Battery dead

[SnowStorm]

The new lithium battery jumper packs are quite small - I'm interested in getting one but haven't read up on them yet or researched the options.  My present one is shoe-box size too but a lot heavier!

[Kelleytoons]

I've got one pretty small one that first well in the cargo netting in the back, but I don't think it would fit under the seat (it *might* -- but it might also be a bit too big).

[kc1174]

Yeah the one I posted up earlier is the one I use. Boxed, with all the gizmos it fits in the glovebox on the shelf easily. Unboxed, it'll go anywhere - underseat compartment, armrest compartment. Not sure how or why, but it's supposed to provide a few jumpstarts, but with the Max, I've rarely had to recharge this thing. Connect it up, you hear a click in the engine bay somewhere, fire it up and unhook it within 10 secs. I'm sure somewhere in this thread there's an explanation why, but that click suggests a "jumpstart" in the C-max isn't a traditional jumpstart. Before I turn the key, it seems like it's ready - as if the click tells the high voltage battery it's ok to recharge the 12v (kinda like an alternator on a regular car)... Or something like that. It's like the car goes into a safe mode due to a short, and connecting the jumpstarter is like hitting reset. Of course I could be talking out of my rear end, it's just not a usual jumpstart. Next time I find it dead, I'll see if I can just connect the jumpstarter, hear the click, unhook the jumpstarter and then see if it starts...

 

Item here btw:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00D42AFS8/

[Hybrid dude]

Just spoke with regional customer service manager, who indicated a new TSB came out last Wednesday, TSB 14-0155 which supposedly is another attempt at resolving battery issues. I haven't seen that particular TSB mentioned here yet. I was able to secure a rental vehicle this time and did ask her to ask them to check the coolant pump connectors as well.

[ptjones]

Yeah the one I posted up earlier is the one I use. Boxed, with all the gizmos it fits in the glovebox on the shelf easily. Unboxed, it'll go anywhere - underseat compartment, armrest compartment. Not sure how or why, but it's supposed to provide a few jumpstarts, but with the Max, I've rarely had to recharge this thing. Connect it up, you hear a click in the engine bay somewhere, fire it up and unhook it within 10 secs. I'm sure somewhere in this thread there's an explanation why, but that click suggests a "jumpstart" in the C-max isn't a traditional jumpstart. Before I turn the key, it seems like it's ready - as if the click tells the high voltage battery it's ok to recharge the 12v (kinda like an alternator on a regular car)... Or something like that. It's like the car goes into a safe mode due to a short, and connecting the jumpstarter is like hitting reset. Of course I could be talking out of my rear end, it's just not a usual jumpstart. Next time I find it dead, I'll see if I can just connect the jumpstarter, hear the click, unhook the jumpstarter and then see if it starts...

 

Item here btw:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00D42AFS8/

That is really a neat looking unit. :)

 

Paul

[Kelleytoons]

Yeah, that's the one I bought as well (note that this particular unit is made by one company but marketed under a bewildering number of names on Amazon.  And you can get it for different prices as well -- here's the one I bought:

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D42AFS8/ref=asc_df_B00D42AFS83304803?smid=AGNVO1SI8BPQA&tag=pgmp-550-100-20&linkCode=df0&creative=395133&creativeASIN=B00D42AFS8

 

for $5 more (although at the time I bought it it was the same price).  The company is an interesting story -- you can find them on the web if you search.  Apparently they obtain a product (usually from China) and then market it through Amazon under various names until they find one that sells the best, at which point they discontinue the other names).

 

I keep it in its box, with all the accessories, and it first nicely in the webbed area on the left (on the right I have my first aid kit, plus manual).

[C-MaxSea]

Here is an alternate storage location - bottom shelf of the 'glove box'.  We have last years model of Stanley and have not used it.  The new ones have added features - we bought too soon, :sad:.
 
New Stanley: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MAPFAQC?psc=1

Edited September 5, 2014 by C-MaxSea

[Adrian_L]

Yeah.  But does yours have a tinny am/fm radio, a night light AND a 300 watt inverter??  Plus it's a bicep builder!

 

(similar to:)

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-1200-booster-pack-0111911p.html#.VAoNX-JlN8E

[Sam N]

I just picked up my 2014 C-max yesterday from the dealership.  It was the second time the battery died and I bought the car at the end of March 2014.  My print out also shows that a TSB 14-0155 was done.  The service rep says they can't find a reason for the power draw.  

 

I love this car, besides the whole battery issue.  Luckily, both times the battery has died have been when the car's been at my house.  I have a 3 month old and pray the battery never dies while I'm out with him. :(

 

My husband is thinking of getting me a jumper box.

 

[Adrian_L]

Sorry to hear that, Sam.  Congrats on the new addition.   Nap when you can!

 

I have only been on the forum for about 6 months, but it "seems" like the vast majority of dead batteries occur in the morning after the car has been sitting for hours.  Is this generally the case?

 

Or has anyone driven, parked and found their battery dead after say, an hour or two?

[ptjones]

I just picked up my 2014 C-max yesterday from the dealership.  It was the second time the battery died and I bought the car at the end of March 2014.  My print out also shows that a TSB 14-0155 was done.  The service rep says they can't find a reason for the power draw.  

 

I love this car, besides the whole battery issue.  Luckily, both times the battery has died have been when the car's been at my house.  I have a 3 month old and pray the battery never dies while I'm out with him. :(

 

My husband is thinking of getting me a jumper box.

