With cold months coming, vehicles often suffer, the most general case is to have troubles starting your Volvo XC60 early in the day with very low temperatures. In general this is associated with problems recharging the battery of your Volvo XC60 . There are several causes that can show you why your battery does not recharge properly anymore, and in this article we will try to help you to solve this problem that can prevent you from using your car. To accomplish this, first we will show you how recharging your car battery works, then the different problems of recharging a Volvo XC60, and finally how to recharge an empty car battery.

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How does recharging the battery of a Volvo XC60 function?

Before we detail the different complications of recharging the battery on a Volvo XC60 , we will show you to you how its recharging system operates so that you can figure out the complications you are facing. A car battery works like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Volvo XC60 , turn on your headlights, listen to music, lower your power windows… However all these actions will consume energy and it might deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To get over this problem, the engineers have designed a element called the alternator , this element will use the energy produced by the engine unit of your Volvo XC60 to create energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your car . However, keep in mind that this process can only work when your car is running, using electrical components of your car when it is stopped will decrease 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 XC60’s battery

We will now describe the different battery charging complications on a Volvo XC60 you may be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is actually a problem in your electrical set up, we will now see the different cases.

Battery charging problem on Volvo XC60: My battery is discharging even if I am recharging it with a specific charger

In this first circumstance, it is quite possible that your alternator is dead , obviously, if you control to recharge your battery with a charger and your Volvo XC60 to start, the problem certainly comes from your alternator which should not be able to create any more current.

Battery charging problem on Volvo XC60: My car shuts off and does not start even if I have charged the battery

If you have recharged your battery and you have been able to start your Volvo XC60 but it switches off while you are driving and then does not start, the issue with recharging the battery of your Volvo XC60 is that your battery no longer holds the charge .

Battery charging problem on Volvo XC60: My battery is discharged although it is new

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If you’ve just bought a battery and it discharges while 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 opportunity is that you have a ground somewhere in your electrical system.

How to solve the problem of battery charging on Volvo XC60?

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 simple mechanics to check it with a pressure gauge to find out if it’s producing power. If it doesn’t, replacing it is the best remedy, based on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This fix is feasible in the event your alternator is accessible.
  • Battery that no longer holds the charge: In this case, the purchase of a new battery is the only realistic remedy. In actual fact, if you have already recharged it but it is still empty because it is good to be replaced, count between 60 and 100 euros based on your engine.
  • Ground in the electrical circuit: If you cannot start your Volvo XC60 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 required.

How to recharge an empty battery of a Volvo XC60

Finally, to recharge the empty battery of a Volvo XC60 there are only few solutions, using a battery charger is the most efficient remedy, you can find some for 50 to 100 euros at vendors like Oscaro. In any other case you can use cables that will only provide the energy needed to start.

To discover more tips on the Volvo XC60, take a look at the Volvo XC60 category.