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THIS THREAD ALSO ENCOMPASSES "SERVICE VEHICLE SOON" (SVS) ERRORS RELATED TO THE HVBJB.

Last updated:
10/16/23 (New Recall 23S56)
09/23/23 (Removed useless links due to age. Map no longer interactive. Purged 2022 edits)
08/21/23 (Updated Information based on NHTSA RQ and minor tweaks)
03/18/23 (Updated TSB)
01/07/23 (Updated for post replacement failure language)

PLEASE READ IF YOU SUSPECT FAILURE:

If you believe that you have HVBJB Failure - Either post or pre-recall - Please take the following actions:
  1. If you need a tow please call Ford Roadside (see below)
  2. Reference this map for some of the known dealerships that have performed a recall already. There's many that aren't on this map as well, but maybe you'll find a green marker near you!
  3. Call Ford Corporate and get a case started with the BEV Team (see below)
  4. If your dealership attempts to give you the car back without replacement of the HVBJB when it IS the root cause, please educate them and ask them to kindly refer to TSB 22-2178. Do not pick up your car in these cases and contact your case manager immediately.
HVBJB Failure Pre-Recall will require that you car be towed and you will get "Stop Safely Now"
HVBJB Failure Post-Recall will either be reduced power with a "Service Vehicle Soon" message or the same as the above pre-recall symptoms.

Regardless of the type of failure we recommend that you open a case with the BEV team at Ford using the phone numbers provided at the bottom of this post - (800) 392-3673 USA / (800) 565-3673 Canada (Closed on Weekends). Please also follow the guidance in the section below for HVBJB Failure Recommendations To Stay Safe.

Please don't send us your VIN for general look-ups or other issues. Please post those requests here.

What failure IS NOT:

Jail bars, gray(grey) bars on their own are not indicative of failure or preeminent failure. These bars on their own (visible on GT's only) can be caused by ambient temperature, pre-conditioning, post-DCFC, low SOC, high draw events and more. It's normal to see gray bars in many circumstances. HVBJB failure will always have a powertrain malfunction wrench (can't be dismissed) accompanied with either no motive power or reduced motive power along with notifications (can be dismissed).

Preface:

The purpose of this post is to bring information together so that people can reference what is known about the HVBJB issue. While some of us might know more than we are publicly talking about, for confidentiality reasons, we cannot disclose everything. I'll do my best to help calm nerves, be honest and not violate agreements in the process. All of the information below has been discussed on this forum, extracted from posted DTC's and service repair orders or gathered via non-confidential communication.

I am an MME GTPE owner myself. My vehicle was just as susceptible as any other owner and eventually I had HVBJB failure. Obviously, we all have our own way of mentally dealing with things. I, personally, did not worry about this happening to me and I don't think people should worry. We don't worry about flat tires, alternators, getting in an accident etc. Being prepared and having the necessary knowledge is not only relieving to the mind, but the best and only course of action in this case, as of now.

Finally, "Stop Safely Now" and "Service Vehicle Soon" are both generic messages and are used for many different critical faults. This post is specifically about the failure of the High Voltage Battery Junction Box.

Other commonly referred to names:
  • LVB Battery Failure
  • HVJB Failure
  • BECM Failure
  • High Voltage Battery Issue
The problem:

In 2021 we had a few members starting to report that their cars would say "stop safely now". It was attributed by the forum members as something related to the cold as it was mostly happening to people in colder climates. Many people also attributed the issue to faulty LVB's most likely due to the fact that the MME previously had LVB issues. As time went on, a few of us attempted to reassure people that it wasn't LVBs at all. Obviously, those with repair orders, whom this affected had insight into what was happening. They received repair orders for the BECM and HVBJB. It came to light through this process and those of us with insight that it wasn't the LVB.

The LVB was often blamed early on because of the aforementioned previous issue and also because when the HVBJB fails it no longer charges the LVB. Thus, leaving the LVB to die. This is like an alternator going out in an ICE vehicle. The battery is dead, but only as a result of a bad alternator.

When this happens (pre-recall), the driver will receive a "stop safely now" indicator followed by the car being bricked essentially. The car must be towed in and diagnostic codes will reveal that the contactors in the HVBJB are stuck, either open or closed. When this happens post-recall the aforementioned pre-recall scenario is possible, but it's also possible to receive "service vehicle soon" with limited power. The car is normally able to be driven, but can fail with SSN at any time. Bringing it to the dealership ASAP is advised if the car is operable.

In the affected vehicles, it is possible that the high voltage battery main contactors may overheat, which can result in an open contactor or welding condition. Should the contactors weld closed while driving, a powertrain malfunction warning light will be illuminated on the next drive cycle, along with a no start condition.

