Recurrence of battery failure

[Megscmax]

I too am having problem after problem with battery drain in my max now on third battery. My max only has 5000 miles on and have had it 6 months. Will be consulting lawyer about Delaware lemon law. I am very upset because I love the c max but need to know I can trust it to get me where I am going. Anyone have any suggestions.

[mrobinso8]

I guess give up for your mental health.  I am about to do that due to dead batteries in my 2013 Fusion Hybrid.  Like talking to a machine when dealing with Ford Corporate. Sound understanding but do nothing.  I have been told by the Ford District Rep that it is "Normal" to the usb drive running it down.  Wife's C-Max on only second battery and had been fine since December 12.

[drdiesel1]

My USB thumb drive and my iPod were draining my battery. The thumb drive was being pinged all the time, even

with the key off. I assume the iPod was charging during this time of module activity. I never tested it's parasitic draw.

After unplugging them, my battery has been perfect.

 

I tested it again yesterday after I recharged it to 100% SOC about  9 days ago. It would normally be down to 12.2 volts and 50% SOC within 4 to 5 days.  It's been over 12.6 volts and 95% SOC for the last  9 days.

I call that a fix :love_shower:

 

Edited October 26, 2013 by drdiesel1

[Powder Puff]

i purchasd my cmax less than a month ago.  I drive it daily in San Franciscco, very rarely get above 45 mph and only about once a week do i drive on the freeway.  After not driving for 4 days, battery went dead.  I got a strange message on display screen saying something about battery save mode.  I checked manual and did not find anything related to this.  Called Ford Roadside, got a jump and car was fine.  I brought it to Serramonte Ford Dealership where I purchased it to have them check it out.  The Service Rep was shocked that it only had 900 miles on it and asked if i drove it often.  I told him I drive it everyday in the city.  He told me I need to drive longer distances at higher speeds so I can recharge the 12v battery.  He said this is a commuter car, not really designed for city driving.  Why do they advertise city MPG if it's not a car to be driven in the city?  Has anyone gotten this same explanation?  Is this correct?  So far, I really like this car, but having the battery die with less than 1,000 miles is a bit disappointing.

[drdiesel1]

Whoever told you that is an idiot. They have some TSB's for dead battery issue's and they

need to inspect your car. They also need to properly charge your battery after it's been

discharged to the point of being dead. Don't take BS from your dealers SA. Talk to the manager.

[mtb9153]

Yes that Bozo doesn't know what he's talking about.  Guys full of S&*T

[mtb9153]

Did you just do a trade?

Or did Ford buy it back?

 

These things are going to start showing up (probably already are) on used lots as certified and that is REALLY :stirpot: going to :stirpot: stir the pot!

there's one sitting on the used lot at my dealership, not sure if it was a buy back or return

[fbov]

i purchasd my cmax less than a month ago....After not driving for 4 days, battery went dead.  ..., got a jump and car was fine.  I brought it to Serramonte Ford Dealership ...He told me I need to ...

Do a search in this forum for thread titles containing "TSB" and "SSM" and you'll find that one member posts these techincal service bulletin and service manual supplements as Ford puts them out. It really helps when you can ask the service advisor about a specific TSB, so he can't blow you off like that.

 

I'll wager this one sounds familiar; your build date is on the drivers' door jamb sticker.

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/3138-tsb-13-7-10-12-volt-battery-discharged-will-not-hold-charge-radio-with-42-inch-display-only-built-before-6222013-supersedes-tsb-13-04-13/

 

The other great resource is ETIS.

https://www.etis.ford.com/home.do

 

Enter your VIN under the "Vehicle" tab and you'll find out lots about your car, like any outstanding field service actions (ask/search here if you have some).

 

Finally, there's the Vehicle Health Report; the car can tell you if there's something the dealer should investigate. See your owners' manual for info.

 

And Welcome!

Frank

[Muttonhead]

May be a dumb question, but is it possible that Ford got a sh*t load of bad batteries that were installed in the first run of C -Maxes? I've had experience with new batteries that tested fine, but after having issues, were replaced, and eliminated the problem. Like I said, may be a dumb question!

[drdiesel1]

They have TSB's for known issue's. It's been an ongoing issue. Most dealers are lame and think

they can talk BS to customer to eliminate doing their job. Lazy and useless employee's are the worst.

[JWGrayson]

Hi, I am new to the forum and to my C-Max. I bought it 10/28/13. It was built 9/14/13. After having the car only 2 weeks I experienced the issue with the battery being dead. I called RSA and they sent out a guy to jump it. He told me to drive it for 15 to 20 minutes to change the battery, which I did. It has been fine since. I did not take it to the dealership as I blamed it on my driving habits. I am retired and I am the care giver for my elderly Mother; thus, I don't drive very much. Most of my driving consists of very short trips that are between .8 and 2.5 miles each way. My MPG suffers because of this, but I understand why. I am concerned that my driving habits will be an issue. I really like my C-Max and wish to keep it a long while.

