Bob999

How do they keep the C-Max on an external power source?  Battery charger??

Yes.

When they were doing the 3.5.1 update on my car a battery charger was connected to the battery.  I don't know why they chose to connect directly to the battery--which requires removing some panels in the rear--rather than using the charging posts in the engine compartment.

DUH!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Battery dead again this AM, but I think I may know what’s happening.

 

Both times I went to Swenson’s Drive In to eat. After you finish eating you turn on your car headlights to get the server to take the tray.

Last night for sure, I left the headlights in the ‘ON’ position.

This morning after the car was dead, I looked at my Vehicle Settings on the left display and my Home Light setting was set to Manual, which means that the lights won’t turn off automatically.

Don’t know if I accidentally set them that way or if it was reset during the 3.5.1 upgrade. Who knows.

 

I’m going to watch and see how it behaves after this and let you know. I have a battery jumper I can take with me that works fine to get it started.

I have my Home light set to "Manual" and my experience is that means there is no delay --the lights turn off immediately.  My understanding is that the Home light setting is the number of seconds delay before the headlights are turned off automatically and the "Manual" setting corresponds to "0".

Three weeks ago my car was at the dealer for 3 days while they tried (unsuccessfully) to do the 3.5.1 Update.  They called on Monday and asked me to bring it in again today.  Bottom line is that the install seems to be successful.

I think previous comments that attribute some install failures to computer problems are on track.  The following was on the service record:

"Contacted hotline-reset and configured lap top and installed USB driver for cable.  Performed sync upgrade.  13A01  A18  DM 19Y449 AA Memory Card 1"

Because many state have a legal requirement to turn headlights on when wipers are on, and because the Manual supplied to CMAX owners says that headlights will be turned on when wipers operate (when auto wipers and auto headlights are set) I suspect that the failure of the car to operate as specified in the manual may be considered a safety defect by NHTSA.  You might want to consider filing a report with NHTSA.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

I did not hear back from Ford and I don't think they will respond.

I'll check with Ohio about the law requiring headlights be turned on when the wipers are on.

I don't think the entertainment/NAV system is directly connected to the engine/drive/braking system.  Therefore I think the braking problem you are experiencing is likely unrelated to the problems with the 3.5.1 update for MFT.

Now it appears my regenerative braking is only working part of the time.  I noticed today on my way home that on the screen which shows braking, accel, cruising scores, the braking is not working at times.  Instead of the blue line I have a yellow line which just sits there.  Then all of a sudden it turns blue again and everything is fine until the next time it turns yellow again.  I want my car working right again and sooner than not.  But ultimately it is up to the great minds of Ford when that will be. 

I got the car back this evening without the 3.5.1 update.  I was told that Ford is still working on a solution and to check when I return from my trip.

The good news is that everything seems to be working as it was before--my phone still pairs, the NAV system appears to be accurate, and the satellite radio works. 

Took my car in for what was estimated to be a 1-2 hour update to 3.5.1 at 8AM June 3.  After waiting two hours they said there were problems and gave me a loaner.

As of COB June 4 it is still not resolved.  While the description of the issues are sketchy the service advisor seems to be blaming it on a faulty update feed from Ford.

When I told the Service Advisor I am scheduled to leave for a two week trip in the car starting June 6 the best he could offer is we will "try" to get the car back to you.

I had the battery charging firmware update and did not notice any difference in the behavior before/after the update--the state of charge of the HV battery upon start continues to be what it was at shut down.  In my case where there is a steep climb from the point where EV+ activates and the garage the EV+ mode will use nearly all the charge in the HV battery .  As a result the ICE engine will operate the next time I drive the car unless I am very careful. 

There are two items in the description that make me wonder about its validity:

1.  There is a reference to "parallel mode" (in the description of negative split mode) that is not defined or otherwise discussed; and

2.  The statement that a separate electric pump maintains power assisted steering is, I believe, incorrect.  My understanding is that the CMAX power steering is electric--not an electric motor powering a hydraulic pump to provide hydraulic power for power assisted steering.

On the page that appears click on the "Vehicle Owners" bar.  The original link provided is the address of the page but apparently the site does not provide direct access to the owners page.

