High Voltage Battery Re-Conditioning

[borland]

On page 7 of the owner's manual, it discusses periodic high voltage battery re-conditioning to ensure the battery is operating at maximum efficiency. It only states " you may notice slight changes in drivability during this process".

 

After driving my 2010 for about 16 months, I experienced what I suspect was such a re-conditioning event. There was no dash light or warning message on the dash. The engine would continuously run and the battery gage went to full charge, EV mode was disabled, so even with full charge and stopped, the engine would run. This lasted for about 10 miles, before the battery slowly returned to mid-charge level.

 

I only found one post on this topic at another forum web site.

 

Anyone know more about what conditions prompt such a re-conditioning event?

[acdii]

Miles and how it was driven. The battery pack has smart sensors in it to determine cell health and will prompt for a reconditioning. The 2010-12 models used NiMh batteries which need to be conditioned occasionally to be at peak performance. These batteries should never be over charged or depleted, and the computer maintains a set range of SOC in the pack. What the conditioning cycle does it balance charge the entire pack so each and every cell is charged to its peak. As each cell reaches this point it is shunted from the rest until all cells are fully charged, this is why no EV or Regen is used. I do the same thing with my RC batteries but at a much smaller scale.

 

The Lipo batteries in the 13+ work much different and never need a reconditioning cycle. The battery computer automatically balances each cell(or it should based on the lipo care rules).

[borland]

Well I regularly drive down a long steep grade where I need to ride the brake pedal to engage regen. Usually half charge at the hill crest and full charge at near the bottom. So, I'm topping the battery out pretty regularly. Seems like the car knows when it's topped out, cause the gage appears to show no charging.

 

I wonder if the top balancing you described also takes place when the battery is fully charged like in my situation.

 

Still I can't see why Ford failed to think about alerting the driver with a dash message that the car has switched to battery re-conditioning mode.

[acdii]

I wondered that myself. First time it happened I for sure thought something was wrong with the car, then it returned to normal. After that I noticed the MPG improved a bit, so was not going to take it in for this, when it happened again I knew what it was doing so just drove it like a regular car at that point, and was surprised that I got over 40 MPG. The computer decides when it needs to recondition based on performance data, whether its full charged or not. If it detects a cell or more not quite within parameters, it will force this to happen to bring the low cell(s) back up. I dont think the Toyota systems do this, as neither of the ones I had did anything like this, and yet both systems are pretty much the same.

[lolder]

In the 2010-12 in normal use including long downhill braking, the NiMh HVBs never charge over 80% which is the "H" on the gauge. In re-conditioning they charge to 100%. If the re-conditioning is unsuccessful a message should be displayed. I have not heard of any of them on the forums. My re-conditioning's average every 10,000 miles.

[Pearl]

is it possible that my "check engine light" would go on during reconditioning? My car has gone through reconditioning recently and the light was on. now it is off. This happened a few months ago when I thought the car was going thru reconditioning. Light on, then went off.

[John C]

Any hybrid older then 10-7-2008 . VIN 3FADP0L37AR100123

[DrDeke]

Any hybrid older then 10-7-2008 . VIN 3FADP0L37AR100123

Hm?

[hermans]

With vin #123 maybe not. That car was built on 10/7/2008:

 

Build Date:

07.10.2008 Vehicle Line: Fusion/Milan Body Style: 4 Door Saloon Version: High Version - Car Engine: 2.5L 4v PFI I4 Petrol/Electric Transmission: CVT Auto Trans Powersplit Elec Drive: LHD FWD Axle Ratio: 2.57 Emission: 50 State Emission Requirements Air Conditioning: Dual Zone Auto Temp Control A/C Territory: (+)"USA" Paint: Tuxedo Black Metallic

Minor Features

• Charcoal Black Interior
• All Leather Trim No.2
• Hermosillo Plant Build
• Less Appearance Group
• Less Electronic Group
• Less Body Styling Kit
• With English Language Label
• Owner Hand Book Pack
• With BP Fuel Label
• Interior Trim Accent Pack F
• Front Floor Mats - Premium
• With Rear Floor Mats-Premium
• Painted Appliques
• Drv Sun Visors Dual Illuminated HEV
• Pass Sun Visors Dual Illuminated
• With Bright Side Window Moulding
• Less Spoiler
• Hands Free E/Chrom Mirror With Mic
• Drv Pwr/Htd Ck Mirror W/Puddle Lamp
• 4 Door Saloon
• Pass Power Heated - CK/Puddle Lamp
• With Body Coloured Exterior Mirror
• With Driver Seat Back Map Pocket
• Passenger Seat Back Map Pocket
• With Fold Flat Front Passenger Seat
• With LH Manual Lumbar Support
• With Drivers Heated Seat
• With Heated Passenger Seat
• With Driver 8 Way Pwr.Seat Adjuster
• With Pass 6 Way Power Seat Adjuster
• Less Fuel Economy Pack
• With Leather Gear Shift Knob
• Keyless Entry - Illuminated Key Pad
• Speed Sensitive Windscreen Wipers
• With Electric Slide Sunroof
• Less Front License Plate Bracket
• Belt D & P Fr 1 & 2 Row/D Kne Bag
• Spare Wheel - Mini Steel
• 7.5 X 17" Machined Alloy Wheel
• P225/50VR 17 Tyres
• Spare Tyre - T145/80D16
• Normal Rolling Resistant Tyre
• Less Wheel Covers
• Less Immersion Heater
• 50 State Emission Requirements
• With Standard Suspension
• 2.57
• 2.5L 4v PFI I4 Petrol/Electric
• With Chrome Exhaust Pipe Extension
• Normal Fuel Fill
• Less Floor Mats-FIA
• With Remote Starter - FIA
• Less Appearance Package
• Non Locking Capless Fuel Fill
• For Unleaded Fuel
• Leather Steering Wheel
• ICE Redundant Cntrl-Steering Wheel
• With MPH/KMH Speedometer
• HEV Message Centre
• With Blind Spot Monitoring
• With Rear Parking Aid
• AM/FM Stereo/6 CD/Navigation System
• With Satellite Radio Reception
• With NAAO Radio Frequency
• Branded Audio Sound System
• Cellphone Interface System - 2
• Rear View Camera-Fixed
• With Bright Fog Lamp Bezel
• With Quad Headlamps
• Less Daytime Running Lamps
• With Front Fog Lamps
• With Light Group
• With Automatic Headlamp On/Off
• Tuxedo Black Metallic
• Generic Country Group 1
• Less B&A Control Codes Issue 030388
• CVT Auto Trans Powersplit Elec
• Fusion/Milan
• High Version - Car
• (-) GVMT Service Administration
• (-)"CDN"
• (-)"BR"
• (-)"GU"
• (-)"BRN"
• (-)"BZ"
• (-)"ATG"
• (-)"KOR"
• (-)"AW"
• Less Ultimate Package

[rowekmr]

Will the car do this if it has been sitting awhile? I just got a 2010 and it will not go into EV mode but no error messages. It drives like a normal car but will shut off engine at stops.

[Milan_OH]

Will the car do this if it has been sitting awhile? I just got a 2010 and it will not go into EV mode but no error messages. It drives like a normal car but will shut off engine at stops.

 

Maybe too late for you, but check this post.

 

https://www.fordfusionforum.com/topic/19361-my-instructions-on-restoring-the-hybrid-ev-function-on-the-ford-fusion-hybrid-approaching-the-89-years-mark/?tab=comments#comment-109562