 

Now that I've learned about this site and the battery issues, I'll check with the dealership so that it is recorded.

[Laurel]

JWGrayson welcome to the forum.  We drive our car very little compared to most on the forum--short hops like you.  Sometimes we don't drive it for several days.  We take the odd longer trip of a few hundred kilometers when going out of town.  We have had no battery problems (knocking on wood) and I would be some peeved if I learned that our car would suffer battery issues from being used infrequently and I would be very vocal with Ford if that was the case.  Our experience is the car works fine with intermittent and little use.  Good idea that you are letting the dealership know--make sure you get something in writing that you registered your complaint and I think the only way to get that is to insist that they check out your car for the dead battery issue.  Kudos to you for caring for your elderly mom.  We did that too and it is very draining and difficult often.  Not so many people do it anymore.

[drdiesel1]

If your battery was dead and the car was jump started, you need to properly charge your battery with a battery charger.

[JWGrayson]

If your battery was dead and the car was jump started, you need to properly charge your battery with a battery charger.

 

Hi, I assume that the C-Max Hybrid only has the Lithium-Ion battery pack, and does not have a 12-volt battery as with non-hybrids. So, when you say to charge the battery, I continue to assume that you are referring to the Li-ion one.  I'll discuss that with the service department when I head to the dealer as Laurel suggested. Thanks!

[salman]

Hi, I assume that the C-Max Hybrid only has the Lithium-Ion battery pack, and does not have a 12-volt battery as with non-hybrids. So, when you say to charge the battery, I continue to assume that you are referring to the Li-ion one.  I'll discuss that with the service department when I head to the dealer as Laurel suggested. Thanks!

 

Hi

 

The C-Max has two batteries, a 12 volt and the Lithium battery. The 12 volt system is the one that has troubled many of us.

 

There are several discussion threads about the 12 volt problem in this forum. The biggest thread with the most information is in the section on Maintenance, TSBs, and Recalls. That is a long thread, but many of the messages are short and once you start reading you will pick up speed.

 

There have been several TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins) advising service departments on how to try to handle 12 volt problems. You will find them discussed in the other threads. There are TSBs for the battery ccharging software, for the entertainment screen, for the main engine wiring harness, and also another for the Body Control Module. Some people have not had repeat symptoms after one or another of these repairs, but others have had all of the repairs and still have been hit with dead 12 volt systems. Thus it seems Ford has not yet definitively identified and solved the problem.

 

By learning as much as you reasonably can you will be in a better position to evaluate whether your service department is doing a good job. At the very least, let them know that you know there are several TSBs related to 12 volt problems and let them know that you know this has afflicted quite a few CMax's. Ford HQ knows it, too.

 

The problem is not caused by how you drive the car. If anyone at the service department tries to tell you that you should go to another service department and immediately call Ford's central Customer Care number about it.

 

Hope your case is one that does not happen again. You won't know until a year or two goes by without further incident. Until then, keep good records, bring the car to the dealer for service whenever it happens, and, also, if it happens again have Ford Roadside Assistance tow the car to the dealer (unless you need to drive it immediately).

[Owner]

I have had my C-Max for 9 months and have had the 12V battery go dead (4.5V) about 6 times. The ford dealer has had the car two times and could not find anything wrong. The last time on 08/26/2013 for a safety recall and the latest software was installed. The car started every day and I thought the problem was fixed. Last Saturday I pushed the unlock button on the key and nothing happened. The 12V battery was dead again. I was hoping somebody had found a fix that would last. Maybe Ford should have their employees responsible for finding the solution, drive a C-MAX for a year. 

[erwhitham]

JWGrayson welcome to the forum.  We drive our car very little compared to most on the forum--short hops like you.  Sometimes we don't drive it for several days.  We take the odd longer trip of a few hundred kilometers when going out of town.  We have had no battery problems (knocking on wood) and I would be some peeved if I learned that our car would suffer battery issues from being used infrequently and I would be very vocal with Ford if that was the case.  Our experience is the car works fine with intermittent and little use.  Good idea that you are letting the dealership know--make sure you get something in writing that you registered your complaint and I think the only way to get that is to insist that they check out your car for the dead battery issue.  Kudos to you for caring for your elderly mom.  We did that too and it is very draining and difficult often.  Not so many people do it anymore.

I also can drive for days never venturing more than 3 miles round trip. My C Max has had no battery problems. At my last servicing, the Service Manager said he hasn't had one case of a bad battery with the CMax. I understand that's not a valid study but did make me relax.

[TSapp]

I bought my CMax in December of 2012. It is a 2013 model. The morning after I drove it home, the battery was dead. One more drain not long after. The next death came 2 days before moving in late June 2013. Another happened today, Dec. 13 (yes, Friday).
Nothing was on in the car. No switches, plug-ins, lights-nothing.