I think that is an excellent idea and It is becoming real obvious that the battery problem is caused by houses sucking the power out of 12v batteries since that is the only time they fail. :drop: 

 

Paul 

[salman]

Sorry to hear that, Sam.  Congrats on the new addition.   Nap when you can!

 

I have only been on the forum for about 6 months, but it "seems" like the vast majority of dead batteries occur in the morning after the car has been sitting for hours.  Is this generally the case?

 

Or has anyone driven, parked and found their battery dead after say, an hour or two?

 

 

Yes, if you read through the long threads you will find that all the dead 12 volt cases have happened after the car has been parked for many hours, typically overnight, which usually happens to be at home. I cannot think of a single case that happened after being parked for just an hour or two. The take-away from this is that there is a power drain that depletes the battery over several hours, hence a drain that is not too fast (speed of drain is also relevant to the reserve capacity of the battery, which is smaller in the CMax than in standard gas engine cars).

[salman]

I just picked up my 2014 C-max yesterday from the dealership.  It was the second time the battery died and I bought the car at the end of March 2014.  My print out also shows that a TSB 14-0155 was done.  The service rep says they can't find a reason for the power draw.  

 

 

I would strongly suggest asking the service rep for a detailed description of everything they checked in looking for a power draw and also a description of what the TSB 14-0155 is about (someone will eventually get the TSB details and post them here).

 

In particular, make sure the service techs checked electrical connectors as noted in earlier TSBs and also checked the coolant pump and the ground connection on the Body Control Module (BCM).

 

Last, make sure they contacted the Ford engineers at the Tech Hot Line.

 

If they did not do all those things then they did not do their job, and should do all those things. If they won't, take your car to a different dealer service department (warranty is good at all Ford dealers)

[Zathrus]

Just spoke with regional customer service manager, who indicated a new TSB came out last Wednesday, TSB 14-0155 which supposedly is another attempt at resolving battery issues. I haven't seen that particular TSB mentioned here yet. I was able to secure a rental vehicle this time and did ask her to ask them to check the coolant pump connectors as well.

 

Does anyone have access to description of the new TSB 14-0155 (or know what this new TSB does)?  I recall someone in this forum was able to view TSB's and post their details. Thanks.

[Sam N]

Yep, each time it has happened it's been after sitting in the garage over night.  Both times the previous day before I've driven the car.  I was wondering if there was a way the house could be leaching the power but thought that was too stupid ;)

[ptjones]

I don't really think the house sucking power out of the CMAX, but I wonder if with computer wireless communications or maybe MCELL or etc are affecting communications in the car causing things to turn on and drain the 12v batt. Probably a long shot for sure. :) 

 

Paul 

[SnowStorm]

[Edit] Removed since it looks like my meter has flaked out!  Good grief.

Sorry for all the confusion.  Thankfully, I guess the ET mode voltage reading is correct after all!

Edited September 7, 2014 by SnowStorm

[homestead]

Without starting the car I would monitor the total current draw and start pulling fuses one at a time to find the circuit

that is pulling down the battery.

[SnowStorm]

Problem is I don't see any current draw - no voltage drop across the ground cable.

[homestead]

Problem is I don't see any current draw - no voltage drop across the ground cable.

Yeah you reset the problem by starting the car, you have to wait until you get into failure mode again to find the

circuit that is drawing current.

[SnowStorm]

I have clip leads out the back; plus battery terminal, minus battery terminal, frame ground.  Car has been off for over an an hour.  Voltage is still dropping (though occasionally it goes back up some).  Problem is happening now!

[drdiesel1]

Problem is I don't see any current draw - no voltage drop across the ground cable.

You can't read a parasitic load by voltage drop on the battery cable(s). It needs to be an inline setup with a DVOM

set to monitor amperage in the M/V scale.

Edited September 7, 2014 by drdiesel1

[kc1174]

I have clip leads out the back; plus battery terminal, minus battery terminal, frame ground. Car has been off for over an an hour. Voltage is still dropping (though occasionally it goes back up some). Problem is happening now!

I'm sure it's something you've already looked at but can you check if pulling fuse F2 in the engine bay stops the drop? That's the water pump.

[drdiesel1]

I have clip leads out the back; plus battery terminal, minus battery terminal, frame ground.  Car has been off for over an an hour.  Voltage is still dropping (though occasionally it goes back up some).  Problem is happening now!

You'll need to read the amperage draw, have the passenger door open with the latch flipped closed and access the fuse box to pull fuses and see what circuit is causing the draw. Then you need to know everything that's on the circuit and also understand that by pulling fuses you can active a module to wake up. This will give you a false reading. It takes up to an hour for the systems to sleep.

Edited September 7, 2014 by drdiesel1

[Hybrid dude]

I'll add another interesting electrical observation regarding my radio. On several occasions, I've driven to pick up someone and had to wait for them, so I shut off the car but still had the radio on. After what I thought was a rather short period of time, the radio turned off by itself and I think there was some wording in the display regarding 'battery low' but I don't remember. I never timed these periods but perhaps they were around 15-20 minutes. 

 

Am I expecting too much for the radio to play for a longer amount of time without turning the key to accessory position? I really don't remember, but I may have actually had to blip the key into start, and then turn off again. I have the base SE with no options, no touch screen.