For those who have had 12v Battery problems

[dmk2000]

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

Paul.

If it was, I almost positive that ford would recommend this change to cure 12 v battery issues.

[drdiesel1]

If/when my battery goes belly up, I'll be replacing it with the biggest possible replacement.

[plus 3 golfer]

Paul.

If it was, I almost positive that ford would recommend this change to cure 12 v battery issues.

I agree.  If Ah capacity is the root cause, I'd also think most owners would have had at least one no start in say a year of ownership.   Like a Jump Start,.battery charger, or jumper cables, a larger Ah battery just mitigates the risk (inconvenience, $ and so forth) of dealing with a no start. 

 

Also, here's something to keep in mind when replacing the battery (red text for emphasis).  Don't know what the consequences of inaccurate outputs might be.

 

The Battery Monitoring Sensor continuously monitors the condition and the state of charge of the 12V battery and provides the BCM with this information. The Battery Monitoring Sensor  also estimates losses in the battery capacity over time. The Battery Monitoring Sensor should only be reset when the battery is replaced. It is urgently recommended that the replacement battery has the exact same specification as the original battery. If it does not, the accuracy of the Battery Monitoring Sensor outputs will be compromised.

 

The Battery Monitoring Sensor is clamped directly to the negative terminal of the battery and grounds to the vehicle at the chassis ground connection point through the negative battery cable and eyelet. It is part of the negative battery cable and cannot be serviced separately.

 

External customer loads must only be connected to the vehicle at the customer battery connection point. If an external customer load is connected at the negative battery post, the

Battery Monitoring Sensor accuracy cannot be guaranteed. It is recommended that the Battery Monitoring Sensor pole clamp is not removed unless a battery replacement is required.  Should the battery need to be isolated, this should be done by disconnecting the ground eyelet at the chassis ground.

[Adrian_L]

Very useful info (particularly the first highlighted text).  There's no real evidence that a bigger battery would have prevented the overnight drain problem, and like DMK2000 wrote, it would be unlikely that Ford would have not considered this already.

[ptjones]

Paul.

If it was, I almost positive that ford would recommend this change to cure 12 v battery issues.

I seriously doubt it, it could mean that they would have to replace about 60K batteries. That would workout to around $6,000,000 and they would have to put up with the bad press on yet another recall. There will probably be a battery out by the time I replace my battery. :) 

 

Paul 

[Adrian_L]

I don't follow you.  They simply could have put a bigger battery in the 2014 models without "replacing" anything. 

[dmk2000]

I seriously doubt it, it could mean that they would have to replace about 60K batteries. That would workout to around $6,000,000 and they would have to put up with the bad press on yet another recall. There will probably be a battery out by the time I replace my battery. :)

 

Paul 

If bigger battery is a solution, I think it cost Ford a lot less to replace them, then keep paying dealerships for warranty repairs and rentals. Also by unable to fix 12 V battery root cause, Ford reputation is continually suffering at least in hybrid market. So from marketing and Brand prospective, if larger 12 V battery was a final fix for our 12 v problems, they would done it by now. Also, as Adrian_L said, 2014 models would already had this fixed implemented. Then again, big corporations sometimes live in different universe, who knows.  

[bgarr]

Maybe time to add more months to the poll?  Our C-MAX was built in April.  We bought it in August and just had our first (and only, I hope) dead battery event.  Too bad Ford didn't get to the bottom of this before they built this one in April 2014 and especially before they sold it in August 2014.

 

Love the C-MAX but I'm not sure how long I want to carry a jumper battery around in the back.

[ptjones]

Maybe time to add more months to the poll?  Our C-MAX was built in April.  We bought it in August and just had our first (and only, I hope) dead battery event.  Too bad Ford didn't get to the bottom of this before they built this one in April 2014 and especially before they sold it in August 2014.

 

Love the C-MAX but I'm not sure how long I want to carry a jumper battery around in the back.

Has anyone had a dead 12v battery not at home? :)

 

Paul

[BobJustBob]

Has anyone had a dead 12v battery not at home?

 

 

I suffered a dead battery at work.  The car sat in the parking lot for 8+ hours while I was at work.  When I came out to go home, the battery was dead.  I had to call Ford Roadside Assistance.

 

In all the instances of dead batteries I have suffered (10 and counting!), the car has been parked for at least 8 hours.  I have never suffered a dead battery when the car has been parked for under 8 hours.

[Kelleytoons]

That's probably the better question -- has *anyone* had a battery issue where the car was left alone for less than 8 hours or so?

