Electrics: Battery Recommendation ???

[RoyMacDonald]

Your car has a control unit for the lights that's programed into the car. I'm wondering if the setting for the lights has been changed at some point and needs to be set up to be off in ignition position "I" in VIDA by the dealer?

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showpo...9&postcount=11

[RoyMacDonald]

This might be of some help......http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...352#post729352

[Rockhopper]

Originally Posted by rkv

For example, you can not run radio while parked or the headlights will be on.... the headlights are always on when the key is in any position other than off

Like Roy, this is not the case on mine (MY05 Xenons, DRL active). You can have the radio on at key position 'I' and no lights will come on - they only come on in key position 'II' in either 'off' or dipped beam settings on light switch. Side / parking lights are on at all light switch positions with ignition at 'II', remaining on with ignition off if the light switch position is at 'side/parking lights'.

Hope that makes sense? Does seem there's something odd with yours if your dipped beam is on at ign position 'I'

[RoyMacDonald]

I think the lights could be set to on all the time.....

Originally Posted by RoyMacDonald

Daytime running lamps
The way in which low beam will be switched on can be programmed in three ways:
* Low beam on in all switch positions except the parking light position (Flexnoll)
* The light switch has three positions: off, parking light and low beam (Flex standard)
* Low beam always on regardless of the position of the light switch (Flex low).
The daytime running lamps are programmed via the vehicle communication socket under Central
Electronic Module (CEM), Programming The Control Module.

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showpo...48&postcount=4

[Rockhopper]

These are the DRL settings that alter the light switch functions, but what about whether the dipped beam lights should be on in ignition key position 'I' ?

[rkv]

My apologies, for not having read your posts more carefully and for not responding with respect to the ignition key setting. There is no problem with the ignition switch. It works as others have posted. That is in position "I" radio and phone work but no headlights. I hadn't realized this until I just now explicitly checked. With respect to the light switch I believe my '03 is configured with the "Flexnoll" setting in RoyMacDonald's post.

As to why I originally posted, in recent months I had two times the car had to be jumped to recover from a drained battery. One was with my wife sitting at school waiting for the afternoon pickup. The other was the day prior to my post when I was having the car washed. In both cases, it would seem that they must have moved to position "I" or "0" to turn the engine off and then put it back in position "II" for some reason. So it is definitely user error.

In the case of the car wash, I was away from the car for forty five minutes or so and I am guessing they had left the headlights on for that whole period and that was evidently enough to kill the battery.

I still haven't bothered to pull the battery and determine whether a Varta I1 will fit. But for the moment, I am hoping it will.

As to the headlight setting, when it next goes into the shop, which should be soon there will be another post on that, I may have them change the behaviour of the light switch.

In any event, again my apologies for the confusion I caused. I will post back to let people know if the Varta I1 fits, since that is the only version with a superior amperage value to the Volvo supplied batteries.

[RoyMacDonald]

Another thing to be aware of, is if you have the RSE fitted, the DVD player will run the battery down if it's used for more than 15 mins. with the engine turned off (even if the lights are off)

Also a discharged battery will sulphate up it's plates. I use a battery conditioner to keep mine at full charge as I don't use my car every day.

[Rockhopper]

And the SatNav also runs the battery down pretty quickly without the engine on - happened a couple of times to me whilst route planning before a journey. There's always a 'Battery Low' message that appears in the info display though to warn you before it goes too flat to crank.

[bullseal]

Hi Guys, have had the battery fail on my '03 XC90 today. Unfortunately my wife has the car up in Scotland. Breakdown man checked charging rate which was ok, so she has had to go to Halfords and buy a heavy duty battery with 5 yr warranty. Not sure if it was the right thing to do, but it's done now. She's now telling me that the key fobs aren't activating the central locking every time, could this be linked to the flat battery. I've heard reports that you shouldn't remove the terminals completely and connect them to some power source so you don't loose power to the computer. Does that sound right ?

[Oli]

I've rather sadly got 3 volvos. 850 ('96), V70 (Classic '99) and XC90 T6 ('04). The 850 and V70 now both run with Halfords batteries, each with 4 year warranty. So far absolutely no problems after being fitted for about 2 years each. Indeed, the 850 fires up better with this battery than ever before (and that can be after standing still for 3 weeks+). Prices seem ok. And the chaps at Sevenoaks Halfords, who fit for free (not a big job on these cars, but on some it's a major service almost) are very friendly and helpful and will test your old battery before trying to sell you a new one. You have to seek out the older people in the store who know about customer service and what to do. I'd not hesitate to get another Halfords battery.

That's not a full thumbs up for everything Halfords by any means, but 5* for batteries.

The XC90 will warn of low battery very quickly when the engine isn't running, but some electrics are being used.

Oli