Due to popular request, I am reposting my consolidated 12V/TCAM Battery Disconnect Process so it can be pinned. In addition to my own photos, I am reposting photos previously shared by by @Artem92115. Photos by @Poleatl are available here. Please follow these steps at your own risk. I am in no way an expert nor do I guarantee any results. Be careful.

12V/TCAM BATTERY DISCONNECT PROCESS

Tools:

1. #7 and #11 socket wrenches
2. Long flat implement (scissors or screwdriver) to release TCAM battery
3. Flashlight (preferably head-mounted although I had to use my phone)
4. Small piece of cardboard
5. Very small flat head screwdriver

Pre-Disconnect Steps:

1. Ensure car is not plugged into a power source and car is in a well-lit area
2. Unlock doors, open rear hatch, and frunk
3. Fold down rear seats and remove trunk/boot cover to leave an open working space.
4. Move all keys away from vehicle.

12V Battery Disconnect Steps:

1. In frunk, find the large plastic panel that spans the width of the vehicle and is closest to the windshield (windscreen). The panel has two black plastic fasteners on each side keeping it in place.
2. Insert an implement in the middle of each fastener to release it and then pull out fastener.
3. Store plastic fasteners
4. Standing on the driver side (may be different for right-hand drive vehicles) pry off the large plastic panel. Note, it is not necessary to remove the entire panel; only the side where the 12V battery is
5. Keep the panel out of the way while you work. I just stuck my head under the panel.
6. Locate the 12V battery's negative terminal. It has two nuts/bolts to keep it attached. See attached image for reference.
7. The nut/bolt facing the front of the vehicle and at an angle is the one you want to loosen. Using a #11 socket wrench, loosen the negative terminal.
8. Once the terminal is loosened, lift the entire piece and it should easily slide off.
9. Take the small piece of cardboard (I used a glove) and place it between the piece you removed and the negative terminal so it remains disconnected while you work. Again, see attached image.
10. Confirm a successful disconnect by ensuring no lights are on in the vehicle, including the charging light in the exterior charging port.

TCAM Battery Disconnect Steps:

1. In the rear side pillar behind rear driver door (again, may be different for right-hand drive vehicles), locate the Volvo airbag plastic symbol (it's a rounded rectangle) and pry off.
2. Using a #7 socket wrench, unscrew the bolt that is revealed underneath the plastic piece you removed.
3. Pry off entire panel that should now be loose.
4. Once panel is removed, locate horizontal oval hole in the sheet metal (see attached picture)
5. Use your flashlight to shine inside the hold and locate the plastic clip you will need to release.
6. Take a long flat implement (I used a scissors) and push the plastic clip toward the front of the vehicle to release the TCAM battery.
7. Now that the TCAM batter has been released, it should hang freely. Take a look at the TCAM battery to understand what you are working with. Again, the flashlight will be necessary to see what's going on. You will likely need to pull the fabric/felt side panel away and down a bit to get good access.
8. This part is tricky so take it slowly - on the end of the TCAM battery where the wire connection is, there is a small release. It is a flat tab within a small plastic square next to the wires.
9. Using a very small flat head screwdriver, insert it into the small square and push the tab TOWARD the wires to release.
10. Remove the flat head screwdriver and you should now be able to release the TCAM batter connection.

Final Steps:

1. Wait a few minutes to allow everything to reset. Some suggest 10 or more minutes, but I only let it go a couple minutes.
2. Reconnect all connections, panels, fasteners, etc. I recommend reversing the above steps sequentially (i.e., reconnect TCAM battery, replace panels in trunk/boot, reconnect 12V battery, replace frunk panel, etc.)
3. Get your key and turn on vehicle. It will go through standard system checks.
4. If your LTE is still off at this point, consider a screen reset for safe measure, and make sure your data is turned on.

Thanks for this I will probably need to do it tomorrow.

Out of curiosity there’s a fuse for the TCAM in the fuse box under the glove compartment if the fuse was removed would it also cause a reset? It’s fuse 27 Ariel Moduel (TCAM)

 

Probably not - the whole idea of the battery is to keep the TCAM powered so even if you remove the main power (via the fuse) the battery will power the TCAM until it runs flat at which point you will probably have to replace the battery itself - those batteries don't recover well when drained completely. At least that's how I think it would work.

 

Thanks for posting this!
What’s the purpose of disconnecting the 12V battery first? For safety?

 

I’ve done it twice and find it easier to just pull the carpet trim just above the 12v socket, and disconnect the connector for a few seconds, takes a few seconds and no need for any tools other than a flat screwdriver or something similar to unclip the connector.