Nonesense! Count the number of posts reporting the problem. Notice also the number of views, over 22,000. Why do you suppose so many are viewing the thread? Either they're C-max owners with the same problem which would be a very high percentage of the number of C-Max's sold overall, or they're prospective buyers doing their homework on C-Max's and figuring out that they don't need these problems. What I don't get is why Ford is not doing enough about this problem and why the members of this blog aren't up in arms about it.

I have been following this thread for months and have visited it many times--yet I have not had a failure to start.  The number of views of the thread indicates interest in the subject but, in my opinion, doesn't mean everyone viewing has had a problem.

As an aside, words like "Nonesense!"  aren't in the dictionary and really don't further a rational conversation.

It is absolutely right, and yes I am angry. Two brand new Energis, both DOA! Moreover, a simple count of those who have reported dead batteries just on this blog alone numbers in the hundreds. I don't know where you're getting the number 30 from. Do you work for Ford?

 

Remember, I asked for facts, not opinion, judgement, speculation. Tell me how to have a reliable Energi.

The number of individuals reporting problems in this thread is a small fraction of the total number of posts.  It appears you are looking at the number of posts and interpreting that number as the number of individuals reporting a problem with their CMAX.

From the owner's guide:

 

If autolamps have been switched on in conjunction with autowipers, low beam headlamps will illuminate automatically when the rain sensor activates the windshield wipers continuously.

 

This contradicts what SSM 12063 says. 

The owners manual is talking about a car with autowipers and a rain sensor.  SSM 12063 is addressing cars with the "Rain Light feature". 

It is not clear that they are the same thing.

I did a search on the electronic version of the owners manual for "rain light feature" not find a match for the term.

I think Ford needs to clarify this matter with appropriate revisions to SSM 12063 and/or the owners manual.

Is it possible that they were on but the indicator light on the dash does not light up when they come on for rain?

I confirmed that mine did not work by standing in front of the vehicle and using a hose to spray the windshield with water.  I confirmed that the headlights did not illuminate.

 

It looks like the lights will not come on unless the wiper switch is set to the low or high speed setting.

 

Just saw this message issued by Ford on OASIS (12/12/2012):

 

SSM 12063 - 2012-2013 Focus 2013 C-Max, Escape - Rain Light - Proper Operation

2012-2013 Focus and 2013 C-Max and Escape vehicles equipped with the Rain Light feature will not work with the wiper switch set to intermittent/delay mode by design. This feature will only work when the wiper switch is set to the low or high speed settings during daylight operation, and the headlamp switch set to Autolamp mode with a 5 to 10 second delay before headlamps/park lamps turn on. After the wiper switch is turned off, the lamps will remain on for approximately5 to 10 seconds.

Thanks for posting the message.  It may be the explanation for the problem I am experiencing.  

But, in my opinion, it isn't quite on point as written.  The issue here is when the wipers are set to the "Auto" mode but the SSM is talking about when the wipers are set to the "intermittent/delay" mode.  The owners manual addresses intermittent wipe on page 87 and auto wipe on page 88.  It appears to me, from the way the manual is written, that vehicles equipped with auto wipe don't have a separate intermittent wipe mode and, conversely, vehicles with intermittent mode don't have the auto feature.

Perhaps the manual and/or SSM 12063 suffer from poor writing and/or inadequate understanding of the vehicle features because it appears  that it is unlikely that both descriptions are correct.

I too have not seem the lamps come on when in Auto Wipe, Auto Lamps, Auto Lamps Rain On. I found a thread on this board which stated that the Auto Lamps only work when in Constant or High modes. It seems to defeat the purpose of the Auto Lamps on feature in settings. And definitely does not meet the manual description.

My experience is that when wipers are set to the Auto position the operate when the sensor detects precipitation.  With very light or intermittent precipitation the wipers do not operate continuously.  With steady precipitation the wipers begin to operate continuously and with heavy and steady precipitation the wipers operate continuously at high speed.

What I understand the manual to say is that if Auto headlights is also on then the headlights should illuminate when the wipers are operating continuously.  While I would prefer that the headlights operate any time wipers are activated I suspect the designers were trying to avoid the headlights switching on and off in rapid succession which is what they would do if the Auto Wiper feature were was operating in intermittent mode (very light or intermittent precipitation).  Hence my presumption is that the designers chose for the headlights illuminate automatically only when the wipers operated in continuous mode (steady precipitation).

