My Battery Story

[keybman]

My Battery Story - I share these details only so that others can compare their similar experiences, since each story seems to have some variations each time.

A few days ago, just before arriving on my drive home, it started raining. I pulled into my garage, got into my house and then pressed the key fob to set the alarm. It didn't chirp, so I went back to the garage to investigate. While headed back, I instantly remembered I had manually turned on the lights not too far from home because of the rain. In fact, I was thinking to myself "how smart of this car to not let me set the alarm without turning off the lights". Sure enough, the lights are on but, strangely enough, the car is locked and the key fob will not respond - not for unlock, lock, trunk, panic - nothing. Thinking maybe the key fob battery is low, I retrieve my backup fob - no difference. Illuminated key pad is also inoperable - displays a single red light, but will not display the numbers.

Knowing I need to manually get in the car to turn off the lights, I realize that I do not know how to remove the key cover, and my owner's manual is inside the locked car. So, after several feeble attempts, I go back inside, download the owner's manual from the internet, and then accomplish the task. Once inside the vehicle, I turn off the lights, and am aware that the car is dark. No interior lights, no dash, even the map lights are inoperable to touch. I put the key in the ignition and the car starts up like a charm! No problem whatsoever - "Ready to Drive". I turn it off...back to darkness.

I set the alarm and went back inside the house to call the service dept. The alarm does not chirp, but does lock the doors. So, I hope that maybe I'll at least be able to get it started in the morning. While talking with the service dept, I went back to garage and notice that the interior light was on and the side mirror lights were also illuminated - they would not turn off. I could now use the key fob to unlock, but only the driver door. Ultimately, I decided to just leave the car garaged and unarmed, as this was the only way to have the least amount of battery drain overnight.

Next morning, I unarm the car and get in - still pitch black, no lights whatsover. Turn the ignition...no problem whatsoever - "Ready to Drive". I make it to Service, describe the problem, and of course...she is now working perfectly. Key fob, alarm, lights all appear as if nothing is wrong. I suspect the 12V battery, and based upon my description, they do too.

I get the call later that morning that they tested the battery and it was "no problem". They were suspecting either the regulator or "the big battery", as my service advisor referred to it. ;) He was concerned that they would have to order a new one, and that it would be a potentially long wait. I expressed to him my skepticism as to the HVB being at fault, but he did say they were now testing with a bigger diagnostic tool. Sure enough, he called later to inform me that the 12V battery was indeed at fault and they were seeing all kinds of codes, sometimes showing low charging and sometimes high charging.

We did have to wait overnight for a battery to be delivered, but it was installed, tested and apparently, problem solved for now. I say "for now" because this is my 3rd battery. Different presentation from last time (Feb 2013) but same solution. All in all, I still love this car, and if I have to replace the 12v battery every 1-2 years, then so be it - it is a relatively small price to pay. Besides, if its replaced that often, it will probably be under the 3 year replacement warranty each time.

(I did have the 14E02 performed as well; 14S21 is still on back order for parts. No apparent effect on MPG, got 54 MPG on the way home in stop-n-go traffic)

[VonoreTn]

Wow, you are getting really good mileage, definitely in the Prius zone. I may have to breakdown and get the new Fusion Hybrid, I really like the newer style. My 2010 FFH is 5 years old with 104K miles on it, with the original 12V battery. I watch it very closely. It has shown the red dot (not green) for the last 40K miles, and the dealer told me that indicator is extremely unreliable. I can't speak for all Ford dealers, but my dealer, had a Ford plan that came with the car where the dealer would do every other oil change for free for 100K miles. Now it's like every 4th oil change is free. He always load tests the 12V battery, for free. He also gives me advice on what items I need to replace, like recently the PO131 code indicated I needed a new upstream O2 sensor, which I replaced myself for $72.

 

But besides that dealer load check, I have added distilled water to the battery twice now based on a visual of the level, and I have a $22 Harbor Freight 100 amp load tester that I use before all out-of-town trips. My threshold is that the 12V battery must show at least 10.3 volts at 100 amp load. Of course if your battery drops below 8 volts under load, most of your 12 volt functions aren't going to work, and 100 amps would be a higher than normal drain on that battery, so I figure I have some margin left on that test.

[hermans]

My Battery Story - I share these details only so that others can compare their similar experiences, since each story seems to have some variations each time.

 

A few days ago, just before arriving on my drive home, it started raining. I pulled into my garage, got into my house and then pressed the key fob to set the alarm. It didn't chirp, so I went back to the garage to investigate. While headed back, I instantly remembered I had manually turned on the lights not too far from home because of the rain. In fact, I was thinking to myself "how smart of this car to not let me set the alarm without turning off the lights". Sure enough, the lights are on but, strangely enough, the car is locked and the key fob will not respond - not for unlock, lock, trunk, panic - nothing. Thinking maybe the key fob battery is low, I retrieve my backup fob - no difference. Illuminated key pad is also inoperable - displays a single red light, but will not display the numbers.

 

Knowing I need to manually get in the car to turn off the lights, I realize that I do not know how to remove the key cover, and my owner's manual is inside the locked car. So, after several feeble attempts, I go back inside, download the owner's manual from the internet, and then accomplish the task. Once inside the vehicle, I turn off the lights, and am aware that the car is dark. No interior lights, no dash, even the map lights are inoperable to touch. I put the key in the ignition and the car starts up like a charm! No problem whatsoever - "Ready to Drive". I turn it off...back to darkness.

 

I set the alarm and went back inside the house to call the service dept. The alarm does not chirp, but does lock the doors. So, I hope that maybe I'll at least be able to get it started in the morning. While talking with the service dept, I went back to garage and notice that the interior light was on and the side mirror lights were also illuminated - they would not turn off. I could now use the key fob to unlock, but only the driver door. Ultimately, I decided to just leave the car garaged and unarmed, as this was the only way to have the least amount of battery drain overnight.

 

Next morning, I unarm the car and get in - still pitch black, no lights whatsover. Turn the ignition...no problem whatsoever - "Ready to Drive". I make it to Service, describe the problem, and of course...she is now working perfectly. Key fob, alarm, lights all appear as if nothing is wrong. I suspect the 12V battery, and based upon my description, they do too.

 

I get the call later that morning that they tested the battery and it was "no problem". They were suspecting either the regulator or "the big battery", as my service advisor referred to it. ;) He was concerned that they would have to order a new one, and that it would be a potentially long wait. I expressed to him my skepticism as to the HVB being at fault, but he did say they were now testing with a bigger diagnostic tool. Sure enough, he called later to inform me that the 12V battery was indeed at fault and they were seeing all kinds of codes, sometimes showing low charging and sometimes high charging.

 

We did have to wait overnight for a battery to be delivered, but it was installed, tested and apparently, problem solved for now.

 

 

Welcome to the 3rd battery club. I'm just at 20,000 miles.

 

Edited December 20, 2014 by hermans

[Fastronaut]

Just had 14E02 done and now the backup camera doesn't work and the vehicle (2013) is also getting Battery Power Saver messages. It's my wife's car and I'm heading for the dealer today to wait for it.

[Fastronaut]

14E02 caused a problem with both the backup camera AND Driver Assist not working. Resetting SYNC to factory defaults cured the backup camera problem. The dealer is going to have to get with Ford to figure out why Driver Assist is no longer functioning. Dealer has seen this on a Lincoln once.