Deep Sleep Mode - 12v battery drained dead [update: Mach-E jump started]

[agoldman]

This is unacceptable. . I would hope Ford could do an OTA update that can siphon a few mA off the HV pack to keep the 12V alive. The logic would be super simple to program.

exactly, what's next crank start, prime pump? geeze!

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[sockmeister]

damn 35ah is quite small. Well we'll see what Ford says. Hopefully this gets resolved soon. Id like to see it be a bit bigger.

If mine dies, I'll probably replace it with an Optima Yellow-top (deep cycle) battery, or similar.

 

[sockmeister]

exactly, what's next crank start, prime pump? geeze!

The Main (HVB) battery will charge the smaller 12v while it sits parked and keep it charged at all times, unless it also gets very low. It seems to me like these cars were shipped with some defective 12v batteries or the car wasn't put into deep sleep for the long wait (2 months) between now and when they were built. I'd imagine later cars won't have this issue.

 

[JamieGeek]

I've had it since 2014. Ironically it had been returned to Ford under the NY lemon law because it had been taken to the dealer three times for, wait for it, a dead 12V battery! lol

Mine has died a few times, but always in my garage and always when I had left it unplugged and undriven for a few days. When I said "designed better" I meant that the 12V battery won't die if my FFE is plugged in.

Didn't mean to trigger any yellow wrench PTSD, Jamie! Sorry!

Not PTSD as mine never had a SSN issue.

As far as the Mach-E issue its still too early Ford is just investigating now. Don't know if it has anything to do with being plugged in or not... I believe @ChasingCoral's car wasn't plugged in.

 

[tomterky]

Glad I saw the video posted here! Removing the rear panel to directly access the battery looks to be WAY easier than removing the left (driver) side panel!

You also have to take out the left driver side panel. The rear just exposes the black...the side panel then exposes the red which is covered by a red plastic cover.

 

[Badger_Prof]

Catching up on this thread here:

Very interesting the FordPass app indicated the 12v was charging. Was your Mach E connected to the EVSE at that time? If not, it shows yours was doing the right thing and charging the LVB off the HVB. When was yours built?


Ford is working on it right now and was working on it over the weekend. More once I get my post up.


There is discussion that the Mach E's 12v battery (LVB) is the issue or part of the issue. The long time between build and delivery is being discussed.


The Mach E has little access panels in the left and right luggage compartment covers at the headlights. I definitely think there should be panels to access the + and - jump start connectors as well. Currently accessing those connectors requires removal of the rear and left luggage compartment covers.

I agree this will be taken care of by Ford. They are working hard right now to make this right.


You should definitely report this to your dealer and to Ford.


The delays of early builds and the QC checks at the Kansas Speedway may be part of this. I think most of the recent delays are just shipping capacity trying to catch up with the backlog of new cars made.


AGM starter battery. It lists voltage, amp hours, and CCA. Sorry, Marlin is in the shop or I'd take a picture for you.
Update, I had a photo of my battery on hand:

See @JamieGeek's response (next) and @kdryden99's after that.




Ford is working very hard on these issues right now. We're at the bleeding edge. It's not a place some people are comfortable. You'll have to determine if you are comfortable being an innovator, waiting to be an early adopter, or later:

I think one of this would probably have been effective at bringing Marlin's LVB back up to the point where I could start him. I used a trickle charger. I didn't jump Marlin because I was fighting with issues of ice covering my other two vehicles:

The truth comes out. Your photo proves that the Leaf is a closet ice vehicle.

 

[Badger_Prof]

This is unacceptable. My 2012 Ford Focus Electric was designed better. If it's plugged in, the 12V gets a trickle charge. I know this because I occasionally have to hard reset the car by disconnecting and re-connecting the 12 battery. The other day I did this while forgetting to remove the J1772. I was surprised the car stayed alive while I held the 12V battery cable in my hand, detached from the battery. I would hope Ford could do an OTA update that can siphon a few mA off the HV pack to keep the 12V alive. The logic would be super simple to program.

I don't mind the quirks with my FFE because it's a compliance car that I was never supposed to have here in Missouri. I expected weird things and lived with them. I have much higher expectations for a $50K vehicle that's being sold nationwide. Hard to believe Ford didn't encounter this during cold temperature testing.

Not sure these very isolated problems are related to temp although temp could be a co-morbidity. I have had my Mach-E for six days. I live in Wisconsin. It has been below zero F (-16 last night, -12 the night before) every day I have owned my Mach-E and never above 9 degrees. I have had zero problems (see what I did there?) with my car. That said, it has only been six days. My display indicates that the 12V is sometimes charging when my car is plugged in. Have not noticed whether the 12v has shown charging when not plugged in. Have to say that I love this car!

 

[JellyBelly]

I know this issue is under investigation and we dont the exact cause. But assuming its defective or just flat 12V battery - the discussion about the rapid charging of 12V battery may lead to the 12V battery not holding charge completely - my question is if the battery is damaged due to rapid cycling and even if a new battery is placed, what should be the proper charging method for this 12V battery so that new one does not get damaged due to rapid charging and will hold its charge ? Just looking to see when a new battery is placed how do we /I prevent damage to the new battery. May be its a question to be posted in the battery section.

 

[jeffdawgfan]

I thought I read somewhere the battery was Li to save weight.... but AGM makes more sense because of Li sensitivity to cold.

the 'danger/poisen' sticker confirms it is AGM..... and the 35ah indicates it is just pretty small. If this is a temperature related problem with reduced capacity rather than an equipment or sensor error not charging, then the easy fix might be a 12v battery warming pad underneath..... or a directly wired 12v heating pad 'wrap' for the winter it would self-consume some energy, but would keep the battery nice and warm if the frunk area was freezing....

https://www.amazon.com/Upgrade-Version-Facon-Automatic-Thermostat/dp/B077VLB1KK/ref=sr_1_8?

these little pads are 12"x18", and cost $40.... wire it directly to the 12 battery terminals for the winter if you live in a super cold place.... kinda like a block heater for diesel.

BUt, at only 35amh battery, it will drain your battery pretty quick.

 

[Garbone]

I would love to see what the parasitic draw on the average MachE is. 35AH is a bean counter choice for a cell. 75AH gives you over twice the available capacity for not that much more cost and are not that exotic.

A good charger would float the batteries and compensate for the temperature. Makes me wonder if this is just of case of lowest bid batteries failing under adverse conditions.

 

[dstanky]

This might be the cause:

https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...-ford-f-150-pickups-battery-drain/6753464002/

 

[agoldman]

I just really wanted this to go smoothly. And what a inopportune time to have battery problems with these temps and ice storms and the like. Hope this gets sorted quickly. Ford can't be happy about this.

 

[SoCalPony]

This might be the cause:

https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...-ford-f-150-pickups-battery-drain/6753464002/

Sounds very similar. But Ford never said what the cause of the battery drain was. Only that a software update fixed it.

SCPony

 

[zvez]

Just for reference (courtesy of ChasingCoral), here are the 12V connector points under the right-side frunk cover to do a jump/charge, for those desperate/adventurous enough to attempt it on their own.

so let me ask you this, would it be possible to put a pigtail wire attached to those two points so that you wouldn't need to remove the panel next time it happened, ie the pigtail would be in the frunk? I'm talking about the kind used with a battery tender type setup. Like this?

 

[Billyk24]

so let me ask you this, would it be possible to put a pigtail wire attached to those two points so that you wouldn't need to remove the panel next time it happened, ie the pigtail would be in the frunk? I'm talking about the kind used with a battery tender type setup. Like this?

Yes--it appears the wire is thin enough

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