Deep Sleep Mode - 12v battery drained dead [update: Mach-E jump started]

[Finkerton]

I have just purchased a mach e. I have a stage 2 charger at home where my car is plugged in. I have left the key fob in the car, and have the Ford pass on my phone.
after 8 days, my car was on the charger and at 100% . Had the cabin temp set for 815am, got the alert it was at temp. Didn’t drive the car as it’s spring break here and no school! Went to use the car at 245pm,and the car was in deep sleep mode.
towed to Ford, jumped it to get hood open,used electric door code to enter The car. 36 hours later same thing.
they are saying it’s because the key fob has been left in the car and is draining the battery. I think it’s a software issue. Has anyone else left their fob in their car and able to comment?

Welcome to the club. Scroll up a few pages -- had this same issue. The problem is that when the car is plugged in it doesn't kick in the mechanism that keeps the LVB charged from the HVB. It's a software bug. Don't keep it plugged in when it's not being actively charged as a workaround.

The larger issue is that there seem to be a number of VINs -- including mine and, likely, yours -- that are not covered by the technical service bulletin for this issue. So they're going out to customers without the software update. And then when you take it to a dealer they don't know how to deal with this issue because it doesn't show up as connected to your VIN -- so not only do they not know what the problem is, they also don't know how to code it so that Ford actually reimburses them.

If anyone on the forum has a Ford contact that can get involved that would be great. Clearly a larger number of VINs than they thought need these updates and the dealers are just clueless about what's going on. (All four around me are just like "we don't know how to work on that car" and since the TSB isn't showing up they don't have an obvious guide to follow. I've had mine in for two days now to get this software updated and they haven't even bothered to look at it yet.)

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[JellyBelly]

I have just purchased a mach e. I have a stage 2 charger at home where my car is plugged in. I have left the key fob in the car, and have the Ford pass on my phone.
after 8 days, my car was on the charger and at 100% . Had the cabin temp set for 815am, got the alert it was at temp. Didn’t drive the car as it’s spring break here and no school! Went to use the car at 245pm,and the car was in deep sleep mode.
towed to Ford, jumped it to get hood open,used electric door code to enter The car. 36 hours later same thing.
they are saying it’s because the key fob has been left in the car and is draining the battery. I think it’s a software issue. Has anyone else left their fob in their car and able to comment?

I have left the key fob in for a couple of days not realizing that I left it in. I have not noticed any drain in the battery or any issues. You might try to see what happens if you don't leave the fob in - but looks like you might have the charging/LVB issue that has come up with other MMEs. Fob being in the car should not drain battery to deep sleep state if you have plugged the car into home EVSE.

 

[louibluey]

... Don't keep it plugged in when it's not being actively charged as a workaround. ...

Ford asks for the car to always be plugged in during cold temps (soon to be less of an issue!).

I set my MME (per earlier suggestions) to do a climate prestart every day or every other day. Presumably (TBD), waking up to do a warmup also charges the LVB.

Another option is possibly to just unplug and plug in again? Not sure if that does the trick.

If home, could just start the car and run it for some 15 - 20 minutes every other day to every few days (remote start by App? runs 15 minutes). Or, just go for a tens of minutes quick drive!

Agreed, for any MME not fixed with the software update (no idea if my MME has the update), all MME need this fix! Can't wait for routine OTA.

 

[Ajpeo3]

The dead LVB will probably mean the 21B02 software update needs to be applied. Your dealer might have known to do this if they checked OASIS. However, it's also possible your car was outside the range of VINs known to need this issue.

21B02 requires the car be on a 12v charger during the update to make sure it installs properly. That means it has to be done at the dealership.

Is there any way of telling if the 21B02 software update has been done when I pick up my car or for those who have their cars already that want to check to see if it's done?

The dead LVB will probably mean the 21B02 software update needs to be applied. Your dealer might have known to do this if they checked OASIS. However, it's also possible your car was outside the range of VINs known to need this issue.

21B02 requires the car be on a 12v charger during the update to make sure it installs properly. That means it has to be done at the dealership.

