Need aftermarket / durable 12V battery for Mach-E

[AlphaGK]

i was “stuck on the side of the road” today. Had to wait for flatbed tow
Truck.

Stupid 12V lead-acid batteries only last 4-5 years.

I want an aftermarket 12V battery for my Mach-E that has better chemistry (and charging circuits that accommodate the 12V charging profile) something more like the LiOn packs with a real freakin’ warranty.

To be stuck by a bad 12V battery system designed ages ago - when the High Voltage battery is fine is just ….

the stupidest possible design I can think of.

no predictive failure / diagnostics of any kind. I’m livid.

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[ipca204]

ahhhhhh. another 12v battery thread. The lifeblood of the forum along with the incessant GOM threads.

 

[ericNdfw]

Would be nice. I believe Tesla switched to LFP for their LVB's a couple years ago.

I had my 2021 bricked ~6 months ago during an OTA update when the 12v died in the middle of the installation. Luckily it was in my garage at home and Ford covered all expenses to tow and fix as well as for a rental car + gas. They also comp'ed a new 12v battery install but it does seem like that whole battery and charing system has been the week link of the design.

Also, @ipca204 if it weren't such an issue, people wouldn't complain as much. Hopefully @Ford Motor Company is seeing these posts and, at a minimum will have a better solution for the next gen platform. (would be great to have a better option for ours too but I'm not holding my breath)

 

[Maquis]

Given the current state of affairs, replacing the LVB at 3 years is a good practice. Especially if one has a low tolerance for dealing with a failure.

 

[ipca204]

Would be nice. I believe Tesla switched to LFP for their LVB's a couple years ago.

I had my 2021 bricked ~6 months ago during an OTA update when the 12v died in the middle of the installation. Luckily it was in my garage at home and Ford covered all expenses to tow and fix as well as for a rental car + gas. They also comp'ed a new 12v battery install but it does seem like that whole battery and charing system has been the week link of the design.

Also, @ipca204 if it weren't such an issue, people wouldn't complain as much. Hopefully @Ford Motor Company is seeing these posts and, at a minimum will have a better solution for the next gen platform. (would be great to have a better option for ours too but I'm not holding my breath)

oh, I am quite aware it is an issue! There are only 87 million threads on it! If you are close to the three year mark and still under warranty, have the dealer check it. Some have gotten free replacements under warranty. Anything over 3 years is someone who is asking the age old question. "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do you...?

 

[Donna216]

I have a 2021 I just replaced the original yesterday. After 3 years I had it tested often. Yesterday the dealer told me it was time so I did.

 

[Herbknowsit]

as to the OP's ask: anyone have recommendations of best option for 12v battery replacement? Yes I know it's been brought up before but that was then-this is now. Could be some new options.

 

[windsurgen]

I am no expert, but have seen many warnings about 'newer' battery chemistries potentially not being compatible w/BMS in MME. I was not willing to take the risk, so replaced w/OEM from Rock Auto ($125 incl. shipping, $85 before shipping & tax)....cheapest I found.

 

[superdave80]

Ford really, really needs to add a 12v port of some type to the charging port. Would solve LOTS of issues!

 

[ericNdfw]

FYI, for those unaware, there's a FAQ pinned here that answers a lot of questions https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/12v-battery-faq.32744/

Also, many drilled out holes for easy access to the 12v jumper points (and the HV disconnect) under the hood: https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...n-points-hv-disconnect-relay-for-safety.4107/

 

[phil]

oh, I am quite aware it is an issue! There are only 87 million threads on it! If you are close to the three year mark and still under warranty, have the dealer check it. Some have gotten free replacements under warranty. Anything over 3 years is someone who is asking the age old question. "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do you...?

Punk.

 

[devmach-e]

ahhhhhh. another 12v battery thread. The lifeblood of the forum along with the incessant GOM threads.

Don’t forget about the “wish list for new model” posts.

 

[TEVOT]

I just learned something new today because of this thread. I was about to say I thought the Mach E batteries were AGM. Then I realized I have no idea what an AGM battery is. So I looked it up and find out it's a type of lead acid battery.

 

[HuntingPudel]

FYI, for those unaware, there's a FAQ pinned here that answers a lot of questions https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/12v-battery-faq.32744/

Also, many drilled out holes for easy access to the 12v jumper points (and the HV disconnect) under the hood: https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...n-points-hv-disconnect-relay-for-safety.4107/

Some of us went a step further than drilling holes and placed a race car jump point in the car: https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/frunk-tub-removed-pics.12094/post-882324

Off topic, but the Optima Red Top in my T/A still cranks the big Pontiac over like it's a 1.2 liter 4-banger without spark plugs in it. That battery is going to be 24 years old.

 

[Mach-Lee]

i was “stuck on the side of the road” today. Had to wait for flatbed tow
Truck.

Stupid 12V lead-acid batteries only last 4-5 years.

I want an aftermarket 12V battery for my Mach-E that has better chemistry (and charging circuits that accommodate the 12V charging profile) something more like the LiOn packs with a real freakin’ warranty.

To be stuck by a bad 12V battery system designed ages ago - when the High Voltage battery is fine is just ….

the stupidest possible design I can think of.

no predictive failure / diagnostics of any kind. I’m livid.

Are you sure the 12V battery was the cause of your tow? People like to blame it by default even when the problem is caused by something else like the HVBJB.

The car is designed for 12V lead acid AGM batteries only. There is no better alternative. Just change the battery as part of preventive maintenance every 3-5 years. That is the cheapest and best way to avoid problems.

Ford does send out warnings in the Ford app if the 12V is about to fail. So if you didn't get one, either your vehicle data sharing was turned off (you won't get any warnings then), the 12V battery was not the cause, or you had a rare sudden failure (which can happen with any type of battery).

The 12V battery is normally kept charged by the high voltage battery if it gets low. It's also possible your 2021 has outdated software that prevents it from being kept charged.

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