Low Battery warning

[Lonsdale]

I got this message for the first and only time on Sunday evening whilst parked at a country park, the car wouldn't start - not as lucky as some on this thread!

Now some of advice/warning, as the car has always been serviced every 12 months at a Volvo dealer I assumed that I was covered by Volvo Assist. So I phoned them only to be told that my cover ran out 12 months before it's last service.

I gave Linda the date of it's last service and dealership used and she said I'll phone you back which the lovely Linda did, it turns out that after the last service the dealership didn't update my Volvo Assist.

Thanks to Linda she created a temporary account and dispatched a breakdown agent (god I feel old, the driver looked about 15 and his assistant 12)

They jumped started my car and got it going.

Next morning it only just started so leaving the engine running, I phoned my Volvo dealer for the price of a new battery (2010 2.4AWD D5)

It's been said before on this forum that genuine battery from a dealer are good value and as my original one has lasted 9 years and most generic batteries in my experience last about 4 years.

So in I'd say ignore the warning at your peril and make sure your dealer updates Volvo Assist (which mine has now done)

The price of the genuine Volvo battery was £102.60 (inc vat) with free fitting

HTH

UTB

[GMcL]

I think Volvo are having problems with their Volvo Assist system.
My car has also had all services from new carried out in Volvocars approved workshops. I usually receive the credit card sized plastic card a week or two after service. The latest one arrived in the post today, the car was serviced in November !

[Lonsdale]

Originally Posted by GMcL

I think Volvo are having problems with their Volvo Assist system.
My car has also had all services from new carried out in Volvocars approved workshops. I usually receive the credit card sized plastic card a week or two after service. The latest one arrived in the post today, the car was serviced in November !

The Dealership told me they just update your entitlement to 12 months Assist and don't issue an new card after every service and that the card is just a way of giving you a hard copy of the phone number, after saying that I received a new card about 2 years ago, strangely it's called Volvo Accident not Volvo Assist even though the contact number is the same as before.

[GrahamHR]

I've had this problem since new with my 2015 V60 Polestar.

11.2 V on delivery after a 180 mile trip, 10.8V after 2 days so a new battery early on

Since then, the battery voltage is always low. Checked at the battery numerous times with an expensive, very accurate Fluke multimeter, at the 12V socket with a cheap plug in voltmeter; always tallying very closely . e.g 12.11 vs 12.1V

No problem according to the dealer, they say charging is fine and the battery is fine according to their Volvo testing software. If I use a smart charger the at rest voltage for a while is normal ( 12.83V or thereabouts; at the battery and at the socket). The dealer says that measuring the voltage at the 12V socket is meaningless as it's not directly connected to the battery, the power comes via a module. They also say the low voltage is due to the Volvo charge control being "very clever", only charging just enough (= a stupid system if that is the case in my opinion !). I don't believe it really, but Volvo UK concur with the dealer.

It's never failed to start, but I carry a Li-ion jump start pack now at all times just in case. I shouldn't need top really with a 12,000 mile car.

A 120 mile motorway drive today in daylight. Voltage now is 12.2V ! "Normal", really ? I don't think so !

[Electronix12]

Originally Posted by GrahamHR

It's never failed to start, but I carry a Li-ion jump start pack now at all times just in case. I shouldn't need top really with a 12,000 mile car.

A 120 mile motorway drive today in daylight. Voltage now is 12.2V ! "Normal", really ? I don't think so !

Quite clearly it is OK if it’s never failed to start..!

Does yours have stop start? I assume so. If that’s working OK then it is fine.

The voltage isn’t higher because, at-least on my car, that it holds it at about 90% charge state such that the albeit small amount of regenerative braking can occur.

[SwissXC90]

Originally Posted by GrahamHR

A 120 mile motorway drive today in daylight. Voltage now is 12.2V ! "Normal", really ? I don't think so !

Interesting.
I now have a CTEK Battery Sense on my 2009 Volvo XC90.
I have been logging and graphing State of Charge for a few weeks now
My battery, when 100% charged, after resting for 8 hours (overnight), shows 12.8V
After a week of no use, just sitting in the garage, where the CTEK Battery Sense says it is down to 80%, it's still showing >12.6V

Anyway, you have a different generation vehicle, who knows what Volvo changed?

[GrahamHR]

Originally Posted by Electronix12

Quite clearly it is OK if it’s never failed to start..!

Does yours have stop start? I assume so. If that’s working OK then it is fine.

.

It doesn't have "stop start", so just one (big) battery

[Mike Arnold]

Changed the battery and not had the warning since. Incidentally, despite some on-line lookup tables saying that it uses a type 096 it turns out that mine has a type 110. Always worth double checking as I have previously had parts suppliers saying that X will fit my car and when you try it is the wrong part.