😭😭😭 POST BATTERY CONTACTOR RECALL -- FIRST JUNCTION BOX FAILURE 😭😭😭😭

[phil]

I can only assume some Ford engineers will be working over the holiday weekend to figure this out.

HAH!! Good one!

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[Logal727]

So if they put the new part in do they do another software update to get rid of this early fail state?

 

[Cjpayne]

Ford hasn’t made any statement that it has redesigned the problem part.

Thank you for your clarity and for sharing your situation with all of us. I wish Ford was doing the same. The majrotity of us love our MME and realized we may have some issues as early adopters. However, I think most of us expected Ford to stand behind this product and do the right things to resolve any major issues since there is so much at stake.

 

[phil]

Well hopefully this is the first time Ford has gotten an HVBJB they believe was going to fail before it fails which means they should be able to run a lot more tests on it than they could have a melted HVBJB to maybe improve the detection or best case remove a software flaw causing it as hard as it is for everyone to believe a software flaw could cause it. But hey one can hope.

 

[DevSecOps]

So if they put the new part in do they do another software update to get rid of this early fail state?

Originally that was the plan. Install the new HVBJB and flash software to remove the band-aid. But things have changed.

But if the software is only designed to limit power at potential failure then it might not be problematic to leave it in addition to the new HVBJB.

 

[Jimrpa]

July 1 update -- see below for a little more analysis of my DCFC session and messages in FordPass with the new software.

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I’m keeping this somewhat brief because I have been up since 5am this morning and had a great morning drive to LA turn into the first ever contactor failure with the new recall software (according to Ford). So that took only two days for my junction box to fry itself after the software protection.

My car has the recall software fix and was completely every-module updated in FDRS as of yesterday June 29th. I drove it on a road trip with my family from the Bay Area to LA, this is a little over 5 1/2 hours plus two 20-30-ish minute DCFC stops. There's some terrain as you pass over the Angeles National Forest on I-5 into LA area. I was driving keeping up with traffic generally 75-80mph. Definitely not driving like a maniac and I was in whisper mode.

My car made it almost out of the mountains before LA, about 10-15 minutes after the second DCFC (which was from SOC 55-80% because I wanted the buffer before hitting the mountains) before it failed with a new DTC for contactors. We were almost out of the mountains on the descent when it failed (just before Six Flags Magic Mountain -- for those familiar with the drive).

See photos below with your new, exciting, slightly less-catestrophic failure experience to look forward to -- with some tips. We were able to drive the car on local roads (Google Maps “avoid highways” toggle FTW!) for an additional 1hr 37min to cover the 44mi to our hotel. From there I drove the car (after unloading my family and checking in) to the nearest Ford dealership all without turning the car off (see below for tips).

So Mach N Cheese is tucked in at the Alhambra Ford dealership for probably the next week, where very nice people from Ford are hopefully expediting the revised HVBJB to be installed starting Tuesday if all goes well. (Yes this dealer sorta looks like a taco stand -- without the tacos).

I have a full video on the fun (until it was not) roadtrip that I’ll be editing over the coming days, but some quick tips on what happens with this genius new software if it thinks your contactors are failing.

You get this message WHILE DRIVING:

No other information. But your power is then limited A LOT. Check out this power jail!

DTC codes I had:

Note you can clear these codes, and the car will pretend everything is great .... but really it is not. Don't kid yourself.

DO NOT turn off the car if you get this wrench warning, you have a danger that it won’t turn on again and will be bricked. If you stop the car, much less turn it off, make sure you park nose-out because you very well might need a tow. Drive slowly, limiting power requested, to a dealership ASAP.

More later, but I gotta get some rest now that myself and my family have stopped safely now at our hotel Yes I had lots of expensive room service.

---------------

A little more from looking at FordPass.

And my two DCFC sessions:

Second charge below ended actually about 45 minutes I believe before the SVS (Service Vehicle Soon) code:

Again completely normal behavior we should be expected to do with these cars.

What is going on with your range? That’s insane!

 

[DevSecOps]

What is going on with your range? That’s insane!

He went up the Tejon Pass (i.e. Grapevine) and was going down from the summit when this happened. Going up it you chew threw the battery like a fat kid with a twinkie. Going down he likely gained most back. So the range numbers aren't likely problematic, just a result of the terrain.

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

He went up the Tejon Pass (i.e. Grapevine) and was going down from the summit when this happened. Going up it you chew threw the battery like a fat kid with a twinkie. Going down he likely gained most back. So the range numbers aren't likely problematic, just a result of the terrain.

There you go with the Twinkies again

 

[shelnian]

I wasn't risking turning the car off, driving it on the highway, or doing anything else other than getting the family to a safe place and then getting the car to a suitable dealer without needing a tow.

What I was asking is once you were at the dealer, did you try to turn OFF and then back ON your MME. If not, you could ask the dealer today if they can turn the MME back ON after it has been OFF. Am curious if the software update stops MME from being turned back ON. Might not be a good data point since you cleared the codes, but it is a data point.

 

[Blue highway]

Which means it's not a fix as I've said for months. It's still an underdesigned part and should be replaced.

Exactly... all - please read what the "fix" does... it doesn't fix anything. This is completely predictable.

 

[DevSecOps]

What I was asking is once you were at the dealer, did you try to turn OFF and then back ON your MME. If not, you could ask the dealer today if they can turn the MME back ON after it has been OFF. Am curious if the software update stops MME from being turned back ON. Might not be a good data point since you cleared the codes, but it is a data point.

Asked and answered many times in pages 1-5 ... He will update us when he knows what happened at the dealer and he did not turn it off. If the contactors are welded the car would not turn back on. Wasn't worth the risk.

 

[Blue highway]

Totally agree that everyone should absolutely get this new software -- it will give you some warning if your contactors are failing instead of having them just pop open when driving, or seemingly more commonly they stick closed and then you can't restart your car after you turn it off without warning.

This gives you warning and in this way it's better than without the software.

But it's not the real fix you need for GT / GTPE and I think everyone's going to find this out the hard way. I think this is going to be a disaster for Ford -- these junction boxes will continue to fail -- and may cost them so much more in customer loyalty and PR than if they stood behind their product and replaced the underspec'd part.

Bingo! this is the issue. The parts are inadequate and need to be replaced... The "savings" for Ford from the recall software is a false savings.

BTW - I like your new occupation

 

[Blue highway]

Sorry if I missed this from one of the other threads, but how do we know a software fix isn’t possible? Was something revealed (unofficially) with a more detailed explanation of how/why the failure is occurring aside from it apparently being a temperature issue?

A software fix is not possible because of the nature of the failure. The relays can not handle the current draw the cars demand without failing.

 

[scoopman]

And lots of LA dealers marking them up at least $10k too!

At some point -- which is very soon -- the MME is not a bargain. Just wait, you'll be seeing a video soon of my car failing as minivans and Honda Civics are able to make this road trip journey without a problem.

It is completely unacceptable to me to have a car that cost me this amount of money and does not work. Period.

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