TWO NEW WARNING POP-UPS

[Desert Dan]

It was pretty hot here in the Coachella Valley yesterday (and most summer days are in the desert), and the same pop-up came on when I parked, waiting for my wife to come out of an appointment. There's not much you can do about it here in the summer; often, it doesn't get much below 100 at midnight.

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[Shayne]

? And that behavior hasn't changed at all through subsequent software updates? Sometimes they induce bugs (for example, battery heating stopped working for me last winter until the charge target was reached, so it would L2 charge a -15ºC battery, which isn't great).

Admittedly, it doesn't get hot enough here for me to reach those threshold temps for testing. Battery heating is deferred to preferred charge times, but that's fine because it doesn't hurt anything if a very cold battery is just sitting around. However, a hot battery sitting around WILL degrade, so battery cooling should override preferred charge times for battery health. It should wake up and draw just enough power to cool the battery down to 40ºC, but wait for the preferred times to finish charging. If the pack temp is sitting at 45+ºC and it's not doing anything while plugged in, well that's just dumb and arguably a bug in the thermal management software.

If it's like you say, then you would have to set your charge schedule to 24/7 and drop the amperage on your EVSE (to minimize on-peak loads) in order to force cooling as soon as it's plugged in. Or adjust the change limit constantly. Not fun.

The first year it said it is cold out side plug in the car and then did nothing. Now it says nothing and does something. Mine comes on by itself and heats the battery when plugged to L2. Draws power and displays preparing to drive in the app. Battery heating does not need to be in the charging schedule and comes on at random times and duration. I have never noticed if it does not work until after it has charged to the set limit for the first time? I would need to see it heat before charging which I can not recollect.

Shayne, that's brilliant thinking! Yeah that would probably work although I'd need to turn off headlights, turn off A/C, endure the honk, and lock the doors each time I park when it's very hot. (June through October?)

I don't think so... When I'm home from work at the end of the day, the car is in my enclosed garage, but it doesn't know that, yet I'll see the warning sometimes.

When I park at work at 9 am there's no shade at all (huge open asphalt lot, no trees nearby) and I've never seen the too hot warning at the start of my day, so it isn't using weather predictions or sun load sensors for triggering this IPC messaging.

I presume it is plugged to L2 at work, monitored and nothing happens? You have monitored it in your garage and nothing? It is programed to do nothing but display the message . It will only be as good as the guy that programed it. These things are going to be like PC's for awhile twice as fast with better logic for the same price on a upgrade. Upgrading is no longer just another truck. Need to see the north American standard charging port disappear before the next. It is working for now and for 4+ years not a drop of gas.

 

[macchiaz-o]

I presume it is plugged to L2 at work, monitored and nothing happens? You have monitored it in your garage and nothing?

I can't plug in at work.

At home, it's plugged in but remains 100% silent (and EVSE status indicates plugged in not charging) until 11 pm when my utility's lowest energy rates start, except on the rare occasion where it thinks it's somewhere other than home so it begins cooling and charging right away (maybe 3 times per year or so).

In the summer at 11 pm, the car is significantly louder during charging than in the winter, so I know it's trying to manage heat... It's just that it doesn't do this until it's within the preferred charge window.

 

[Shayne]

I can't plug in at work.

At home, it's plugged in but remains 100% silent (and EVSE status indicates plugged in not charging) until 11 pm when my utility's lowest energy rates start, except on the rare occasion where it thinks it's somewhere other than home so it begins cooling and charging right away (maybe 3 times per year or so).

In the summer at 11 pm, the car is significantly louder during charging than in the winter, so I know it's trying to manage heat... It's just that it doesn't do this until it's within the preferred charge window.

Appears you have came to grips with the cars short comings. You have been mentioning it for years and it appears still without progress. You mentioned if you drop the charge level below what you are at it will kick in sooner? I got hit with the Ford melting charging port software and its home charging speed now is a bit of a joke. Makes it legacy and old crap due to Fords cost saving software. No acknowledgement or help with that for a car of this cost either.

I do believe that Ford needs to work on its driving charging and maintaining itself and forget about the kid games on sync for awhile. Saw the DCFC curve on a new one recently not any better than ours. Not complaining too much about the bells and whistles and could care less about no audio in carplay but they need to get the 3 basics ironed out a bit better.

 

[macchiaz-o]

You mentioned if you drop the charge level below what you are at it will kick in sooner? I got hit with the Ford melting charging port software and its home charging speed now is a bit of a joke. Makes it legacy and old crap due to Fords cost saving software. No acknowledgement or help with that for a car of this cost either.

I dropped the charging speed to 30A (instead of 48A). It makes the car substantially quieter during charging, I don't actually need the higher speed, it's better for my home wiring, and it reduces grid peak loads. If I did need higher speeds for some reason then I'd increase it temporarily.

