Battery dead

[salman]

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.

I can't find it on the web. Not yet posted on "fordservicecontent.com" . How are you accessing/finding the TSB releases?

[plus 3 golfer]

I have a one month subscription to C-Max service publications so I can print files to PDF.

 

[lumike]

OK,

Got the car back from Kemp Ford. The service sheet says they did TSB 13-4-7. I'm still going to park nose out just in case.

 Mike

[HPRifleman]

If 13-4-7 is for all C-Max and 13-4-13 is for C-Max with the 4.2" displays, then how can 13-4-13 supersede 13-4-7? Are they not for differently equipped cars?

[ceemax71]

Both TSB 13-4-7 and TSB 13-4-13 only applied to C-Max with the 4.2" display.  Both TSB's require reprogramming the FCDIM.  The C-Max with the 8" touch screen does not have the FCDIM module.

TSB 13-4-13 probably superseded TSB 13-4-7 just to clarify the fact that the procedure only applies tor the 4.2" display.

[Temp61]

Update from Ohio

 

My Cmax has been working just fine for 2 weeks after the updated software patch was downloaded and applied for the FCDIM. 

 

A few minutes ago I went out into my garage and heard a humming sound behind the passenger side rear wheel.  The ambient temperature of the garage is 48 degrees f. and the car hasn't been driven in about 4 hours.  There is no reason for anything to be running so I'll wait till tomorrow morning to see if it will start.

 

It appears  Ford still has a little software work to do.

[HPRifleman]

I'm confused.

 

If 13-4-13 is supposed to be the fix for the dying 12v battery problem, and it only applies to cars with the 4.2" display, then what about the cars with the larger MFT display? What is the fix for the "big screen" models?

[zhackwyatt]

Update from Ohio

 

My Cmax has been working just fine for 2 weeks after the updated software patch was downloaded and applied for the FCDIM. 

 

A few minutes ago I went out into my garage and heard a humming sound behind the passenger side rear wheel.  The ambient temperature of the garage is 48 degrees f. and the car hasn't been driven in about 4 hours.  There is no reason for anything to be running so I'll wait till tomorrow morning to see if it will start.

 

It appears  Ford still has a little software work to do.

I'm not 100% sure thats true. At least in my car, I hear the noise a lot, like just by touching a door handle. I've never had a battery problem.

[The Celadon]

C-Max SE:   Dead Battery Repair Today (4/24/13)

 

The 12V battery on my C-max was dead Monday morning (4/22/13).   After reading up about the problem on this forum, had Ford Roadside Assistance jump start the car today and took it to the dealer.  Thanks to all the data from this forum, I alerted the service rep to TSBs on this topic, and he found TSB 13-04-13 using Oasis.  He reprogrammed the FrontControl/Display Interface Module (FCDIM) and kept the 12V battery hooked up to a charger for several hours.

 

C-max ran like a charm on the 20-mile ride home from the dealer this evening.  Even achieved 60 mpg! 

 

Thanks to all who alerted FORD to this problem and pushed them to find what is hopefully the solution.  We're really enjoying driving our C-max!

 

Details:  C-Max SE,  options package 201A (i.e., Radio with 4.2" Display),  built Aug 11, 2012,  768 miles.  Purchased: 3/28/13

[mbedit]

I'm confused.

 

If 13-4-13 is supposed to be the fix for the dying 12v battery problem, and it only applies to cars with the 4.2" display, then what about the cars with the larger MFT display? What is the fix for the "big screen" models?

 

I believe, (and this is just conjecture at this time) that Ford is considering all other 12V issues as isolated. In other words, they found the common cause for the bulk of the 12V issues to be source back at the FCDIM which only applies to the SE-200A's and SE-201A's. The data that members here collected (in a poll) seems to agree with that.

 

There has been reported case of something in the instrumentation panel and wiring issues associated to the rear hatch that have also been found to cause a 12V drain, but thus far these seem to be more isolated.

 

The FCDIM issue was causing repeated 12V drains. I guess the question for people with other models, is are you experiencing repeated drains? or have most been a 1 time issue and you haven't seen it again?

[andrewwx]

I wonder now that Ford owns my old SEL with the 8 inch MFT screen if the engineers will take it apart and look for a solution.

 

Still no sign of the mythical better charging software update I note.

 

Glad to see that most people are happy now.

 

After driving a Cmax it is very annoying to have your car not shut off at red lights leaving you to think about the gas you are needlessly burning.

 

Cheers

 

Andrew

[mbedit]

I'm betting they will Andrew. I know what you mean, I had to go out to San Jose for a biz trip and I missed my C-Max! Hertz stuck me in Jeep Liberty and it just wasn't the same. I wasn't used to turning a key and hearing an engine run anymore!

