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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    West Coast USA
    Posts
    325

    Default car won't start and here are the details....battery or other ?

    Car did not start this morning. When I turned key, I got click-click-click-click... sound when key turned.
    Fob opened locks as normal. And dashboard digital lights on.
    I last used car 2 weeks ago (sheltering-in-place limiting its use).
    New battery last put in in year 2010 at 93,000 miles (now 139,000 miles), 10 years old!
    At last interval appointment in January, battery checked out as fine.
    What is most like cause? Battery, alternator, ignition, or other??
    (In general, I will start car at least once every 1-2 weeks in the past to keep things juiced)
    Thank you.
    Last edited by rhauptschein; 05-30-2020 at 05:44 PM.
    09 Toyota Prius, Sprectra Blue
    01 Volvo V70XC, Ice Blue, 7-seater, built 4-01
    85 Ford Country Squire, Beige Woody, V8, ~79K mi [RIP]
    70 Chevy Malibu, Forest Green, V8 (ret)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Virginia Beach
    Posts
    4,116

    Default

    Put the battery on a good charger overnight.

    report back.

    Your battery is dead - most likely from lack of use.

    You kill a 10 year old battery, it likely won't come back even with a good charge...but I would try that first...
    Current Fleet:
    2016 Tundra Crewmax 4WD 1794
    2005 MB S600 (126K, Michelin AS4, HPL 0W40)
    2005 MB SL600 (55K Michelin AS4, Mobil 1 0W40)
    2004 V70R (143K, six speed M66, HPL 5W40)
    2004 XC90 (235K, HPL 0W30 Euro)
    2002 V70-XC (295K, HPL 0W30 Euro)
    2002 V70-T5 (225K, IPD bars, Bilsteins)
    2001 V70-T5 (125K, IPD downpipe, cat back and other mods)
    1932 Packard Sedan (straight 8, dual sidemounts, original paint and interior, Shell Rotella 15W40)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    West Coast USA
    Posts
    325

    Default

    Thanks Astro14.
    My old battery which has lasted ten years seems to be Interstate MTPH6.
    I have not yet had car diagnosed for battery vs alternator etc - probably do this week.
    But shop recommended if battery the issue to be replaced by Interstate MTP48H6 (or maybe mtp47).
    Any specific good battery recommendations??
    09 Toyota Prius, Sprectra Blue
    01 Volvo V70XC, Ice Blue, 7-seater, built 4-01
    85 Ford Country Squire, Beige Woody, V8, ~79K mi [RIP]
    70 Chevy Malibu, Forest Green, V8 (ret)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    GA
    Posts
    1,420

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by rhauptschein View Post
    battery the issue to be replaced by Interstate MTP48H6 (or maybe mtp47).
    The size 47 battery is smaller and only has 520 cold cranking amps, the size 48 has 600 and is the standard size usually found in an xc70.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Virginia Beach
    Posts
    4,116

    Default

    Honestly, I’ve gone with the Volvo OEM battery every time and been very pleased. They have lasted at least 10 years, which is a great life. The standard size is an H6, but if you want, you can fit an H8.

    Look carefully in your battery compartment, there is a second hold down bolt fitting about an inch and a half from the normal one. That allows that bigger battery to fit perfectly.

    I reckon that second fitting is to allow for a larger battery to be fitted in the diesel cars. We don’t get them on our side of the pond, but the stamping for that compartment is the same across all engine types.

    I can’t recommend a battery brand beyond OEM, because I've got no experience, but Consumer Reports would be a good place to start.

    One other thought, if you usually short trip the car, get a good charger and top off the battery periodically. Even an hour run on the highway won’t fully charge a flat battery, it takes several hours because the rate of charge drops off dramatically after a few minutes. It’s the nature of how batteries accept charge.

    So, step 1. Charge this one. Step 2. Check alternator output (should be about 14.5v). Step 3. Replace as needed.

    If you want a bigger battery, that is easily done.
    Current Fleet:
    2016 Tundra Crewmax 4WD 1794
    2005 MB S600 (126K, Michelin AS4, HPL 0W40)
    2005 MB SL600 (55K Michelin AS4, Mobil 1 0W40)
    2004 V70R (143K, six speed M66, HPL 5W40)
    2004 XC90 (235K, HPL 0W30 Euro)
    2002 V70-XC (295K, HPL 0W30 Euro)
    2002 V70-T5 (225K, IPD bars, Bilsteins)
    2001 V70-T5 (125K, IPD downpipe, cat back and other mods)
    1932 Packard Sedan (straight 8, dual sidemounts, original paint and interior, Shell Rotella 15W40)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    GA
    Posts
    1,420

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro14 View Post
    Honestly, I’ve gone with the Volvo OEM battery every time and been very pleased.

