"Check 12-Volt Battery" alert in FordPass now enabled

[Mach-Lee]

Imma say this is a false positive now. After taking the car in and getting a new battery, the alert has returned

The BMS needs to be reset after replacing the battery to clear the warning, I'm guessing they didn't do that. Follow these steps after 12V battery replacement:

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.

Sponsored

 

[Barryb54]

Really?! This is a released production vehicle from a major automotive manufacturer that requires the equivalent of complex secret handshakes to remedy errors when simply replacing the 12V battery?! Something virtually every owner of every Mach-e will have to do one or more times during ownership. As always, 1000% appreciate the incredibly deep knowledge that Mach-Lee possesses, but I'm incredulous. This is almost as nasty as setting up WiFi on my latest printer!

 

[Mach1E]

That's exactly the expected behavior. As this gets turned on, everyone that's been driving around with a bad battery for months or years and has no idea will start to get notified. So expect a surge of people getting this warning in the coming weeks and months.

If you can drive around with a bad battery for years…… how bad could it be?

 

[DYohn]

My dealer service department replaced the 12v for me today. Plus they reset the BMS and did a 25 point inspection, and replaced a parking brake connector that was on a recall for my VIN that I was not even aware of. No secret handshake required, thanks.

 

[Snakebitten]

Really?! This is a released production vehicle from a major automotive manufacturer that requires the equivalent of complex secret handshakes to remedy errors when simply replacing the 12V battery?! Something virtually every owner of every Mach-e will have to do one or more times during ownership. As always, 1000% appreciate the incredibly deep knowledge that Mach-Lee possesses, but I'm incredulous. This is almost as nasty as setting up WiFi on my latest printer!

Where have you been?
Resetting the BMS after swapping in a new battery isn't a new thing. ?

I think the procedure was called for in the service manual of my F150 9 years ago.

By the way, the secret handshake is how you do it if you don't have the computer hooked to the vehicle. With the computer it's a mouse click.

 

[Barryb54]

Clearly, I’ve been off the reservation for which I apologize. As for the secret handshake vs mouse click, it’s all about dealer competence (click) vs required consumer ‘tribal knowledge’ (handshake).

 

[Bobcat17]

My dealer service department replaced the 12v for me today. Plus they reset the BMS and did a 25 point inspection, and replaced a parking brake connector that was on a recall for my VIN that I was not even aware of. No secret handshake required, thanks.

Great service.

 

[0t60-3.5]

Two 2021 Mach-Es here... 2021 Select, 2021 GT PE
Issue #1: I have two Mach-Es (not for long), the Ford Pass App gave this message notification warning. But wait for it... the message doesn't say which one! All messages appear no matter which vehicle is selected and active within Ford Pass app. Dealer looked up and saw warnings on the 12V battery on the Select model, can't trust they looked at both come to think of it.

Issue #2: Yesterday they did the $240 diagnosis, reset some things, and say they tested the 12V battery and it was good. I told them when I checked in that I wanted the 12V proactively replaced. They didn't do it as they said it tested fine. Now a quote for $371 for the new battery - bring it back in. $150 for the BAGM battery, $197 labor. !!!!

 

[Justconn1]

The BMS needs to be reset after replacing the battery to clear the warning, I'm guessing they didn't do that. Follow these steps after 12V battery replacement:

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.

Quick opinion needed - what if they told me they reset the BMS and said- wait 24 hours for it to leave the app. It didn't. Then I did the BMS process above and it still didn't clear immediately? This is all after the new battery was installed.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Quick opinion needed - what if they told me they reset the BMS and said- wait 24 hours for it to leave the app. It didn't. Then I did the BMS process above and it still didn't clear immediately? This is all after the new battery was installed.

Couple things. First make sure the alert exactly says “Check 12-Volt Battery”, not something else like “12V system drain”. Second, make sure the battery icon flashed when you did the BMS reset. And third make sure you drive the car for a while after resetting it. Last you will need to park the car unplugged and undisturbed for 6+ hours for the BMS to learn the SoC. The message might stay in your history, but you shouldn’t get another new message.

 

[Justconn1]

Thanks as always Mach-lee

 

[Bobcat17]

Two 2021 Mach-Es here... 2021 Select, 2021 GT PE
Issue #1: I have two Mach-Es (not for long), the Ford Pass App gave this message notification warning. But wait for it... the message doesn't say which one! All messages appear no matter which vehicle is selected and active within Ford Pass app. Dealer looked up and saw warnings on the 12V battery on the Select model, can't trust they looked at both come to think of it.

Issue #2: Yesterday they did the $240 diagnosis, reset some things, and say they tested the 12V battery and it was good. I told them when I checked in that I wanted the 12V proactively replaced. They didn't do it as they said it tested fine. Now a quote for $371 for the new battery - bring it back in. $150 for the BAGM battery, $197 labor. !!!!

$197 labor to replace a battery? Go to Advance Auto parts store; they install for free.

 

[Mach1E]

$197 labor to replace a battery? Go to Advance Auto parts store; they install for free.

I would be surprised if they would change our battery for free. In the past my local shop only does free install when the battery is accessible. They won’t take all the parts off that you need to in our cars.

 

[Haven]

Well i took my MachE in after I got the battery warning through FordPass. The battery is 4 years old but has been always garaged. The dealer documented the battery state of charge was 78% and didn’t quite understand the concern and could not verify it but they replaced it as I asked. I check my SOC all frequently with my car scanner app. Cost was $161 for battery and $144 for labor including I had them check and top off any fluids while they had the cover off.

I also had a rattle that was not corrected last time in that they finally found. It was the rear HV battery brackets that was making the noise. It must have been from when I had the HVJB replacement last year.

 

[JamFly]

I reset the BMS and after 2 days or so the message went away in the app.

Sponsored