XC90 T8 2020 Battery capacity and indicator mismatch

[safrane]

Originally Posted by lfc2606

Thanks a lot @SandyS - this is not what I'm seeing and having reached out to Volvo direct and them confirming the car should top up then I'm convinced this is an issue.

It's in the local dealer in the next couple of weeks so let's see!!

To give a view from another T8 owner (MY18).

Unless I have depleted more that 75% of the battery the next charge will not display the max that the car was designed to do EG it will show full battery but with a range an indicated range of 17/18 miles in Hybrid mode. If below a 1/4 and then charged to full this would in turn give me a indicated 21 mile range, or 25 miles in PURE.

After the last service by Volvo I did notice that the car gained a max displayed range of 25, up from the normal 23/24 I had seen in the last 2 years of ownership. I put this down to the last software up-date that 'optimised drive performance'... what ever that means.

[lfc2606]

YES……this is the issue for me! Indeed I noticed today that having driven the car 1 mile, when I plugged it in the light remained Green which means charging is complete. Problem is that the battery % shows full however mile range has dropped. When I next get in the car, range actually drops again (starts 20, reduces to 19 after drive now shows 17!!!!!)

Given I’ve then driven the car to the same place, distance, there is a noticeable reduction in range. I am convinced there is an issue between the battery indicator showing full but actual range not being full.

Volvo have washed their hands of it so currently taking to to Motoring Ombusman. The crux here is Volvo not able to prove an issue with the battery thus being unable to resolve under warranty should the range reduction be an issue rather than simple wear and tear

[himura84]

I have the exact same issue and Volvo did their diagnostic and says everything is fine… issue keeps happening. Drive the car, turn off with X km left. When turning on, I have X-2 kms and the percentage bar always on 100%…

Did you end up finding a solution?

Originally Posted by lfc2606

YES……this is the issue for me! Indeed I noticed today that having driven the car 1 mile, when I plugged it in the light remained Green which means charging is complete. Problem is that the battery % shows full however mile range has dropped. When I next get in the car, range actually drops again (starts 20, reduces to 19 after drive now shows 17!!!!!)

Given I’ve then driven the car to the same place, distance, there is a noticeable reduction in range. I am convinced there is an issue between the battery indicator showing full but actual range not being full.

Volvo have washed their hands of it so currently taking to to Motoring Ombusman. The crux here is Volvo not able to prove an issue with the battery thus being unable to resolve under warranty should the range reduction be an issue rather than simple wear and tear

[lfc2606]

Hi Himura84 - that is great to hear as it finally means I’m not alone in this. No solution but both Volvo and the dealer have made clear they cannot test the battery capacity. This led to me formally complaining to the Motoring Ombusman who have accepted my case and I now wait for it to be followed through. It’s ridiculous that they don’t have the diagnostic capability for the battery and I can only assume it’s because it’s a hybrid. Full electric cars tell you exactly what is going on. I remain convinced the sensor for the fullness of the battery is wrong and by being wrong it prevents charge.

[himura84]

Mine still charges to full capacity somehow, but the numeric range vs the range percentage are always mismatching, especially when turning off the car and then turning it on 5 minutes later (plus the infamous 2km range loss in the numeric and the bar going up again to 100%)