Life or Death- Must have battery voltmeter

[kaptnk228]

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Edited November 4, 2014 by kaptnk228

[stevedebi]

Why is this under 2014?

[ptjones]

kaptnk228 you already posted this info in other dead battery Threads. You seem to be the only person to have this happen too and a few thousand have visited this Forum. As you have mentioned before and as I have done, got a plugin voltmeter for $5 so I can monitor 12v battery. It sounds like your FORD Dealer fixed your car so I don't know why you are still complaining about it. 

 

Also you putting out miss information, My battery voltage is rarely above 12v, sometimes below 12v and it has started for 2yrs/77kmi. without a problem. We just don't know how low it can be and still work. When the car is on it reads 14.7v.

The CMAX has temp. gauge in MyVeiw . :)

 

Paul

[plus 3 golfer]

kaptnk228 you already posted this info in other dead battery Threads. You seem to be the only person to have this happen too and a few thousand have visited this Forum. As you have mentioned before and as I have done, got a plugin voltmeter for $5 so I can monitor 12v battery. It sounds like your FORD Dealer fixed your car so I don't know why you are still complaining about it. 

 

Also you putting out miss information, My battery voltage is rarely above 12v, sometimes below 12v and it has started for 2yrs/77kmi. without a problem. We just don't know how low it can be and still work. When the car is on it reads 14.7v.

The CMAX has temp. gauge in MyVeiw . :)

 

Paul

Agree as apparently Voltage below 12 V is considered normal when the car is off.  

 

Below is an excerpt from the service manual.  When the car is on, alarms (DTCs) aren't triggered until the voltage falls below 11.5 V and the converter will continue to supply power down to 8 V.   But we still don't know the minimum voltage needed start the car.  The answer might be the minimum voltage spec. for closing the relay that connects the HVB to the car. A quick search of HV, 12 V relays shows that the minimum operating voltage might be around 75% of rated voltage or 9 V.

 

I also believe that what was experienced by the OP is a one-off event and not associated with the "dead battery" issue some have experienced multiple times where the car is off and then won't start because of low battery voltage.  As I've said in two other threads, the OP needs to file a complaint with NHTSA to document his experience as it appears it may be a "safety" issue.

The Direct Current/Direct Current (DC/DC) converter control module monitors the 12-volt battery system voltage internally at the B+ terminal of the Direct Current/Direct Current

(DC/DC) converter control module. If the voltage drops below 11.5 volts at the B+ terminal (output of DC/DC) while the ignition is ON, the Direct Current/Direct Current (DC/DC)

converter control module sets DTC U3003:16 and requests "CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM" to be displayed in the message center. The Direct Current/Direct Current (DC/DC)

converter control module will continue to produce output current until the B+ terminal voltage is less than 8V. At that point the Direct Current/Direct Current (DC/DC) converter control

module will be in standby mode (Direct Current/Direct Current (DC/DC) converter control module disabled) and the 12-volt battery will eventually be discharged. Reduced or no

functionality of 12-volt systems (such as the headlamps and HVAC blower motor) may also be noticed.

 

 

[kostby]

 

 

Life or Death- Must have battery voltmeter

 

 

Did you contact Canadian transportation authorities? http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/motorvehiclesafety/menu.htm

 

Of approximately 70,000 C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi vehicles sold to date, the United States National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) database has FIVE reports of loss of power with a Red triangle and 'Stop safely now' events for combined reports listed under C-MAX, C-MAX Hybrid, and C-MAX Energi: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults

 

Date of Incident: 10/23/2014 NHTSA ID Number: 10651294

Date of Incident: 07/06/2014 NHTSA ID Number: 10633639

Date of Incident: 05/27/2014 NHTSA ID Number: 10597744

Date of Incident: 09/03/2013 NHTSA ID Number: 10541693

Date of Incident: 04/10/2013 NHTSA ID Number: 10508178

 

"Oh, but you don't know how scary it was..."  

In 1989 my pregnant wife and I were driving on the interstate in a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera at 70 mph in the fast lane in moderate traffic. Without warning, the engine stopped and the 'Service Engine Soon' light illuminated. No power, no power steering, no power brakes, so I calmly signaled to pull into the slow lane, steered to the right paved shoulder of the road, braked until the car stopped rolling, and turned on the emergency flashers, all without incident. The car would not restart. This was before we had cell phones, so we hailed a passing sheriff's deputy on CB radio who called for a tow vehicle. Mechanic's final diagnosis: The engine computer had quit functioning without warning, and needed to be replaced.

 

So in spite of your continued ranting all over these forums, no deaths and no injuries have been reported to the NHTSA because of this problem. You face a much larger chance of dying from heart disease or cancer (1 in 7), lower respiratory disease (1 in 29) or self harm (1 in 107) than in any vehicle accident (1 in 112). http://www.nsc.org/news_resources/injury_and_death_statistics/Documents/2014-Injury-Facts-43.pdf.

Your continued hysteria is unbecoming.

 

[Adrian_L]

I offer a heartfelt "Thanks" to the members above for emulating my thoughts precisely.

 

I got the message the 5th time and frankly I ignored it.  The idea that a dollar-store voltmeter can save your life is so overly dramatic and basically silly that I rolled my eyes.

 

Look, you got a bad car.  Once in a blue moon, my 1985 Hyundai Pony would randomly accelerate (it was always at a light or parking lot with the clutch in) and I would have to turn off the ignition temporarily.  I didn't stop Hyundai Ponys at red lights and tell them in a panicky voice that their lives were in danger!!!

 

Enough already....

Edited November 4, 2014 by Adrian_L