12V Battery - Something has to be done!

[mkhuffman]

Ford isn't the only manufacturer with poor 12v LVB management/ behavior. This anecdote about an Ionic shows they all just can't seem to handle it well.

https://www.torquenews.com/1/okay-l...my-fellow-ioniq-5-owners-when-you-ask-hyundai

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Rivian also has an issue with this.

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[Fat Mach]

It literally seems like the easiest engineering problem to solve. Hmm, we have this huge battery pack that always has a lot of juice in it. How can we possibly keep the small, 12V battery charged?

 

[silverelan]

Because 2021s are behind on software and their batteries were subjected to more abuse during their lives.

Jumping from the tow truck didn’t work either because:
A) The lockout wasn’t a low 12V battery issue (e.g. a software glitch)
B) The tow truck did not have an adequate jump box or jumper cables that provide the required output.

Is it best that I go to a dealer to get the 12V replaced or can any shop (Les Schwab?) do the swap?

 

[PA Bob]

I have been following this thread with much interest. My car will be three years old next month, but I only have 20,000 miles on it. It seems like the obvious thing for me to do is to buy an instrument that will tell me my battery’s State of health (or state of charge?). I’m not terribly handy with car repair so could someone please fill out the following:
1. What is the best instrument to purchase? Please send a link.
2. If it just plugs into the cigarette lighter, I can handle that. If it plugs into the battery directly, please spell out how you do this.
It seems like a lot of people‘s battery has lasted more than three years. If there’s a way to monitor battery health, I will just do that. Is this not the most strategic way to handle this dilemma?

 

[mbia]

I’m back in the drivers seat (after being locked out ?).

With the help of this community and YouTube, I was able to pop the frunk with a charge, removed frunk plastic covers, jumped 12v battery, and access and turn on the car. Out of caution, I immediately drove to service center for a replacement battery to hopefully be issue free for awhile. I have a new 12v battery with a 3 year warranty, I paid $151 plus install all with Ford Pass points. SA recommended replacing every three years.

I have to admit I learned a lot through the experience and am so grateful the bricking occurred in my garage and not out on the side of the road in the rain.

 

[MrLoganRoss]

For my Volvo wagon (2013), the battery dies like clockwork at about 3 years. So I proactively replace it at just under every three years. Problem solved and I suspect it would be the same for the Mach-E.

 

[silverelan]

Is it best that I go to a dealer to get the 12V replaced or can any shop (Les Schwab?) do the swap?

I have a 2021 and this whole thread about the 12V Boogeyman spooked me into getting a new battery yesterday!

I called Pierre Ford and they sent their mobile techs to swap in a new battery the same day. The cost was identical for mobile service as it would be to waste a day at the dealer. It was a no-brainer and I love this service!

 

[HuntingPudel]

Is it best that I go to a dealer to get the 12V replaced or can any shop (Les Schwab?) do the swap?

Any competent shop can replace the 12V battery. You will likely have to perform the Battery Monitoring System (BMS) reset yourself if it’s not a Ford dealer (doesn’t hurt to ask the shop to do the BMS reset). The problem is in finding the correct replacement part. So far, there is only the Motorcraft part. There is a similar AC Delco part but it is actually different enough that the BMS may not properly track its performance. ??

 

[McQueen]

Yes. The lowest form of humor.

YOU THINK?!

 

[Fat Mach]

Any competent shop can replace the 12V battery. You will likely have to perform the Battery Monitoring System (BMS) reset yourself if it’s not a Ford dealer (doesn’t hurt to ask the shop to do the BMS reset). The problem is in finding the correct replacement part. So far, there is only the Motorcraft part. There is a similar AC Delco part but it is actually different enough that the BMS may not properly track its performance. ??

Hey Pudel! I replaced my 12V battery last week and didn't know I had to do a reset. I tried to reset it a couple of days ago doing the 5 high beam flashes and 3 brake kicks, but I don't think I saw anything change on the screen. At this point, should I throw my Noco charger back on it for a day and then try the reset again?

 

[HuntingPudel]

Hey Pudel! I replaced my 12V battery last week and didn't know I had to do a reset. I tried to reset it a couple of days ago doing the 5 high beam flashes and 3 brake kicks, but I don't think I saw anything change on the screen. At this point, should I throw my Noco charger back on it for a day and then try the reset again?

@Mach-Lee knows more about the intricacies than I do but I would say that is a good idea to get the 12V to 100% then do the BMS reset. ??

 

[Mach-Lee]

Hey Pudel! I replaced my 12V battery last week and didn't know I had to do a reset. I tried to reset it a couple of days ago doing the 5 high beam flashes and 3 brake kicks, but I don't think I saw anything change on the screen. At this point, should I throw my Noco charger back on it for a day and then try the reset again?

You probably got the timing wrong. Try again.

The battery should be in a fully charged state (or nearly so) before resetting the BMS. I recommend an overnight charge of the new battery before installation. The car's reading of SoC before a reset does not matter, proceed with the reset regardless. (For example, if you know the battery is fully charged but 12V SoC says 70%, you can reset it anyway.) An accurate SoC will be determined in the next six hours of idle time following a reset.

Ford BMS Reset Procedure:

1. Press the START button without pressing the brake to engage ACCESSORY mode. NOTE: Complete steps 2 and 3 in the next 10 seconds.
2. Flash and release the high beams with the stalk 5x
3. Press and release the brake pedal 3x
4. Battery icon on instrument cluster should flash 3x
5. Turn OFF the car and open the driver's door

If the battery icon does not flash, you may have completed steps 2 and 3 too fast or slow. Try again with a one-second cadence.

 

[TheSteelRider]

You probably got the timing wrong. Try again.

Ford BMS Reset Procedure:

1. Press the START button without pressing the brake to engage ACCESSORY mode. NOTE: Complete steps 2 and 3 in the next 10 seconds.
2. Flash and release the high beams with the stalk 5x
3. Press and release the brake pedal 3x
4. Battery icon on instrument cluster should flash 3x
5. Turn OFF the car and open the driver's door

If the battery icon does not flash, you may have completed steps 2 and 3 too fast or slow. Try again with a one-second cadence.

Hmm. I did not do this procedure after swapping the 12v battery a few weeks ago, I wonder if that explains the "charging system, service soon" message that I am now seeing in the IPC @Mach-Lee ?

 

[Mosworthy]

Four years, -45C winters...
Only one dead 12V and it was my fault, not the cars.
I did put in easy access holes with plugs to stop needing to pull the whole panel apart.

But I actually never think about this, or worry about it.......
It just sat for 15 days at an airport in average -15C and had no issues when I got back

 

[Fat Mach]

You probably got the timing wrong. Try again.

Ford BMS Reset Procedure:

1. Press the START button without pressing the brake to engage ACCESSORY mode. NOTE: Complete steps 2 and 3 in the next 10 seconds.
2. Flash and release the high beams with the stalk 5x
3. Press and release the brake pedal 3x
4. Battery icon on instrument cluster should flash 3x
5. Turn OFF the car and open the driver's door

If the battery icon does not flash, you may have completed steps 2 and 3 too fast or slow. Try again with a one-second cadence.

Great, thanks! I'll try again after I top off the charge with the NOCO.

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