[RachelnLa]

Good to see you Andrew!

[TnTravler]

I'm not sure the cars built recently had the issue worked out...this was my post from another thread.

 

Hello to all, thought I would share my experience with my C Max. This is my company car, about two weeks old with less than 1,000 miles on it. It's the 200A fairly basic model. The build date is 3/21/13. Last Friday I was heading home from Atlanta and connected with my wife who was visiting family (about 1 hour south of home) and followed her home. She called me on the way to tell me my headlights were weird...the driver side was much brighter than the passenger side. I said it must be the angle she was looking through the rear view mirror...she says I've look at thousands of lights and never seen any that look so funky. Saturday morning I ran a few errands and all was well...two hours later we come out to go to the store and its dead...the doors won't even unlock. I called ford roadside assistance and they offer to try and jump it...I say no way the battery is dead as i was just driving it, it has to be a circuit board or something. They tow it to the shop. Monday the dealer calls and says they drove it off the tow truck deck and they can't reproduce the incident. I'm out of town until Thursday so they agree to keep it and look further. Wednesday they call to say ford is aware of the issue and told them to check the battery...but it checks OK. I picked it up today but have zero confidence this vehicle is not going to leave me stranded somewhere.

Edited April 27, 2013 by TnTravler

[bob61571]

Here's the PDF for TSB 13-04-13 , which may solve this issue.

 

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/pubs/content/~WT/~MUS~LEN/3569/tsb13-04-13.pdf

[Maxy]

I am glad to find this forum! Great information source!

One more to the list:(

I've also had dead battery twice now. Bought the car in February, c-max hybrid SE with the 201A package. Have not used plug ins, no weird problems like some posts have mentioned. 4 weeks ago ready to go to work in the morning. No picture no sound..... I thought it was just a glitch. Called roadside and got it "jumped". Exactly 4 weeks later, ready to come home from work and dead again. Roadside to the rescue but this time I am taking the car to the dealership tomorrow morning. Thanks to all of your suggestions I am taking the latest informations with me and let you know what will they tell me at the maintenance center. I've also called Ford Customer Service and got a case number.

After reading some posts about how long the c-max is being worked on in some cases, makes me wonder how much I'll have to pay out extra for a rental car.

I think it is unfair for us to pay for the rental car while they are trying to figure out what is causing the problem. Having a car payment plus a car rental fee on top of that, is a bit too steep. I replaced my 13 year old VW with a new car thinking I will be driving around without problems for a while. I absolutely love my c-max, but never thought I would be having problems with it so soon.

[wab]

I am glad to find this forum! Great information source!

One more to the list:(

I've also had dead battery twice now. Bought the car in February, c-max hybrid SE with the 201A package. Have not used plug ins, no weird problems like some posts have mentioned. 4 weeks ago ready to go to work in the morning. No picture no sound..... I thought it was just a glitch. Called roadside and got it "jumped". Exactly 4 weeks later, ready to come home from work and dead again. Roadside to the rescue but this time I am taking the car to the dealership tomorrow morning. Thanks to all of your suggestions I am taking the latest informations with me and let you know what will they tell me at the maintenance center. I've also called Ford Customer Service and got a case number.

After reading some posts about how long the c-max is being worked on in some cases, makes me wonder how much I'll have to pay out extra for a rental car.

I think it is unfair for us to pay for the rental car while they are trying to figure out what is causing the problem. Having a car payment plus a car rental fee on top of that, is a bit too steep. I replaced my 13 year old VW with a new car thinking I will be driving around without problems for a while. I absolutely love my c-max, but never thought I would be having problems with it so soon.

 

Greetings and welcome!

 

13 yr. old VW, was it new to you?

My son had 2 new VW's 10 yrs ago, he liked to joke that the reason they had two was because one WAS ALWAYS in the shop, he lost count of how many times the passenger windowS fell into the doorS.

I think it's a German thing, we traded our BMW's in when the warranties ran out.

 

Turn your cmax in on your way to work, they'll take you to work (wont they???).

The TSB should be complete by noon, check on it about 11, get a co-worker to take you to the dealership at noon or after work.

 

FYI: You don't have to use the selling dealer if there is one closer to your work.

[Hybrid dude]

I had my dealer install TSBs 13-5-13 and 13-5-1 as a preventive measure last Friday, took about four hours. I haven't had the dead battery issue since the two occurrences last fall.

Thanks for keeping us aware of the TSBs.

[salman]

re-posted from TSB 13-5-1 thread:

 

 

Bad news: dead battery 3 days after service.

