Exit Garage, Get a Dozen Errors

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Today was not a good day. My wife and I were about to head out to run errands when I pulled out of the garage and my two and a half day old Mach E GT threw up literally a dozen serious errors:

Hill Start Assist Not Available

• The anti-lock brake system has a communication problem

Pre-Collision Assist Not Available

• The Collision Warning system has detected either a system fault or an obstructed radar sensor

1 Pedal Drive fault / Press brake pedal to reduce speed

Service AdvanceTrac

Antilock Brake Fault

• The anti-lock brake system has detected an issue with signal from Front Wheel Speed Sensor LH
• …issue with signal from Front Wheel Speed Sensor RH
• …issue with signal from Rear Wheel Speed Sensor LH
• …fault with the Street Wheel Position Sensor signal
• …issue with signal from Front Wheel Speed Sensor RH

Blind Spot Detection with Cross Traffic

• The side obstacle control module has received invalid data from engine control/powertrain module
• …received invalid data from anti-lock brake system control module

Needless to say, I'm really not happy about this. I was even more unhappy when I never heard back from the selling Ford dealership's service department (Dealership #1). So I called then the closest Ford dealership service department and was offhandedly told that the earliest appointment available was the end of next week and maybe not until the following week. I was also told Ford won't authorize a loaner/rental until the car is diagnosed - i.e., not for a week or two. This applies even if you have PremiumCare with enhanced 1st day rental, as I do. I called Ford and the best they could offer was to find a dealership that could service the car sooner, which they did. (Dealership #2)

So the car was flat-bedded to Dealership #2 that Ford CS found and will be looked at first thing Monday. Ford Roadside Assistance did their job, was able to switch the car delivery from Dealership #1 to Dealership #2, and overall were helpful.

The service manager (literally the best I've ever dealt with anywhere) at Dealership #2 was able to look at my car's computer in realtime while it was being taken to the dealership, confirm the problems, and immediately authorized the car rental and got it set up. And since the car rental was closing soon, he called them to confirm I'd arrived, and he also called me to let me know when my car arrived. And he'll be taking care of a cosmetic issue with the car that I discovered after delivery, coordinating with the selling dealership (100 miles away) to get it all done.

Current grades (subject to change as this unfolds)
Mach E: D (hopefully this grade will improve soon!)
Ford Roadside Assistance: B (Good, but they tend to be a bit ponderous when you talk to them - not good when things are time-critical)
Ford Customer Service: B (Nice, helpful, but in the end couldn't authorize car rental right away)
Selling Dealership Service Department: F (they never called me back)
Dealership #1 Service Department: D (they really made it clear they couldn't give a flying $#*@ but at least I was able to speak to a human)
Dealership #2 Service Department Service Manager: A+++ (If there was a letter before A, that would be his grade)

If anyone else has had similar issues with their Mach E anti-lock braking system, I'd love to hear from you!

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[ripperAZ]

Thanks for your comprehensive report

I haven’t received my MME yet and the more I read this site the more terrified I am getting …..

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Thanks for your comprehensive report

I haven’t received my MME yet and the more I read this site the more terrified I am getting …..

Sorry to cause you stress! As with anything like this, the majority of people are going to do just fine and their cars will function great. But every once-in-a-while someone is going to experience issues with their car that is cause for concern. I suggest you don't panic. My car likely has a loose connection, bad module, or similar. Hopefully easy to fix, and hopefully parts will be readily available. In the interim I'm now driving a sweet (sarcasm) Nissan Versa - but hey, it runs!

 

[ElectrifyCLT]

With how many errors you got this sounds like the classic 12V battery drain. Before the dealer gets too in the weeds I’d have them disconnect the LVB, test the condition of it and ensure you’re battery is still good, and reconnect it all and see if it all goes away.

 

[ElectrifyCLT]

Thanks for your comprehensive report

I haven’t received my MME yet and the more I read this site the more terrified I am getting …..

Remember that they’ve sold >20k of these and the forums are generally filled with either enthusiasts or people that have an issue and need guidance. There’s some selection bias you’re getting in just reading the forums.

 

[scoopman]

I'm putting money down that Dealership #1 delivered your GT with a bad 12V battery.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

With how many errors you got this sounds like the classic 12V battery drain. Before the dealer gets too in the weeds I’d have them disconnect the LVB, test the condition of it and ensure you’re battery is still good, and reconnect it all and see if it all goes away.

Interesting theory. The HVB was at 90% and the car had just been disconnected from the mobile charger (plugged into a 120V outlet). Does that impact your assessment? (Not challenging - just giving more info.)

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I'm putting money down that Dealership #1 delivered your GT with a bad 12V battery.

Same response as to @ElectrifyCLT: Interesting theory. The HVB was at 90% and the car had just been disconnected from the mobile charger (plugged into a 120V outlet). Does that impact your assessment? (Not challenging - just giving more info.)

I hope you're both right!!

 

[scoopman]

12V (aka Low Voltage Battery or LVB) is different than the HVB which had 90%. There's plenty of threads on the board here about cars freaking out with a bad 12V battery. You don't have your car anymore so you cannot check the voltage on it, but I think this will prob be the case. Of course it seems that the AGM batteries are backordered some have reported....

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

You really should name names. At least let us know who the good dealership is. They deserve the recognition.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

12V (aka Low Voltage Battery or LVB) is different than the HVB which had 90%. There's plenty of threads on the board here about cars freaking out with a bad 12V battery. You don't have your car anymore so you cannot check the voltage on it, but I think this will prob be the case. Of course it seems that the AGM batteries are backordered some have reported....

Thanks, I appreciate the info - I do know the difference, and I've seen some threads on LVB issues making the car go nuts. It's my understanding that the HVB charges the LVB, so I would have thought that that would happen when the HVB is being charged and since I'd literally just unplugged the charger that even a defective LVB wouldn't throw up errors quite so quickly. But somewhere I think I recall reading that when charged at 110V the HVB doesn't charge the LVB? Maybe? (My 240V/60A service will be installed next week for my ChargePoint EVSE. Until then I am (or was) on 120V charging.) At any rate won't know more one way or the other until Monday...

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

You really should name names. At least let us know who the good dealership is. They deserve the recognition.

I'll name names when the dust settles...................

 

[chrisGT]

If you charged with 120v only for two weeks, then the LVB was not charged during home charging. If it was already in a low charge because it was sitting in a lot for months, then it is very likely it is dead. Another possibility is that the battery charging module is bad.

 

[Jimbo]

About a week into owning mine, it threw about as many faults. Figuring it might be the 12v issue, and hoping it was just from sitting in -10F all day, I cleared them with my OBDII reader, and it hasn't happened in the two months since (if it does, then I'll take it in).

Hopefully whatever dealer #2 finds is an easy/quick/real fix

 

[ElectrifyCLT]

Thanks, I appreciate the info - I do know the difference, and I've seen some threads on LVB issues making the car go nuts. It's my understanding that the HVB charges the LVB, so I would have thought that that would happen when the HVB is being charged and since I'd literally just unplugged the charger that even a defective LVB wouldn't throw up errors quite so quickly. But somewhere I think I recall reading that when charged at 110V the HVB doesn't charge the LVB? Maybe? (My 240V/60A service will be installed next week for my ChargePoint EVSE. Until then I am (or was) on 120V charging.) At any rate won't know more one way or the other until Monday...

Many EVs struggle with LVB management, but the Mach E’s seems to do with the car going into deep sleep and not properly waking to keep the LVB properly charged. This is particularly true if your GT got held up or delayed in delivery, where transit mode is a big unknown in how it handles LVB charging.

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