I Pit My Volvo Battery

The BBQ Pit
1

Well, actually, I Pit my Volvo’s “anti-theft” device.
I have a used 1998 Volvo wagon. It’s an ok car. I’m happy enough with it that I’d consider getting another Volvo–until now.

We had some very cold weather here last week and sure enough, my battery (which had showed its age earlier this fall) died: dead, dead, dead. I took it to our mechanic (not the dealership) and 1. they were shocked to find out it was the original battery–go Volvo, I say! and 2. they replaced it and it works fine, but they didn’t know about this special Volvo feature:

I have no radio/tape/CD player now. Oh, it’s there in the dash–silently mocking me. See, turns out there’s a code which I am supposed to somehow know and input to allow the radio etc to work after the battery is replaced. I did not receive the card the owner’s manual tells all about, and I tried a few random numbers to see if I could get the thing to work. Big mistake.

We went from “code” to EEEE to “OFF” and there we stay. So, I trout out the owner’s manual (which had not come with the car–I had to order it later) and there it is in black and white. In “OFF” twill stay forever, apparently…

Because, I can’t get this thing to work. I’m supposed to leave the key in the ignition, on setting I for 2 hours, with the radio on and “OFF” visible-and then it will allow me to input the code (which I have called the dealer for–and they had it, no problem. This is a Volvo dealership where we got the oil changed once. Impressive)
Have code, no way to input it. I DID leave the key in the ignition for 2 hours etc-and bupkus. In fact, I did it for about 2 and 1/2 hours, and nada. It remains “OFF” for me. <sigh>

I am not happy. I never realized how much I depend on the radio in the car. I may need to join a 12 step group for NPR, too. I’ve been riding the train/bus the past few days and have not driven or heard the radio for awhile. I miss it (I don’t listen at home, but I did tonight while making dinner. It’s not the same).

Yeah, lame, whatever–but I’m too tired from the commute to craft some amazing righteous screed against The Man.

2

Check your private messages, I think I can help

3

Well, that’s pretty much bullshit. I can’t think of any reason why it would be a good thing to make your radio stop working when you replace a battery.

4

To keep people from stealing your radio. They can steal it, but without the code, they can’t use it. A very common radio anti-theft provision.
The problem is the radio doesn’t know the difference between being disconnected from the car, and the battery being removed. In both cases battery power to the radio is lost.

5

I figured most places would have used a more professional version of this (“computer memory saver”) when replacing the battery. I guess I should make sure whoever I get to replace my battery uses one. :dubious:

6

Kudos to Rick, who informed me via PM what I was doing wrong. Today after work, I get to get my radio back! The key thingy has to be 2 consecutive hours–I didn’t do that. Gah. Still, I can last 8 more hours without my fix…

7

So will the two consecutive hours drain the battery?

(Muffin ducks and runs.)

8

That’s a common anti-theft provision? I dunno - it still sounds stupid to me. Your radio is gone, but the people who stole it can’t use it (unless they find some clever work-around), but if you do something as common as change a battery, you’re inconvenienced.

9

You know, if you couldn’t get it to work again, I would have said you should Pit yourself for tapping in random numbers until the thing locked up… but since you did, yay!

10

I do that with my bank cards – often I don’t recall the numbers, but my finger is used to the patterns, so I happily poke away, and money comes out.

11

The idea is that you keep the manual, so you’re not inconvenienced. Radios with this feature will have “anti-theft code” or the like written on them somewhere.

12

If you think that sucks…
My 1998 (or there abouts) S70 just had the exhaust system drop out the bottom.
I thought heck, it’s been 10 yers - it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Little did I know then it would set me back $2,000.

I’m gettin’ a beater next winter.

13

I love Volvos. When my sister finally parted with Vern (her 91 wagon) she was in tears.
The silly thing drooled various fluids, and she had to climb in the back passenger door cause none of the others worked anymore. It turned like a tank (then again, it did when it was new) but man did it have the power in the fast lane :slight_smile:

14

Well, actually, the fine folks at Volvo figure that thieves are smart enough to get their hands on car manuals, so the code is not in the owner’s manual, but on a separate card that is supposed to be kept with the manual, in the glove box. I dimly remember a card when I purchased the car (used), but noone ever explained the card to me (and none of my cars have ever had such a thing), so it probably got lost in one of my “I’m cleaning out the car dammit and you kids need to keep it nice” fits that occur periodically.

I came home from work, left the keys in the ignition (which means you can’t lock the car, which means that while the thieves can’t get the Volvo radio, they CAN get your Volvo…) and voila! after inputting the proper code, NPR came back into my life.

I’m happy. A grateful shout out to Rick who helped me with this irritating minor domestic issue.

Anecdotal note of no real pertinence or interest: I grew up with a Volvo. My dad owned a Volvo wagon that finally died–not the engine (which was on 200,000 miles and counting), but the body. We couldn’t go anywhere in that car without him saying, “tightest turning circle of a car of its class” every time he had to well, turn around or some such. I don’t even know if it’s true. Regardless, I like my car. I wish it worked better (master cylinder replaced–under warranty [thank god], several parts of brakes [have forgotten], new battery, new tires, godknowswhatelse…)

It’s only got 97000 on it–dunno if I’ll try to outdo my dad in that respect.

15

You have my dream car.

16

Not to sound snotty, I’m glad it’s fixed and all, but… how could you not think the key would have to be in for 2 consecutive hours? How ELSE would it work?

17

So to override the radio anti-theft provision, you have to leave the keys in the car for two hours…which seems like a car pro-theft provision.
Do the radio designers not see why that might be a horrible idea?

18

I guess that shoe finally dropped because in 1999, they stopped making the radios with this “safety” device.

19

Well in all fairness to the radio designers, they give you three tries before the radio locks up. They probably could not see how anyone could punch the incorrect code three times. We all know this is possible, but sometimes when you get so close to something, you can’t see the forest because of all the damn trees in the way.

I seem to recall hearing about one of the German cars (Audi?) that the radio Chernobyled after the third incorrect attempt, and could not be revived. I think that one only lasted a year or so.

20

Ha! That’s great! I can imagine how I’d react to that; “Well, the goddamn juvenile delinquents didn’t get my radio, but it’s dead anyway. Perfect. At least the door locks aren’t broken.” I do have a bit of a problem with nanny car company policies, though.