Battery Issue in my '94 850 Turbo?

sam1 · Post by **sam1** » 13 Jan 2008, 19:47

Hey everyone!

Can anyone shed some light on what my car does. Here's what it does:

When it's cold (sitting overnight), and I accelerate fairly hard, the battery light will come on for a second. It only happens during the first few minutes of driving.

Is this due to the battery perhaps getting a little weak, and slowly being drained overnight by the alarm LED? I'm guessing it charges up after driving, as the light doesn't pop up after a while.

All my battery connections are clean and tight.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 13 Jan 2008, 20:14

I agree with your synopsis...battery weakening. However the security system of the car will rarely do this. If your battery is old you might be in for a new one soon. Most often when batteries go, the do so in the winter time (not sure why, they just do).

sam1 · Post by **sam1** » 13 Jan 2008, 20:40

Will this battery affect the driveability slightly? My car runs good, but I think it should be a little better off the line. The battery is only about 1.5 years old!

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 13 Jan 2008, 20:42

Shouldn't affect the drivability. For that, check air filter, spark plugs, ignition wires, rotor and cap as well as any possible vacuum leaks and of course, premium gas!

vlv850 · Post by **vlv850** » 13 Jan 2008, 20:59

Extreme cold as well as heat can kill a battery. I live in Phoenix, and the heat here kills batteries. If one last 2 summer's, it's considered a long time. The battery weakening seems to be a good diagnosis. I'd take your current battery by an Advanced Auto Parts or the like to have it checked and recharged to see if it helps. If not, a new battery may be needed. Don't buy one without a warranty. I think my last came from Costco honestly.

sam1 · Post by **sam1** » 13 Jan 2008, 21:02

I always buy my batteries at Costco. I've never seen anywhere cheaper, and the Costco batteries never gave me issues.

I'll have my battery tested tomorrow and replaced if necessary.

Thanks everyone!

Post by **tailor** » 13 Jan 2008, 21:54

The higher the cranking amps on a battery the better off you will be in cold climates and cold. The higher the cranking amps the more costly the battery and we hope the longer they will last.

tailor

sam1 · Post by **sam1** » 15 Jan 2008, 02:18

Bought and installed a brand new battery today. Batteries for Volvo's aren't exactly dime-a-dozen. The only one available has 600 cca. I guess they're a bit of an odd size requirement.

So, after installing the battery, I drove it home for about 25 minutes nice and leisurely on the highway. Got near my house, and decided to let it rip. Well, during hard acceleration, the BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON STILL!!!!!

Is this coming for no reason? Is there something else wrong? The interior lights seem brighter, so I'm sure the new battery helped. The car seems to have more power as well....but the BATTERY LIGHT IS STILL ON!!!!

Remember, this only happens sometimes during HARD ACCELERATION.

Any ideas??? The car starts and runs a bit better...should I just ignore the light?

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 15 Jan 2008, 04:49

Check battery cables and ground wires.

sam1 · Post by **sam1** » 15 Jan 2008, 18:00

I did, and they seem fine!