12 VOLTS BATTERY DIED WITHOUT WARNING!!

[superdave80]

You kind of come across as scolding this guy for not doing something that nobody should have to do.

I read his post and saw zero scolding of anybody for anything.

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[4wheeldog]

Well, I read that Darren thing on LinkedIn just now I’m sorry but I didn’t see anything that said he said the 12 V battery lasted a lifetime. Maybe I just didn’t read it right I don’t know.

In my experience, all 12vdc lead acid batteries (AGM or “conventional”) have a lifespan. So if you squint and hold your tongue just right, they are “Lifetime”.

 

[ipca204]

Take this advice, the 12V dying without notice almost killed my two kids by trapping them in the car.

prone to hyperbole aren't we?

 

[4wheeldog]

In the first rendition of Ford-Pass, we had a LVB right below the picture of the car. I didn't like when they removed it and would definitely like to see it come back. But it only showed whole volts, not tenths like you would need for accurate monitoring.

Raw voltage is not an accurate measure of the health of a battery. I have seen batteries at full rated voltage in absolute failure when load is applied.

 

[alexgorod]

I have 49 months on my LVB and it is still going strong. I check it regularly to avoid an unexpected failure. I am expecting failure sometime soon but no signs of that yet.

Can you share how exactly you check it?

I didn't see any issues with mine, but replaced it around 34 months.

 

[Scarpia]

You kind of come across as scolding this guy for not doing something that nobody should have to do.

I didn't infer scolding, and what anyone "should have to do" is subjective (aka "in a perfect world").

It's not a perfect world, and the reality is that this battery failure happens and is well-documented, so you "do have to do it"...or you will be stranded at some point. We all wish Ford had given better alerts for this, and made the battery easier to access, but they didn't.

 

[4wheeldog]

Can you share how exactly you check it?

I didn't see any issues with mine, but replaced it around 34 months.

I use a cheap tester from Amazon equivalent to this: https://a.co/d/foYvK92
Even better would be an actual load tester, but since I have never had an unpredicted failure since using these, I believe the cheap solution is sufficient. Plus a load tester arguably can accelerate the failure of a weak battery.

 

[Sikkun]

prone to hyperbole aren't we?

I believe they are one of, the very rare, people that managed to have the 12v die after shutting their front door, the doors being locked, so they now couldn’t open them.

And the kids being too young to operate the inside manual locks.

Now why the super capacitors that are also supposed to be in the doors allowing them to unlock a couple times with no electricity also failed???

 

[Jerrytball]

In my experience, all 12vdc lead acid batteries (AGM or “conventional”) have a lifespan. So if you squint and hold your tongue just right, they are “Lifetime”.

I’ve only experienced the tongue in the squint on a 9 V battery sorry?

 

[PhuhQ]

prone to hyperbole aren't we?

I guess the fire department having to break out my window to save my kids from dying of heat exhaustion is hyperbole in 2024....

 

[SCP31]

My MMe GT is a 2021 model and is within a few days of turning three years old. It just clicked 50,600 miles. I have the 12 volt battery tested every time I take it in for service and, so far, it has tested fine. The time it tests marginal I will have it replaced. I'm thinking that perhaps I should replace it with a battery like the one in my Audi TT. My TT is a 2015 model (purchased in August of 2014) with 77,800 miles on it and still using the original battery. Yep, it's over ten years old and still going strong. I have it tested at each service and the service people say it's fine and doesn't need to be replaced. Go figure.

 

[4wheeldog]

I’ve only experienced the tongue in the squint on a 9 V battery sorry?

My wife flinches when I check 9 volt batteries that way. But it is a quick and accurate method.

 

[Jerrytball]

My wife flinches when I check 9 volt batteries that way. But it is a quick and accurate method.

It’s unreal how much that little 9 V battery can power it keeps this windshield on the Mustang powered up for 15 hours. But I switched it off when not in use so that thing will last forever cause I only turn it on at night and I don’t drive much at night.

 

[Snakebitten]

My MMe GT is a 2021 model and is within a few days of turning three years old. It just clicked 50,600 miles. I have the 12 volt battery tested every time I take it in for service and, so far, it has tested fine. The time it tests marginal I will have it replaced. I'm thinking that perhaps I should replace it with a battery like the one in my Audi TT. My TT is a 2015 model (purchased in August of 2014) with 77,800 miles on it and still using the original battery. Yep, it's over ten years old and still going strong. I have it tested at each service and the service people say it's fine and doesn't need to be replaced. Go figure.

That Audi battery may in fact be a higher quality battery than the one in the Mach-E. But I don't think that has much influence on the disparity between the lifespan of both batteries.

Bet the Audi battery is bigger than the H3 in the Mach-E. So with the additional headroom/capacity, it's less likely to have its voltage dropping into the unhealthy zone. Certainly not as often.

But the biggest difference is that when you turn that Audi off and go in for the night, the car actually leaves the battery alone. Let's it rest. Unmolested until the next time you wake the car up.

The Mach-E?
It tortures that poor little H3 incessantly! Wears the little fella out.

 

[tucsondivots]

A somewhat Related question: Does leaving a usb thumb drive plugged in (music) drain the 12 volt battery if you leave it in after the car is off?

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