Anyone Else Getting 12V Battery Messages?

[Jessnyc]

Hey, has anyone else been getting the 12V battery is low messages? There isnt a 3rd party source plugged in my car, and its at 72% SOC, so confused on why I am getting these messages. Doesnt seem to happen everyday, but 2-3 days apart?

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[ShaggySS]

Do you have a data logger plugged into your ODB port? I have had that error when it was connected and logging

 

[RickMachE]

Are you driving the car weekly?

Did you check to see if the headlights were on (knob has a firmware fault)?

Are you using a 3rd party app?

Did you provide your credentials to a 3rd party?

Did you recently have the car serviced, or washed, where they would have left doors / trunk / frunk open?

 

[DevSecOps]

There's a number of huge threads on this. Using search and putting in "Plug in to maintain" returns pages and pages of results:

Here's just one for reference:
https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/plug-in-to-maintain-12v-battery.31123/

 

[Starscrean]

No. You installed any accessories lately ? Maybe you set in the car in accessory mode without realizing it. Is your key fob wondering near by when parked This will cause the exterior lights to keep turning on. From experience these are all things I’ve already done to drain my 12v. Good thing it happens when I’m in my driveway

 

[Jessnyc]

1. Do you have a data logger plugged into your ODB port? I have had that error when it was connected and logging
   • No I do not have anything plugged into my ODB port
2. Are you driving the car weekly?
[*]Did you check to see if the headlights were on (knob has a firmware fault)?
[*]Are you using a 3rd party app?
[*]Did you provide your credentials to a 3rd party?
[*]Did you recently have the car serviced, or washed, where they would have left doors / trunk / frunk open?
   • The last time I drove the car was on Saturday. Will be driving again tomorrow.
   • Headlights were not on, I make sure to turn it off.
   • No I am not using a 3rd party app nor did I give creds to a 3rd party
   • Nope, nothing of the sort. Everything is closed
3. No. You installed any accessories lately ? Maybe you set in the car in accessory mode without realizing it. Is your key fob wondering near by when parked This will cause the exterior lights to keep turning on. From experience these are all things I’ve already done to drain my 12v. Good thing it happens when I’m in my driveway
   • Nope, no accessories have been installed. And where my car is parked is not near my apartment complex. I also throw the key fob in a RFID protection cover after locking the car.

The last time the car was on was on Monday for like an hour.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Unplug the OBD data logger since that can drain the 12V battery. Do not use accessory mode (Start button light flashing) because that drains the 12V battery.

A 12V drain will show up after several days of being parked without driving.

 

[thekat03]

How much do you drive? If you aren't driving much when you do drive, it might not be enough to recharge the 12v battery. How old is the 12v battery?

 

[Auto Motive]

2 months ago got a 12v and susp fault on screen. Dealer update fixed it. I have been using the GTPE every 3 days but wasnt charging it during a 6 to 7 day span since range is 100pct miles af 78pct. Now I got a plug in car to avoid not being able to start it 12v low. The dealer said battery was okv but was wondering if 2021 models with 18000 miles would need a neew battery so soon?

 

[JDP That's Me in My MachE]

Yes, I have gotten several of those messages recently. Yes I have dashcams wired directly to the battery (always on). Yes I drive daily and charge nightly. Message stopped this morning.

 

[JJR]

I get this and 12v battery fault messages a lot.
I don't drive the car much and I notice that sometimes the interior lights don't come on, guessing that it's a voltage sensor controlling the lights.
I find it a little annoying but it's never caused any problems.
I found a battery monitor that connects to the battery and sends an RF data stream to a display module.
Someday I'll install it.
I'd prefer that Ford supply a monitor on the screen.

 

[Jessnyc]

1. Unplug the OBD data logger since that can drain the 12V battery. Do not use accessory mode (Start button light flashing) because that drains the 12V battery.
A 12V drain will show up after several days of being parked without driving.
   • Could be the driving aspect of it, but I have left the car undrive for at least a week or so, and didnt get those messages in the past. Not sure if the cold also has something to do with it?
2. How much do you drive? If you aren't driving much when you do drive, it might not be enough to recharge the 12v battery. How old is the 12v battery?
   • Havent been able to drive it that much as of lately due to an emergency situation, but this wasnt a problem in the past. Ive gotten this message in the past, but not as frequently as the screenshot showed. My car is a 2021, and its the original battery that came with car.
3. 2 months ago got a 12v and susp fault on screen. Dealer update fixed it. I have been using the GTPE every 3 days but wasnt charging it during a 6 to 7 day span since range is 100pct miles af 78pct. Now I got a plug in car to avoid not being able to start it 12v low. The dealer said battery was okv but was wondering if 2021 models with 18000 miles would need a neew battery so soon?
   • Yeah its hard for me to have the car plugged all the time since I live in the city. And maybe? I think it depends on the condition of the battery tbh.
4. Yes, I have gotten several of those messages recently. Yes I have dashcams wired directly to the battery (always on). Yes I drive daily and charge nightly. Message stopped this morning.
   • I have my dash cam set up to a Powercell battery pack vs directly to the car battery to avoid any type of drainage
5. I get this and 12v battery fault messages a lot. I don't drive the car much and I notice that sometimes the interior lights don't come on, guessing that it's a voltage sensor controlling the lights.
   • Yeah, it could be the fact that I havent drove the car for a few days. Drove for a little bit today, so lets see what happens.

 

[Mach-Lee]

I get this and 12v battery fault messages a lot.
I don't drive the car much and I notice that sometimes the interior lights don't come on, guessing that it's a voltage sensor controlling the lights.
I find it a little annoying but it's never caused any problems.
I found a battery monitor that connects to the battery and sends an RF data stream to a display module.
Someday I'll install it.
I'd prefer that Ford supply a monitor on the screen.

If you get 12V battery messages a lot, I highly suggest you do something about it before the 12V battery dies and you are stranded. It is not normal to get those messages. Unplug any OBD port devices or dashcams. Remove any 3rd party apps accessing vehicle data.

 

[Mach-Lee]

I have my dash cam set up to a Powercell battery pack vs directly to the car battery to avoid any type of drainage

So you have an always-on dashcam and an OBD device plugged in. These are both drain concerns. Depending how the voltage thresholds are set up on the dashcam battery pack and how it’s wired, that could be a problem. OBD devices besides the OBDLinkMX+ draw too much power at idle. Any OBD device that is collecting data will prevent the vehicle from sleeping.

The drain has probably been happing for months, but you’re only noticing it now because you’re not driving as often and the 12V hasn’t had as much time to recharge. Cold also decreases the battery capacity.

Remove the OBD device and rewire the dashcam to be on accessory only power and your problem will likely disappear.

 

[Jessnyc]

So you have an always-on dashcam and an OBD device plugged in. These are both drain concerns. Depending how the voltage thresholds are set up on the dashcam battery pack and how it’s wired, that could be a problem. OBD devices besides the OBDLinkMX+ draw too much power at idle. Any OBD device that is collecting data will prevent the vehicle from sleeping.

The drain has probably been happing for months, but you’re only noticing it now because you’re not driving as often and the 12V hasn’t had as much time to recharge. Cold also decreases the battery capacity.

Remove the OBD device and rewire the dashcam to be on accessory only power and your problem will likely disappear.

No I have the dashcam connected to a PowerCell Battery pack, so nothing is connected to my car or using anything within the car. And I do not have an OBD device plugged in my car either.

There is nothing connected to the car that should be draining it.

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