What follows battery failure?

ChrisE · Mar 15th, 2012, 11:54

The last 2 batteries that I have had to replace have both gone with no warning. Drive somewhere perfectly OK but then when you try to restart there is absolutely - & I really mean absolutely - nothing. No signs of any battery life at all. All this is accompanied by a smell of rotten eggs which I am told indicates an internal short circuit within the battery which our battery supplier said was the way that modern batteries went.

My new XC90 owners manual talks about the car spending the first 5 minutes after switch off updating the computers.

What happens if I get a battery failure & there isn't any power during that 5 minutes?

I am not paranoid about this but I am interested as in the past 20 years these were the only 2 non starts that we have had & we have not had any other type of breakdown.

TruckbusUK · Mar 15th, 2012, 12:10

2 batteries, in how long? ... think I'd get my alternator/charging circuit checked for overcharging and damaging the batteries ... this could also be the source of the Hydrogen Sulfide /rotten eggs smell ..... overcharging boiling the electrolite.

Hope it helps

GJB · Mar 15th, 2012, 13:25

Where the 2 batteries in the XC90 if so agree that must be an overchage my battery in XC90 lasted 8 years.

ChrisE · Mar 15th, 2012, 14:36

No not in XC90. 10 years is pretty good for a battery & no repeat problems with a new one.

TruckbusUK · Mar 15th, 2012, 14:53

TBH, not that unusual me thinks, I've (I include my wife here) had 4 Volvo in the last 32 years (no they didnt all last that long), 4 Renaults, 4 Fords, 2 VW's, 1 Audi and hanging his head low 3 Vauxhalls ... and I have only ever replaced 2 batteries ... first in a 14 year old Volvo 244DL (1975MY) @ 237K miles (it was my dad's car so i knew its history) and the other was in a 4 year old Renault Espace (2004MY @ 27k miles), caused by a alternator fault.

All the cars were owned from new and went from 4-16yrs old in my ownership, so either I was very lucky or batteries are not that bad if you use a premium grade.

Just some thoughts.

Mar 15th, 2012, 11:54	#1
ChrisE Volvo Owner Since 1990 Last Online: Apr 3rd, 2024 13:27 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Norwich	What follows battery failure? The last 2 batteries that I have had to replace have both gone with no warning. Drive somewhere perfectly OK but then when you try to restart there is absolutely - & I really mean absolutely - nothing. No signs of any battery life at all. All this is accompanied by a smell of rotten eggs which I am told indicates an internal short circuit within the battery which our battery supplier said was the way that modern batteries went. My new XC90 owners manual talks about the car spending the first 5 minutes after switch off updating the computers. What happens if I get a battery failure & there isn't any power during that 5 minutes? I am not paranoid about this but I am interested as in the past 20 years these were the only 2 non starts that we have had & we have not had any other type of breakdown.

Mar 15th, 2012, 12:10	#2
TruckbusUK Petrolhead+Lots of Diesel Last Online: Today 11:53 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Glasgow	2 batteries, in how long? ... think I'd get my alternator/charging circuit checked for overcharging and damaging the batteries ... this could also be the source of the Hydrogen Sulfide /rotten eggs smell ..... overcharging boiling the electrolite. Hope it helps __________________ BMW X3 Msport MHEV 2020MY & VW Beetle Design 1.2Tsi DSG 2014MY Previous XC90 D5 SELux Geartronic 2009MY

Mar 15th, 2012, 14:36	#4
ChrisE Volvo Owner Since 1990 Last Online: Apr 3rd, 2024 13:27 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Norwich	No not in XC90. 10 years is pretty good for a battery & no repeat problems with a new one. Last edited by ChrisE; Mar 15th, 2012 at 14:39.

Mar 15th, 2012, 14:53	#5
TruckbusUK Petrolhead+Lots of Diesel Last Online: Today 11:53 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Glasgow	TBH, not that unusual me thinks, I've (I include my wife here) had 4 Volvo in the last 32 years (no they didnt all last that long), 4 Renaults, 4 Fords, 2 VW's, 1 Audi and hanging his head low 3 Vauxhalls ... and I have only ever replaced 2 batteries ... first in a 14 year old Volvo 244DL (1975MY) @ 237K miles (it was my dad's car so i knew its history) and the other was in a 4 year old Renault Espace (2004MY @ 27k miles), caused by a alternator fault. All the cars were owned from new and went from 4-16yrs old in my ownership, so either I was very lucky or batteries are not that bad if you use a premium grade. Just some thoughts. __________________ BMW X3 Msport MHEV 2020MY & VW Beetle Design 1.2Tsi DSG 2014MY Previous XC90 D5 SELux Geartronic 2009MY

Mar 15th, 2012, 13:25	#3
GJB Premier Member Last Online: Apr 22nd, 2024 15:54 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cromer Norfolk	Where the 2 batteries in the XC90 if so agree that must be an overchage my battery in XC90 lasted 8 years.

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