1995 Volvo 850 Battery problem

VTexan · Post by **VTexan** » 04 Sep 2013, 17:38

As are all the problems I've ever posted, here's a weird one: My wife reported the battery dead, so I took it to a store, had it tested, and yes, it needed a replacement. They had but one that would work, a T5, so I bought it for $125 (!).
I brought it home and noticed the posts were toward the front of the battery, not the back. That didn't seem too weird 'til I tried connecting the cables. They b-a-r-e-l-y would stretch out long enough to fit on the poles and I really had to work to get them on. When I hooked up the ground cable the motor fan started working.
I called the local parts store as a backup and yes--their batteries for the Volvo 850 have their posts at the front of the battery, too. Can someone help me make sense of two things that don't?
1. Replacement battery doesn't fit with existing cabling.
2. When I hook it up the engine fan comes and and the engine doesn't.
I thank you in advance!

Post by **misha** » 04 Sep 2013, 17:55

VTexan wrote: 1. Replacement battery doesn't fit with existing cabling.
2. When I hook it up the engine fan comes and and the engine doesn't.
I thank you in advance!

1.Take it back and buy a proper battery for your car
2.Something is shorted...IF you didn't connect the terminals backwards( + on - & - on +) and fried something.
Proper battery for our cars is from 68-76ah.Anything below that will not last and anything bigger just will not fit at battery housing.

VTexan · Post by **VTexan** » 04 Sep 2013, 18:16

Red-to-negative, black to positive. It's not on wrong.
Autozone checked and their replacement battery is the T5 in a different brand and that, too, has posts in the front. It's got a 3-year 100% replacement warranty, so it's not a cheapie battery.

Post by **misha** » 04 Sep 2013, 18:22

I didn't said that it is a cheap battery....if the cables cannot reach the battery terminals,like you said....return it and buy a proper one.

I missed this:

VTexan wrote:Red-to-negative, black to positive. It's not on wrong.

Are you kidding me?

RED to POSITIVE & BLACK TO NEGATIVE!!!!!

You actually connected it backwards and...like i said...fried something!

VTexan · Post by **VTexan** » 04 Sep 2013, 18:36

Rule #1: people who make television for a living and rarely tinker with their car...shouldn't. I broke rule #1.
Turns out I hooked up the battery backwards. Somehow in my mind I'd switched red and black (hand slaps forehead here)
Oh well. Now the battery cranks and there doesn't seem to be any fire. I'm guessing I burned something out there. I'll let the mechanic sort it out tomorrow.

Post by **misha** » 04 Sep 2013, 18:41

You don't need a mechanic...you will need a good car-electrician!

Before you go to electrician...check the fuses.Maybe you will get-away with a few blown fuses,but your chances are really small.
It could be anything...from blown engine ecu to a blown fuse.

difflock54 · Post by **difflock54** » 04 Sep 2013, 19:01

Perhaps resetting the ECU might do the trick? If your very lucky.

VTexan · Post by **VTexan** » 04 Sep 2013, 19:21

I've found two blown 10-amp fuses, and replaced one...but of course, I only HAVE one. Off to Wal Mart to get the other. Fingers crossed.