Marlin's Dead Low Voltage Battery (LVB) -- Followed by Stuck in Park

Illinibird

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I'm sure it's from below. it will require disconnecting both rear axles, so I'm confident they'll be removing the whole underbody panel. It's bound to be a heavy piece, so I expect they will be using a lift. Unlike removing a hood to directly lower an engine into an ICE car, you can't directly lower this unit in from the back without carefully bringing a lift arm inside the cargo area to lower it down. The latter just doesn't make sense.
Thank you for the explanation. It reminds me of when I owned a Lexus RX 300 and they had to replace the transmission on my brand new car! I was sick about it and wondered if the car would ever be the same but it turned out fine and I kept it for years. I guess the casting for the transmission housing had a flaw and there was a crack in it. I never saw transmission fluid on the garage floor but they had a TSB to check all of them and mine had this flaw.
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ChasingCoral

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Is yours also getting the 9 hours of new updates that they told macefan about today?
That was last week. I didn't hear about 9 hours but I knew it was big.
 
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ChasingCoral

ChasingCoral

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That was last week. I didn't hear about 9 hours but I knew it was big.
While my first Sync software update seemed to have been done OTA (at KC perhaps?), the latest one seems to have been uploaded to the car from Europe. These cars are clearly "built" in a lot more places than Mexico.
 

sockmeister

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Intermittent short isn't quite the right way to thing about the control of these systems. Remember that these are complex sets of electronic components controlled through unique switching signals. Communications among Mach E components is like parts of your computer talking to each other. Here's a sample:
"The park pawl actuator uses dual PWM {Pulse Width Modulation} output (at 1000 Hz) park pawl position sensors where sensor A increases as the park pawl moves out of Park and sensor B decreases. Together the sum of the two PWM signal duty cycles should add up to approximately 100%. A rotary sensor measures the position of a cam actuator that moves the linear park pawl rod and determines whether the park pawl actuator is in the "Stay out of Park" mode".
{my insertion}

In simple English, this ain't no on-off switch!
True, I didn't mean to dive in to the technicalities of it. I'm familiar with PWM signals! You can speak non-simple English :)
It's this line from their diagnosis: "...issue is a bad connection within the Rear Electric Drive Assembly." that had me wondering what else could have caused all the bizarre software malfunctions and random resets that fits that diagnosis. Unexpected grounding would do that even in my old '08 which also used software to control various functions, like the fuel pump signal.
But, anyway, I'm no Mach-E Engineer. Machgineer.
 


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So, the latest update on Marlin.

They checked for other bad components and bad connections and through two days of extensive diagnostics they finally determined the issue is a bad connection within the Rear Electric Drive Assembly.

A new one has been emergency ordered and should be delivered here from Dearborn tomorrow ?
wow, that must have been a bugger to find.....

loose connections with high voltage and high current can really melt stuff fast; I am surprised it takes a whole motor replacement rather than just a connector or controller board at most. Must have been an internal connection....

Maybe they want to dissect the motor and trace back to how it happened in assembly.
 

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I don't think it works that way. They're not just going to replace the car, especially after they've already fixed it (not that they likely have one to replace it with anyway).
You’re correct. Only after several tries and a specific limited time frame where the car is in the shop, Mark can claim lemon law and have the car replaced or refunded. He hasn’t reached that point yet.

Each states lemon laws are slightly different. In Mark’s state, Maryland, the lemon lemon law states 18k miles and 24 months, 30 non-consecutive days in the shop, 1 try to fix major safety issue, and 4 tries to fix minor issue, to qualify. Right now Ford is running down the clock. If Mark has more issues and the vehicle is out of his possession for more than 2 weeks, he can claim lemon law.
 
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wow, that must have been a bugger to find.....

loose connections with high voltage and high current can really melt stuff fast; I am surprised it takes a whole motor replacement rather than just a connector or controller board at most. Must have been an internal connection....

Maybe they want to dissect the motor and trace back to how it happened in assembly.
Yes, they did a lot of diagnostics over the last several days, checking and rechecking connections and harnesses.

I'm sure my old drive unit is going straight to Dearborn for testing.
 

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You’re correct. Only after several tries and a specific limited time frame where the car is in the shop, Mark can claim lemon law and have the car replaced or refunded. He hasn’t reached that point yet.

