For those who have had 12v Battery problems

[fordfan82]

My wife is in doubt of getting a C-max now because she's read on other forums about the dead battery issue. Is the issue happening on the SE models with all those buttons in the center?? She didn't beleive me when I told her that. If we like the C-max enough, and decide to lease one then it might be a car we might keep after the lease. Plus the MFT system seems easier to use than all those buttons in the center and that tiny screen.

[mrobinso8]

You have a very smart wife.  Listen to her. :)

[Bill-N]

My wife is in doubt of getting a C-max now because she's read on other forums about the dead battery issue. Is the issue happening on the SE models with all those buttons in the center?? She didn't beleive me when I told her that. If we like the C-max enough, and decide to lease one then it might be a car we might keep after the lease. Plus the MFT system seems easier to use than all those buttons in the center and that tiny screen.

 

I have an early SEL (June, 2012, build) and have had no battery problems.  However, my advice would be, if "you" are worried about the battery issue, look elsewhere.

[ptjones]

My wife is in doubt of getting a C-max now because she's read on other forums about the dead battery issue. Is the issue happening on the SE models with all those buttons in the center?? She didn't beleive me when I told her that. If we like the C-max enough, and decide to lease one then it might be a car we might keep after the lease. Plus the MFT system seems easier to use than all those buttons in the center and that tiny screen.

If you get a new one with SEL package you should be good shape looking at the survey. It is really nice roomy car with great MPG's. :)

 

Paul

[fordfan82]

I thought it was only SE's with those buttons? Does an SE start at 29,000?

[shinytop]

No, SE's don't start that high.  SEL's appear to be safe.  

[fordfan82]

If i get an SE for under 27,000 with MFT then will we be safe with the battery issues? The car will be driven 4-5 days a week.

[shinytop]

The poll shows that SE models with option group 200A or 201A have a higher incidence of battery problems.  What is the option group on your 27K SE?

 

A quick search online shows that locally the STICKER price of just over 27K would be an SE with 202A option group.  On Ford site choose CMAX, choose view inventory, put in zip near the dealer you are seeing the car, and you can view the sticker.

Edited July 7, 2014 by shinytop

[fordfan82]

If I buy a 2014 model, shouldnt it have a build date of 2013? I thought Ford fixed this issue in a software update?

[shinytop]

It depends on how long it has been sitting on the dealer's lot.  I bought mine June 29 and its build date was 3/14, I forget which date in March.,

[Cowspotdog]

probably a silly question - but how do you find out which package you have - I have looked at all the paperwork I have and the tags and the car - and can't find it?

[Adrian_L]

It'll be on your window sticker or you can just look up the info on the specs page of the brochure:

 

http://www.ford.com/services/assets/Brochure?make=Ford&model=C-MAX&year=2013

[drdiesel1]

If I buy a 2014 model, shouldnt it have a build date of 2013? I thought Ford fixed this issue in a software update?

No. Production to dealer is about 1 month on the 14's. Mine had a build date of May and it was at the dealer in June.

[scottwood2]

Lots of posts here and this poll is great.  I would also like to see the other side of this poll.  I see there are very few SE's with the 202A or 203A packages that have had this issue.  Is that because there are less issues with this model or is that because there are not many of these with this package?  So seeing another poll like this for owners who have not had any issues with there C-max would be helpful in determining the percentage of ownership. 

 

Again great poll idea.  Love the detail.  Also good to see that the battery drain problem does seem to be less of an issue now.  Maybe at this point it is not worth creating another poll? 

[wab]

We just got back from taking our Jan 2013 build SEL 303a to the dealer for a dead battery.

 

I've noticed for a couple of months that if I set in the car for a few minutes after turning it off, listening to the radio, I get a message something like "Shutting down to save battery".

Yesterday I had the lift gate open for several minutes when is shut itself.

I got in just in time to see the above message and EVERTHING WENT DEAD!, wouldn't start, no lights, etc.

I put my charger on, pegged the needle and the charger shut down.

Next I hooked up my battery maintainer, it eventually charged the battery enough to start the car.

 

This morning the lift gate unlocked but couldn't open... everything DEAD!

Trickle charged again and took it in.

 

NOTE: I had my  :rockon: "jump box" :lol2: ready if needed.

Edited August 5, 2014 by wab

[drdiesel1]

We just got back from taking our Jan 2013 build SEL 303a to the dealer for a dead battery.

 

I've noticed for a couple of months that if I set in the car for a few minutes after turning it off, listening to the radio, I get a message something like "Shutting down to save battery".

Yesterday I had the lift gate open for several minutes when is shut itself.

I got in just in time to see the above message and EVERTHING WENT DEAD!, wouldn't start, no lights, etc.

I put my charger on, pegged the needle and the charger shut down.

Next I hooked up my battery maintainer, it eventually charged the battery enough to start the car.

 

This morning the lift gate unlocked but couldn't open... everything DEAD!

Trickle charged again and took it in.

 

NOTE: I had my  :rockon: "jump box" :lol2: ready if needed.

Sounds like the battery has a dead cell. Make them replace it.

[wab]

We just got back from taking our Jan 2013 build SEL 303a to the dealer for a dead battery.