FWIW this is what the Volvo Assistance engineer did, and they do this a lot.

 

I read this tip from someone when investigating how to reset TCAM a few weeks ago. I did it the long way as I found the carpet too stiff to pull it out enough and make sufficient space. What did I miss with your method? Is it possibly easier with RHD cars with the TCAM battery on the right side of cargo area?

 

this is something I wish I don't have to be good at. thanks for posting, great to know it's written up as to what to do.

 

Just noting here this is one of the most helpfully written descriptions of following step by step process I’ve seen across forums. Appreciate the helpful sharing of all involved!

 

Thank you for the detailed info. It couldn't have come at a better time for me. I got locked out of my car when I ran off to do some banking, and suddenly the car did not recognise my keys. Used the physical key to get in and the alarm went nuts (on Bondi Beach's busiest road - plenty of bemused onwatchers). Roadside assist had never heard of, let alone seen or worked on, a Polestar and we used your thread to disconnect and reconnect both batteries.
Only thing is, once reconnected it still doesn't recognise my keys. This only started after OTA 2.0.
Any other suggestions? I expect the Australian 'technicians' will be many steps behind the forum experts!

 

Thank you for the detailed info. It couldn't have come at a better time for me. I got locked out of my car when I ran off to do some banking, and suddenly the car did not recognise my keys. Used the physical key to get in and the alarm went nuts (on Bondi Beach's busiest road - plenty of bemused onwatchers). Roadside assist had never heard of, let alone seen or worked on, a Polestar and we used your thread to disconnect and reconnect both batteries.
Only thing is, once reconnected it still doesn't recognise my keys. This only started after OTA 2.0.
Any other suggestions? I expect the Australian 'technicians' will be many steps behind the forum experts!

Was the car completely dead when you disconnected the 12V? If the high voltage system was online and the 12V charger active it’ll still supply 12V. I have to try a couple of times, popping the frunk open and locking it usually gets it to sleep after a minute or so.

You can then sneak up on the battery and disconnect it.

Frankly there should be an isolator switch there to disengage both sources of 12V. Bonus points if it also disconnected the TCAM battery backup

 

Monumentally stupid question here: What size is a #7 and #11 socket wrench. Is that 7mm and 11mm socket wrenches? I googled #11 socket wrench and all I got was where to buy 11 piece wrench sets.

 

What size is a #7 and #11 socket wrench. Is that 7mm and 11mm socket wrenches?

Not a stupid question at all. Yes.

 

Currently in the midsts of this procedure. I guess I can join the TCAM Club. That little black pin to release the wires from the TCAM battery is a bitch to find. Waiting for about ten minutes before I start putting it all back together

 

You're close enough to the dealer that since you just got your car I would have waltzed back in there and not left until they fixed it permanently!

 

True but it I’m giving it a try. I figure I should at least know how to do it. Looks like it didn’t work anyway.

 

Just checking: you disconnected the main 12V. Then found the TCAM backup battery and disconnected that completely from the wire harness. Then waited X min. Put the connections back together. And no dice on getting LTE/GPS when restarting the car?
When I did it, it did take a few mins for the system to completely boot up and regain connectivity. But only 1-2 min for the LTE icon to show some signs of life before staying as an empty triangle for a while.

either way, sucks.

though now your profile signature can take on a new ironic meaning?! /silverlinings

 

Actually I email Haman at the DC Space asking him what is the best way to resolve the issue and much to my surprise he emailed back within 5 minutes. Pretty impressed. They’re service center is going to call me in the morning.

 

300 miles? Yikes. I’m 14 miles away. Not sure I know what VOE and VIDA are.

 

Vida is the Volvo workstation software interface. Usage is primarily diagnostic. VOE is the ODBC to Ethernet adapter to interface with the vehicle. The software can be subscribed to in 3 day chunks for $70.

 

The 12v battery negative terminal nut is 10mm in my US spec P2 not 11mm.

 

Weird. I used the 11mm and it fit perfectly

 

 

Update. I’m at the DC Space and they’ve determined that my TCAM module in the shark fin is dead as all there resets didn’t work. So unfortunately the module is on a national back order and will take a month to get in. They offered a loaner but I declined. I’m not taking any long trips that will require charger routing.

 

Sorry to hear that. At least they were able to diagnose it. I heard that once before where the shark fin was the issue.

 

Yeah, I wish they had the part in stock but at least they know what it is and I got the car washed inside and out.

