a repetitive clicking noise/starter would not turn over. Not sure why, and then left it for 5 minutes when I tried again the starter turned over but the car would not start........but the clicking had gone. I am baffled as to (i) what the clicking can be and (ii) why eventually the starter motor starts to respond. As each time I have kept trying to start the car for some 3 mins on and off, with it eventually catching and starting, I am hoping that I have not damaged anything mechanical or electrical. Since these episodes I have had no warning lights on or unexpected behaviour.

The moral of the story is.......keep the engine running is you need to have the radio or lights on when stationary. Perhaps Volvo should (i) add an extra battery, (ii) look at power saving more carefully as I suspect that once the ignition is on (position I) everything is powered up or (iii) consider fitting a much more powerful battery.

Regards




Baldrick

[TangoDeltaSierra3]

Yeah its crap, mine went flat after 2 hrs of radio use when i 1st got it, after a run it's been OK since.

[chriskay]

Hi there

Thanks for the replies. The strange thing is that when I tried to start the car I first got a repetitive clicking noise/starter would not turn over. Not sure why, and then left it for 5 minutes when I tried again the starter turned over but the car would not start........but the clicking had gone. I am baffled as to (i) what the clicking can be and (ii) why eventually the starter motor starts to respond. As each time I have kept trying to start the car for some 3 mins on and off, with it eventually catching and starting, I am hoping that I have not damaged anything mechanical or electrical. Since these episodes I have had no warning lights on or unexpected behaviour.




Baldrick

The clicking noise would be the starter solenoid pulling in. The reason it started to turn over is that the battery was recovering. I suspect that means the battery is O.K. I'm sure you haven't damaged anything & the battery has to get very flat to lose the radio code or re-set the ECU. Give it a good long run. I've been told that it takes about 15 miles to make up the charge loss from 1 start.
Cheers, Chris.

[rocket ron]

you sound like you have a problem with your battery or your charging circuit, a fully charged battery will stand having the side lights left on for a least 12 hrs and still start the car i know as i do twelve hr shifts and a couple of times ive left my side lights on and had no problem starting next morning ,my battery is a bosch silver, standard amp/hrs

[Vikingxl]

A mate of mine has had two volvo hire cars and the batteries have died on both.I think they must be quite hard on batteries.

[Rufe]

on the new v70 models (the 285's and also the S60's, etc) just by leaving keys in ignition even with everything turned off will kill the battery in around 3 hours. when we leave cars in the workshop overnight we remove the keys from ignition and leave them on the dash.