Electrics: S80 T6 dead, ticking sound after key removed from ignition

[lillia]

Hello everyone, I'm hoping someone recognises this problem and can assist me in sorting it out before garages open tomorrow (Monday). Just realising that some garages may not be open tomorrow as it's Christmas Eve! Just my luck...

Car (S80 T6) failed to start late this evening and is dead outside. Up until yesterday afternoon (Saturday), it had performed as normal, with no indication that anything was amiss (apart from the "Alarm System Service Required" that had been popping up from time to time for the past 6-7 weeks or so). The battery was replaced with a heavy duty one in May last year and the car does an average of 180 miles a week.

Except for the light in the glove box, the lights (both external and internal) do not come on at all. The dashboard indicators light up briefly before extinguishing. Key fob does not open or lock the car. Only the driver's door can be opened from the outside when the doors are unlocked. The key only unlocks the driver's door instead of all of them as before. The boot can only be opened with the key via the lock above the licence plate. When the key is moved back to the 0 position and removed from the car, there is a persistent, low, rapidly ticking sound from both the right and left hand sides of the car, in the vicinity of the driver and passenger doors while I am sitting in the car. This goes on for around 3-4 seconds before stopping. The sound is not audible from the outside. Is it possible that the alarm siren has drained the battery, or is it more likely that there is a starter motor or fuse problem?

The first time I heard the ticking sound it was similar to the sound the car makes when the battery is flat, but the battery ticking just stops after barely a second while the other ticking continues. It is difficult to say whether the second ticking starts before or after the key has been removed.

It's beyond late now, so I plan to first check the fuses in the morning, then try to arrange for a jump start. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Clan]

first impression is a flat battery for what ever reason ??

[Paul Wildsmith]

I had this, the battery terminals were loose.

[Joe Harding]

On our D5 V70, same symptoms: I found earthing strap from engine block to chassis hanging loose.

Low current can get back via mountings etc. but the large inush current required to spin the starter motor can't return. So you get lights, full electrical function but no turnover.

I unpicked the braid from the bolt on tag, opened the flanges of the tag in a vice and then used a mole grip to recrimp it onto the earthing strap.

Result!

[lillia]

Update -

Thank you for the suggestions. It took three attempts to jump start the car. Apparently the battery was so flat (we were unable to even shift into Neutral to manoeuvre the car into a better position) that the only way to get any effect was to connect the cables directly to the battery in the boot rather than to the fuse box connection under the bonnet. That was nearly 5 hours ago. Drove nearly 20 miles, no problem: if anything, the car was more responsive(!). Have locked the car using the key, not the fob - I am convinced that the cause of this sudden and massive overnight battery drain is something to do with the alarm. The car started promptly with no issues 10 minutes ago, 4 hours since I switched it off. Will see what happens in the morning.

I'll spend Christmas morning looking at fuses first, and take the car to the garage when they re-open after the holidays if I have not identified the cause of the drain.

Happy Holidays!

[chiptivo]

Yes, common fault of a faulty alarm siren unit can drain the main car battery is some situations.

Easy fix this one, remove the alarm unit fuse = problem solved. It is in the side panel of the drivers side dash. Forget the number (Maybe 27) but there is a sticker on the back of the panel cover.

You will still get the alarm message on the dash for 5 seconds everytime you start the car, but you will no longer have the flat battery.

[Brendan W]

My money would be on the alarm draining the battery as well. F38 bottom right of the fuse box if memory serves.

[Jim314]

Four years ago the alarm failed on my V70 and drained the battery once when I didn't drive it for 4 days or so. I removed the alarm fuse in the panel at the end of the dash, and have not had a repeat even though I have sometimes not started it for almost a week. Still has the original battery (I think 9 years in service), but it does seem to be getting weaker.

I do get the alarm error message at every startup, but the red LED on the dash still flashes. I too think it is F38 at the bottom of the panel.

[lillia]

Jim, now that you have removed the fuse, are you able to lock the car with the key fob without further complications/battery drainage, or do you just use the key now? Does disabling F38 (the alarm siren) mean that the alarm itself is no longer functional?

I located the fuse yesterday and scraped the skin off my forefinger trying to pull the darn thing out, even with the special tool that Volvo thoughtfully included in the panel. It's in such an awkward position right there in the corner. Will have to hunt down a pair of long nose pliers in the morning.

[Brendan W]

Alarm will function as normal except the siren will not sound when the alarm is triggered and you will get an Alarm System Service Required message for a few seconds at each start up.