Zero Warning... the recall software update did not work! SECOND HVBJB FAILURE. Stop Safely Now my sequel.

[AmbiguousPresentation]

The thing to keep in mind about the recall software is that it just gives you a chance to keep driving, it’s not a guarantee. If the HVBJB fails closed (while you’re driving) the software can allow you to keep driving. If it fails open (while you’re parked and the car is off), there’s nothing software can do to get it to close.

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[Parasmoney]

Well... I figured that my replacement HVBJB was going to fail sooner or later. My first failure occurred this past February which is well before there was even a revised/more robust part available. It looks like my failure ended up happening sooner.

My car is now stuck facing forward in my low clearance alleyway garage in the city. I though that I'd be safe parking the car in my garage and that the software update would give me a warning before the High Voltage Battery Junction Box (HVBJB) failed. It did not.



My first failure occurred Feb 2022 with about 4500 miles on the odometer on a cold day here in Minnesota when the wind chill temperature was about -10°F. I still have PTSD from being stranded outside and getting minor frostbite. Back then it took the dealership 6 weeks to get my car back to me.

Right now there's ~9500 miles on the garage and I've only DC fast charged the car 3x in 5000 miles. Level 1 & Level 2 only.

Fortunately it's not winter and there's now a new HVBJB available. Now I'm just really hoping that a tow truck can get the vehicle out of my garage without damaging the car and/or my garage.

It really really really sucks that @Ford Motor Company isn't proactively replacing these bad parts.

It looks like I'll be spending my Saturday trying to figure out how to get this car out of my garage and to a competent dealership.



If I partially take apart my garage door then that will give me about 8 inches of clearance. Will a tow truck driver be able to get dollies underneath with such little clearance?

The towing company will most likely need the type of dollies in the following photo.

 

[jznd400]

My HVBJB failed in my garage and the towing company got it out using these plastic sliders. Never seen these before and they must only work on relatively smooth surfaces. He hammered one slider under every tire, then a second slider under each of the first sliders. Car slid out like a charm, right onto the smooth flatbed surface.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Well... I figured that my replacement HVBJB was going to fail sooner or later. My first failure occurred this past February which is well before there was even a revised/more robust part available. It looks like my failure ended up happening sooner.

My car is now stuck facing forward in my low clearance alleyway garage in the city. I though that I'd be safe parking the car in my garage and that the software update would give me a warning before the High Voltage Battery Junction Box (HVBJB) failed. It did not.



My first failure occurred Feb 2022 with about 4500 miles on the odometer on a cold day here in Minnesota when the wind chill temperature was about -10°F. I still have PTSD from being stranded outside and getting minor frostbite. Back then it took the dealership 6 weeks to get my car back to me.

Right now there's ~9500 miles on the garage and I've only DC fast charged the car 3x in 5000 miles. Level 1 & Level 2 only.

Fortunately it's not winter and there's now a new HVBJB available. Now I'm just really hoping that a tow truck can get the vehicle out of my garage without damaging the car and/or my garage.

It really really really sucks that @Ford Motor Company isn't proactively replacing these bad parts.

It looks like I'll be spending my Saturday trying to figure out how to get this car out of my garage and to a competent dealership.



If I partially take apart my garage door then that will give me about 8 inches of clearance. Will a tow truck driver be able to get dollies underneath with such little clearance?

Hi there! Will you send us a message with your VIN and your local Ford dealer? I can look into things on my end.

 

[DevSecOps]

The thing to keep in mind about the recall software is that it just gives you a chance to keep driving.

The recall software doesn't prevent SSN. I am an example of this and we have multiple other examples of this. It doesn't always give you a chance to keep driving. This is one of the many reasons that myself and many other are so vocal about the recall being smoke and mirrors.

If the HVBJB fails closed (while you’re driving) the software can allow you to keep driving. If it fails open (while you’re parked and the car is off), there’s nothing software can do to get it to close.

This was the same prior to the software. What you are describing is not resolved by the recall.

It can weld open or closed and either will throw an SSN when powered down/back up. Welding closed will also prevent a next power on cycle.

 

[Electric Goat]

Thanks everyone for your input so far.

Update: I've made a few attempts to get the car restarted but the car is bricked at the moment.

I'm working towards getting the car out of the garage and towed to a Ford dealership.