 

Due to popular request, I am reposting my consolidated 12V/TCAM Battery Disconnect Process so it can be pinned. In addition to my own photos, I am reposting photos previously shared by by @Artem92115. Photos by @Poleatl are available here. Please follow these steps at your own risk. I am in no way an expert nor do I guarantee any results. Be careful.

12V/TCAM BATTERY DISCONNECT PROCESS

Tools:

1. 7mm and 11mm socket wrenches
2. Long flat implement (scissors or screwdriver) to release TCAM battery
3. Flashlight (preferably head-mounted although I had to use my phone)
4. Small piece of cardboard
5. Very small flat head screwdriver

Pre-Disconnect Steps:

1. Ensure car is not plugged into a power source and car is in a well-lit area
2. Unlock doors, open rear hatch, and frunk
3. Fold down rear seats and remove trunk/boot cover to leave an open working space.
4. Move all keys away from vehicle.

12V Battery Disconnect Steps:

1. In frunk, find the large plastic panel that spans the width of the vehicle and is closest to the windshield (windscreen). The panel has two black plastic fasteners on each side keeping it in place.
2. Insert an implement in the middle of each fastener to release it and then pull out fastener.
3. Store plastic fasteners
4. Standing on the driver side (may be different for right-hand drive vehicles) pry off the large plastic panel. Note, it is not necessary to remove the entire panel; only the side where the 12V battery is
5. Keep the panel out of the way while you work. I just stuck my head under the panel.
6. Locate the 12V battery's negative terminal. It has two nuts/bolts to keep it attached. See attached image for reference.
7. The nut/bolt facing the front of the vehicle and at an angle is the one you want to loosen. Using an 11mm socket wrench, loosen the negative terminal.
8. Once the terminal is loosened, lift the entire piece and it should easily slide off.
9. Take the small piece of cardboard (I used a glove) and place it between the piece you removed and the negative terminal so it remains disconnected while you work. Again, see attached image.
10. Confirm a successful disconnect by ensuring no lights are on in the vehicle, including the charging light in the exterior charging port.

TCAM Battery Disconnect Steps:

1. In the rear side pillar behind rear driver door (again, may be different for right-hand drive vehicles), locate the Volvo airbag plastic symbol (it's a rounded rectangle) and pry off.
2. Using a 7mm socket wrench, unscrew the bolt that is revealed underneath the plastic piece you removed.
3. Pry off entire panel that should now be loose.
4. Once panel is removed, locate horizontal oval hole in the sheet metal (see attached picture)
5. Use your flashlight to shine inside the hold and locate the plastic clip you will need to release.
6. Take a long flat implement (I used a scissors) and push the plastic clip toward the front of the vehicle to release the TCAM battery.
7. Now that the TCAM batter has been released, it should hang freely. Take a look at the TCAM battery to understand what you are working with. Again, the flashlight will be necessary to see what's going on. You will likely need to pull the fabric/felt side panel away and down a bit to get good access.
8. This part is tricky so take it slowly - on the end of the TCAM battery where the wire connection is, there is a small release. It is a flat tab within a small plastic square next to the wires.
9. Using a very small flat head screwdriver, insert it into the small square and push the tab TOWARD the wires to release.
10. Remove the flat head screwdriver and you should now be able to release the TCAM batter connection.

Final Steps:

1. Wait a few minutes to allow everything to reset. Some suggest 10 or more minutes, but I only let it go a couple minutes.
2. Reconnect all connections, panels, fasteners, etc. I recommend reversing the above steps sequentially (i.e., reconnect TCAM battery, replace panels in trunk/boot, reconnect 12V battery, replace frunk panel, etc.)
3. Get your key and turn on vehicle. It will go through standard system checks.
4. If your LTE is still off at this point, consider a screen reset for safe measure, and make sure your data is turned on.

This info will help a lot
Maybe a stupid question but how do you open the boot if your car doesn't recognise your keys ?

 

Also, there is a boot button you have to hold for a second or two, located beneath and to the side of the steering wheel. For the day that we had our car, and we couldn't lock or unlock the doors, opening the boot and then using the boot's close and lock feature was the only we we could lock the car. Of course, we then had to use the physical key to open the doors again, setting off the loudest, most ear piercing, car alarm I've ever heard.

 

There's a wide button under the sill just above the rear license plate mount. Of course if your car is locked and the keys are not recognized then this will only work if you unlock with the phone app. I'm actually not sure if it works when you unlock the car with the blade. If the car is unlocked and still has power you can of course also use the button in the car.

 

Great info - thanks for the thorough post. Just used this (the 12V battery disconnect part only) to bring my infotainment screen (apps, maps, drive features, etc) and regen back to life. They seemed to shut down after recharging at a 25kW DC charger
A couple of observations:
Needed a 10mm (not 11mm) socket to undo battery clamp.
Car alarm sounded for the time the battery was disconnected- maybe didn't have my fob and phone far enough away?

