A good friend of mine has a year 2000 VOLVO S70 AWD with a mere 35,000 miles on it. I am posting this here because the VOLVO board is not very active and the problem is probably something you folks know about.
My friends live here (Pittsburgh) but spent 6 months in Florida, hence the low miles. While they are in Fla each year the Volvo sits in their garage here. My job is to start it and drive it occasionally. In 2003, the battery died in spite of me driving it. I put in a DIEHARD for them. Again two weeks ago, I went to start the car to prepare for their return and, in spite of starting and driving all winter thru some bitter cold spells, the battery was dead and would not recharge after a jump and drive.
Is there something in that car that drains the battery when it sits for, say, 2 weeks without being driven? And is there any reason NOT to disconnect the positive terminal next winter and perhaps move the battery into the warmer house? I also hear there is a "switch" that accomplishes the same thing as disconnecting the terminal. What about a trickle charger? Any danger of leaving one of those on with no one home and maybe for 2 weeks without inspection? Any ideas/thoughts on this relatively minor but annoying problem would be appreciated.