 

Battery dead this morning. New symptoms: I opened the drivers door with my key. Inside the car I could hear two noises. From the front passenger side there was a repetitive clicking sound coming from the dashboard or shifter/storage console. From the rear of the car there was a repetitive low thumping sound, like a small electric motoring repeatedly trying to operate to open a door or hatch or something like that. All the doors and the rear hatch were locked.

 

My recent service included TSB 12-11-8, 13-4-7, and 13-5-1, and also two more items. The key fobs were reprogrammed to prevent the global open function for the windows from operating on their own (this had happened 4 times). And due to a warning light coming for the passive restraint system the RCM Module was replaced and then because that did not solve the problem they replaced the left front impact sensor and then because that did not solve the problem they removed the passenger seat to inspect the wiring and found "three high resistance circuit causing fault" and repaired those circuits.

 

The new dead battery problem could possibly stem from something that happened with wiring under the passenger seat. 

 

I am concerned that the battery could be damaged from being depleted and also that the switch and small electric motor being repeatedly activated could be damaged, too.

 

This is my second dead battery episode. The first was in december, just a few days after buying the car. 

 

My car will be towed to the dealer today or tomorrow, depending on my schedule.

 

I will let you know what happens.

[wab]

I am glad to find this forum! Great information source!

One more to the list:(

I've also had dead battery twice now. Bought the car in February, c-max hybrid SE with the 201A package. Have not used plug ins, no weird problems like some posts have mentioned. 4 weeks ago ready to go to work in the morning. No picture no sound..... I thought it was just a glitch. Called roadside and got it "jumped". Exactly 4 weeks later, ready to come home from work and dead again. Roadside to the rescue but this time I am taking the car to the dealership tomorrow morning. Thanks to all of your suggestions I am taking the latest informations with me and let you know what will they tell me at the maintenance center. I've also called Ford Customer Service and got a case number.

After reading some posts about how long the c-max is being worked on in some cases, makes me wonder how much I'll have to pay out extra for a rental car.

I think it is unfair for us to pay for the rental car while they are trying to figure out what is causing the problem. Having a car payment plus a car rental fee on top of that, is a bit too steep. I replaced my 13 year old VW with a new car thinking I will be driving around without problems for a while. I absolutely love my c-max, but never thought I would be having problems with it so soon.

 

Did you get your car fixed?

[Maxy]

Should be done today. They new about the battery problems and the TSB updates. Yesterday afternoon got a call that they've just received another update bulletin and work on that today. Keep my fingers crossed after reading Salman's post. But it sounds like at least the battery issues are out of the bag! Let's hope Ford will be able to fix it. Keep you updated.

BTW I had my VW Jetta all those years with minor problems. I guess I was just lucky.

[zhackwyatt]

I am glad to find this forum! Great information source!

One more to the list:(

I've also had dead battery twice now. Bought the car in February, c-max hybrid SE with the 201A package. Have not used plug ins, no weird problems like some posts have mentioned. 4 weeks ago ready to go to work in the morning. No picture no sound..... I thought it was just a glitch. Called roadside and got it "jumped". Exactly 4 weeks later, ready to come home from work and dead again. Roadside to the rescue but this time I am taking the car to the dealership tomorrow morning. Thanks to all of your suggestions I am taking the latest informations with me and let you know what will they tell me at the maintenance center. I've also called Ford Customer Service and got a case number.

After reading some posts about how long the c-max is being worked on in some cases, makes me wonder how much I'll have to pay out extra for a rental car.

I think it is unfair for us to pay for the rental car while they are trying to figure out what is causing the problem. Having a car payment plus a car rental fee on top of that, is a bit too steep. I replaced my 13 year old VW with a new car thinking I will be driving around without problems for a while. I absolutely love my c-max, but never thought I would be having problems with it so soon.

I thought rentals were paid by Ford when warranty work is being done?

Edited May 7, 2013 by zhackwyatt

[oxnard]

They covered my rental with the battery situation.  One month's worth!  Included a Vegas trip and a road trip from So. Cal to Eureka!

[Maxy]

I thought

 

I thought rentals were paid by Ford when warranty work is being done?

They told me they don't. I even called Ford Central to confirm. I guess it is up to the dealership if they offer you a loaner or not. Thankfully this week a can get a ride to work & home and sounds like this "repair" should not take weeks. I hope I hope I hope.....

[mbedit]

You should find a different dealer. I had rentals for months when I had my issue, all paid for, and the Ford rep I worked with made sure it was handled. Its their problem, and a know defect. In the end if you end up lemon-lawing it they have to reimburse you for all your expenses, like rentals, so that's why they should always give you a rental for warranty work.