High Voltage Battery Junction Box went bad...again!

[yusufq]

I wanted to share by poor experience regarding the HVBJB going bad. Overall, I have been very happy with my 2022 Mach-E GT Performance. Its been a great car, fun to drive. I've had some minor gripes such as the app stinks (pre-update at least), lack of physical buttons bother me, range could be better. However, I've had to take it in to the dealer 4 times for warranty work since I got it. In April, I had the parking brake issue pop up -- even though my model wasn't on the recall list.

Then two weeks later, I got the Powertrain Malfunction / High-Voltage Battery warning. My HVBJB went bad a year ago and I had it replaced at the dealership already. So I took it in to the dealer again and it has been there for since. I dropped the car off 5/15/2024 and as of today 6/4/2024, still no car. In the past, the dealership had been very responsive over text messaging giving update and when to expect the car. This time has been terrible. Every day they reply, I'll check on your car and give you and update. But no update ever comes. When asked what the problem is, they responded "the cause of the updates is due to the software being faulty. They are resetting the vehicle and reinstalling the part that came in." What part? I don't know. Then, today, I got a message that even after changing the whatever part, they said it did not solve the problem and now they are going to change the HVBJB. I informed them that it had been changed already (he seemed unaware of that), and he said it must have gone bad again. Meanwhile, I am going on to three weeks with no car. I asked for a loaner and they initially refused, but now they said they would provide one.

Has anyone else had two HVBJB go bad? I am concerned what is going to happen once my car is out of warranty and this happens again. I'm really disappointed with the quality of these Mach-e. It seems ready through the forums, these types of issues are not uncommon. One reason the dealership gave for why my car is taking so long to repair is that they have a lot of EVs in for repair and not enough techs that know how to repair them. And this is in Farmington Hills, MI...a stones through from Ford HQ! Not a good sign.

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[AngryMan]

THIS is still my biggest worry with the Mach. YES some have had 3 or more replaced ....I KNOW ...NOT what you wanted to hear.
I thought moving to a 23 would get me outta the situation then the posts from 2023 guys started ....

 

[HuntingPudel]

Depending on the specific battery size and trim level, there have been several with 3 replacements (4 total HVBJBs including the original). Admittedly, I do not know a lot about the other trims, but the HVBJB for the GT was last revised in November of 2023. There (so far) have been very few failures reported of that unit. My original HVBJB (first design) failed and was replaced in August of 2023. I expect to fail it again this summer so that I can get the most recent part. Of course, with the power bump the 2024 GT gets, that new part might start failing as well. The older, weaker GTs might just be mostly OK with it. ?‍?

 

[Vulnox]

This is also a worry of mine, even with a Premium. I haven't had any replacements and ours was built after the first revision in late 2022. But the Premium AWDs have failures too, even if less frequent than the GTs, and I plan to take it on another road trip in the beginning of August.

It will just be me thankfully, but being 4+ hours from home and having one go bad would really suck, on top of how much it sucks overall. I thought we were in a safe place getting ours when we did but there's always that feeling in the back of my mind.

Now obviously, I could take the F-150 instead and have something fail with the engine or transmission and end up never having an issue with the MME. But I don't know of any likely-to-fail issues with the F-150, but I do know of one for the MME that seems to come up almost daily between here and Reddit it feels like.

 

[Mrn]

July 2022 Mach-e Select and nary a hardware issue so far at ~ 14 k miles. Occasional temporary issues with software updates.

 

[Angelnx1985]

Hi! Merchy here! I wanted to share you my experience with HVBJB. I bought my 21 First Edition in Feb of 21. My first warning on the issue was in summer of 21. At that time no one knew what was going on. I was probably the first to receive the HVBJB issue. It took 7 months, yes seven freakin months, to figure out the issue and get it repaired. I think the only reason why it took so long it's because the dealership didn't know what it was and gave up after a while until I finally got some help from ford corporate and friends. But we eventually figured it out. The second time happened in Sept of 23. We knew what it was and got it replaced in 10 days. Now it happened for me the third time in January of 24. Reason being is that they made an updated HVBJV that was never installed. This time it took 6 weeks, only because there was miscommunication for getting the new part. To this date, it's been replaced and no known issue.