 

[scoopman]

My HVBJB failed in my garage and the towing company got it out using these plastic sliders. Never seen these before and they must only work on relatively smooth surfaces. He hammered one slider under every tire, then a second slider under each of the first sliders. Car slid out like a charm, right onto the smooth flatbed surface.

Where's that chain from the flatbed winch hooked into? That's what worries me in your photo -- is that connected to the proper winch points in the front?

 

[scoopman]

Thanks everyone for your input so far.

Update: I've made a few attempts to get the car restarted but the car is bricked at the moment.

I'm working towards getting the car out of the garage and towed to a Ford dealership.

Not sure if you did this but some folks on the forum with FDRS licenses can find out remotely what codes your car reported when it died. Might confirm if you get your "2x HVBJB Failure" dinner jacket!

 

[AmbiguousPresentation]

The recall software doesn't prevent SSN. I am an example of this and we have multiple other examples of this. It doesn't always give you a chance to keep driving. This is one of the many reasons that myself and many other are so vocal about the recall being smoke and mirrors.



This was the same prior to the software. What you are describing is not resolved by the recall.

It can weld open or closed and either will throw an SSN when powered down/back up. Welding closed will also prevent a next power on cycle.

So what did the software update actually change? I had thought it gave you more of a chance to drive (or at least get off the highway) than it did previously.

 

[DevSecOps]

So what did the software update actually change? I had thought it gave you more of a chance to drive (or at least get off the highway) than it did previously.

That's what it's supposed to do. But it doesn't in all cases. Some even suspect that it throws false alerts when nothing is even wrong, but that's speculative.

 

[AKgrampy]

So what did the software update actually change? I had thought it gave you more of a chance to drive (or at least get off the highway) than it did previously.

It is supposed to detect a potential failure and then limit power which allows you to drive it to a dealer. But, as mentioned, it does not work 100% of the time.

 

[Mach-Lee]

I went to help revive the Electric Goat today, but as you can see I wasn't successful. ? She had a persistent P0563 code in the BECM that kept coming back, so unfortunately that means it's new HVBJB time.

When I arrived the 12V battery was down to 11.6V, so I put my dual PL2320s on it and got system voltage back up to 13.5V. Scanned for codes and determined the P0563 code (System Voltage High) in the BECM was the cause of the SSN, which likely means the positive contactor is stuck. I tried resetting the codes and modules multiple times, following the steps in the service manual, opening the BECM service disconnect under the hood, and even banging on the front of the battery pack with a rubber mallet in a last-ditch effort to unstick a contactor. But she wouldn't budge. This P0563 code is mentioned in TSB 22-2178, which specifies HVBJB replacement.

I can confirm the dealer installed the recall software a couple weeks ago, and he said he never saw a SVS before the SSN popped up while L1 charging last night. So this is a confirmed case of a HVBJB failing without prior warning on post-recall software. Sounds like the contactor overheated with just a short pass and must have melted or welded itself closed after the drive. He is on the second HVBJB, this one failed with only about 4500 miles since the last replacement.

The garage did have very low clearance with only a 6' opening and was parked nose-in, but fortunately we were able to get it into emergency tow mode and pushed it into the alleyway so the tow truck could pick it up. I'm surprised they sent a dolly truck instead of a flatbed, but the tow truck driver loved the looks of the Mach-E and carefully got the front on the wheel lift despite the low clearance. He said his new flatbed was still in the process of getting licensed and approved. Having the high-current battery chargers to keep the battery topped up really helped out. I brought jumper cables and an extra Mach-E battery just in case the chargers weren't enough, but they did fine. It make it to the dealer safely.

I feel bad him, this is the second time he's been stranded, he has a newborn, and the Mach-E was their only vehicle at the moment. Hopefully Ford gets him rolling again ASAP.

 

[spacecowboy]

Yours appears to have gone EXACTLY as it should have, the software told you of the problem and let you drive to the dealer.

If this is EXACTLY how MME ownership should go, I won’t own it much longer.

 

[RickMachE]

If this is EXACTLY how MME ownership should go, I won’t own it much longer.

Suit yourself.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I went to help revive the Electric Goat today, but as you can see I wasn't successful. ? She had a persistent P0563 code in the BECM that kept coming back, so unfortunately that means it's new HVBJB time.

You rock, Lee!

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