 

I've noticed for a couple of months that if I set in the car for a few minutes after turning it off, listening to the radio, I get a message something like "Shutting down to save battery".

Yesterday I had the lift gate open for several minutes when is shut itself.

I got in just in time to see the above message and EVERTHING WENT DEAD!, wouldn't start, no lights, etc.

I put my charger on, pegged the needle and the charger shut down.

Next I hooked up my battery maintainer, it eventually charged the battery enough to start the car.

 

This morning the lift gate unlocked but couldn't open... everything DEAD!

Trickle charged again and took it in.

 

NOTE: I had my  :rockon: "jump box" :lol2: ready if needed.

 

Update:  Our dealer replaced the battery and kept it over night to do the seat frame recall. It was dead the next morning.

He says the license plate light isn't going out which keeps the car awake running the battery down.

 I told him about the LED's a few of us have installed and they stay on for a while, he said they shouldn't cause the car to stay awake but will remove them to test.

 

He also said they've replace a wiring harness on a cmax to cure that ones dead battery problem. PM me if your in the DFW area and your name is Henry.

 

More Monday

wab

 

[wab]

Update:  Our dealer replaced the battery and kept it over night to do the seat frame recall. It was dead the next morning.

He says the license plate light isn't going out which keeps the car awake running the battery down.

 I told him about the LED's a few of us have installed and they stay on for a while, he said they shouldn't cause the car to stay awake but will remove them to test.

 

He also said they've replace a wiring harness on a cmax to cure that ones dead battery problem. PM me if your in the DFW area and your name is Henry.

 

More Monday

wab

 

 

Update II: Passenger seat frame replaced, new incandescent bulbs, new BCM (body control module) and an almost new battery.

Assistant service manager says dead battery caused by LED's in the license plate caused the car to not go to sleep.

 

Maybe the new BCM will clear the "extremely long time to upgrade software" problem.

 

[Tom]

I have experienced three dead battery events since getting my C-Max in December 2012. No trouble for the last several months.  Went on holiday for two weeks leaving my C-Max outside in my car park.

 

When I got back, it started right up -- I'm most happy to report!

[dmk2000]

I just got my 2013 CMAX SEL from a dealer service due to a 12 v battery issue. They updated software for a display that prevented car to fully turned off. Said that, after coming back home, I parked CMAX, turned it off and was ready to walk away. Suddenly, I heard a noise from the back of the car, that seems to be originated from the bottom. Same noise as someone posted video on a forum. To me it sounded like a small blower fan. Turning car on and off again made this noise stop. To me it means that even if 12 V battery is in a good condition, by having this part running would drain the battery overnight. This is discouraging, especially on the same day as this car was supposedly fixed by the dealer. I also suspect it might be a High Voltage Battery cooling blower. It could be at the time of turning this car off, it was running, and for some reason computer aborted complete shutdown due to this running fan, perhaps to avoid Li-Ion cells from overheating. I believe it might be a cause for some 12 V battery issues.    

[drdiesel1]

I just got my 2013 CMAX SEL from a dealer service due to a 12 v battery issue. They updated software for a display that prevented car to fully turned off. Said that, after coming back home, I parked CMAX, turned it off and was ready to walk away. Suddenly, I heard a noise from the back of the car, that seems to be originated from the bottom. Same noise as someone posted video on a forum. To me it sounded like a small blower fan. Turning car on and off again made this noise stop. To me it means that even if 12 V battery is in a good condition, by having this part running would drain the battery overnight. This is discouraging, especially on the same day as this car was supposedly fixed by the dealer. I also suspect it might be a High Voltage Battery cooling blower. It could be at the time of turning this car off, it was running, and for some reason computer aborted complete shutdown due to this running fan, perhaps to avoid Li-Ion cells from overheating. I believe it might be a cause for some 12 V battery issues.    

You should have waited to see if it turned off after 5 to 15 min,

[dmk2000]

You should have waited to see if it turned off after 5 to 15 min,

Will do next time. That said, after turning car on and off, the noise is gone. That leads me to believe that if Li-Ion batteries where truly hot, this operation will still keep blower on after said procedure.

[drdiesel1]

Will do next time. That said, after turning car on and off, the noise is gone. That leads me to believe that if Li-Ion batteries where truly hot, this operation will still keep blower on after said procedure.

Today's cars have lots of electronic control modules that run required functions after shutdown.

Just because you can hear something running after you turn it off, isn't a sign of a problem. That's why you

should monitor it and make sure it turns off before you assume it's a problem. It could be the fan as you say

and it could also be the EVAP system running a leak detection cycle on the system. Cycling the key on and

off only interrupted it cycle. It's not proof of a fault. That's why you wait and see if it turns off by itself.

Edited August 22, 2014 by drdiesel1

[Tomasz Karwowski]

BXT 67R(27-30Ah) 390 is a very small battery. In Poland I can't get it. Can I use a stronger battery = 40-50Ah ??

Edited September 7, 2014 by Tomasz Karwowski

[ptjones]

It would make sense to use the biggest 12V battery you can fit in there, you can't have to many Amp Hours.  Now that you have brought that up I'm wondering if that couldn't be a solution for battery problem. Just thinking. :)

 

Paul