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

[mkhuffman]

Thanks for the reply. I expected as much. I have the service records and only 1 service appointment in the 10KMs driven so far for a separate issue. I will have to check the software to see what version it is. Any comment on the safety aspect? If it just means the vehicle will go into a turtle mode then I can deal with that, but if it results in bricking the vehicle while in motion then its probably a no go for me.

On the plus side, temperatures where I live are often much cooler and I don't drive like a madman so the risk of high temperatures impacting it are less likely.

In the data that Todd collected last year, the most common cause of the failure is high speed driving. I mean over 80 mph. That does not mean the HVBJB won't fail if you are not driving at high speeds, but that is a common cause. @heisnuts killed multiple HVBJBs by driving like a madman in the mountains near his home. I doubt anyone has had more failures than he has.

That said, the failure rate for Premiums appears to be smaller than GT and GTPEs. There are several of us in the forum who have GTs that have not had the failure yet. So the failure rate is not 100%, even with the old HVBJB.

I am still driving my car everywhere I go. I just took it on a 350 mile trip up into the mountains to do a triathlon on Sunday. I had to DCFC twice. While I didn't exceed 80 mph, I did have a lot of fun going to and from the race on those rural mountain roads. Almost as much fun as the race itself, which was great.

As Todd said, everyone has their risk tolerance level. Personally I am not worried about it. If I were you, I would not let this defect stop me from getting the car I want.

Sponsored

 

[HuntingPudel]

In the data that Todd collected last year, the most common cause of the failure is high speed driving. I mean over 80 mph. That does not mean the HVBJB won't fail if you are not driving at high speeds, but that is a common cause.
<SNIP>

Yep, mine gave me an error well under 80. ACC set to 72 with car accelerating under ACC when it displayed.

 

[Neil4Real]

Yep, mine gave me an error well under 80. ACC set to 72 with car accelerating under ACC when it displayed.

That's even crazier that it triggered from ACC acceleration! Wow.

 

[HuntingPudel]

That's even crazier that it triggered from ACC acceleration! Wow.

I think it was triggered by my cloverleaf entrance to the freeway, which was ~3/4 throttle (maybe a bit more). I hit the ACC and set it. I saw the error pop up just as I clicked the speed up to 72.

 

[mkhuffman]

I think it was triggered by my cloverleaf entrance to the freeway, which was ~3/4 throttle (maybe a bit more). I hit the ACC and set it. I saw the error pop up just as I clicked the speed up to 72.

Have you ever done 80+ highway driving? Maybe not at the moment of failure, but other times? Don't worry, I am not a LEO.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Have you ever done 80+ highway driving? Maybe not at the moment of failure, but other times? Don't worry, I am not a LEO.

I've spent moments over 80, unintentionally. Most of my driving is with the ACC set to 72.

 

[mkhuffman]

I've spent moments over 80, unintentionally. Most of my driving is with the ACC set to 72.

Ah. Well, I guess it is all the WOTs then.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Yep, mine gave me an error well under 80. ACC set to 72 with car accelerating under ACC when it displayed.

Yeah it’s going to pop up shortly after flooring or almost flooring the car, whether that’s merging on a highway or passing someone. Driving fast or aggressively in the several minutes prior also contributes to heating them up enough to trigger after a merge.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Yeah it’s going to pop up shortly after flooring or almost flooring the car, whether that’s merging on a highway or passing someone. Driving fast or aggressively in the several minutes prior also contributes to heating them up enough to trigger after a merge.

LOL I was around 3/4 throttle for enough time to get from 25 to 55 around a freeway loop then set the ACC to 72. Prior to that it was a pretty traffic-congested (slow and low) drive from my office to the freeway. Obviously, prior events over the last year and an half injured the contactors enough for this measly event to pop the code. Just not sure which prior events since I have been like grandma with an egg shell on the go pedal.

 

[Mach-Lee]

LOL I was around 3/4 throttle for enough time to get from 25 to 55 around a freeway loop then set the ACC to 72. Prior to that it was a pretty traffic-congested (slow and low) drive from my office to the freeway. Obviously, prior events over the last year and an half injured the contactors enough for this measly event to pop the code. Just not sure which prior events since I have been like grandma with an egg shell on the go pedal.

It was just your time Steve, you angered the HVBJB gods.

 

[Falcon53]

It was just your time Steve, you angered the HVBJB gods.

Interesting to read all this..I was getting on our GT with 20,000 miles on it to merge on the freeway when the service soon warning came on. But 30 minutes prior to that I had done a DCFC and then was passing cars going up mountains. First road trip. Made it home fine. Took it easy. Dealer had car for one week and pulled the battery out and replaced the part. Dealer was superb and provided a rental car. Its the wife's car so obviously it doesn't like me driving it. Will stick with my truck.

 

[Vulnox]

LOL I was around 3/4 throttle for enough time to get from 25 to 55 around a freeway loop then set the ACC to 72. Prior to that it was a pretty traffic-congested (slow and low) drive from my office to the freeway. Obviously, prior events over the last year and an half injured the contactors enough for this measly event to pop the code. Just not sure which prior events since I have been like grandma with an egg shell on the go pedal.

Sorry if you mentioned it elsewhere and I missed it, but is this your first failure? or is this with the "new" HVBJB as you had a failure before? Since you mentioned past year and a half, I think that puts us close to when the redesign started making it in so was just curious.

 

[mkhuffman]

I have been like grandma with an egg shell on the go pedal.

This is not good news for Ford, or for the rest of us who have not had the failure yet. Oh well. If (when) it happens, it happens. I hope they have the new and improved HVBJB 3.0 ready if (when) mine fails.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Sorry if you mentioned it elsewhere and I missed it, but is this your first failure? or is this with the "new" HVBJB as you had a failure before? Since you mentioned past year and a half, I think that puts us close to when the redesign started making it in so was just curious.

It’s my original HVBJB. I suspect that if my dog hadn’t been diagnosed with cancer right after I got the car I would have gotten an SSN within the first 5 months of ownership because keeping him comfortable for those few months trumped my driving the car hard. I got in the habit of driving like grandma from that. Recently I have been consciously driving a little harder but still not like I used to drive the Celica (or the Firebird).

 

[Vulnox]

It’s my original HVBJB. I suspect that if my dog hadn’t been diagnosed with cancer right after I got the car I would have gotten an SSN within the first 5 months of ownership because keeping him comfortable for those few months trumped my driving the car hard. I got in the habit of driving like grandma from that. Recently I have been consciously driving a little harder but still not like I used to drive the Celica (or the Firebird).

Thanks, sorry about the pup and the car. I hope at this point they can get it replaced/resolved quickly and maybe that will be the end of it for you.

Sponsored