The resolution:

When SSN happens, the only thing you can do is have the car towed and the HVBJB replaced along with the BECM (the BECM was originally replaced at the onset of this issue, but has since been determined to not need replacing). Some people report that it took 2 days while other dealers took months. If you received SVS and can get the car to the dealership you should ASAP.

Ford has a new version of the HVBJB that's now being installed into problematic cars. There have been reports that the new versions are also failing, but it's unknown if this is "round 2" of problems or just a few bad parts or previously bad fixes.

Ford has issued a software recall in an attempt to mitigate the SSN errors in favor of SVS, but it doesn't always work.

On 10/16/23 Ford Issued another recall (23S56) to replace all HVBJBs in Extended Range and GT model '21 and '22 vehicles built before May 24, 2022. This recall DOES NOT require failure, SVS or SSN in order to have it replaced. This is a pro-active replacement.

Prevalence:

Unknown - But likely much higher in GT/GTPE variants. I suspect that most GT/GTPE vehicles will have failure at some point.

Is my car immune to this:

If built prior to May 24, 2022 the simple answer is, no. This can happen to any MME, of any MY, in any climate, anywhere in the world built prior to May 24, 2022. Post May 24, 2022 build dates should be safe, but some are reporting failures after May 24, 2022 as well.

Is my car more prone to this:

GT models are far more prone to having HVBJB failure to due to higher draw of power.

Is temperature to blame:

Temperature of the contactors is one of the main issues causing them to become molten and weld open or closed. Ambient temperature doesn't play a role that we've seen.

What is Ford doing:

Ford is now fitting cars that have a defective HVBJB with a revised HVBJB. Further details will likely follow. See this post and below. This is for failed HVBJB incidents.

On 10/16/23 Ford Issued another recall (23S56) to replace all HVBJBs in Extended Range and GT model '21 and '22 vehicles built before May 24, 2022. This recall DOES NOT require failure, SVS or SSN in order to have it replaced. This is a pro-active replacement.

Revised Part numbers:

All part numbers have been redacted because the information from Ford keeps changing. I've been told that there's no way to get an old HVBJB as they have all been pulled. So the part numbers really shouldn't be necessary anymore.

Can I have the part replaced under warranty?:

Ford will replace the HVBJB with the revised part, under warranty if you get any of the contactor stuck open/closed DTCs or if you get a DTC post recall about the contactors being on their last leg. As of this update on 07/19/22, they will not replace it unless the proper diagnostic codes are thrown.

Can I pay to have it replaced?:

Maybe ... Some people have reported that their dealership will not replace it unless there's an associated code indicating failure. Others have ordered the part which is about $750. Dealerships should only charge a max of 7 hours labor (as that's what Ford pays them under warranty) to replace the HVBJB. There are members who have had it replaced at their own expense.

Are parts available or on backorder:

The replacement HVBJBs are available. There's some on this forum who like to say otherwise and they are ill informed. Some logistical challenges are being seen late summer of 2022. This doesn't mean that the parts are back ordered it just means that you need to get corporate involved to sort out the logistics. This is just one of the reasons that it's important to get the Ford BEV team involved.

Will this be a recall:

Recall 22S41 and recall 23S56 are now in place.

See this post.

On 07/09/22 the recall faced server errors preventing it's deployment at the dealer level temporarily. See this thread. The issue was resolved a few days later but if you had your car at the dealership during that time frame you might not have received the update if you thought you had. It might be a good idea to have your VIN checked for the recall via the VIN check thread.

On 08/02/22 a TSB was issued to help dealers clarify the replacement and give them insight into why the LVB would be low or dead. See this thread. A new TSB was issued: TSB 23-2020, which is in the file section at the bottom of this post.

On 08/21/23 NHTSA announced a renewed investigation into HVBJB failures as a result of Ford's inadequate original recall. Details of this RQ can be found here.

On 10/16/23 Ford Issued another recall (23S56) to replace all HVBJBs in Extended Range and GT model '21 and '22 vehicles built before May 24, 2022. This recall DOES NOT require failure, SVS or SSN in order to have it replaced. This is a pro-active replacement and details can be found here.

What does the recall do?:

The recall monitors the temperature of the contactors to guestimate failure. Sometimes it's accurate and other times it's not. If the software detects temperatures out of range it will power limit the vehicle to prevent further increased temperatures to the contactors. This presents itself as "Service Vehicle Soon".

Can I get SSN even after the software recall:

Well yes it can, because it's not a fix here's one example where the vehicle isn't totally bricked but still has to have the HVBJB replaced. There's many just like it on the forum including my own here.

As of right now I estimate that there's approximately a 35% chance that the software will not prevent SSN. This is based on data collected on the forum and may not represent the entire MME population as a whole.

