Battery dead

[Max Power]

My experience with this(only been a few days) is that my car is doing a better job charging the battery after having the FCDIM update.  The voltage while driving has bumped .5 to .6 volts.  It must be less drain or more power coming from the converter.  I'm guessing it is the converter.

Edited April 9, 2013 by Max Power

[Triple Ford Owner]

Yippie!  My C-max is back today--dropped my 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid in its place due to near death experience on highway...complete power failure--multiple times without warning I might add--bad "CARma" in our house right now...

 

Some of  what the our service paperwork on the C-Max  SE  says:

 

PERFORM TSB per Ford Hotline   CAUSE:..... MT 1121108A  2756  WF.....N/C (no charge)

PARTS:....  (?)  6398 121108A 0.40 Contacted Hotline and was instructed to perform TSB #12-11-8 and REPROGRAM the FCDIM. per 12-11-8 (?)

 

MT BATTERY 2756 WF

1 BXT*67R* BATTERY

1 WPRD 10655

....... Verified concern tested, charged and retested battery, and found battery will not hold a charge..REPLACED BATTERY

Multipoint Inspection Performed... (No Charge N/C)

 

They also removed all of my seats and carpet and throughly cleaned and dried them due to the rain damage...

(N/C no charge)

 

So----- thanks to all of you who helped get the ball rolling on the changes needed!!!! I hope this is our last unscheduled visit for the C-Max  :)

[oxnard]

Haven't had any battery issues since TSB 12-11-8 was done on March 18.  (Knock wood)  

 

Only problem that is happening now is Sync sometimes doesn't see my Mobile Apps on my phone.  Also she has a bit of a hearing problem.

 

--Marty

[lowbar]

Be nice to Suzy.  English is not her natural language.  Besides the phone connections aren't very good in Bangalore.

 

Haven't had any battery issues since TSB 12-11-8 was done on March 18.  (Knock wood)  

 

Only problem that is happening now is Sync sometimes doesn't see my Mobile Apps on my phone.  Also she has a bit of a hearing problem.

 

--Marty

[mbedit]

Awesome news folks! Great to hear people are getting traction and getting this problem fixed!

[zhackwyatt]

Yippie!  My C-max is back today--dropped my 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid in its place due to near death experience on highway...complete power failure--multiple times without warning I might add--bad "CARma" in our house right now...

 

Some of  what the our service paperwork on the C-Max  SE  says:

 

PERFORM TSB per Ford Hotline   CAUSE:..... MT 1121108A  2756  WF.....N/C (no charge)

PARTS:....  (?)  6398 121108A 0.40 Contacted Hotline and was instructed to perform TSB #12-11-8 and REPROGRAM the FCDIM. per 12-11-8 (?)

 

MT BATTERY 2756 WF

1 BXT*67R* BATTERY

1 WPRD 10655

....... Verified concern tested, charged and retested battery, and found battery will not hold a charge..REPLACED BATTERY

Multipoint Inspection Performed... (No Charge N/C)

 

They also removed all of my seats and carpet and throughly cleaned and dried them due to the rain damage...

(N/C no charge)

 

So----- thanks to all of you who helped get the ball rolling on the changes needed!!!! I hope this is our last unscheduled visit for the C-Max  :)

I'm curious as to what problem the dealer finds with the Escape.  Are you not getting it fixed?

[andrewwx]

Hi All:

 

I signed my Cmax back to Ford today. I will miss it. Ford was exceptional in the way they handled it. They even paid me back the interest that was charged on my loan and only charged me 89$ for milage.

 

Its a bummer that mine had problem. I hope that mbedit Cmax will provide all the answers to this problem. I do note that the number of posts in the topic has dropped way off - I would suspect because we are warming up now that it is spring and the batteries are happier.

 

I bought a used Fiesta from Vista Ford, another very pleasant transaction. 

 

Take care everybody

 

Andrew

[mbedit]

Best of luck Andrew. Ford did tell me that the cold aggravated the issue as the batteries don't charge as well and they indeed have seen a drop off of complaints in this regards so your right on the mark.

[RachelnLa]

Awww, Andrew. Stop by and visit now and again!!

[Laurel]

I'm glad the buy back went well Andrew.  I'm sure you will be happy with the Fiesta as it is a nice car --very good mileage I hear.

[andrewwx]

Hi Laurel:

 

Well the Fiesta is no Cmax, but it will do and now I have no car payment which is nice. On the highway it gets similar milage as the Cmax, but its when I am driving around town that I really miss the Cmax. Something so satisfying about having the engine shut off at red lights. I almost bought a Volt, but the 44,000$ price was just too high even with the tax credits.

 

Perhaps I will buy a 2nd gen Cmax in a couple years

 

I hope you have nothing but smooth sailing in yours.

 

Cheers

 

Andrew

[Laurel]

Thanks Andrew.  Fingers are crossed.  Waiting for gen 2 is a grand idea, and no car payments is sure something to celebrate.  Take care and don't disappear --you don't want to miss the gen 1 soap opera <g>.

[erwhitham]

Good luck, Andrew. Your car problems gave many of us helpful information. Glad you can relax and enjoy a new car.

[Jonescurt]

Car was dead again yesterday for the third time. I guess I'll be taking in again tomorrow to get fixed. I've had it for three weeks since they last fixed it. What bothers me the most about this is that they basically told me that they were not sure they fixed it last time but still insisted that I leave with it. I'm done with the car and with Ford. I wrote a letter to ford corporate demanding that they buy back the car. I've mentioned this to the dealer and they have just ignored me. For those who successfully had Ford buy back the car,anysuggestionsfor how to move forward with that?

