'99 V70 Base Auto FWD 230k mi -- Cold Weather No Starts

[E Showell]

So the shag wag is giving a periodic cold weather no start condition. Son describes as key turn, all dash warning lights illuminate very briefly, then go black. No turnover from starter motor. Generally occurs below 35 deg. F.

Otherwise, fairly leaps to life, since it has an oversized battery and I upgraded the POS battery cable a few years back. Once the weather warms up it starts fine. Battery is relatively new.

Ignition switch issue?

Starter was replaced years ago with rebuilt unit.

VIDA shows no DTCs. Check Engine Light not lit.

Update. Turn key and I get a tick tock sound like a directional and and a low periodic grrrr, grrr sound.

[850 LPT]

Hi Evan, it sounds like the starter solenoid has just enough juice to make some noise. It really sounds like a battery issue to me. Any chance you can jump it and then check alternator output?

[abscate]

You can diagnose the ignition switch by using the starter bypass connection to see if it springs to life.

Check battery voltage though, don’t assume new = good

[scot850]

Just replaced the 'R's' battery at about 6 years old. One cell was dying so would drain quickly and barely enough power to turn the engine over. Makes the warning lights go nuts and the car ran rough. New battery and all was good. Need to have the battery tested by cell if possible.

Neil.

[E Showell]

Here's my armchair, data-free diagnosis: Put it on VIDA to read the codes without plugging the laptop in to an independent power source (highly recommended). That causes the car battery to power the laptop and the drain is pretty significant. Threw it on an analog charger at 10 amps for about a dozen hours. Fired it up and drove it to work (40 plus miles) this morning. Car veritably leapt to life on start. I don't anticipate it will not start this evening for the return trip.

Here's what I'm thinking . . . the periodic ETS light with no symptoms is caused by lowish battery voltage because the car never gets run on the highway. If I run it once a week at 2500+ rpms I'm betting that sporadic ETS light is going to disappear.

Sound reasonable?

[scot850]

While not having the issue other than as mentioned before with Volvo's, my wife had an Audi A4 that only got short runs in the winter to the station when the weather was cold or snowy. After about a week the car would not start until the battery was re-charged. As she ran lights, heater, heated seats, wipers and the rest on a short journey where the car barely warmed to operating temp, the drain on the battery was greater than that, that the alternator was able to re-charge the battery. Interestingly it was a 99 MY also!

I have a trickle charger which is worth considering maybe using once a week over-night. Be aware many trickle chargers will shut down at freezing or low temps.

Neil.

[abscate]

I got a Christmas tree of dash lights on the 1999 even after a 3 hour run to Boston. If you run your batteries hard like we do in the Northeast, getting them on the charger once a month at a 10 amp pace is a good idea.

Im still running the 6 year old battery on the T5, but it will have to go by next winter, or else next owner.

[abscate]

Details of a decent cranking battery with weird symptoms from low voltage here

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=92161&p=529749&hili ... ge#p529749

[850 LPT]

This exact thing happened to me a while ago with my 05'V70. Too many short runs, breaks too long between starts and cold weather. The battery can only bear so much until it needs a decent re- charge, even a fairly new one.
Of course a P2 will really freak you out, the alarm went off upon pressing the unlock button

[abscate]

Stumbled into this thread randomly. Shagg is still in good service duty for Caitlin up in chilly Mass. With an obnoxious 1.5 mile commute to work, she had trouble keeping battery charged for 10 days or so.

We put a 5 amp trickle charger on her and she plugs in on weekend and Wednesday , and Shagg is happy

We put in a Ubg alternator, two new cables, starter, and battery chasing this.