So I hope when they replace your HVBJB it's the new updated one. It'll take a while to get to you because this is an official recall and are asking all that are affected to bring it in for immediate replacement. Don't worry, continue to check in with service for it's progress and don't forget to call ford customer service to open a ticket.

 

[Mache_Nor]

To chime in, I’m in my fourth (changed once as part of callback, then broke twice). I feel like living in abusive relationship; when the car works it’s a great car, but then it suddenly turns on you and ruins everything. It once broke when it was a snow storm, stranding me and almost giving me hypothermia as the tow took several hours.

I do not trust this car, but as the value has tanked I am stucked with it.

For context; it’s only driven around 100 000 km since I got it in 2022, extended range RWD.

 

[yusufq]

Wow, this is really disappointing to hear. I thought twice would be rare--once replaced it shouldn't go bad again--but people talking about three or four replacements? What happens when it fails 10 years from now?

 

[MCarl33]

Depending on the specific battery size and trim level, there have been several with 3 replacements (4 total HVBJBs including the original). Admittedly, I do not know a lot about the other trims, but the HVBJB for the GT was last revised in November of 2023. There (so far) have been very few failures reported of that unit. My original HVBJB (first design) failed and was replaced in August of 2023. I expect to fail it again this summer so that I can get the most recent part. Of course, with the power bump the 2024 GT gets, that new part might start failing as well. The older, weaker GTs might just be mostly OK with it. ?‍?

I have a premium 2021 RWD with the extended battery. Have had the HVBJB replaced do to the recall. Never had a problem before or after. It’s hard for me to understand that some of the owners especially who have GT models are having multiple failures. Are the cars being driven hard? Multiple hard accelerations or use of fast chargers and always charging to 100 percent. Not saying you shouldn’t be able to drive the car that way. To my knowledge Ford hasn’t put any restrictions on the car. There’s got to be a common thread among drivers having HVBJB problems. Somebody knows something. I’ll bet Ford engineers know why but are by saving.

 

[HuntingPudel]

I have a premium 2021 RWD with the extended battery. Have had the HVBJB replaced do to the recall. Never had a problem before or after. It’s hard for me to understand that some of the owners especially who have GT models are having multiple failures. Are the cars being driven hard? Multiple hard accelerations or use of fast chargers and always charging to 100 percent. Not saying you shouldn’t be able to drive the car that way. To my knowledge Ford hasn’t put any restrictions on the car. There’s got to be a common thread among drivers having HVBJB problems. Somebody knows something. I’ll bet Ford engineers know why but are by saving.

The GT has a higher failure rate than the other trims because of its ability to pull more current. As far as we can tell, 100% SoC has nothing to do with the HVBJB failures. It’s usually related to long duration high current events such as WOT with high rate regen and DC charging. My own failure didn’t fall into that, though. ??

 

[MCarl33]

The GT has a higher failure rate than the other trims because of its ability to pull more current. As far as we can tell, 100% SoC has nothing to do with the HVBJB failures. It’s usually related to long duration high current events such as WOT with high rate regen and DC charging. My own failure didn’t fall into that, though. ??

I thought that the Mach e had software to limit how much DC voltage if it exceeds allowable voltages or current during charging.

 

[AKgrampy]

I thought that the Mach e had software to limit how much DC voltage if it exceeds allowable voltages or current during charging.

There is software that detects potential HVBJB failure which, when detected, will limit power but car is still drivable. Car will throw a Service Vehicle Soon error.

 

[MCarl33]

There is software that detects potential HVBJB failure which, when detected, will limit power but car is still drivable. Car will throw a Service Vehicle Soon error.

Poor design. Should have software or hardware to protect HVBJB before it’s damaged. In your home you have circuit breakers to stop harmful voltages before they do any harm.

 

[Snakebitten]

Poor design. Should have software or hardware to protect HVBJB before it’s damaged. In your home you have circuit breakers to stop harmful voltages before they do any harm.

The software protection Ford DOES have to "protect" the component draws more ire around here than the failed component itself. ?

 

[HuntingPudel]

I guess I should note that when mine failed I hadn’t DCFC’d in over a year and my travel prior to the failure was 3/4 of a mile stop and go on city streets, followed by entering the freeway at 3/4 or so throttle, so no WOT that day or probably for over a week. ?‍?

I expect to blow up my -BRM box later this summer. ??

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