C30 Electrics : Red triangle POWER SYSTEM SERVICE URGENT

[volvo for ever]

try recharging battery you might be lucky hope you are

regards

[RickT]

Get a mutli meter on the battery first and see what the voltage is.

If its 100% flat you may have a drain as its pretty rare for a battery to go 100% flat..

The temp in the UK over the last few days has dropped a lot, so the cold could of just knacked it.. is it a OEM battery from new ?

[oneilldom]

Gents,

Thanks for the replies. So I went outside and eventually jumped the car. Took ages and battery seemed to be really struggling to hold a charge. Also seemed to be 100% dead at point of recharging. Got her running pulled round the corner and she promptly died. When she was running there were no other errors other than the 'power system service urgent'.

No issues with immobiliser. No idea what to do now. Thinking of taking the battery out to charge over night. Not sure what else I can do. Hoping there'll be a couple garages open tomorrow with any luck.

Any more thoughts/replies welcome.

[cjj]

Originally Posted by oneilldom

Gents,

Thanks for the replies. So I went outside and eventually jumped the car. Took ages and battery seemed to be really struggling to hold a charge. Also seemed to be 100% dead at point of recharging. Got her running pulled round the corner and she promptly died. When she was running there were no other errors other than the 'power system service urgent'.

No issues with immobiliser. No idea what to do now. Thinking of taking the battery out to charge over night. Not sure what else I can do. Hoping there'll be a couple garages open tomorrow with any luck.

Any more thoughts/replies welcome.

Alternator needs changing.

Very, very common on 2.0D's.

When the car is running it has (or should have) no reliance on the battery whatsoever, so if the car stalls when running it is due to the alternator and not the battery.

If you use Volvo for servicing you can call SARA

[oneilldom]

Originally Posted by cjj

Alternator needs changing.

Very, very common on 2.0D's.

When the car is running it has (or should have) no reliance on the battery whatsoever, so if the car stalls when running it is due to the alternator and not the battery.

If you use Volvo for servicing you can call SARA

If this is the issue, could there be anything I did while cleaning the throttle body which may have caused this? Seems like a hell of a coincidence...

EDIT: Also excuse my ignorance, what is SARA? My car has been in there once for an EGR valve replacement which the garage I bought it from paid for, and once a few month ago for some diagnostics which came back clear. I've got a 12 month warranty when I bought the car which I'm hoping covers alternators but I'm sure they'll try to get out of covering it...

[cjj]

Originally Posted by oneilldom

If this is the issue, could there be anything I did while cleaning the throttle body which may have caused this? Seems like a hell of a coincidence...

EDIT: Also excuse my ignorance, what is SARA? My car has been in there once for an EGR valve replacement which the garage I bought it from paid for, and once a few month ago for some diagnostics which came back clear. I've got a 12 month warranty when I bought the car which I'm hoping covers alternators but I'm sure they'll try to get out of covering it...

SARA = Service Activated Roadside Assistance.

If you have your car serviced by a Volvo Service Centre then you get roadside assistance for free for 12 months - they would come out for free and read codes etc. and supply you with a hire car for a couple of days if needed (also free). So depends when it was last dealer serviced.

Most warranties cover alternators, they can't really argue it's a wear/tear part of fluid leak, which are the normal get-outs.


No such thing as coincidences on cars, human nature is to apply patterns to things, hence the word 'coincidence' being invented. Some things things like this just happen - "Power" system service is purely related to the electrical side on the car, no if/buts. At some point during every D4204T 2.0D this will happen, just a weak part on these engines.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by oneilldom

So went out and checked the vacuum pipe, still attached with no signs of damage. Car is now completely dead no battery life whatsoever. Bo***cks!

yes the battery can discharge through the alternator and heat the alternator up when the alternator is faulty .

[Bungo]

You could say coincidence faulty alternator and battery also.
If an alternator packs up your battery will just discharge over time depending on how much you use it. It will be flat but not knackered.
Jump starting will not put any power in a flat battery, hence it conking out.
An overnight charge is a good idea if only to avoid buying a new battery but long term there is no choice but to sort alternator asap.

[oneilldom]

thanks for the comments again gents. tried to get the battery out to put on charge but couldn't get the front half of the plastic surround off. Dunno if I'm just being an idiot. May try again in the morning or just get AA home start to nearby garage and let them deal with it.

[volvo for ever]

yeh can be akward removing battery put on full charge then start car get multi meter and check charging rate bet its altanator thats not charging easy to replace once fuel filter housing removed i heard of some one doing altanator replacing with fuel filter in place why give yourself grief ,the only thing itl need bleeding with vacumm tool

regards