Is there any way of checking to see if the 21B02 software update has been done?

 

[Wardmoranfamily]

Welcome to the club. Scroll up a few pages -- had this same issue. The problem is that when the car is plugged in it doesn't kick in the mechanism that keeps the LVB charged from the HVB. It's a software bug. Don't keep it plugged in when it's not being actively charged as a workaround.

The larger issue is that there seem to be a number of VINs -- including mine and, likely, yours -- that are not covered by the technical service bulletin for this issue. So they're going out to customers without the software update. And then when you take it to a dealer they don't know how to deal with this issue because it doesn't show up as connected to your VIN -- so not only do they not know what the problem is, they also don't know how to code it so that Ford actually reimburses them.

If anyone on the forum has a Ford contact that can get involved that would be great. Clearly a larger number of VINs than they thought need these updates and the dealers are just clueless about what's going on. (All four around me are just like "we don't know how to work on that car" and since the TSB isn't showing up they don't have an obvious guide to follow. I've had mine in for two days now to get this software updated and they haven't even bothered to look at it yet.)

 

[Wardmoranfamily]

Yes, I agree, the dealership doesn't seem to have a clue as to what is happening and is confident that the Ford engineers are sensitive with things going wrong with these cars and taking the issues seriously. I am nervous of the car leaving me locked out in the future if they don't get the software update!
I have a 2017 ford focus EV that I have left the key fob in for 2.5 years and have never had an issue!!!

 

[Wardmoranfamily]

No. Those leads only provide power to the front trunk release solenoid. Once inside the frunk you have to remove the rear trim piece (behind the storage compartment) and then the driver-side trim piece (The driver-side trim piece marks the + and - symbols indicating the position of the charging terminals.

The trim panels are press-fit (they basically "snap" in) vertically ... lift straight-up to pop them out (Don't pull sideways).

The low-voltage battery is a 35 amp hour AGM battery. Use an AGM battery charger to charge it ... ideally something that can supply about 10 amps or more. I used a trickle charger that could only supply 4 amps and it really wasn't enough (the car was trying to wake up but didn't have enough power). I switched to a 10 amp charger and it was happy.

Once the software update was applied to my car it's been happy ever since.

If you aren't able to get it over to a dealer right away then leave the car unplugged when not actively charging and you wont have a recurrence of a low 12v battery. (But do get it fixed via software update).

Do you know the name or code for the update that they used? I am in British Columbia Canada and have the first mach e in my area.....and it is going into sleep mode and the dealership is blaming me leaving the key fob in the car....

 

[Finkerton]

Do you know the name or code for the update that they used? I am in British Columbia Canada and have the first mach e in my area.....and it is going into sleep mode and the dealership is blaming me leaving the key fob in the car....

Look at the screenshot below. That technical service bulletin 21B02 is likely what is wrong with your car. It has nothing to do with leaving the fob in and everything to do with it having been left on the charger, because the car tells you to do it but there's a bug that causes the LVB to discharge when it is. However, the problem I am having is that my VIN is not associated with that TSB, which is why it didn't get that software version at the dealership before delivery. Yours probably isn't either. That makes it complicated because even if the dealer checks and finds that there is a software update for that module generally, and even if they have access to that update if it's not showing as being applicable to your VIN, without your VIN being shown as affected they don't know how to bill it for a warranty repair.

Mine is with a dealer now investigating the problem. I'll let you know how it goes but likely it's going to end up with them calling a zone rep or a field service technician for help (which will, in fact, probably solve the problem). And likely that will result in one or both of them realizing that this TSB isn't covering the full set of VINs. But Ford should already have plenty of evidence showing this from the first and second and so on time that cars with VINs on that list showed up with the problem, so my cynical mind is assuming that if they expand it too much it will force them into, or at least look like, the dreaded "r" word.

Or, worse: they could realize that in fact there is a _different_ problem that hasn't been solved yet. But those on this thread that have gotten the software update from that TSB have reported that it fixed the problem.