And you also have your headlights set to Auto-On obviously.

 

Hmm, that's strange.  I haven't personally confirmed this works but other members here have: http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/index.php?/topic/963-i-didnt-know-i-had-automatic-wipers/?p=11671

Yes I have the lights set to auto--and the wipers set to auto.

The wipers work as described in the manual--coming on with rain.  What doesn't happen--even with a heavy spray of water that triggers the wipers to continuously on at high speed--is for the headlights to come on during daylight.

Using the Left Steering Well controls, choose Settings > Vehicle > Lighting > Auto Light Rain

 

 

It may take a few minutes for them to come on as the wipers have to be operating continuously.

I rechecked this setting after reading your reply and it is set to "ON".

When I did my check I sprayed it until the wipers switched to on continuously--actually to high speed as well-- and the lights still did not come on.

Have you confirmed that yours work??

According to the manual the headlights should come on automatically when the wipers are automatically continuously activated.  This is described on p. 88 of the manual.

AUTOWIPERS (IF EQUIPPED)

...

Note: If autolamps have been switched on in conjunction with

autowipers, low beam headlamps will illuminate automatically when the

rain sensor activates the windshield wipers continuously.

But the headlights on my SEL with auto wipers don't come on when the wipers are activated continuously.  I confirmed this by spraying water on the windshield to continuously activate the wipers.  I will have the dealer check it out when the car is in for service.

But I wonder if anyone else has had the probem--or even checked to see if the feature works.

Are you using "top tier gasoline"?--basically fuels that use a high grade additive package to keep the fuel system and engine clean.  If not I would try a bottle of high grade fuel system cleaner.  Techron is a good brand and widely available--at least in the US.

My experience is the same as Recumpence--about 38 mpg at 70 mph using the AC.

My dealer had a "new owner" seminar (all ford models).  I wasn't able to attend the first time, but went to the second one I was invited to.  At one point, they took all of us new owners out to the service bay, where they had one example of each model all lined up.  Owners then went to the model they had purchased for more individualized info from one of the service personnel.  The service tech next to the C-Max, when asked, said that since the first oil change suggested in the manual is 10000, but the first tire rotation is at 5000, we should consider taking it in at 7500 for both, to save a trip.  He said that unless there was some problem related to the oil (or tires), that this should be sufficient timing for each of these services.

My reading of the Owners Manual (page 364) is that tire rotation is recommended at the same time an oil change is done--and for the hybrid that is at 10,000 miles or 1 year, which ever comes first.

The relevant section of the Owners Manual:

If the Owners's Manual description of EV+ is correct it is difficult to understand how the EV+ function being turned off could give the mileage changes you report.  I suspect that the increased ambient temperatures you report are the cause of the increased mileage.  I know that my own experience is that mileage at 60 degrees is significantly better than at 40 degrees.  As reported in other posts Ford says temperature can make up to a 5 mpg difference.

The Owner's Manual says EV+ (0nly) affects performance within 1/2 mile of a frequent destination and only when EV+ is displayed:

The 2010 Fusion (and others) use a BCI Group 96R battery.  The dimensions are the similar.  An example is the Motorcraft Part Number: BXL-96R.  For this battery the CCA is 590 and the RC is 95.  This battery may not fit in the battery box.  I am not recommending this battery, just saying it is available.  Using this battery may void your warranty, ask your dealer.  

 

The 96R has 50% more capacity than OEM, but it still can be drained by parasitic loads.

 

 

Hard to believe using the 96R would void the warranty or not fit because it is listed as the replacement battery in the specifications page of the owners manual (page 350).  In fact the only batteries listed in the owners manual have larger capacities than the battery Ford is installing in the car at the factory.  The listed batteries are:

BXT-96R-500 / BXT-96R-590

You could check the resistance of the heating coil in the seat at the plug under the seat.  A bad/broken coil will show very high/infinite resistance while a good one should have a low resistance.  Given you checked the fuses it seems it would have to be wiring after the fuses, the switch, or the heating coil itself.