Batteries dieing suddenly

[ramz]

So yea,

I was driving my 440 yesterday, i drove to pick up my fiancee', it was fine, i drove back her work, fine, i got to her road and reversed at the top of her road. Suddenly, with no warning, the ABS light comes on, then the car starts to judder, and then judder a bit more. Then as ive pulled up on the path, death. The car dies, i try to do up me windows, it only just does them. The battery in the distance from my home to my fiancee' work is all of about a 5-10 min drive, back to her house is the same and the battery just died. Lost all power, no charge what so ever. So have to go buy a new battery that cost fifty quid!!!!

anyway, anyone know why this might of happened?

and has this ever happened to anyone, not just in a 440, in any volvo or any car...

[Citizen.Agfa]

So yea,

I was driving my 440 yesterday, i drove to pick up my fiancee', it was fine, i drove back her work, fine, i got to her road and reversed at the top of her road. Suddenly, with no warning, the ABS light comes on, then the car starts to judder, and then judder a bit more. Then as ive pulled up on the path, death. The car dies, i try to do up me windows, it only just does them. The battery in the distance from my home to my fiancee' work is all of about a 5-10 min drive, back to her house is the same and the battery just died. Lost all power, no charge what so ever. So have to go buy a new battery that cost fifty quid!!!!

anyway, anyone know why this might of happened?

and has this ever happened to anyone, not just in a 440, in any volvo or any car...

Yup. I had a 1.8 Carlton Estate (what speed!!), got in it one day to go get motion-lotion, one mile to the Shell Shop, get there no probs, put in some juice, go and pay, back to car, turn key and -BLANK- not even a click, all the lights went dim, radio said "code", just like that the battery had died. Jumped the car to get home, replaced the battery and Bob's your mothers brother. It has happened on other occasions too.

Regards, Nick H.

[John_C]

Yep it happens, not as often as a gradual decrease in performance over time but I have had it before.

Usually the battery is developing an internal fault gradually over time through e.g. overheating because of low fluid levels or just being too old and then it hits a critical point and something bad happens like one of the lead plates bends so far it touches one of the other ones or just plain snaps off.

[morsing]

Umm... This sounds more like a charging problem than a battery problem. If the car actually stalled it's unlikely to be battery related.

I would check the alternator brushes, they're probably worn out. You need a screw driver to pull it out of the alternator. On the 240 you can do it with the alternator in the car but I don't know what access is like on the 440.

[peteS40]

I agree - I had a similar thing years ago. What happened was the alternator packed up, and so was no longer charging the battery properly. First symptoms were occasional failure to start, which I put down to starter motor going home. Then on the way home the automatic ECU warning light came on (due to low battery voltage). In the end needed a new alternator AND a new battery as the battery was unable to "recover".

Check charging cct as follows: measure battery voltage under following circumstances:
1) engine not running, when engine cold
2) engine not running, just after a run
3) engine idling
4) engine idling and all lights, rear screen heater, fan all on
5) engine revving / fast idle with no electric loading

If 1) is below about 11.5V you need to charge battery and might need a new one. If 2) below about 12V same story. For 3), voltage should be between about 13.5 and 14.5V, if lower than that then alternator not charging. If higher than that, regulator fault. For 4) the voltage shouldn't drop much from 3), maybe only to 13V. If lower than that, alternator not charging battery properly is likely. For 5) If the voltage increases with engine speed above 14.5V then the voltage regulator is knackered.

Good luck!
Pete

[scottishvolvo]

Pete is spot on. It happened to me on the motorway with my 460 and after a long cold wait the nice man from GF told me my alternator was goosed. Luckily I got away with a replacement from a scrapper. Easy to change, the only prob I can remember was the adjuster was seized.
Chris

[ramz]

I agree - I had a similar thing years ago. What happened was the alternator packed up, and so was no longer charging the battery properly. First symptoms were occasional failure to start, which I put down to starter motor going home. Then on the way home the automatic ECU warning light came on (due to low battery voltage). In the end needed a new alternator AND a new battery as the battery was unable to "recover".

Check charging cct as follows: measure battery voltage under following circumstances:
1) engine not running, when engine cold
2) engine not running, just after a run
3) engine idling
4) engine idling and all lights, rear screen heater, fan all on
5) engine revving / fast idle with no electric loading

If 1) is below about 11.5V you need to charge battery and might need a new one. If 2) below about 12V same story. For 3), voltage should be between about 13.5 and 14.5V, if lower than that then alternator not charging. If higher than that, regulator fault. For 4) the voltage shouldn't drop much from 3), maybe only to 13V. If lower than that, alternator not charging battery properly is likely. For 5) If the voltage increases with engine speed above 14.5V then the voltage regulator is knackered.

Good luck!
Pete



yep, no1 2 happened, or is happening, we did a mini test and the voltage was at about 11 or so, we checked my mums car and at 14 or so, so we gonna get a new alternater and fit that, hopefully sumtime next week...

cheers anyway guys!