12v Battery -Too Young to die like this!

[AL in CT]

This is a real problem! You might want to read this article that appeared in January of this year



https://www.carscoops.com/2025/01/m...-trapped-inside-ev-when-12v-battery-failed/00

It happened to me this morning, 23 select (August 2023 build date, purchased September 2024, 3830 miles) I was on the outside, and no one was inside. The car had been locked since 7:30 the previous evening and was charged to my requested 90% per Ford pass.

I attempted both key fob + my iPhone, with no success. I called for service, and a vendor chosen by Ford showed up 45 minutes later. He tried the jumpstart wires in the front bumper and only succeeded in popping the frunk. He then removed the cowling and got his contacts directly on the terminals of the battery. He tried it again, and it started.


Off to Ford service about one mile away at 11 AM on June 23rd. It's now 5:00 PM and no car. I have been told, "Hopefully tomorrow."

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[HuntingPudel]

<SNIP>
I called for service, and a vendor chosen by Ford showed up 45 minutes later. He tried the jumpstart wires in the front bumper and only succeeded in popping the frunk. He then removed the cowling and got his contacts directly on the terminals of the battery. He tried it again, and it started.
<SNIP>

The owner in the article did the only thing they could do: Break the glass because a life was at stake. ??

There are no jump start wires in the front bumper of the car. This is a very common misconception. They are connected only to the frunk release and operate only if the 12V battery is dead. They do not operate the release if there is residual voltage in the battery. Your roadside service provider did what Ford recommends to be done (open frunk, jump start car). ?

This problem exists in a lot of modern cars due to electrification of the door latches and the ever-reducing size of the 12V batteries. That said, having to wait more than a day for a simple 12V battery replacement is ridiculous. ??

 

[Billyk24]

A cable from the 12v under the frunk hood can exist and serve as connection to power the 12v battery.

 

[Mach-Lee]

A cable from the 12v under the frunk hood can exist and serve as connection to power the 12v battery.

That cable is way too small to overcome a dead battery. The car needs a surge of 50+ amps to start. Jumper cables have to be applied to the jump posts in order to deliver sufficient power, which requires opening the hood. If the battery has a bad cell, you won’t be able to charge it.

 

[E90alex]

This is a real problem! You might want to read this article that appeared in January of this year



https://www.carscoops.com/2025/01/m...-trapped-inside-ev-when-12v-battery-failed/00

It happened to me this morning, 23 select (August 2023 build date, purchased September 2024, 3830 miles) I was on the outside, and no one was inside. The car had been locked since 7:30 the previous evening and was charged to my requested 90% per Ford pass.

I attempted both key fob + my iPhone, with no success. I called for service, and a vendor chosen by Ford showed up 45 minutes later. He tried the jumpstart wires in the front bumper and only succeeded in popping the frunk. He then removed the cowling and got his contacts directly on the terminals of the battery. He tried it again, and it started.


Off to Ford service about one mile away at 11 AM on June 23rd. It's now 5:00 PM and no car. I have been told, "Hopefully tomorrow."

You only have 3830 miles on the car after like 10 months of ownership?

 

[GreaseMonkey]

The story in the article is the reason why Ford issued a recall on all Mach-Es. The door opening is the stupidest feature on this vehicle. When my daughters were younger, teachers would pretend not to see us and ignore us at the kiss and go drop off lane because they didn’t want to be embarrassed for not being able to open the door.

It’s stupid, embarrassing, and completely unnecessary. A normal handle would have been perfectly okay @Ford Motor Company.

 

[ChasingCoral]

He tried the jumpstart wires in the front bumper and only succeeded in popping the frunk.

That's exactly what those wires do: open the frunk.

 

[Billyk24]

That cable is way too small to overcome a dead battery. The car needs a surge of 50+ amps to start. Jumper cables have to be applied to the jump posts in order to deliver sufficient power, which requires opening the hood. If the battery has a bad cell, you won’t be able to charge it.

Never intended for Jump Starting. Previous history with Ford electrified vehicles produced 12V battery gremlins which sometimes cleared with input from these cables.

 

[HuntingPudel]

The story in the article is the reason why Ford issued a recall on all Mach-Es. The door opening is the stupidest feature on this vehicle. When my daughters were younger, teachers would pretend not to see us and ignore us at the kiss and go drop off lane because they didn’t want to be embarrassed for not being able to open the door.

It’s stupid, embarrassing, and completely unnecessary. A normal handle would have been perfectly okay @Ford Motor Company.

To be fair, a lot of people back in 1970 could not figure out the mechanical door handles on my dad’s 1970 Grand Prix. I used to love to open those doors. ??

 

[Star Lord]

This is a real problem! You might want to read this article that appeared in January of this year



https://www.carscoops.com/2025/01/m...-trapped-inside-ev-when-12v-battery-failed/00

It happened to me this morning, 23 select (August 2023 build date, purchased September 2024, 3830 miles) I was on the outside, and no one was inside. The car had been locked since 7:30 the previous evening and was charged to my requested 90% per Ford pass.

I attempted both key fob + my iPhone, with no success. I called for service, and a vendor chosen by Ford showed up 45 minutes later. He tried the jumpstart wires in the front bumper and only succeeded in popping the frunk. He then removed the cowling and got his contacts directly on the terminals of the battery. He tried it again, and it started.


Off to Ford service about one mile away at 11 AM on June 23rd. It's now 5:00 PM and no car. I have been told, "Hopefully tomorrow."

My 23 MME 12v battery died 3 months after I bought it. I think Ford got a bunch of bad batteries. And yes it was a major pain. Couldn't "jump start" it. Had to wait 3 hours the 2 different tow trucks. The first one didn't know how to tow a Mach E.

Ford. I got a better idea for you. Fire your engineers.

 

[Dana3502]

It’s stupid, embarrassing, and completely unnecessary. A normal handle would have been perfectly okay @Ford Motor Company.

The thing I miss the most about my Camaro is the door handle with a little lock/unlock button on it. It was comforting to hear the lock and not have to watch the mirror to feel certain it did actually lock. (I hate walk away lock and turned it off.)

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