Did I Just Blow My 3rd (and updated part) HVBJB???

[DaMeatMan]

Well, I had hope after getting my updated HVBJB installed in September, 2022 (part number NK4Z*10C666*C), that I would be good to go, but it looks like I am not as fortunate as I thought.

This is a 2021 MME Premium AWD with the extended range battery built in December, 2021.

My first failure came on May 10, 2022 at 6,737 miles and since that was before the software recall the failure bricked the car and it had to be towed for repair. Since the updated HVBJB was not out yet it was replaced with the original part that would fail again. This repair took 10 days since Ford sent an engineer out right away to assist my dealer with the repair and get the car back on the road.

My second failure came on September 19, 2022 at 11,946 miles. Since I had the software recall installed it gave me the Service Soon Message warning of the failure in my very near future. Since the new HVBJB was out, I had high hopes this would take care of any future failure. This repair took 30 days.

My third failure came today at 17,027 miles. When the Service Vehicle Soon message popped up while driving and power was noticeably reduced I pulled over and plugged in the scanner to see the codes (funny this is the first car I have ever owned where I feel the need to carry a scanner with me at all times). Once I saw the display below, my hopes of a permanent fix were shot to hell.

I of course will open a case with the BEV team (if the Ford account doesn't reach out first) and I will keep this thread up to date as I go down the HVBJB failure road for the third time now.

Just out of curiosity do you drive the vehicle hard and stomp on the accelerator from a dead stop often? Do you do allot of DC fast charging?

I can't quite understand how the same part fails on the same vehicle 3 times in a row, when many of us have bo issues whatsoever. Not blaming you for enjoying your vehicle, just genuinely trying to understand what's different here?

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[scoopman]

? I actually have been looking at the i4 M50 as well. I just don't know if I could pull the trigger just yet. Our local BMW dealers are stacked up on work and even a routine service can take days before you get it back. I can't imagine how long something more complicated would take. Plus I really like the looks of the MME, where the M50 not as much. But, then again, if this keeps continuing I might just overlook the looks of the M50 ?

The front end of the i4, as well as the poor interior packaging (faux transmission tunnel?!) -- as well as the cost over my 2021 with X-plan, tax credit, and Ford Options incentives, are my obstacles.

But the Mach-E isn't a bargain if I need a new junction box every 6,000 miles.

 

[dtbaker61]

Your use case outlined here has to be an outlyer -- not that this excuses what probably is a fundamentally under-spec'd battery pack design of our cars.

I am really hoping this turns out to be some mistake made when replacing the last HVBJB rather than the HVBJB. Maybe they didn't purge coolant lines or something stupid like that? An air bubble preventing proper cooling?

It sure would help if there were a temp sensor INSIDE the HVBJB

I keep thinking this would all be less of a worry if there were a chill plate under the HVBJB like there is under the batteries.

 

[gryphon]

The front end of the i4, as well as the poor interior packaging (faux transmission tunnel?!) -- as well as the cost over my 2021 with X-plan, tax credit, and Ford Options incentives, are my obstacles.

But the Mach-E isn't a bargain if I need a new junction box every 6,000 miles.

As you can tell by my profile pic that I changed about a week ago, you guys are now speaking my language. Not to thread creep too badly, but I was going to drop the deposit on the M50 Monday. @scoopman What am I looking at for a wait time?

And, I completely agree, the fact that it is built on the 3-series platform, which adds that unnecessary hump in the back, is a real drag.

 

[scoopman]

Just out of curiosity do you drive the vehicle hard and stomp on the accelerator from a dead stop often? Do you do allot of DC fast charging?

I can't quite understand how the same part fails on the same vehicle 3 times in a row, when many of us have bo issues whatsoever. Not blaming you for enjoying your vehicle, just genuinely trying to understand what's different here?

I think OP admits he does a lot of recreational driving in canyons / over terrain with WOT.

 

[Thor2j]

Yes, I am sure I would qualify for a lemon law but back, but then what??? I love the car and if I were to get another one it would be a GT and I would probably be going through the HVBJB even quicker ?

Isn't the lemon law only in first 12 months??

 

[phil]

 

[AllenXS]

Keen to know the outcome. I am on the third and newer one now. I do drive it like a mustang should be, limited l3 charging.

