Hi everybody. I just bought a 2015 A60, and before I start complaining let me just say I love it! Except, well, I do have this teensy issue:

I've had the car about a week, but I went out of town almost right away, so the car sat in the garage for about a week. When I got back, dead battery. The car still has 5 months of the original warranty, and so I got a jump and headed to the service department. Where I was told: the battery still has 98% of its capacity and replacement isn't justified. In fact, I should EXPECT the battery to drain if I leave it standing for 5 days, because this is what new(er) Volvos do, all the fancy computer technology that runs in the background all the time just drains the juice right out of them. The solution is for me to buy a battery charger/maintainer and plug it in if I'm going out of town.

Really? What if I didn't have a garage? What about when I take it to the airport? Is it really Volvo's position that their cars are too technologically advanced to be supported by the batteries they put in? Has anyone else ever heard this line? Is it (as I suspect) a load of b.s.?

Please give me your thoughts! Let me know if I should post this in another forum.

Thanks
Barbara

 

They are wrong, it should not drain the battery in 5 days.

 

+1 on calling BS on a battery draining in 5 days. Usually there's something that is draining the battery, like a vanity light, glovebox light etc that is not drawing current when it shouldn't. The tech can easily check the various circuits at the fuse box to identify the cause and look for tech bulletins (like the "Sirius Radio battery drain problems some models experienced). Look around and make sure you don't have a map light etc staying on after you park that's not on the lighting timer..

 

Here in Birmingham AL I've had new batteries go flat after two weeks or so. The heat drains the battery quicker than mild weather. After 5 days, I agree, that's too soon.

 

Definitely they lied to you. Typical dealer behavior.

You should expect to have a light on which is causing the problem. Look at the car in the pitch black dark. Put your phone on record and close the glove box door with the phone inside. If that doesn't reveal the problem, you'll need a pretty good diagnostician to fix it.

 

Thanks everybody. The battery has now died 3 times in 3 days, so the dealership has agreed that there's a problem. They've got the car and I've got a loaner and my fingers crossed. Hope to post again with better news!