 

Damn, that sucks. Why did it need to be towed?

 

TCAM reset loop. Car still drove, but the dealership is 289 miles away. This started with almost exactly 300 miles on the odometer. None of the troubleshooting steps worked. According to CS my vin was one of a string that had duds. Hated that trailer seemed so excavator, not too much luxury sedan.

 

Bummer. Hope you get it back soon. I have to wait a while for the TCAM module that went tits up in the shark fin. They said about a month. Luckily everything else in the car works fine. It just doesn't know where it is.

 

Got the car back yesterday. Initially some of the fanfare had subsided... Then I drove it. Foke yeah. The TCAM is completely functional and truly solidifies the experience. There was a bit of slop adhesive by the shark fin, but it came off with ease.
Was able to pair our Pixel 6 Pro(s). I waited forever to discover the car... It never did. That is until I went in and ran through the PAK setup via the tablet. Then the notifications and pairing started to roll. It was this way for both our profiles.

do you know much more about which string of VINs were affected?

I will shoot my contact an email if you still want to know.

 

Just got a call from the DC Space. My TCAM module is in early

 

While the OP of this thread thoroughly documented what is most likely the the correct way of doing things, as I posted in the past I never bothered to do that, and this time I took photos to demonstrate the quick way of doing this: 12V/TCAM BATTERY DISCONNECT PROCESS - RON SWANSON METHOD

 

While the OP of this thread thoroughly documented what is most likely the the correct way of doing things, as I posted in the past I never bothered to do that, and this time I took photos to demonstrate the quick way of doing this: 12V/TCAM BATTERY DISCONNECT PROCESS - RON SWANSON METHOD

Thanks for this quicker TCAM disconnect method, @kkonstan! I've added a footnote linking to your method in the original post.

 

Introducing the TCAM recovery kit 😂

 

Just did this after I received an SOS / eCall warning and then the GPS went down. When I called customer service, they said I have to go immediately to a service center as it was NOT the TCAM and it was an emergency signalling failure (or something like that). I did make an appointment at the service center after that but told the rep I would try a few things first.

Now its fixed thanks to mtg35 and kkonstan and the rest all for this fix! Saves me a looooooong day (at least) at the dealer, 90 miles away.

A couple hints:

1. Remove the storage cover from the hatch so it doesn't get in the way (obvious, but I didn't at first)
2. To release the TCAM battery from its inexplicably tough-to-get-to hiding place, I used a short, small flat blade screwdriver gently inserted right above the wire harness connector (from the rear of the battery). Working on Volvos all these years I have had many thrilling instances of dealing with parts that are almost purposely placed in hard to access places.
3. And to release the wire harness connector from the battery, as per the main post, use a tiny flat blade (I of course couldn't find my set of tinies and used a metal pick) to pull the tiny tab towards the wires.
4. Don't drop the battery while disconnecting!

Thanks again.

P.S.: I asked the service center if they had TCAM batteries or TCAMs themselves in stock in case we need to replace one or both, and they said no, they do not stock them, so try this before dropping a vehicle off for who knows how long...

 

Hi folks, i just got the SOS notification couple of days ago. My keys wouldn't unlock the car but luckily the phone app did so i was able to get in. Car would drive if key was in the cup holder but besides the SOS icon being on, i had no gps and doors wouldn't lock/unlock.

Called customer support. They told me to try the reboot using the defrost button trick. Did not work. They then said drive the car until it gets to 15% or below battery and then charge it up to 90%. Did that and did not work.

So it being now a Sunday and I had nothing better to do, i tried the battery trick instructions here. Took about 20 min as it was my first time. It worked! Thank you for the step by step instructions. Not hard at all.

Car is completely back to normal. This was my first TCAM issue. It's a 22 model year with a build date of Dec 2021 if that helps anyone.
The customer support person said they've been getting lots of calls due to the 2.1 software update so hopefully when 2.2. arrives, it'll fix this problem.

 

Hi folks, i just got the SOS notification couple of days ago. My keys wouldn't unlock the car but luckily the phone app did so i was able to get in. Car would drive if key was in the cup holder but besides the SOS icon being on, i had no gps and doors wouldn't lock/unlock.

...

The customer support person said they've been getting lots of calls due to the 2.1 software update so hopefully when 2.2. arrives, it'll fix this problem.

I'm having the same problem you described, except navigation is working for me. The service center rep told me that 2.2 will fix the problem.