With winter season coming, automobiles often suffer, the most basic situation is to have troubles starting your Volvo XC90 early in the day with very low temperatures. Generally this is associated with problems recharging the battery of your Volvo XC90 . There are some factors that can describe why your battery does not recharge correctly anymore, and today we will try to help you to fix this issue that can prevent you from using your motor vehicle. To achieve this, first we will describe how recharging your car battery works, then the different problems of recharging a Volvo XC90, and finally how to recharge an empty car battery.

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How does recharging the battery of a Volvo XC90 work?

Before we detail the different complications of recharging the battery on a Volvo XC90 , we will describe to you how its recharging system works so that you can discover the complications you are struggling with. A motor vehicle battery works like a phone battery, it will store energy to start your Volvo XC90 , turn on your headlights, play music, lower your power windows… Nevertheless all these actions will consume energy and it may deplete the energy reserve that your battery can store. To handle this issue, the engineers have produced a component called the alternator , this component will use the energy created by the engine of your Volvo XC90 to produce energy thanks to a copper coil and a magnet. This energy will recharge the battery of your motor vehicle . Nevertheless, bear in mind that this process can only work when your motor vehicle is running, using electrical elements of your motor vehicle when it is stopped will decrease the energy reserve of your motor vehicle. It is considered that a battery of a xxx has a life span of 3 to 5 years.

Problems recharging a Volvo XC90’s battery

We will now describe the different battery charging complications on a Volvo XC90 you might be victim of. If your battery is not recharging because there is necessarily a issue in your electrical installation, we will now see the different cases.

Battery charging problem on Volvo XC90: 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 fact, if you manage to recharge your battery with a charger and your Volvo XC90 to start, the problem obviously comes from your alternator which should not be able to produce any more current.

Battery charging issue on Volvo XC90: My motor vehicle 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 XC90 but it switches off while you are driving and then does not start, the trouble with recharging the battery of your Volvo XC90 is that your battery no longer holds the charge .

Battery charging issue on Volvo XC90: 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 issue most probably comes from your alternator. It cannot come 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 fix the issue of battery charging on Volvo XC90?

We will now give you the solutions according to the issue you are struggling with. Here are the different complications and their solutions:

  • Faulty 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, changing it is the best remedy, depending on your motor you will pay a few hundred euros. This repair 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 only realistic remedy. Obviously, 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 XC90 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 motor vehicle electrician is in this case necessary.

How to recharge an empty battery of a Volvo XC90

Finally, to recharge the empty battery of a Volvo XC90 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. Otherwise you can use cables that will only provide the energy needed to start.

Whenever you have any additional questions about the Volvo XC90, do not hesitate to consult our Volvo XC90 category.