 

[scoopman]

As you can tell by my profile pic that I changed about a week ago, you guys are now speaking my language. Not to thread creep too badly, but I was going to drop the deposit on the M50 Monday. @scoopman What am I looking at for a wait time?

And, I completely agree, the fact that it is built on the 3-series platform, which adds that unnecessary hump in the back, is a real drag.

I placed an order with BMW Mountain View May 31, 2022 (for San Marino Blue, like your profile pic), and told them I wasn't in any rush. They didn't call me for any declined orders, but I also didn't keep calling them to keep top of mind. No deposit required, dealer confirmed in writing selling price would be MSRP, they appear to be zero drama. Was kinda refreshing.

I just got the allocation assignment today for production third week of Feb, delivery to the dealer in early April. My top spec M50 in 2023 will be basically comparable in price to a new GTPE. Handling and probably basic product engineering (and the much higher-end interior) will be superior to the MME, but I really found the car super ugly when I test drove. I think the dark blue will help, compared with the contrast of ambulance white with black schnozz on my tester. I also got the shadowline package which changes the buckteeth to black trim.

I still wanta love my GTPE, and do not drive it for hours at a time like I'm entering the 24 hours of Le Mans .... but life is too short if I have another catestrophic failure. I understand that you can have any measure of ICE cars that are marketed as "performance-ish" fail if you were to repeatedly track them.

I just hope Ford did enough basic engineering to make their redesigned junction box last for all but the very extreme outlyer of drivers.

 

[heisnuts]

Just out of curiosity do you drive the vehicle hard and stomp on the accelerator from a dead stop often? Do you do allot of DC fast charging?

I can't quite understand how the same part fails on the same vehicle 3 times in a row, when many of us have bo issues whatsoever. Not blaming you for enjoying your vehicle, just genuinely trying to understand what's different here?

Like others have pointed out, I truly have a unique situation. I live only miles away from wide open back country roads that have 55 MPH speed limits, lots of curvy sections of roads that go on like that for miles on end, several sections of these roads have big elevation changes of over 1,000 feet in elevation in a short distance (both uphill and downhill), and then to top it off there will be 4 way stops in the middle of nowhere. So although it is safe and legal, I can see where it puts a strain on the high voltage components of the car.

Since most of my miles on the MME are from these roads (and I also have a C8 Corvette and sport bike that I have also put lots of miles on there as well) I know every turn very well. I know what speed I should enter the turn at, I know where the apex of the turn is and when I can go WOT out of the turn to get back up to the speed limit quickly. I will also come to a full stop at the 4 ways and start out normal but soon there after go WOT until I get to the speed limit, which only takes seconds. Unfortunately this has not remotely gotten old over the many years I have been riding out there and I do not see my enjoyment of this fading anytime soon even though I am going on the same roads over and over and over again.

What I did not realize is just how much fun the MME would be on these roads, and I have become addicted to the feeling of the MME vs even the C8 on these roads. In the 10 months I have owned the MME I am almost always in the MME and only take the C8 and sport bike out occasionally. I am just hoping the next 6,000 miles proves I just got another bum HVBJB or that like others have said maybe something was not installed properly the last time and that I am not back in for a routine 6,000 mile replacement of the same part.

 

[scoopman]

Isn't the lemon law only in first 12 months??

OP is in Oregon, which appears to cover 2yrs or 24,000 on a new car. https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/motor-vehicles/lemon-law/

 

[gryphon]

I placed an order with BMW Mountain View May 31, 2022 (for San Marino Blue, like your profile pic), and told them I wasn't in any rush. They didn't call me for any declined orders, but I also didn't keep calling them to keep top of mind. No deposit required, dealer confirmed in writing selling price would be MSRP, they appear to be zero drama. Was kinda refreshing.

I just got the allocation assignment today for production third week of Feb, delivery to the dealer in early April. My top spec M50 in 2023 will be basically comparable in price to a new GTPE. Handling and probably basic product engineering (and the much higher-end interior) will be superior to the MME, but I really found the car super ugly when I test drove. I think the dark blue will help, compared with the contrast of ambulance white with black schnozz on my tester. I also got the shadowline package which changes the buckteeth to black trim.