    I can’t recommend a battery brand beyond OEM, because I've got no experience,
    I bought batteries for my shop from Interstate Battery. Many years ago the Interstate route man told me he sells the various sizes I need for Volvos with Interstate stickers on them, and sells the same batteries to Volvo dealers with Volvo stickers.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Belgium
    Posts
    2,404

    Default

    If the battery has caps, you can check the fluid level and top up if necessary.
    You can also check wether the terminals are clean and wel connected to the battery poles.
    After charging, while cranking the engine, the voltage best shoudln't drop below 11V and rise
    to thenominal value once the engine is running. This can be seen a load test for the battery.
    When applying the throttle, the voltage should rise to (about) 14.4V. This shows that the alternator works.
    When you suddenly hit the throttle, the voltage shouldn't drop. If it does, the accessory belt may slip
    (this can happen without whining noise).
    If everything seems ok but the battery still goes flat quickly, it is probably damaged and unable to hold current.
    This can happen if the surface of the lead plates are covered with non-conducting material. The voltage will rise
    during charging but no (or little) current will flow. Some chargers are able to remove such layers, but in this
    case, seen the age of the battery, I would get a new one as big as possible that will fit.
    As mentioned the OEM battery is a good choice.
    144 GL (1974)--->244 GL (1982)--->940 GLE 2.3i (1992)--->XC70 2.5T (2004)--->XC90 T5 (2018)

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    West Coast USA
    Posts
    325

    Default

    Update.
    I made a mistake in that I did get a new battery in year 2016 at 123,000 miles (prior to that year 2010 at 93,000 miles).
    It was Interstate MTP48H6 in year 2016.
    So the current problem seemed to fix so far with a charge, and I guess I should have another 2 years or so on the current battery, but we'll see.
    I should drive some more distance on a weekly basis; how many miles do you think is a good minimum target per week?
    09 Toyota Prius, Sprectra Blue
    01 Volvo V70XC, Ice Blue, 7-seater, built 4-01
    85 Ford Country Squire, Beige Woody, V8, ~79K mi [RIP]
    70 Chevy Malibu, Forest Green, V8 (ret)

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    460

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by rhauptschein View Post
    Update.
    I made a mistake in that I did get a new battery in year 2016 at 123,000 miles (prior to that year 2010 at 93,000 miles).
    It was Interstate MTP48H6 in year 2016.
    So the current problem seemed to fix so far with a charge, and I guess I should have another 2 years or so on the current battery, but we'll see.
    I should drive some more distance on a weekly basis; how many miles do you think is a good minimum target per week?
    It's really more a matter of hours, rather than miles, and it's also dependent on how many times you restart the car. My wife is the primary driver of ours, and with the virus situation and us being retired she is typically driving only about two to three hours per week, and restarting the car perhaps four to five times during that period, and with that usage my Noco Genius charger is showing between 50 and 75% charge when I put it on every two weeks. So my guess is that unless you are driving at least four hours per week, and without multiple restarts during each outing, it would be a good idea to put a charger at least every few weeks. You could also get a volt meter and put a charger on whenever the voltage at the jumper terminals reads less than 12.1 V. My understanding is that below that level is when the battery cells begin to sulfate which will lower capacity and useful life.

    Maybe someone else will have more input for you.
    '04 XC70, Ash Gold / Taupe, Premium, Touring, Tinted Rear Glass, Rear Skyddsplåt, Wing Profile Load Bars, USA Spec 11,
    StonGard Light Protection, Yokohama YK740 GTXs, Meyle HD Sway Bar Links, ipd HD TCV, subframe & top brace poly bushing inserts,
    TitaniumTim XC Cup-holder Coasters.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    182

    Default

    If you don't drive the car daily, get a battery maintainer and keep it plugged in at all times. A decent one (Battery Tender) will come with a short lead that will allow you to have an accessible plug sitting above the cargo floor. No problem with closing the hatch with the cord running through the hatch opening. I keep my V70 XC outside and keep it locked with the cord running through the hatch.
    Brett
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_3012.jpeg  
    Last edited by Brett San Diego; 06-07-2020 at 11:23 AM.

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