Battery dead

[Hybrid dude]

My battery and thus the entire vehicle was completely dead this morning, couldn't even unlock doors. Awaiting roadside or actually parking lot-side assistance. I have the SE model, so no chance of leaving the vehicle start/stop button on. Just made several routine trips yesterday. Same thing happened to someone on the competing Fordcmaxforum.com . That person eventually received a new battery after five hours of diagnostics at the dealer.

 

Also, not sure if this post is in correct topic but I couldn't find any other relevant headings.

[rfruth]

I assume (but you know what they say) its the 12 volt battery, what a drag - do you know if the inspection eye on the battery is red or green ?

[Hybrid dude]

Roadside assistance jumped it, then we ran it a while and went about our day.

I'm not familiar with the inspection eye but will check it out. Both dealers I called do not have the battery in stock. I'll have the system checked next week, assuming we have no more situations today or tomorrow.

 

Wouldn't you think batteries specific to a new vehicle would be in stock, though as I've said previously, this is my first Ford product.

[C-MaxJaxon]

After parking in the garage today, I heard a buzzing noise coming from under the rear of the car. It continued until I started and stopped the car. Now I'm wondering if this is the cause of dead batteries or if this is considered normal. I haven't experienced a dead battery or heard this noise before, but now I'm wondering if I'll be needing a jump start one of these days. The excitement of being an early adopter, I guess.

[rfruth]

Not sure how anyone is supposed to know how to check the battery, the owners manual under scheduled maintenance says to check "Battery performance" (gee thanks Ford) - my idea, make sure the connections are clean & tight also the eye (on top of the battery) is green. (12 volt hybrid batteries are different, ideally they would be in stock)

Edited October 27, 2012 by rfruth

[rfruth]

After parking in the garage today, I heard a buzzing noise coming from under the rear of the car. It continued until I started and stopped the car. Now I'm wondering if this is the cause of dead batteries or if this is considered normal. I haven't experienced a dead battery or heard this noise before, but now I'm wondering if I'll be needing a jump start one of these days. The excitement of being an early adopter, I guess.

 

 

There is a vacuum pump, you might have heard that - I wouldn't loose any sleep over it

[C-MaxJaxon]

 

There is a vacuum pump, you might have heard that - I wouldn't loose any sleep over it

 

The Owners Guide also has this on page 184, but I'm not sure it sounded like a fan.

 

What is the fan noise I hear from the rear of my hybrid?

 

The fan noise comes from a fan located inside the high voltage battery. This fan turns on when the battery requires cooling air. The fan speed, and associated noise level, will change according to the amount of cooling required to maintain good performance. Maintaining the battery temperature at optimal conditions also prolongs the useful life of the battery and helps to achieve better fuel economy.

[darrelld]

Page 75 of the owners manual says;

 

Battery Saver

If the courtesy lamps, dome lamps or headlamps are left on, the battery

saver will shut them off 10 minutes after the ignition has been turned

off.

Accessory Mode Battery Saver for Intelligent Access Keys

(If Equipped)

If you shut off the engine and leave the ignition in the on or accessory

mode, the ignition will shut off after 30 minutes.

 

So even leaving the ignition on should not be an issue. The dealer should have performed a load test on your 12v battery to determine if its bad or not. The only way to determine some parasitic drain on your battery would be to get

a DC ammeter from homedepot and check for current after the ignition is turned off.

[mdkoeck]

I'm loving my C-MAX, but as an early adopter and picky car owner I had paint flaws at the bottom of the doors....drips marks. Interrior mirror's back film was flawed and passanger front door was out of alignment. Dealer fixed all and gave me a loaner. Great dealer.

 

Now the irritating stuff. Put the car in reverse and it won't go until I shift to Park or N or D and return to reverse. Happened 8 times so far. Also, the multi-purpose center screen dies and nothing will work until I put it in reverse and the rear camera is displayed. Then then back to park or drive and then I get the radio and navigation again. Also, my "Green Leaf" display disappeared completely and then started working when I shut off the car and started again.

 

OK Ford....get your software engineers on this STAT. I hope this is not going to last for the next 10 years I hoped to own this thing.

[C-MaxJaxon]

The reverse problem is discussed in this thread:

 

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/index.php?/topic/338-anyone-noticed-a-problem-starting-in-reverse/

 

The only problem I've had with the screens so far is that one time the radio preset buttons were blank with no text on them. Turning the car off and on was the only way I could fix that.

 

This thread is supposed to be about dead batteries, BTW.

[redEV]

A dead 12 Volt battery can really happen in just about any new car (bad cell, etc.); I had a replacement one, supposedly brand new fail in less than 6 months of use (covered under warranty) and it was a bad cell that dropped the usable voltage to less than 11V that prevented the car from starting w/o a jump. The OP didn't mention it, but assume the 12V in the C-Max is a typical lead acid and not a more advanced absorbed glass mat technology (AGM) type found on some cars (my old '99 Miata's OEM battery lasted almost 8 years!) -- best know brand is probably an Optima. Many LEAF owners were a bit surprised that their 12V's are lead-acid but they do typically cost much less than a gel or AGM so saves the mfg's a few bucks on each car but you would think an advanced hybrid or full EV designed car would use something more state of the art.