I still wanta love my GTPE, and do not drive it for hours at a time like I'm entering the 24 hours of Le Mans .... but life is too short if I have another catestrophic failure. I understand that you can have any measure of ICE cars that are marketed as "performance-ish" fail if you were to repeatedly track them.

I just hope Ford did enough basic engineering to make their redesigned junction box last for all but the very extreme outlyer of drivers.

Understand completely about the comparisons between the cars. My situation is a long story, but suffice it to say, I have a damaged in transit GTPE sitting in the Port of Richmond, which did not make it to Walnut Creek in time for me to take delivery this year (and it should have, that's the long story).

Anyway, this had led me to pivot and I'm super intrigued by not only the M50, but now also by the iX M60. I agree with you to a degree about the looks (the M60 is even worse up front), but I do think it would grow on me. The M60 solves a lot of the issues of the M50 because it is their first dedicated EV platform, not a converted ICE platform. However, as I'm sure you know, it would come at a much higher price. I'm still debating on this.

Thank you for the insight on the process. I was told that a $3k deposit was required because of my color selection, which is the "Frozen" version of the San Marino blue. I'm not on the Peninsula, but I also found a dealer not too far away that doesn't mark-up beyond MSRP. We'll see how it goes.

Best of luck with your GTPE, I certainly hope it stays trouble-free for you. However, I feel like you should be able to drive your automobile however you like without fear that its components will fail prematurely. I certainly don't want to pile on the MME here and I do not even own one, but I will say that I have read A LOT of the content on this forum. It seems like many are comfortable making quite a few accommodations in their ownership of this vehicle.

Thanks for your time.

 

[scoopman]

Best of luck with your GTPE, I certainly hope it stays trouble-free for you. However, I feel like you should be able to drive your automobile however you like without fear that its components will fail prematurely. I certainly don't want to pile on the MME here and I do not even own one, but I will say that I have read A LOT of the content on this forum. It seems like many are comfortable making quite a few accommodations in their ownership of this vehicle.

Oh I agree -- I wasn't buying a Mach-E to track it -- none of these cars save for the i4 M50 or the Taycan can really be called performance cars in anything other than a straight line. Remember, the MME came out in early 2021, so Ford jumped other competitors by 1-2 years in development cycles. All the OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are gaining experience and each of these cars is getting better. I'm not compromising what I do with my car, but I think it should be reliable when used for modern car purposes, which include some spirited driving.

As for that iX, that's a hard no from me, I did a full inspection of a black with gaudy gold door handles while one charged on Thursday ?

 

[Logal727]

Understand completely about the comparisons between the cars. My situation is a long story, but suffice it to say, I have a damaged in transit GTPE sitting in the Port of Richmond, which did not make it to Walnut Creek in time for me to take delivery this year (and it should have, that's the long story).

Anyway, this had led me to pivot and I'm super intrigued by not only the M50, but now also by the iX M60. I agree with you to a degree about the looks (the M60 is even worse up front), but I do think it would grow on me. The M60 solves a lot of the issues of the M50 because it is their first dedicated EV platform, not a converted ICE platform. However, as I'm sure you know, it would come at a much higher price. I'm still debating on this.

Thank you for the insight on the process. I was told that a $3k deposit was required because of my color selection, which is the "Frozen" version of the San Marino blue. I'm not on the Peninsula, but I also found a dealer not too far away that doesn't mark-up beyond MSRP. We'll see how it goes.

Best of luck with your GTPE, I certainly hope it stays trouble-free for you. However, I feel like you should be able to drive your automobile however you like without fear that its components will fail prematurely. I certainly don't want to pile on the MME here and I do not even own one, but I will say that I have read A LOT of the content on this forum. It seems like many are comfortable making quite a few accommodations in their ownership of this vehicle.

Thanks for your time.

I saw the first iX M60 delivered to Florida the other day. I had to show the salesman from the BMW dealership how to use the EVGO charger. He said their DCFC didn’t work and customer wanted it fully charged. Got a peek inside the interior, really nice and that IPC screen is crazy. I made a post about it here with a couple photos:
https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/first-bmw-ix-m60-in-florida.24691/

 

[Logal727]

OP got the DTC codes for SVS due to contactors -- it's nothing else other than the contactors failing in the new design IMHO.

Kinda crazy if true, I find it hard to believe they would still under spec it

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