12v battery dead after two weeks (twice)

[jpohlman]

The other thing to look at is the electrolyte level in the battery.

I pull the battery and top mine off every year.

You have to remember that the 12v is technically the booting power supply for the car and the charge rate to it is really low compared to a non-hybrid.

 

[VILSIS]

@jpohlman My 12 v battery is closed and I can not check the electrolyte level in the battery.

[Deb]

This conversation already scares me.  We have had 4 Ford Fusions previously  and have never had a problem.  But we just bought a 2020 Hybrid and dealer delivered the car to us 2 weeks ago and we test drove it but then I didn't want to drive it until I got in some WeatherTech.  We did 1 test drive and then moved the vehicle to a different parking spot after that and today would have been the first day of using it but the battery was dead and tested at 7 volts.  Bummed.  I don't want a problem car and none of the Fusions we had were problem cars.

[billford]

3 hours ago, Deb said:

 We did 1 test drive and then moved the vehicle to a different parking spot after that and today would have been the first day of using it but the battery was dead and tested at 7 volts. 

 

The first thing I would try is to disable the automatic software updates. It's somewhere in the setting menu on your centre display.

[dingle]

Could anyone supply the TSB for the 12 volt hybrid battery problem? A local dealer denies that there are any.

Thanks.

Berry

[murphy]

The problem with the Fusion Hybrid or Energi is they must be driven daily to keep the 12 volt battery charged.  After a week or so the battery will be dead.  Once it is dead it is permanently damaged.  It's a wet cell lead acid battery.  It should have been an AGM battery.

If it can't be driven daily a 12 volt  battery charger will solve the problem.  The car is loaded with microprocessors that are never turned off.

My 2021 Mach-E came with an AGM battery installed.  Tesla very quickly switched from wet cell lead acid to an AGM battery.

 

[dingle]

Should water be added to a "maintenance free" battery? It seems like in past, I added water to one and killed it.

Berry

[murphy]

Maintenance free batteries usually have sealed caps to prevent the addition of water.

 

When adding water to a battery that does allow it the water must be distilled water.

Tap water usually has minerals and salts that will kill a battery.

 

 

[mwr]

10 hours ago, murphy said:

The problem with the Fusion Hybrid or Energi is they must be driven daily to keep the 12 volt battery charged.  After a week or so the battery will be dead.

I recently left my 2015 FFH (with original 12v battery) parked for a week, with no problem at all.

[agbva]

I've left my 2018 FFH for as long as 3 weeks with no ill effects. Started right up, no errors or anything unusual.

[mwr]

13 minutes ago, agbva said:

I've left my 2018 FFH for as long as 3 weeks with no ill effects. Started right up, no errors or anything unusual.

Great to hear that!

[dogo88]

15 hours ago, agbva said:

I've left my 2018 FFH for as long as 3 weeks with no ill effects. Started right up, no errors or anything unusual.

 

Same here. Just got back from a 17 day cruise and it started right up on my 2019 FFH Titanium. I did get an email from Ford Pass app, after two weeks, that I would not be able to remotely start/stop the vehicle. Got that before on my prior FFH 2010. 

 

Dan

[FFH dude]

My girlfriend drives a 2013 FFH with about 180-190k miles, over the past few weeks she’s been having to jump it multiple times a week, it’ll work fine for a few days then need jumped again, she just had it tested at Napa and they said the battery in the trunk was fine, any suggestions?

[2014FordFusionSE]

22 hours ago, FFH dude said:

My girlfriend drives a 2013 FFH with about 180-190k miles, over the past few weeks she’s been having to jump it multiple times a week, it’ll work fine for a few days then need jumped again, she just had it tested at Napa and they said the battery in the trunk was fine, any suggestions?

 

How old is the battery?

If the battery tested ok, could be some kind of parasitic drain.

Is the gas mileage ok? I wonder if it's the high voltage battery given that it's almost at 200k miles (which is awesome, btw.)

[Cobra348]

5 hours ago, 2014FordFusionSE said:

 

How old is the battery?

If the battery tested ok, could be some kind of parasitic drain.

Is the gas mileage ok? I wonder if it's the high voltage battery given that it's almost at 200k miles (which is awesome, btw.)

I have a battery that I got 1 year ago.  It has been dead twice so far ... to the point I carry a jump pack with me.  Dealers around here will not provide loaners - rentals, yes - loaners no.  So to put my car in the shop for an indeterminate time to sniff out a gremlin is not financially right IMO.  The battery this one replaced was the OEM unit and only 3 years old - deader than a door nail.

 

So it's not just older FFH but ones with 50K or less miles.