XC70 Battery Options

[al dm]

I recently acquired a lowly 2011 XC70 D3 FWD car with 120K miles. It's immaculate despite the mileage and I am in the process of doing preventative maintenance to it to make it last for a good few more miles and years and basically going through it with a fine tooth comb. So far, so good.

One thing that maybe concerns me is that if I have the ignition off with the radio on for any length of time, I get a low battery warning.

I think the battery is OK though. The car starts immediately every time, first push on the button. So I think it may just need the battery monitor reset.

Alternatively, I have a couple of battery tenders/maintainers for motorbikes, so I could pull the battery at some point and give it a maintenance cycle.

But, it's a 12 year old car and I have no documentation of the battery ever being changed, so I might treat it to a new battery, what with winter on the way.

So what would be the best new battery to buy these days? Money is not really a constraint and I would rather buy well, once. I see Bosch are popular and the S5 AGM type get good reviews and can be had for around £120.

Any thoughts? And would lithium also be a decent option to consider these days?

If I go to various sites, they sort of tell me that a new battery must be coded to the car. Is this correct, and if so how do I go about doing it? I don't have VIDA/DICE, but do have an OBDII tool.

Thanks in advance.

[yostumpy]

I had a new one from the dealers on mine under warranty, they said the batteries are shipped over from Sweden. The turning the radio off thing , is normal, mine does it still, it says ‘ to preserve the battery ………..’ . But this is not the same as , ‘warning low battery…….’ I think it’s not just a radio that’s on, this is the problem, the whole system is on ( on mine anyway, 2016) the whole sensys system. Ie Sat nav, radio, etc.. Sorry, I’m talking gibberish again.

[Tannaton]

Lots of people get the low battery message, but don't have problems starting the car on cold morning.

If you have a C-TEK or similar I would run the battery through a few RECOND cycles and then reset the BMS (a few vids on YouTube on how to do this).

If after the above you are still minded to change the battery, Tayna batteries is the best place after a dealer. Some people on here have bought replacement batteries from Volvo main dealers for very good prices, but my local dealer was hopelessly expensive when I enquired last week...

You won't go wrong with Bosch S4 or S5 - but in the past 3 years I've been buying Exide from Tayna - very good value, usually higher Ah/CCA ratings than most and 3 year warranty. I've just got a Exide battery for my 7 year old XC60, and there's one in my Spitfire, Renault Master Horsebox, and my tractor. Plus 5-6 friends/customers cars... no issues.

Remember if you have start/stop you should get the AGM version.

[al dm]

Thanks folks,

I will reset the BMS (have watched a couple of vids) and also pull the battery at some point and see if my Noco smart battery tender thinks it needs reconditioned or not.

But if I do decide on a new one anyway, how do I do the battery coding? Do I need to take it to a dealer and have them do it? Or maybe see if I can find somebody on here who isn't a million miles away, has VIDA/DICE and is willing to do it for me?

[monkeh]

I haven't had issues in battery coding.
Disconnected mine for sending my ECM for a remap. No issues in reconnecting a week later.
If you also have the money, Get an AGM battery regardless of start/stop.

+1 for Tayna batteries. Quick delivery too, try to get offer codes if you can.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by al dm

But if I do decide on a new one anyway, how do I do the battery coding? Do I need to take it to a dealer and have them do it? Or maybe see if I can find somebody on here who isn't a million miles away, has VIDA/DICE and is willing to do it for me?

There is no battery coding whatsoever, the battery has no electronics or memory. Simply remove the old one, fit the new one, the act of disconnecting the battery for 10 mins or more should reset the BMS. I always charge new batteries before fitting just to be sure. I think the only thing you will need to do as a result of changing the battery is resetting the electric window one touch operation. Again - vids on YouTube.

[Tatsfield]

Clock?

[al dm]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

There is no battery coding whatsoever, the battery has no electronics or memory. Simply remove the old one, fit the new one, the act of disconnecting the battery for 10 mins or more should reset the BMS. I always charge new batteries before fitting just to be sure. I think the only thing you will need to do as a result of changing the battery is resetting the electric window one touch operation. Again - vids on YouTube.

Thanks - that's good to know and one less thing to worry about. I will have a look at the battery tomorrow when I am doing my transmission fluid drain/refill and probably order up a new one just because...

[bananarama]

Originally Posted by tatsfield

clock?

yes!!!!

[Puffster]

Another for Tayna batteries

I used to get the low battery thingy but after I replaced the battery, its gone.