Parked for Extended Period

[Jgg181]

Is it recommended (or not) to keep your car plugged in when leaving parked for extended periods?

Sponsored

 

[RickMachE]

How long a period?

Manual tells you for 30 days or longer, 50% SOC and disconnect the 12v battery.

 

[Jgg181]

Thanks for this reply. I just read the manual relevant to ‘Storage’, and it will be garaged. I will charge to 80%, and leave it at that.

 

[Mach-Lee]

https://www.ford.com/support/how-to...e-my-electric-vehicle-for-short-term-storage/

https://www.ford.com/support/how-to...re-my-electric-vehicle-for-long-term-storage/

 

[Schmedlack]

https://www.ford.com/support/how-to...e-my-electric-vehicle-for-short-term-storage/

https://www.ford.com/support/how-to...re-my-electric-vehicle-for-long-term-storage/

Let me know if I am doing something dumb.......

I have a 3A Walmart battery charger plugged into a TP Link "smart plug". When I am gone, this little rig charges the 12V battery 45min a day. While away, if I receive a "12V battery low" message, I will remotely activate the charger for several hours. (I have not had to do this yet). What do you think?

 

[Mach-Lee]

Let me know if I am doing something dumb.......

I have a 3A Walmart battery charger plugged into a TP Link "smart plug". When I am gone, this little rig charges the 12V battery 45min a day. While away, if I receive a "12V battery low" message, I will activate the charger for several hours. (I have not had to do this yet). What do you think?

It's not dumb, but I don't think it's necessary unless you are behind on updates and don't have latest battery management software. What message do you get specifically?

BTW, if the 12V battery is low it's going to take something like 8 hours for a little 3A charger to charge it up.

If the car has been parked for two weeks, it is normal to see a "deep sleep" message and have FordPass stop responding to commands until the vehicle is woken up again in-person.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Let me know if I am doing something dumb.......

I have a 3A Walmart battery charger plugged into a TP Link "smart plug". When I am gone, this little rig charges the 12V battery 45min a day. While away, if I receive a "12V battery low" message, I will remotely activate the charger for several hours. (I have not had to do this yet). What do you think?

As long as the charger itself is safe, I don’t see why this would be a bad idea. How long will the car be unattended? If it’s less than a couple of months, you likely don’t even need to connect a charger. If it’s going to be a while, just turn the plug on when you go to bed and off when you wake up.

 

[Space_Pony]

Wouldn't a battery maintainer constantly connected and on while parked for a week or longer work. I do that with several vehicles I have and it extends their life. I have some vehicles with 10 year old batteries that are still strong.

 

[Gyrfalcon08]

For what it’s worth, I parked my Mach E for ~2 months due to a military duty. I drove it down to 50%, set that as charge limit, and parked it in garage plugged in. Worked fine when I returned and no 12v issues. Didn’t disconnect 12v at all. This was also prior to the latest 12V maintenance OTA also.

 

[Mac’ Mach e]

Is it recommended (or not) to keep your car plugged in when leaving parked for extended periods?

I called Ford and they said not necessary. I said going away for 4 months and they said just lock it up

 

[fpavlo1]

I have 2 Mach Es, one in Ohio and one in Florida. The first time I stored the one in Ohio for 5 moths I disconnected the 12v battery and when I got back and reconnected it the vehicle would not start and had to be towed to the dealer to get reprogramed. The one in Florida I had charged to about 75% and just parked it. When I returned after 6 months it started right up. The next time I left Ohio I put a tender on the 12v battery and when I returned it started right up. I am not disconnecting the 12v any longer and would not recommend it.

 

[Beachbum]

I have a 2021 Mach e with 3500 miles on it. As you can see I don't use it regularly. I have 5 vehicles. I was constantly getting 12-volt battery alerts as being low charged. The high voltage was always on the charger set at 80%. The dealer had it several days and reported no problem after updating the software. I continued to have the same alerts, just less often. The only thing that works for me is to have 12-volt battery on a battery maintainer when the vehicle is not used. I just had to add the access holes in the frunk tub to get to the 12-volt battery terminals. Everything is fine now.

 

[Jgg181]

Thank you all for your experiential comments.

I think the ‘consensus’ experience has been….charge at least to 80% and all things being equal, my MME will be fine while garaged and not driven for 2.5 months.

Stay tuned…

 

[Tampamike]

Thank you all for your experiential comments.

I think the ‘consensus’ experience has been….charge at least to 80% and all things being equal, my MME will be fine while garaged and not driven for 2.5 months.

Stay tuned…

Yeah, I have left mine for 6 weeks without any problems. It was about 70% charge and started right up. I think it only lost a percent or two of charge over the six weeks.

 

[Jgg181]

Sponsored