Has anyone found a fix?

[wab]

Greetings and Welcome

 

You’re in good company there have been several “FIX’s.

Some (???) seem to have worked.

Also several Ford buy backs.

 

Have you had your’s worked (how many times) on?

 

There’s a POLL in this thread.

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/1294-for-those-who-have-had-12v-battery-problems/

 

Here’s the BIG thread, it seems that there are more than 1 cause of the dead battery.

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/361-battery-dead/

 

Good luck and hope you’re one of the lucky ones who gets there cmax fixed

 

wab

[JAZ]

TSapp, until something definitive can be done by Ford, perhaps drdiesel1's suggestion might work for you, i.e., use a battery charger to top off the battery.

[jchaddpete]

After the battery went dead early in October (the fourth time) and after an initial battery replacement and a couple software fixes, a different Ford dealership conducted all the usual diagnostic testing and kept the vehicle for a number of days to determine if the battery would drain after it had been re-charged.  Since the battery was jump-started and the vehicle driven to the dealership (about 25 miles away), the battery was charged by the time it reached the dealership.  A Ford engineer was involved and authorized replacement of the engine wiring harness (a very costly item covered, of course, by the warranty).   Since the jump-starting was successful only by connecting directing with the LV battery in the rear, the engineer thought there could be a problem somewhere in the harness.  Supposedly, someone in New York had a similar jump-starting problem, and replacement of the wiring harness resolved the dead battery problem.  No "smoking gun" was discovered in my case, or anyone else's, and the technician stated that the engineers are simply trying out theories.  It seems that there is no universal "fix" for the LV battery issue.  Each vehicle seems to require a different approach to remedy the problem.  The Ford engineer would not authorize replacement if I was in the process of the buy-back option per Arizona's Lemon Law.  Since I really like the C-Max in every other way, I indicated that I would give Ford one more chance at fixing the battery problem.  Replacing the wiring harness was a very difficult job for the technician, who was amply qualified to work on Ford hybrids.  It took a couple of days, and the car was kept for two more to observe that everything worked properly.

Anyway, I've had the vehicle back for nearly two months with no dead battery issues.  I bought a cheap 12v. digital tester that can be plugged into one of the 12 volt outlets and have kept a log of my driving habits.  I drive a combination of very short distances and several between 15-25 miles.  Voltage when the vehicle is undriven for 24 hrs. or so is usually 11.8-12.0 after I've waited until all the dash lights have gone off.  After driving the car, the voltage is usually 12-3-12,4,  My voltage gauge may not be very accurate since it cost less than $10.00, but I would feel better if the readings were higher.  When I connect a battery charger to the LV battery, the reading is between 75%-80% state of charge--which would be about normal for my driving habits.

So far so good.  I'm taking the car in for an oil change next week and will discuss my readings with the technician.  If I have no problems for a couple more months, I'll feel that the problem was finally resolved and will have regained confidence in the vehicle's reliability.  I really hope that happens since I do enjoy driving the car.  If there is a change, I'll so indicate with another posting. 

[salman]

jchadpete

 

Thanks for posting a lot of helpful information.

 

I do not think anyone else in the forum has written about a problem jumping the car from the front terminals (under the front hood) as opposed to at the battery itself in the rear of the car.

 

One thing you mentioned caught my eye: The engineer's statement that he/she would not authorize a buy back. That is not how the decisions are made at Ford. The decisions are not made by engineers but by a special "reacquired vehicles team" that investigates the case. Also, the relevant state law in Arizona defines the terms for a buy back or replacement by the number of repair attempts (4) or days that the vehicle is out of service because it is in the shop and/or broken (30).

 

You do have the right to keep letting Ford have another chance to fix the problem, but Ford does not have the right to refuse a buy back because they think they are about to discover the needed fix.

[HPRifleman]

Voltage when the vehicle is undriven for 24 hrs. or so is usually 11.8-12.0 after I've waited until all the dash lights have gone off.

 

That voltage seems a bit low. It should be more like 12.4v or more.

[jonathan3d]

Our 2013 C-Max SE was dead again this morning. It happened at least three times last year. The dealer installed a new battery and it worked fine for about six months until now. From the forum, it appears Ford still has not solved this problem. No wonder C-Max sales are declining. Although we love the car for the most part, this problem prevents us from recommending it to anyone else.

[FordService]

Our 2013 C-Max SE was dead again this morning. It happened at least three times last year. The dealer installed a new battery and it worked fine for about six months until now. From the forum, it appears Ford still has not solved this problem. No wonder C-Max sales are declining. Although we love the car for the most part, this problem prevents us from recommending it to anyone else.

 

jonathan3d,

 

Let me see how I can help. PM me your name, phone number, VIN, mileage, and dealer info, and I'll take a look.

 

Ashley