Hello,
My wife has a 2020 XC40 and I was wondering when it comes time to replace batteries should I try replacing it myself or just put a big dent in our wallets and have the dealer do it? I'm guessing there's and AUX battery for the start stop system as well that should be changed at the same time. It looks like to even get the main battery out you have to remove a good amount of plastic bits for the intake piping just to be able to slide it out and also, taking a tire and fender well lining off for the aux battery. That's sounds like a pain but, doable. I'm just worried about needing to reset any computer parameters that require a scan tool that I don't have. I don't want to wind up spending more money trying it myself and then having to go to the dealership for them to reprogram anything. Thanks!
batterieS plural?
Is this a hybrid vehicle? It's only 3 years old I don't think you need to worry about it for a while.
It's generally not recommended to work on since there are high energy components involved which could ruin your day very quickly if you don't know what you're doing.
Yes there will definitely be some programming involved. I would leave it to a professional.
I'm guessing there's and AUX battery for the start stop system as well that should be changed at the same time.
Many hybrids use the main traction battery and electric motor to start the engine.
However there might still be a conventional 12V battery for you to run accessories and whatnot. But lead acid batteries are totally different technology with a lifespan of their own. There's no sense replacing it "at the same time". I'm sure you'll get a warning light when it starts to fail.
Huh apparently new Volvo cars with a stop-start system (also NON Hybrid ones) have 2 regular AGM batteries.
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"Cars with the start/stop function are equipped with two batteries - one more powerful 12 V starter battery for starting and one support battery that helps during the function's starting sequence"
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The main battery is a H6 AGM 760 CCA, while the support one is AGM 170 CCA battery.
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Source (2020 Early models, might different fro 2020 late etc.)
https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support/car/xc40/19w17/article/dd823b7e705aef9ec0a801515b6d74b8
https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support/car/xc40/19w17/article/741ff405847ecc26c0a801510410219c
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By their description of it they wanted to avoid the car's infotainment and AC going blank / shutting down for a second while the car is starting from a stop. I'm really clueless as to why they'd go with such a complex but mainly odd system...
EDIT: looking more into it, the 'support battery' is replaced with a lithium one on mild-hybrid and hybrid cars, perhaps Volvo didn't want to develop 2 different schemes for the stop-start system for hybrid and regular cars?
I'm still puzzled by this odd design.
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Yeah... personally I wouldn't touch that system DIY with a 10-foot pole...
Thanks for the input! Yeah, in Florida 3-4 years is about when batteries tend to go bad. This is a non-hybird vehicle. I suppose it'll be another dealer visit when the time comes since they made it into such a complex system. Heck, I was looking to do our own trans fluid change but after a little research found that you need a scan tool to read temps and such to do it correctly, so that'll have to be a dealer visit as well. That's if they actually drain and change the fluid upon request since they consider it to be a "lifetime" fluid. I miss the 90's lol.
can't you just use a thermometer gun on the pan and get close enough? watch some videos about it.