Sorry to hear about your charging port... That's terrible! I think you've had several occasions now where the vehicle needed emergency repairs, like lock out from dead batteries that shouldn't have died that sort of thing. Any one of those would stress me big time. This is my only vehicle and the dealer is about 30 minutes away and always backed up weeks. Ford continues to do poorly with getting critical software well integrated. As a software engineer myself, I worry it reflects poorly on my profession!

In the summer I drop the charge level to 80% instead of 90% just to try and reduce dendrite formation. This is another area where Ford needs to be doing its software better, with managing thermals when plugged in and maybe even when unplugged.

I have the standard range. Ford switched those over to LFP in later model years. In my opinion that's a big improvement (but not one I'll enjoy unfortunately). NCM is better for size and weight but LFP is awesome for longevity and lower fire risk.

 

[ChehRob]

So we should have that old water temperature gauge repurposed as a battery temperature gauge.

 

[Triumphator]

It is important to have the air conditioning serviced at least every 2 years

 

[dc73pdsgt]

Is the OBDLink CX safe to leave plugged in? Currently looking at some BF sales. That one is currently on sale for $64 but I’ve also considered this Vgate one. I would appreciate any feedback you have. Vgate iCar Pro 2S Bluetooth 5.2 OBD2 Car Scan Tool for iPhone, Android, and Windows https://a.co/d/fhbTlQp

No idea. I unplugged the adapter and sent it back to amazon. I also don't have the mach-e any more. Needed a truck in the house so traded it in for a Ford Ranger...

 

[Triumphator]

I prefer the Vgate vlinker MC+ (https://www.amazon.com/Vgate-vLinker-Scanner-Diagnostic-Android/dp/B0C2GT4KR3?th=1 BlackFriday-Deal)
But I´m from Germany. There for I don´t know if it works in USA. But I think so. Namely it wont be delivered with an App, but here in Europe you can load it via AppStore or PlayStore. It is called Carscanner Pro. It is an exquisite App specialy for E-cars. But the Dongle will also work with all other diagnostic apps, especialy ELM-apps, Forscan and ABRP
Additionaly to the features of the Vgate icar pro it has a button for wifi-security against unauthorized connection.

 

[Aza]

I prefer the Vgate vlinker MC+ (https://www.amazon.com/Vgate-vLinker-Scanner-Diagnostic-Android/dp/B0C2GT4KR3?th=1 BlackFriday-Deal)
But I´m from Germany. There for I don´t know if it works in USA. But I think so. Namely it wont be delivered with an App, but here in Europe you can load it via AppStore or PlayStore. It is called Carscanner Pro. It is an exquisite App specialy for E-cars. But the Dongle will also work with all other diagnostic apps, especialy ELM-apps, Forscan and ABRP
Additionaly to the features of the Vgate icar pro it has a button for wifi-security against unauthorized connection.

Thanks for the recommendation! I do like the button for security. Do you leave it plugged in or remove it each time?

 

[Triumphator]

Thanks for the recommendation! I do like the button for security. Do you leave it plugged in or remove it each time?

Sorry, I clicked the wrong thing.

 

[JimRich]

I know this is an old thread, but I have searched and can’t find an answer.
Today it was a balmy 102 degrees here in the desert. I was down to 30%, so stopped at the EVGo station to add some charge at 4:00 pm. I preconditioned on the way, plugged in to the NACS cable with the Ford adapter, and started the charge. Ask the CCS cables were in use, but none of the NACS. It hit the highest peak I’ve ever seen at 145 kW at 40%. But at 44% it dropped to 114 kW. Then, at 60% it suddenly stopped and said there was an error. I could not get any station to latch back in.

When I got home, I set the target charge to 50% and plugged in. For 38 minutes it ran an intense cool down, just like my GMs used to do. It then took another hour for the garage AC unit to cool the garage down.

Is the charging error because of the heat?

 

[Triumphator]

Thanks for the recommendation! I do like the button for security. Do you leave it plugged in or remove it each time?

I always leave it plugged in—even during longer vacations. It switches to power-saving mode.

 

[4sallypat]

I know this is an old thread, but I have searched and can’t find an answer.
Today it was a balmy 102 degrees here in the desert. I was down to 30%, so stopped at the EVGo station to add some charge at 4:00 pm. I preconditioned on the way, plugged in to the NACS cable with the Ford adapter, and started the charge. Ask the CCS cables were in use, but none of the NACS. It hit the highest peak I’ve ever seen at 145 kW at 40%. But at 44% it dropped to 114 kW. Then, at 60% it suddenly stopped and said there was an error. I could not get any station to latch back in.

When I got home, I set the target charge to 50% and plugged in. For 38 minutes it ran an intense cool down, just like my GMs used to do. It then took another hour for the garage AC unit to cool the garage down.

Is the charging error because of the heat?

Yup!
Been there when I charged in Indio during the summer.
Sort of helps to open your frunk to allow the fans to help cool down the batteries.
And lots of A/C use will cut down on range...

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