I'm new to this site. I see lots of battery-drain issues, many different causes over model years. My car's battery dies after I don't drive it for a week. Warranty replacement with new battery each time, no cause found, but it happened four times already in a year. Anyone know anything about a common cause for this on a 2011 C70 hard-top convertible? Input most appreciated !

 

One little light left on, like the one next to the rearview mirror, will kill the battery easily in a week. Wish Volvo had a system like my Trailblazer where the battery stops draining when it reaches 15%.

 

I have the same issue (same year and model 2011 C70). I bought the car from my dad who had this issue since day one. They said he didn't drive it enough.

The first time it happened I thought I must have left a light on. I went and bought a power jumper to keep in the trunk. We on vacation for a week and came back and it was dead again. This time I am sure no lights were on. Unfortunately you can't get the trunk open with no power so the jumper didn't help me. I took it to the dealership and they replaced the battery. That was in April 2012.... I just got back from vacation and after nine days the car won't start. The fan and radio were powered off, there were no lights on. I took it to the dealership this morning and again they can't find anything wrong with it. They suggested I plug the car in and put a battery tender on it???? What about when it is parked at an airport for a week. I can't depend on this car to start.

 

During the last year my 2011 C70 was towed 5 times after I left it unused for 5-14 days. Dealer said they couldn't find anything wrong with the car, so problem was "defective battery." Finally this month they pulled the fuses and found a draw in the "R/R RDAR." Apparently this caused the radio to be on, even when I turned it off. Hope this helps member VLVO who is having the same problem with the same model and year. I do not truly know if the problem is fixed because I have not had a chance to test it by leaving the car unused for two weeks, but I intend to do so. By the way VLVO, you can open the trunk manually by using the regular metal key in the keyhole near the floor in front of the left passenger seat. (not ON the floor, under the carpet in front of the passenger seat behind the driver, nearer to the side of the car.) It's covered by a small square of carpet that you can pull up. Let us know how you make out!

 

I mentioned the same thing to the dealership when I called in and they put me on hold and said you are correct there is no way to open the trunk!!

They are also telling me that the draw is within normal tolerance but never told me what that is. I am getting ready to go out of town again for a week and told them i can not leave this car at the airport. I am going to leave it with them for the week to see if they can find the issue. I am going to take it to a different dealership than the one I have been using.

So frustrating! I am not sure how they think it is acceptable to tell someone that these cars "don't like to sit!"

 

You can get your trunk open with the ignition key. Be sure to open the front doors first, or the burglar alarm will go off.

 

Looks like the RDAR was indeed the cause of the battery drain on my 2011 C70. The repair was made in June, but I could not test the repair until July. I was out of town from 7/12 to 7/29, and the battery was fine after 17 1/2 days of the car sitting in my driveway untouched.

 

I have a 2000 V70. It was parked for 25-days. Went to start and it was dead. Took a jump quickly and charging system seems to operate. There is still a drain. I noticed my locking system was acting unpredictably, some doors not locking or locking then popping open. I now have resolved to removing my 20-amp Cental Locking System Fuse each time I park greater than 5-minutes. Car now starts and runs fine.
Anybody have any input on how to determine which part (door or switches) is causing this drain? Thanks

 

Car should be under warranty, just let the dealer sort it out and ask them what fixed it.

 

I am having the same problem with a battery drain on my 2010 C70. Factory repair reports a bulletin issued some months back indicates a issue with the cars software?
Lee F's last report was 07/30/2012 has the problem still not come back?

 

My car hasn't had the opportunity to sit for 7+ nights without being driven but it still does have the same issue. I am waiting for colder weather before taking it in and letting it sit. Hopefully by then the dealer will have the service bulletin. It recently sat for 4 nights and it started, likely because it has a new battery.

P.S. capwheel - there isn't a place to put a key at the trunk area. Lee F instructed me that it is basically hidden inside the car: "under the carpet in front of the passenger seat behind the driver, nearer to the side of the car."

 

Do you happen to know the service bulletin number? The only thing I can find is: Service Bulletin Number: SC-244 which is related to the power seat electrical harness. It says the seats may become inoperable.

 

Because I have been driving the C70 every day, I don't know if the RDAR battery drain problem has come back. The car died only when left unused for about a week. I won't know if the problem happens again until I leave the car alone. Will advise when I know anything further!

 

Hi all I'm new to this site, I'm having same problem my 2002 c70 if not driven for 2 weeks yeah dead battery, volvo mechanics don't know and can't fix the problem, but an auto electricians has suggested that a high restive fuse may be draining the battery, is this possible or is he looking for a quick buck?

 

Since everybody here are still using the original battery (I think it's made in Germany), maybe it's the battery problem?

I have a '09 and I am on my second one. The first one is dead after only a year so the dealer replaced it with another Volvo battery.

So I am just wondering if anybody here had the same problem with other brand batteries?

Also an after market product, such as a low voltage disconnect switch can stop the drain problem.

 

bought a 2008 last week. service records show battery "corroded" last year (2011) at 20k miles. so 3year old battery. battery cables also "corroded" and needed to be replaced. close to $600 total for parts and labor.

i'm hoping to not have any "corrosion" and that the current battery lasts more than 3 years...

 

I have taken mine twice to the dealership by my office. They claim nothing is wrong with the car. They replaced my battery the last time. Listen to the two suggestions when I insisted if the car sits the battery dies: 1) Drive it more often 2) Run a trickle charge to the battery when you are on vacation.

I ask how do you run a trickle charge when you are parked at an airport. When I offered to leave it with them for a week to ten days to prove to them it is an issue they refuse to give me a rental car.

Since then it has died again and I am heading out of town tonight for ten nights. I took the car to a different dealership and printed out the information from the original poster and took that with me. I am hoping that THIS time it will be fixed. I will have a opportunity to test it in November as I will be gone for another ten days.

This car can't be driven to the airport as I can never be confident that it will start when I return. I love the car and I love Volvo. I have my eye on the XC90 as a replacement for our Hybrid Highlander when it is time. HOWEVER, until this is fixed I would never buy another Volvo.

I have stopped calling AAA and started calling Volvo for my jump starts. When they came the last time the guy said he had just come from a C70 on the call right before mine. The woman had returned from vacation and the car wouldn't start. I am not sure if I mentioned I bought the car from my dad who also had this problem. EVERYTIME he went to drive it the car was dead. I assumed that he had left the lights on.

 

I reported a couple of weeks ago about my battery drain. Gave my dealer the information about "RDAR", 4 hours later I am told they "found" new information from Volvo about a software update that cures the drain on the battery issue. In the last couple of weeks we have not had the problem come back.

During our 30000 checkup we also mentioned the AC was coming through the defrost vents. Tech found the problem was with the defrost/heat control valve. I was told the part would arrive in about a weeks time. The part arrived, I brought the car in, the dealership told me it would take a couple of days to put the part in. The car went in this past Tuesday and today (Friday) I am waiting for the car to be done. During the install process the Volvo Rep. for the dealership decided to replace the complete A/C/Heater assembly. Thanks for the "Safe and Sound" warranty.

I am leaving for twelve days, I'll comment back on my return.

 

Amazing what you can get done when you educate the dealer!

 

Sorry, but I haven't been able to leave the car unused for a week to see if the RDAR replacement/update was indeed a permanent fix. The last time I left the car unused was right after the dealer made the repair, and it was fine then. I definitely want to re-test the fix in the next couple of months and will let you know results.