 

I'm not so sure what that would tell anyone but it *is* a piece of information that might help with the puzzle. 

[ptjones]

also Day or Night. :)

 

Paul

[JAZ]

As posted elsewhere, only failure I've experienced was in the driveway after washing car with garden hose, likely less than two hours.  Went through a car wash once with no issue.  Used to being an outlier.

[fuzzypossum]

I have a new 2014 C max Hybrid, it had 81 miles on it. Ive had it for a week and a half. I went to use it the other day and the battery was completely dead. It was driven the day before with no problems. It was kept in my garage and was locked and everything was turned off. I do not have a keyless car.

 

Im noticing comments about locking vs keeping the car uncooked. What is the relationship between locking the car and having a dead battery?

 

Any ideas as to what could have caused a completely dead battery on my new car?

 

Thanks!

[AudenHoggart]

Third time I have had a completely dead battery after being parked overnight in our garage.  I have a 2013 C Max.  The first time the dealer did a software update.  Problem did not recur until Feb. 2015.  Got it jump started and took it in to dealer.  They kept it overnight but could find no problems.  I'm getting it jump started again today (Sunday) and we'll see if I can start it tomorrow morning.  Either way I'm taking it back to the dealer.  I only have a little over 20K miles on it, but I use it pretty much every day.

 

Any suggestions on what I might ask them to do?

 

Thanks.

[Robert Fugate]

Ask  them what's considered to be a lemon?

[Madmax98]

How can we tell if I have 300a v. 301a, etc?  Please add those instructions to the poll itself , thanks.

[raadsel]

How can we tell if I have 300a v. 301a, etc?  Please add those instructions to the poll itself , thanks.

 

For those wanting help, the major options each group adds:

 

SE 200A: Base SE

SE 201A: Adds power liftgate, ambient lighting, and reverse sensors

SE 202A: Adds MyFord Touch

SE 203A: Adds Navigation

 

SEL 300A: Base SEL

SEL 301A: Sony Audio and navigation

SEL 302A: Power liftgate and backup camera

SEL 303A: Active Park Assist

 

While this is based on the 2015 models, these options (from what I recall seeing) haven't changed much since 2013.

[notquitesane]

you could view your factory window sticker. 

 

I don't know if there is one on this website, but I've used the one located here.  http://www.fordf150.net/misc/window-sticker.php

Just enter your vin to see your window sticker.  The trim package should show up there.

[DavidMBailey]

O.K., has anybody got a recall notice (excuse me, Customer Satisfaction Porgram notice) #15B04 (dated May 2015)?

At 9200 miles my 2013 SEL turned up dead one morning (parked for more than 8 hours, away from home, about 25 miles from the nearest Ford dealer).  The radio had not been working for at least two weeks and I had an appointment to have it looked at. 

 

Thank you guys, I re-read the conversations on this forum and attached a battery charger to it for about 5 minutes.  That worked.

 

Now, about two months later, I get this letter telling me my battery "may become discharged after the vehicle is parked overnight for for a short period of time."

 

With this Satisfaction Program, the dealer will

     check the 12-volt battery and replace if necessary

     Update software in various modules

     Inspect certain wiring and repair as needed.

 

I haven't had any problems since I charged it with the charger, and I now have a portable battery charger, so we'll see how things develop.

--d

[Kelleytoons]

There's a whole thread on that CSP -- do a lookup here on the forum (it will explain what folks have had happen when they had it done).

 

Some of us fall into that program but haven't yet gotten the notice (it's effective until May of next year -- not sure what will happen for those VINs that are part of the program who haven't been noticed by then, but I'm guessing Ford will still have to make good on it somehow).

Edited June 11, 2015 by Kelleytoons

[DavidMBailey]

Yeah...After I posted here I found it.

[Madmax98]

you could view your factory window sticker. 

 

I don't know if there is one on this website, but I've used the one located here.  http://www.fordf150.net/misc/window-sticker.php

Just enter your vin to see your window sticker.  The trim package should show up there.

Thanks, found it - 300A but also has Daytime Running Lights option....

[Madmax98]

I'd argue that replacing the 12V battery (especially a 2.5 year old battery that passes some charging tests) is not necessarily a long term solution, if in fact there is some parasitic drain which could eventually kill the replacement battery prematurely (i.e. <3 yrs).

[Robert Fugate]

Has a anybody found what the parasitic drain was? Or is it low quantity relays not working correctly when they should?