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The ACM needs its calibration/firmware updated. Ford has a TSB out for this. It will fix the issue permanently.

It's built into the BCM and is not replaceable.

Not sure about a dealer installed. And I think most have taken the '2014-2017/18' years on the original bulletin as a hard limit on which ones they'll upgrade even though personally I think it wasn't intended to be interpreted that way and just what they covered under the free labor provisions. But I have a 2013 SEL and DIY'd it and it's been running perfectly aside from Ford dropping all the useful features which isn't specific to the '13s and affects everyone.

You got the built in remote start with the keyfob, yes. That was a factory option. What I'm talking about is the TCU itself, the cellular modem. That was not ever offered even as an option on the hybrid models. It was included standard on all Energi models. So being able to use remote start via FordPass is not an option short of the DIY install working on those.

Maybe? The biggest question will be if Ford will activate it and allow you to access the functions through FordPass being a hybrid vehicle. They only ever included the TCU on Energi models, not hybrids. And their servers upstream will be the final decision maker if it is possible based on your VIN. The TCU's themselves have programming parameters for hybrid vehicles though so everything up to Ford's servers should, in theory, be possible. I don't think anyone has ever confirmed it being possible. As far as the car itself responding to the remote start commands from the TCU, that again is a theory but it should work if you have the proper remote start functions in Forscan enabled. It's about the same if you went to an aftermarket CAN based remote start unit. If you do try it, definitely keep us all updated how it works for you. Would be nice to know if it is possible for hybrid vehicles.

You may be able to disable the park sensors permanently through Forscan but I'm not sure of where to find that. It wouldn't be an easy menu toggle or button in vehicle. Stock you can disable it temporarily with the button on the dash under the HVAC controls and it'll remain off for the remainder of that drive. But next vehicle start it will re-enable. No way to change this specific operation. For the Sync issues, always start by checking for any updates and making sure it is fully up to date. The old Sync 2/MyFord Touch systems got pretty much everything sorted by their final EOL update (3.10). And just as a personal anecdote having hitch mounted accessories on a road trip back when I still had Sync 2 installed in my 2013, there were never any issues like this that I experienced. Here's Ford's site that can help you check for and apply updates: https://www.ford.com/support/sync-maps-updates/ Also if you haven't already done so, a master reset is a good thing to try. If you have updates to apply, it's also recommended to reset after those are applied as well. Upgrading to Sync 3 will not be possible through a dealer. They will always tell you no because Ford doesn't support or sanction that. It has to be done DIY.

Cant really comment on the remote start topic but I've never seen anyone who was successful adding the factory RS option if it was not equipped across Ford models. Only some Explorer models seem to be the anomaly here. May just be easier adding an aftermarket remote start module. For the park assist, you'll need more than just the module if the vehicle didn't already have it. You'd need to make sure you have all front and rear parking sensors. You'd also need new ABS sensors. Vehicles without park assist only had unidirectional ABS sensors. Park assist requires bidirectional sensors. There may be other pieces as well. Those are just the ones I'm immediately aware of.

Check the hybrid inverter coolant on the driver's side as well. The overtemp message will also come up for that even though it is not clear that it could be for this. Pull codes as well as those could help narrow down the cause. So many things are monitored and reported in these vehicles.

Service manuals. You can find them on eBay. I highly recommend finding a CD based non-PDF copy if possible as they'll be the most complete but the PDF is ok for the basics. But in my experience that may miss some sections or images. But the service manuals will be the exact thing that Ford dealer techs have access to and go into a lot of detail regarding these vehicles. I do have an ISO file for my 2013-14 copy. I'll see if I can post it up on archive.org later.

Sounds like the AC compressor. They are normally noisy/buzzy in these vehicles especially under high load/high outdoor temps. If your AC works fine, I wouldn't sweat it (pun intended).

Really easy way to check is simply check the voltage while the car is running. It should normally show 14+. If so, follow homestead's advice. Also if this is the original 12v battery, it's way past its useful life and likely needs to be replaced.

Attached some images. There's a long post sticking up in the engine bay for the negative connection and sits closer to the front frame. Although you can use any other metal spot in the engine bay of course. Just make sure it is actual metal, not painted. Also a photo of the 12v battery location which is in the rear. Same whether a hybrid of Energi model (Mine's an Energi in this pic). Some trim disassembly is required to get access.

Absolutely! I keep mine in the storage cubby in the back seat on the passenger side just for this reason. The small pack I have even with the jumper leads and the 120V charging cord fit just fine in there.

Just some clarifications: No alternator on these vehicles. They have a DC-DC converter that takes its place and converts power from the HVB/traction battery at it's nominal ~300V or so and converts it down to the 12+V for the 12V components in the vehicle and to charge the 12V battery. It's programmed to mimic an alternator as far as voltage levels and charge/discharge behavior. One thing to note, and was kinda covered way back in the day here in this thread: Upon 'waking' the car like unlocking, opening a door, etc. the DC-DC converter will go into a kind of baseline operating mode that it puts out a low 12-13V level of charge. Once the vehicle is fully started, it jumps to the normal 14+V and goes into full operation. The DC-DC converter also runs full time when the car is fully started and the ICE or road speed has zero impact on that. It continues to run while the ICE is off as well. This is for the hybrid of Energi model. No difference. For a 2013 if you're still having issues I'd certainly check with a dealer to make sure any outstanding software updates and TSBs are sorted regarding power draw or charging issues. There were quite a number for the early model years that were put out way back in the day. Getting the ACM updated as well is also a good idea as that's another common culprit concerning the radio not being operational or getting stuck on at key off which can also cause a battery drain. That's also been fixed with a simple software update the dealer can do. That all said, a jump starter is definitely not a bad idea to have around just as insurance. The small lithium based packs are fantastic for their size as well as being able to use most of them as a USB battery bank. And our cars don't need much out of them. It can also come in handy for jumping other vehicles as needed as it's not recommended to do so directly from our vehicles (The DC-DC converter is not a cheap replacement if it fails which the bursty jump starting load can potentially cause. Other manufacturers including Toyota already call this out for their hybrid vehicles and recommend against it). As an anecdote, I do have a 2013 Energi SEL myself and it had the factory 12V battery when it finally died and got replaced Dec 2021. It's been perfect so far. In my educated opinion on it, I think a lot of it comes down to software updates not getting done especially this late in the vehicle's lifetime. Unfortunately the important ones require specifically going to your dealer, having them do the diagnostic work, and hope their techs know what they're doing and trace it back to TSBs that call for the updates. It's all a chain of hoping every step goes the way you want it to go and sometimes it doesn't even get started because people are either wary of going to dealers or mechanics in general or are stuck in old, analog mindsets and don't realize these things are chock full of various computer modules which can and do get fixes and improvements over time. The ACM issue is a VERY good example of this. Most live with it and do the classic fuse pull which is just a bandaid but Ford has had a permanent fix out there in software for a while.

I'd first start by getting the actual capacity of the battery currently. The estimated range is practically useless as a health indicator as a lot of factors can impact the numbers. Here's the test you need to do: 1) Fully charge the car 2) Drive it in EV mode ONLY (avoid things that can cause the ICE to start, ie: No highway driving, no cabin heat, as few active accessories as possible) 3) Drive until the plug-in charge is depleted. 4) Once the plug-in charge is used and it falls back to hybrid operation, safely stop somewhere and shut off the car. The trip summary on the left screen will list the kwh used. This is the number you need. 5.5kwh is the brand new plug-in capacity from the factory. Anything above 4.0 is still in good territory.