Electrics: Battery Recommendation ???

[rkv]

I need to replace my Volvo supplied battery for the third time in my 2003 XC90. That will be my fourth battery.

I am disappointed by what I consider to be the poor life expectancy of the Volvo supplied parts. Does anyone have a recommendation as to a higher quality battery which will fit with no or only minor modifications?

Note, for one of the replacements, I take the blame for because the car was only driven once a month for about fifteen months. However, the others I blame on low capacity and fully loaded electronics with always on xenon lights.

I have two other cars with similar usage patterns and they have not had this problem. So I'm not willing to accept usage patterns as the sole issue. Dealer has never found a fault with alternator, so I believe charging is at factory spec.

[GJB]

Originally Posted by rkv

I need to replace my Volvo supplied battery for the third time in my 2003 XC90. That will be my fourth battery.

I am disappointed by what I consider to be the poor life expectancy of the Volvo supplied parts. Does anyone have a recommendation as to a higher quality battery which will fit with no or only minor modifications?

Note, for one of the replacements, I take the blame for because the car was only driven once a month for about fifteen months. However, the others I blame on low capacity and fully loaded electronics with always on xenon lights.

I have two other cars with similar usage patterns and they have not had this problem. So I'm not willing to accept usage patterns as the sole issue. Dealer has never found a fault with alternator, so I believe charging is at factory spec.

Xenon lights use 50% less power maybe you have another problem.
It might pay for you to have a small solar panel fitted to trickle charge the battery when car is left.
My XC90 has 6 year old XC90 original battery?

[rkv]

Originally Posted by GJB

Xenon lights use 50% less power maybe you have another problem as 6 year old XC90 original battery?

It's not a six year old battery, this is my third battery and this one is only 23 months old. Thus the new battery will be my fourth in six years.

At to the xenon lights, they may draw less power than halogen, however it is the "always on" which I am questioning. In general, I buy into the safety benefit of "always on". However, Volvo has not dealt appropriately with the need to have the ignition key on but the engine not running.

For example, you can not run radio while parked or the headlights will be on. You can put your light switch to parking lights, but then they stay on even if ignition key is removed. I've had the car battery go flat when car is being handwashed and the detailer left the ignition in the on setting. Note, this is for what is now a deteriorated battery.

It has always been serviced by Volvo and the dealers seem to just want to replace the batteries when they die. I personally suspect the batteries are under powered for the vehicle. I should have mentioned in original post that this is the petrol version of the '03 XC90 as well.

[Big Stew]

Get yourself a Varta Silver ,great batteries I won't fit anything else nowdays and have never had one fail .

[stuarthartley]

totally agree varta are the best by far

[rkv]

Due to recommendations, I checked out Varta. The recommended model from an online distributor is an E44 which at 77Ah and cold crank of 780A is less than the currently installed Volvo 90Ah and 800A battery. In checking the owners manual, it looks like the dealer installed the diesel spec battery the last time it was replaced.

In any event, I'm going to physically remove my current battery to see if the Varta I1 with 110Ah and 920A will fit. (Height and width wise it appears okay.)

Lastly, has anyone had any experience with Optima Yellow Top batteries. They claim to have a design which is superior for extended periods of non-use. I have one of those in a vehicle which I use only a few times a year. However, that vehicle has a battery disconnect switch so as to eliminate battery drain by alarms and the like.

[RoyMacDonald]

Strange. My battery is seven and a half years old now and still fine.

My headlights don't come on in position "I" but everything else does. Have they changed it from the 03 model year, or is there something wrong with your car?

Oh. Just noticed you have an 03. There's something wrong with your car.

[rkv]

My headlights are only off in the parking light setting. The danger with that setting is that, as intended, the parking lights remain on when the ignition key is removed.

The other two settings only differ with respect to how they deal with the high beam or dip. In both positions the headlights are always on when the key is in any position other than off. That is if there is power there are headlights. The difference in the two settings has to do with main/high beam/dipped beam functionality. In one setting, you can only flash the high beams, it will only momentarily move to main beam an then dips. In the other setting it is a toggle, where the stalk moves the lights betweem main and dipped and they remain in that respective position until you move the stalk again.

Roy, due to your post I actually pulled out the manual and it claims that in one setting my headlights should actually be off. I will ask the dealer about this. Do you have the bi-xenon lights which were an option that year? I'm thinking that may be the source of the difference. Since my version of the owners manual doesn't even mention those as an option. As far as I know I have a factory installed setup in that the vehicle was delivered new from the dealer with those headlights. In any event, I will raise it with the dealer on my next visit.

[pdrvolvo]

4 batteries in 6 years is very unusual.they must be crap batteries.i have bi-xenon headlights and have had no battery problems.if i go on along run i sometimes switch to sidelights to give the battery a bit more charge.

peter.

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by rkv

My headlights are only off in the parking light setting. The danger with that setting is that, as intended, the parking lights remain on when the ignition key is removed.

The other two settings only differ with respect to how they deal with the high beam or dip. In both positions the headlights are always on when the key is in any position other than off. That is if there is power there are headlights. The difference in the two settings has to do with main/high beam/dipped beam functionality. In one setting, you can only flash the high beams, it will only momentarily move to main beam an then dips. In the other setting it is a toggle, where the stalk moves the lights betweem main and dipped and they remain in that respective position until you move the stalk again.

Roy, due to your post I actually pulled out the manual and it claims that in one setting my headlights should actually be off. I will ask the dealer about this. Do you have the bi-xenon lights which were an option that year? I'm thinking that may be the source of the difference. Since my version of the owners manual doesn't even mention those as an option. As far as I know I have a factory installed setup in that the vehicle was delivered new from the dealer with those headlights. In any event, I will raise it with the dealer on my next visit.

I have the standard headlights (non xenon)

No one has mentioned as as I can remember not being able to not have the headlights off with the radio etc on with bi-xenons. Your post made me wonder if someone had been mucking about with the electrics in your car.