With cold weather coming, vehicles tend to suffer, the most general case is to have difficulties starting your Volvo V50 early in the day with very low temperatures. In general this is associated with problems recharging the battery of your Volvo V50 . There are some factors that can show you why your battery does not recharge correctly anymore, and today we will try to help you to solve this problem that can prevent you from using your car. To do this, first we will show you how recharging your car battery works, then the different problems of recharging a Volvo V50, and at last how to recharge an empty car battery.

charging-problem-battery-volvo-v50

How does recharging the battery of a Volvo V50 function?

Before we describe the different complications of recharging the battery on a Volvo V50 , we will show you to you how its recharging system works so that you can discover the complications you are facing. A car battery works like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Volvo V50 , turn on your headlights, enjoy music, lower your power windows… However all these actions will consume energy and it may deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To overcome this problem, the engineers have produced a component called the alternator , this component will use the energy created by the engine unit of your Volvo V50 to generate energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your car . However, take into account that this process can just work when your motor vehicle is running, using electrical elements of your car when it is stopped will drain the energy reserve of your car. It is considered that a battery of a xxx has a life span of 3 to 5 years.

Problems recharging a Volvo V50’s battery

We will now describe the different battery charging complications on a Volvo V50 you might be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is necessarily a problem in your electrical installation, we will now see the different situations.

Battery charging problem on Volvo V50: My battery is discharging even if I am recharging it with a particular charger

In this first circumstance, it is quite possible that your alternator is dead , in truth, if you manage to recharge your battery with a charger and your Volvo V50 to start, the problem most certainly comes from your alternator which should not be able to generate any more current.

Battery charging problem on Volvo V50: My car shuts off and does not start even if I have charged the battery

If you have recharged your battery and you have managed to start your Volvo V50 but it switches off although you are driving and then does not start, the issue with recharging the battery of your Volvo V50 is that your battery no longer holds the charge .

Battery charging problem on Volvo V50: My battery is discharged nevertheless it is new

.
If you’ve just bought a battery and it discharges although you’re driving, the problem most probably comes from your alternator. It cannot result from your battery, which is new and therefore holds the charge. The second possibility is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.

How to solve the problem of battery charging on Volvo V50?

We will now give you the solutions according to the problem you are facing. Here are the different complications and their solutions:

  • Defective alternator: You can try with basic mechanics to check it with a pressure gauge to find out if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, changing it is the best remedy, depending on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This fix is feasible in case your alternator is accessible.
  • Battery that no longer holds the charge: In such a case, the purchase of a new battery is the just realistic remedy. Indeed, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be replaced, count between 60 and 100 euros depending on your engine.
  • Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Volvo V50 but your alternator and battery are in good condition, it is possible that you have a ground on your wiring harness and that you lose energy, a check by a car electrician is in this case necessary.

How to recharge an empty battery of a Volvo V50

At last, to recharge the empty battery of a Volvo V50 there are just few solutions, using a battery charger is the most efficient remedy, you can locate some for 50 to 100 euros at vendors like Oscaro. Otherwise you can use cables that will just provide the energy needed to start.

If you wish more tutorials on the Volvo V50, go to our Volvo V50 category.