[JAZ]

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/consumer/rights/lemonlaw.htm

[HPRifleman]

Car was dead again yesterday for the third time. I guess I'll be taking in again tomorrow to get fixed. I've had it for three weeks since they last fixed it. What bothers me the most about this is that they basically told me that they were not sure they fixed it last time but still insisted that I leave with it. I'm done with the car and with Ford. I wrote a letter to ford corporate demanding that they buy back the car. I've mentioned this to the dealer and they have just ignored me. For those who successfully had Ford buy back the car,anysuggestionsfor how to move forward with that?

What is your car's build date?

[Jonescurt]

I looks like it was built on Oct 12th.

[mbedit]

Jonescurt, a few questions, is your C-max a SE-200A or SE-201A model? If so, has Ford installed / upgraded the Front Control/Display Interface Module (FCDIM) firmware?

 

its TSB 12-11-8.

 

If they did this its supposed to fix the problem for SE-200A or 201A's

 

Oh, and any 200A/201A's built before Feb 16th could exhibit the problem, so yours being built Oct '12 would be in the trouble zone.

Edited April 21, 2013 by mbedit

[Jonescurt]

Mine is the SE 200A. I am not sure if they tried to update that specific firmware. I know that they have been working closely with Ford and did tell me they updated some software but they were not specific. I also know they pretty much have pulled apart the car looking for something to blame for this.

How do we know that the firmware will fix the issue? Is this something that is proven or just hoped for at this point?

[plus 3 golfer]

ine is the SE 200A. I am not sure if they tried to update that specific firmware. I know that they have been working closely with Ford and did tell me they updated some software but they were not specific. I also know they pretty much have pulled apart the car looking for something to blame for this.

How do we know that the firmware will fix the issue? Is this something that is proven or just hoped for at this point?

When the dealer works on your car, you should receive a copy of the work order indicating the problem being addressed and the work the dealer performed on the car. Even if it is covered under warranty, you should have also signed the service order.  There are 2 TSBs 13-4-7 (effective April 11, 2013) and 12-11-8 (effective Nov. 12, 2012)and both instruct the dealer to update the firmware with 85.01 or later. Check the service order or call the dealer and ask about the TSBs.  

 

Time will tell whether the firmware update fixes the battery issue.  Others, who have monitored 12 V battery voltage, see higher and more stable battery voltage after the update than prior to the update.

 

 

[salman]

Plus 3

 

Thank you. I do not think anyone else has posted information about TSB 13-4-7.

 

We are all still waiting for a TSB about the step down converter charging system. 

[lumike]

Hi all,

Just had my c-max loaded on a flatbed and taken to Kemp Ford, Thousand Oaks, CA. This will be the 2nd time to the dealer. !st time jumped by AAA, drove to dealer, no trouble found. This time called Ford roadside assistance. The guy who came made an interesting suggestion. Since the car was parked nose in and in Park, it could not be rolled onto the flatbed. So what he did was to connect the jumper cable just long enough to get the car into neutral with the key on. Then shut it off right away and sure enough it was dead when the key was turned on again.

 Also, at the dealer, I spoke to a higher up and let him know this is a wider issue than just my car. Gave him this web site and he said he would take a look.

I let the service rep know about the TSB.  So we shall see.

 Mike

[oxnard]

Had same problem with mine.  Nose in the garage.  Driver just touched the jumper to the spud and everything started to work.  They flatbedded it to Vista Ford Oxnard where it sat for a month+ until TSB 12-11-8 came out.  Been working fine since.  :worship:   

 

Really like the car and having fun getting the mileage.  But some days I just need to rev-up the Mustang GT.

[mbedit]

Mine is the SE 200A. I am not sure if they tried to update that specific firmware. I know that they have been working closely with Ford and did tell me they updated some software but they were not specific. I also know they pretty much have pulled apart the car looking for something to blame for this.

How do we know that the firmware will fix the issue? Is this something that is proven or just hoped for at this point?

 

TSB 13-4-7 is the result of the root cause analysis Ford did with the C-Max they bought back from me.

 

Its the same firmware update that TSB 12-11-8 calls for.

 

So, its supposed to be the real fix. What Ford told me, and this is talking directly with the engineer who worked on it and issued the TSB, is that the firmware in the FCDIM module, under certain circumstances, caused a loop fault in the network that caused the modules to not go to sleep and thus drain the 12 VDC battery.

 

Another issue... the one TSB 12-11-8 describes was a result of complaints by people that noticed a failure of the radio, and the FCDIM display to turn off after exiting the vehicle. What they didn't know is that the issue also caused the network fault that drained 12 V Batteries. When they found the problem they also discovered that they had actually fixed the drain issue at the same time they fixed the radio / display shutdown.

 

Now, this will only fix issues in the SE-200A and SE-201A C-maxes, and I hope its proven, since Ford ripped apart my old C-Max to get to the root cause.

 

I just had them do TSB 13-4-7 to mine today because any manufactured before (around) Feb 16th has the old firmware and thus could exhibit the issue. Once they realized the criticality of the issue they added the new firmware to builds after Mid Feb.

 

So since you have an SE 200A and its build date is before Feb '13, if they haven't done a firmware update on the FCDIM then you should have it done. it should save you the headache of doing a buy back, as ultimately, with any lemon law, you have to give written notice to the manufacture and allow them one last chance to fix the issue... which, they will probably apply this TSB and claim its fixed.

 

Unless of course, you just done with it, and if so then get your paper work in line, write and let them attempt to fix it, and if the issue comes up again, you can pursue the buy back.

[plus 3 golfer]

Ford released TSB 13-4-13 today which supersedes 13-4-7 shown above to update the title and issue statement.  The service procedure remains the same.