 

[Wardmoranfamily]

Look at the screenshot below. That technical service bulletin 21B02 is likely what is wrong with your car. It has nothing to do with leaving the fob in and everything to do with it having been left on the charger, because the car tells you to do it but there's a bug that causes the LVB to discharge when it is. However, the problem I am having is that my VIN is not associated with that TSB, which is why it didn't get that software version at the dealership before delivery. Yours probably isn't either. That makes it complicated because even if the dealer checks and finds that there is a software update for that module generally, and even if they have access to that update if it's not showing as being applicable to your VIN, without your VIN being shown as affected they don't know how to bill it for a warranty repair.

Mine is with a dealer now investigating the problem. I'll let you know how it goes but likely it's going to end up with them calling a zone rep or a field service technician for help (which will, in fact, probably solve the problem). And likely that will result in one or both of them realizing that this TSB isn't covering the full set of VINs. But Ford should already have plenty of evidence showing this from the first and second and so on time that cars with VINs on that list showed up with the problem, so my cynical mind is assuming that if they expand it too much it will force them into, or at least look like, the dreaded "r" word.

Or, worse: they could realize that in fact there is a _different_ problem that hasn't been solved yet. But those on this thread that have gotten the software update from that TSB have reported that it fixed the problem.

Thanks!
may car is also at the dealer.... it went into deep sleep again without being plugged in. So that’s concerning!! I’ll keep you updated as well! Thanks!

 

[tomterky]

Thanks!
may car is also at the dealer.... it went into deep sleep again without being plugged in. So that’s concerning!! I’ll keep you updated as well! Thanks!

I was the thread starter...a Ford Service Engineer went to my dealership and spent three hours in the car connected with his computer attached longer updating the below modules. Hope it helps.

 

[Finkerton]

I was the thread starter...a Ford Service Engineer went to my dealership and spent three hours in the car connected with his computer attached longer updating the below modules. Hope it helps.

That's super duper helpful in the abstract. Right now my dealer has no interest in the information I'm trying to bring them from forum posts. But maybe this will convince them to just get an FSE in...

 

[tomterky]

That's super duper helpful in the abstract. Right now my dealer has no interest in the information I'm trying to bring them from forum posts. But maybe this will convince them to just get an FSE in...

Look for a different Ford Dealer...one that also sells Mach E and had a better service department that will listen. You're not locked to one dealerships shop.

 

[Finkerton]

Look for a different Ford Dealer...one that also sells Mach E and had a better service department that will listen. You're not locked to one dealerships shop.

I've called them all. All of them are selling it but two of them wouldn't even let me take my car in. It's pretty terrible Ford lets them get away with that. I do have it in at a third one now but their attitude has entirely been "we'll figure it out on our own thanks".

To be clear this is the attitude of the service manager. Given the service manager saying nobody there has any knowledge of how to service these, the actual mechanic may be glad for help but the service manager is currently acting as a gateway.

 

[tomterky]

I've called them all. All of them are selling it but two of them wouldn't even let me take my car in. It's pretty terrible Ford lets them get away with that. I do have it in at a third one now but their attitude has entirely been "we'll figure it out on our own thanks".

To be clear this is the attitude of the service manager. Given the service manager saying nobody there has any knowledge of how to service these, the actual mechanic may be glad for help but the service manager is currently acting as a gateway.

Call Ford Customer Service...Corporate. 1-866-631-3788. Let them know what is going on and see what they can do for you. They reached out and called ME when my car was acting up. They called the dealer and told them to get my car back in for service and they were sending out a FSE. The service manager said he was shocked and in his 20 plus years working there, that is the first time it happened.

 

[Maquis]

I've called them all. All of them are selling it but two of them wouldn't even let me take my car in. It's pretty terrible Ford lets them get away with that. I do have it in at a third one now but their attitude has entirely been "we'll figure it out on our own thanks".

To be clear this is the attitude of the service manager. Given the service manager saying nobody there has any knowledge of how to service these, the actual mechanic may be glad for help but the service manager is currently acting as a gateway.

Tell them that if you wanted crappy service, you'd have bought a Tesla!

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