Each states lemon laws are slightly different. In Mark’s state, Maryland, the lemon lemon law states 18k miles and 24 months, 30 non-consecutive days in the shop, 1 try to fix major safety issue, and 4 tries to fix minor issue, to qualify. Right now Ford is running down the clock. If Mark has more issues and the vehicle is out of his possession for more than 2 weeks, he can claim lemon law.
And there is no way to get another FE...so just wait...
 

zhackwyatt

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I did not feel attacked.

My points included:

It isn’t just to keep the 12v charged, but when already plugged in why not allow the car to charge the 12v as it deems necessary. Don’t allow the EVSE to deny a request for the small amount of current to top off the 12v because you want to fill the HVB with off peak kWhs. Use the car to time the HVB charging.

No I did not believe or suggest charging as you say you will would leave one stranded. Will one have less energy in the HVB if the HVB is used to charge the 12v? Yes. If one parks unplugged for many days will there be even less energy in the HVB? Yes. When it becomes a concern is for each of us to decide. I think it is helpful that the car will remind me.
I agree with you. But that wasn't what I understood the person I originally replied to was saying.
 

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Yes, but I think @TheVirtualTim is looking at the same thing I see in the service manual and it sure reads like the EVSE can charge the LVB without also charging the HVB. I haven't been able to verify but sure sounds interesting......
That is very interesting. You may have seen this, but someone posted a graph of the draw on the EVSE. It showed that at some interval -- can't remember exactly, maybe 4-6 hours -- there was a little spike of less than 1 kW which didn't last very long. Wasn't near enough to be charging the MME. I wonder if this could be what you're referring to?

EDIT: The graph was posted by @TheVirtualTim so you've probably seen it.

IMG_1708.PNG


You can see that the car wakes up to take some power about once every 6 hours or so -- while plugged into the charger. I'm monitoring the state of the 12v battery and so far, since the patch was applied, it's a happy car.
 
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TheVirtualTim

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When my car needed the update (but before they were sure a software update is all that was needed) they offered to loan me their Bronco Sport demo car (my dealer hasn't yet received their Mach-E demo car ... they said they would have offered me that if they would have had it).

In the end, my car was just parking in the garage to wait out the time for the ceramic coat to cure. I work from home. It's a pandemic and I really don't have anywhere that I need to go. And I have another car to drive ... so I didn't take them up on the offer.
 

Illinibird

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In the end, my car was just parking in the garage to wait out the time for the ceramic coat to cure.
How long did you have to leave it in your garage for the ceramic coat to cure? Did you coat the car yourself or have it done professionally? I'm planning on putting the ceramic coat on my car (whenever it arrives) myself and figure the prep work will be minimal.
 

TheVirtualTim

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How long did you have to leave it in your garage for the ceramic coat to cure? Did you coat the car yourself or have it done professionally? I'm planning on putting the ceramic coat on my car (whenever it arrives) myself and figure the prep work will be minimal.
Mine was done professionally ... it was about $1300 for everything I wanted done.

5-year ceramic (which just means they do two coats) was $1050 (that includes wash and paint correction), then the two coats on the painted surfaces.

They also did the wheels @ $35 each (that's for outside only ... if I wanted inside it was going to be $70/each and they have to jack up the car to remove each wheel). So that was $140 for all four.

The glass was $75 ... so now it's "as if" I put Rain-X on all windows ... only it works and lasts longer than Rain-X

Lastly, they did the carpets.

The shop told me the Ceramic needs about 2 weeks to cure. But this being winter ... they expect it will take more like 3-4 weeks to really get a good cure.

While it is dry-to-touch when they turn the car back over to me, they explain that internally the Ceramic isn't fully cured yet. If water is allowed to sit on the paint then it can be absorbed into the un-cured ceramic and this can result in cloudy spots. So they told me not to wash it until it's cured. Also if it does happen to get wet, get a damp towel and wipe it clean so that no water spots are left on the paint.

It will be 2 weeks of curing as of tomorrow ... but I'll give it at least another week (maybe even two). It's a pandemic and I don't "need" the car (I have another car to drive) so I may as well make sure it's fully cured.

Once it is ceramic coated not only do you not need to wax it ... they don't want me to wax it. They tell me water will bead up for years to come as if it was just freshly waxed and it's easier to wash. While hand-washing is preferred ... in winter we can't really hand-wash up here in the frozen north (outside faucets have to be shut off for the winter to avoid freezing and bursting) ... so he told me to take the car *only* to "touch-less" car-washes... no soft-cloth and DEFINITELY no "brushes".

I can see a noticeable improvement in the look of the car. The paint looks deeper and has a glossier shine.
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