Based on repeated failures post recall, NHTSA has announced a renewed investigation into the original recall.

DTC's by Drivability:

The following DTCs will allow the car to be driven in most cases resulting in SVS:
  • BECM:
    • P0ADA
    • P0ADE
The following DTCs will prevent the car from being driven in most cases resulting in SSN:
  • BECM:
    • P0563
    • P0AA1
    • P0AA2
    • P0AA4
    • P0AA5
    • P0D10
    • P0D0F
    • P0C78
    • P0AD9
    • P0ADD
    • P0D11
  • SOBDMC:
    • P0DA8
    • P1A19
What to do to prevent this from happening:

Nothing really... We've seen reports of members who have been driving up hills going the speed limit who have had failure and likewise we've seen members on their commute to the office have failure. While there are likely guaranteed actions to cause failure, there's no known preventative measures. Attempting to cause failure only accelerates what is seemingly inevitable with some HVBJBs. Anyone who says "don't charge" should be regarded as ill informed. There's members who have had failure at 5k who never used a DCFC and there's members like me that had failure at 23k and I DCFC at least 3-4 times a week.

HVBJB Failure Recommendations To Stay Safe:

My personal recommendations -
If you experience "stop safely now" I would recommend -
  • DO NOT attempt to start the car over and over! Save the LVB as much as possible and keep the car off
  • As long as it's safe to do so, unlatch the hood but leave it shut, not latched, to keep the light off
  • Roll down a window and close the door to keep the cabin lights off
  • If you are at home, connect the LVB to a battery maintainer or charger
  • If it were me, I would call my insurance roadside over Ford since they are much quicker, but that's up to you.
  • Look to have it towed to an EV specialty dealer. They have the tools and battery lift to fix this. Ensure the dealer will accept the car before having it towed there.
  • Get a case logged with Ford Immediately. Ford can put pressure on the dealer and expedite the replacement parts.
Important Ford Numbers:

Ford Roadside (to get towed):

(800) 241-3673

Ford customer support (to get a case started)(only open M-F):

(800) 392-3673 - USA
(800) 565-3673 - Canada

Rental Cars:

If you have failure Ford should be putting you in a loaner or a rental car (as of Sep, 2022). In order to get a rental approval the car must be diagnosed by the dealer first. It is important to get Ford corporate involved in order to assist with the rental car process.

If the car isn't able to be driven I would suggest you ask the dealership which rental car place they use and then get a rental from that same location. You will have to initiate the rental process out-of-pocket. Once the car is diagnosed or Ford corporate approves the rental car then they should be able to take over the contract. Since rentals are charged when the car is returned (a hold is placed at the start, but not a charge), the dealership should be able to assume responsibility for the contract which will prevent you from being charged. Rentals are approved on a 10 day basis. Every 10 days the rental will need to be re-approved.

Links to other beneficial resources:

Dealership Replacement Map
Data Aggregation for HVBJB Failures
How to tow an MME
File a NHTSA complaint

Initialism used in this post:

BECM = Battery Energy Control Module
DTC = Diagnostic Trouble Code
EV = Electric Vechile
GTPE = GT Performance Edition
HVB = High Voltage Battery
HVBJB = High Voltage Battery Junction Box
LVB = Low Voltage Battery
MME = Mustang Mach E
MY = Model Year
SOBDMC = Secondary Onboard Diagnostic Module - C
SSN = Stop Safely Now
SVS = Service Vehicle Soon

Other resources:

The HVBJB in the MME is not a unique component to Ford. It's an essential part of EVs. Contactors getting stuck also isn't new or unique to Ford. Using Google you might be able to find other instances in other makes (like this) with little nuggets of information that might just be very similar to the MME issues. Like the above link mentions, we have also seen members get similar errors when there's an electrical short, and it's not a HVBJB failure but presents its self similarly.

In closing:

If you think I should add information to this post, let me know and I'll be more than happy to consider it and maintain this post. As more information is made public or authorized for public consumption I'll update it as well. I'm not active much more on this forum due to all the negativity and hyperbole here, but felt this post was necessary because of all the outside communication I receive from other members.

Pictures:

These are pictures thanks to @markboris - his post

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657660898301

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657660926232

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657660952448

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657660983133

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657661857341

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657661883353

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657661949492

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657662432142

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657661011261


This is the OLD - BAD version of the HVBJB thanks to @Scooby24 and his post here:

Ford Mustang Mach-E Stop Safely Now (HVBJB): Mach-E Owners Biggest Fear - Facts and Info Thread 1657661063189
 

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ARK

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Thanks for organizing this info. I was trying to find more info, but it is much more scattershot through the various threads where someone is relaying their experience with this.