Edited October 29, 2012 by redEV

[darrelld]

A dead 12 Volt battery can really happen in just about any new car (bad cell, etc.); I had a replacement one, supposedly brand new fail in less than 6 months of use (covered under warranty) and it was a bad cell that dropped the usable voltage to less than 11V that prevented the car from starting w/o a jump. The OP didn't mention it, but assume the 12V in the C-Max is a typical lead acid and not a more advanced absorbed glass mat technology (AGM) type found on some cars (my old '99 Miata's OEM battery lasted almost 8 years!) -- best know brand is probably an Optima. Many LEAF owners were a bit surprised that their 12V's are lead-acid but they do typically cost much less than a gel or AGM so saves the mfg's a few bucks on each car but you would think an advanced hybrid or full EV designed car would use something more state of the art.

 

Probably a cost consideration, I plan to replace my lead acid with one of these if there are problems;

http://www.a123systems.com/lithium-starter-battery.htm

[Hybrid dude]

Yes, I realize and have experience that a dead battery can even happen to a new battery. It was just interesting that it happened to me with our month old C-Max, considering all the posts I've made in the interest of adding even more electric devices such as fogs, drls, etc.

[redEV]

 

Probably a cost consideration, I plan to replace my lead acid with one of these if there are problems;

http://www.a123syste...ter-battery.htm

 

 

Except these guys are in Chapter 11 so not so sure on their long term prospects ...

 

http://www.a123systems.com/about-us-asset-purchase-agreement-and-chapter-11-filing.htm

[darrelld]

 

Except these guys are in Chapter 11 so not so sure on their long term prospects ...

 

http://www.a123syste...r-11-filing.htm

 

I knew about the Chapter 11, but we are talking about a car battery. Not really expecting long term maintenance or parts availability from that.

[NewMaxDriver]

My battery died the first day I had the car. But I left the headlamps on. Since my previous car had no warning chime when you left the headlamps on I got in the habit of making sure they are off. So it was hard for me to accept that I had killed the battery on the C Max.

 

I have noticed that if I turn the ignition off while the lights are on the headlamps will go out but because the switch is in the on position the warning chime sounds when you open the door. If you get out and shut the door the chime stops and since the lights are out there is no visible evidence that you are draining the 12 volt.

 

I still don't understand where the drain is if the lamps are not shining. And if the battery saver is acting properly it shouldnt matter what you left on. I suppose I need to do a little more troubleshooting to completely understand what went wrong

 

 

[Hybrid dude]

Diagnosis: Battery no good, new one being installed tomorrow.

[darrelld]

Diagnosis: Battery no good, new one being installed tomorrow.

 

Good to hear its easy to repair.

[Hybrid dude]

Dead battery tested delivered 207 CCA (Cold Cranking Amperes), not quite up to spec. Part number is BXT-67R

[mbedit]

So, I'm joining the legions who have woke up to a dead battery on my new C-Max.

 

I called the roadside assitance, and they promptly came out jumpped it with-in 30 min, but I thought it odd and suspected a defective battery so I called the dealer and took it in. They poured over it and called in for tech help, but ultimetly said there wasn't anything wrong with it and reccommended not plugging in accessories to the USB, 12V or inverter when the vehical isn't being operated.

 

I expressed some disbelif at that suggestion and, in fact, if my iPod being plugged into to the USB port can Kill the car, I told them thats a pretty big design flaw as far as I was concerned.

 

Even the Ford Service manager seemed to agree and said he didn't know how they could stand behind that solution.

 

I can't help but think there is an issue like other members have reported that is slow draining the battery.

[CNCGeek]

Do you know if the USB port provides current all the time when the car is off? Maybe switching to a CL adapter would keep it from draining the battery (though it does seem a stretch to believe what they are saying). I have a device connected all the time to the front CL jack and never had any problems with the battery. I use the USB for charging my phone, but only when I am driving.

Edited November 22, 2012 by CNCGeek

[darrelld]

Do you know if the USB port provides current all the time when the car is off? Maybe switching to a CL adapter would keep it from draining the battery (though it does seem a stretch to believe what they are saying). I have a device connected all the time to the front CL jack and never had any problems with the battery. I use the USB for charging my phone, but only when I am driving.

 

I have left my iPod Classic 160gb plugged in to USB continuously for several days without issue.

[mbedit]

Well I had my iPod Connected for several weeks actually w/o any issue. I slapped a DVM on the battery when it was dead and it was only pushing ~5VDC. According to the Users manual, the vehical does supply current to the USB for 10 min after the ignition is turned off. Still... 10 min a couple times a day seems excessive to drain a battery.

 

I fully expect to find it drained again, even after following the reccomendations.

 

I should add... the real issue, as reported, is that if the vehical fails to go into "Sleep Mode" teh USB and other outlets will continue to charge/runn acessories and this is what they think drained the battery.

Edited November 23, 2012 by mbedit

[cgul]

I know we won't need this info for now but tells how to remove both the HVB and the 12 volt battery.

 

http://www.elvsolutions.org/C-Max_Battery_Removal_Final.pdf

[aschofer]

I don't have any proof to support this, but I noticed when picking up my CMax a shut down procedure that differed from my Toyota Prius.

 

Prius, when powering off you apply your foot to the brake pedal, push in the Park button, then Power Off. When I followed this process with my CMax at the dealer - put transmission into Park, put foot on the brake and then pushing the PowerOff button, I noticed on the Synch Display that the car was going into a "Battery Save" mode. When asked, the salesman said that you do not put your foot on the brake when powering off the CMax.

 

This could be a reason so many people are experiencing Dead Batteries because they are putting their foot on the brake when shutting off/powering off the CMax. The "Battery Save" mode probably drains the battery until it's dead.

 

Hope it helps.

 

By the way, I have 900 miles on my CMax and no battery problems so far, knock on wood:)