Anyone know if there is any tell-tale sign that we can watch for before the HVBJB fails? Or is it always an out of left field sort of occurrence, where one trip the vehicle is perfect, the next drive, it won’t start at all.
 

Rabidsquirrel22

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For me, no warning signs whatsoever.
Me neither.

I also want to note, I only had my BECM replaced. My HVBJB wasn't affected apparently but I'm a little nervous it might go bad one day. It seems like environmental conditions or other external factors have some role in making this scenario different for each person.
 

Logal727

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Thanks, makes me less nervous, also bookmarked!
 


scoopman

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I will add one tip: I have researched (via exotic car and Tesla forums and the like) a good collectable and exotic towing company in the Bay Area.

I'm calling them directly next time if this happens again, as my car will be staying local until things are fixed. Ford and good insurance reimburse towing costs if you submit them.
 
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DevSecOps

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Anyone know if there is any tell-tale sign that we can watch for before the HVBJB fails?
There is no sign.

@DevSecOps If you had an educated guess, do you think this issue could be solved with a software update?
I'm sorry @Logal727 ... I can't answer that question. I have a feeling that soonish we'll get more information from Ford, because that's what car companies do!
 

Regularmache

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Has Ford pinpointed the cause or are they just replacing parts still?

Will Lightnings be susceptible to this same less than one percent problem?
 

nfoxtrot

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This has happened to me 3 times now (one of which was in a blizzard for over 8 hours) I’m now in the process of a lemon law buyback. Like everyone else there were no warning signs but it has happened every 3 months for me. I’ll be trying to trade my first edition in for a GTPE, I hope it doesn’t have this issue.
 
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DevSecOps

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Anyone know if there is any tell-tale sign that we can watch for before the HVBJB fails? Or is it always an out of left field sort of occurrence, where one trip the vehicle is perfect, the next drive, it won’t start at all.
I think based on the information contained within the forum, and obviously purely that information, you have a much much higher likelihood of this happening after you stop for a while and return to the car at a later time. I'm guessing like 95-99% higher likelihood.

This is why I suggest parking it with the nose where a tow can hook up easily.
 

AllenXS

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Mine failed to charge the night before, something didn’t feel right. When I got home I backed it in to the garage and tried charging. Failed immediately. Then went to stop now. I called ford assistance then pushed it out of the garage.
Only took two and a half weeks!
 

Logal727

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I think based on the information contained within the forum, and obviously purely that information, you have a much much higher likelihood of this happening after you stop for a while and return to the car at a later time. I'm guessing like 95-99% higher likelihood.

This is why I suggest parking it with the nose where a tow can hook up easily.
Definitely seems like this issue happens mostly when parked, which does alleviate some of my concern, like I just don’t wanna be on the side of the interstate, it’s less terrible if I’m in a McDs parking lot.
 

VegStang

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Good thread, yeah, no warning, and this after over 13k miles and more than 12 mo of use. Multiple drives during the day, then jolt- loss of power as I was accelerating onto the main road 2 blocks away from the house (warm outside temps.) Oddly I was able to restart after 2 attempts and get it home, then a few minutes later acc mode only, no ability to charge, contactor frozen open on HVBJB. Sadly, I feel that had I not attempted to charge the car (using 110 mobile charger) I might have been able to drive it to the dealer. I went out and got a battery maintainer and have it hooked up now since it will not go into service until Tuesday, with tow scheduled, and it was already down to 12v.

Oddly (or maybe not considering) the only error messages showing up in FordPass app is the charging fault attempts, no powertrain warnings etc. Really thought I was going to be in the lucky group and not see this issue after 14 months or so without, but still lucky this didn't happen on one of the family trips or on a congested freeway at full speed.

Will miss driving the car this holiday weekend, no trip to Monterey now. :(
 
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This has happened to me 3 times now (one of which was in a blizzard for over 8 hours) I’m now in the process of a lemon law buyback. Like everyone else there were no warning signs but it has happened every 3 months for me. I’ll be trying to trade my first addition in for a GTPE, I hope it doesn’t have this issue.
That's horrible ---- but I think all MMEs currently seem to have this problem to some degree, as OP notes.

Definitely seems like this issue happens mostly when parked, which does alleviate some of my concern, like I just don’t wanna be on the side of the interstate, it’s less terrible if I’m in a McDs parking lot.
I agree it does appear to happen more when you are stopped and go to charge, or start up the car. but it also has happened to folks while driving, and stopping safely when your car shuts down at speed sounds really dangerous. And also waiting for a tow wherever you roll to a stop also doesn't sound great.

The best place I've read this has happened is the person who got stranded in front of a BBQ restaurant....
Sponsored

 
 




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