Warning signs before 12v battery fails?

[mwr]

I've had no problems at all with the 12v battery in my 2015 FFH, which is now 3 1/2 years and 50K miles old. Are there warning signs before the 12v battery dies and the car won't start? How long do these 12v batteries usually last? Or is there any "usually"?

[md13ffhguy]

The first warning sign I noticed when the battery died in my 2013, was when the doors wouldn't unlock when the remote was pressed... That was 28 months in (car has since been replaced). My wife's 2014 is still on the OEM battery, with 100k+ miles. Maybe she's on borrowed time.

[tclemmer]

Coming up on 5 years on my 2013. 65K miles. I assume the first indication I will get will be when I desperately need to go somewhere and the car will be dead. I am thinking about replacing anyways as 5 years appears to be a pretty good like on an OEM battery.

[GaryA]

My battery took a dump at 5 years also. Does anyone know of an AGM type battery to replace the OEM one?

[Texasota]

I believe Murphy installed an AGM in his FFE but he had to cut/modify the battery tray to fit it in. I have searched and have not found an AGM that fits the FFH.

[Jiasong]

5 years and 4 months on my 13', still the OEM.

[aschulz261]

If your car is driven daily, I don't think there is any big warning of a battery needing replacement. These cars don't need much to "turn on", so starting them isn't a problem. I think the biggest thing people notice is 1 of the following:

 

1. weird electrical issues. ie power window or door lock issues.

2. car goes in to battery saver mode on shutdown

3. battery just never seems to charge fully even after driving for an extended period.

[ethermion]

All y'all spooked me. Our FFH is my brides ride, and if she has weird issues, she will want a new car.

 

Ours is a 2013, so the factory battery was 6 years old. Replaced just now. Around $120 installed - installation is annoying. Auto parts store dude said they don't do installs for hybrids. Told them there auto parts dude that I bought the battery online, and online said free install. Told auto parts dude to turn around and look at the sign in the window of his auto parts store - free install of batteries. Men with man buns and tats are not necessarily tough. This guy folded like a lawn chair.

 

Back to happiness.

[majorkaos]

Have recently started seeing 'System off to save battery' displayed, and occasional glitch when attempting to unlock using the door handle. Never had problems locking with handle sensor or fob.

Today unable to use the fob to unlock the doors or pop the trunk (also no response from door handles; am 2nd owner, 51K total miles). From rest (door lock indicators off), the only result I get from the fob's lock/unlock buttons is to light the front door lock indicators (not the rear, just both front doors), but no response from the trunk button. Once inside, unable to pop the trunk from the dash. Using inside trunk release to get to the battery, find it's 11ish volts, but it drops to 7-8 within an hour and, once again, unable to operate locks and trunk.

 

I found a workaround to start the engine: step on the brake (some panel displays, but only briefly), release brake, push the start button.... and the engine fires right up on battery and with full display. Gas engine will kick in per usual.

 

Once off it's a short time until the fob has no effect. Repeat the workaround and I can drive.

Today, while attempting to get the emergency key to work, the car alarm seems to have been triggered - no sound, just all the side lights flashing. A press of the alarm key turned it off.

 

Question: If it's the starter battery that needs to be replaced, is it just an anomaly that I can start the electric motor? Many thanks.

[murphy]

The car doesn't have a starter motor or an alternator. The engine is started by the high voltage battery but the 12 volt battery has to have enough charge to pull in the contactors that connect the HVB to the car. You can always get into the cabin to pop the hood. Attach a jumper battery or a battery charger to the jumper terminals under the hood. If you have push button start, the key is inside of the back of the fob. A cover pops off of the driver door handle to expose the key slot.

[lolder]

You need to change the 12 vdc battery.

Edited December 24, 2018 by lolder

[mwr]

On 5/13/2018 at 8:17 PM, mwr said:

I've had no problems at all with the 12v battery in my 2015 FFH, which is now 3 1/2 years and 50K miles old. Are there warning signs before the 12v battery dies and the car won't start? How long do these 12v batteries usually last? Or is there any "usually"?

Just an update almost 2 1/2 years and 30K miles later, total almost 6 years and just over 80K miles. Original 12v battery is still doing fine.

Edited August 30, 2020 by mwr

[2014FordFusionSE]

6 years, 51k miles. No issues with the OEM battery.

I've also been wondering when I should replace it.

[JHORO80]

2013 FFH with 140k miles.  Battery suddenly having issues.  Noticed it when I went to go to work on Friday.  Key fob wouldn't open the door. Thought the battery in the fob might be dead.  Got the spare.  Still nothing.  Got in manually and car wouldn't start.  Jumped it.  Battery showed 3/4 charge. Drove it for 30 min.  Battery still showing at least 1/2 charge the whole drive. Parked at home with almost full charge.   Sat overnight,  dead again. Jumped it again.  Battery showing almost full charge still... never got a low battery warning or charging system error. EVER. This time I sat there, revving the engine until full charge,  turned off all lights, radio,  air conditioning,  blue tooth,  everything I could think of. Let it sit overnight.  Next afternoon,  car started.  Yay! Battery showing still full charge. Let it sit again.  Tried this afternoon,  had enough juice to unlock the door but wouldn't start. Guess I'm going to drop it off at the dealer in the morning and pay out the nose. 

[Waldo]

The graphic in the cluster is showing the state of your high voltage battery, not the low voltage 12V.  The car won't start if the 12V is low, no matter how full the high voltage is.  No need to take it to the dealer, just change out the 12V.

[Thomz Fusion]

Dead 12V battery on my 2013 Ford Fusion. I'm not terribly surprised, since I haven't been driving the car and it's been extremely cold up here in Wisconsin. It hasn't been above freezing for at least two weeks, and some nights have gotten well below 0F.  I jumped it using a Li-Ion battery that I have for that purpose, and then let it run for a bit. Two days later and my Fusion was dead again. So I jumped it and took the vehicle out for a spin.

 

I looked for my records and find that I replaced the OEM battery in March 2019, so I'm within the 36 month warranty life of the Motocraft battery. But I don't really know if the battery is really bad, or if it had just drained close to zip because of the cold and non-running issues.

 

I have two questions for anyone that is willing to respond:

1. How does the 12V battery get charged? Only when the ICE is running, or does it take juice off the Hybrid-electric circuit when running?

2. Do you think my 12V battery is junked and needs to be replaced?

 

Any thoughts appreciated.

[2014FordFusionSE]

9 hours ago, Thomz Fusion said:

Dead 12V battery on my 2013 Ford Fusion. I'm not terribly surprised, since I haven't been driving the car and it's been extremely cold up here in Wisconsin. It hasn't been above freezing for at least two weeks, and some nights have gotten well below 0F.  I jumped it using a Li-Ion battery that I have for that purpose, and then let it run for a bit. Two days later and my Fusion was dead again. So I jumped it and took the vehicle out for a spin.

 

I looked for my records and find that I replaced the OEM battery in March 2019, so I'm within the 36 month warranty life of the Motocraft battery. But I don't really know if the battery is really bad, or if it had just drained close to zip because of the cold and non-running issues.

 

I have two questions for anyone that is willing to respond:

1. How does the 12V battery get charged? Only when the ICE is running, or does it take juice off the Hybrid-electric circuit when running?

2. Do you think my 12V battery is junked and needs to be replaced?

 

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

For 2., since it's under warranty, take it to a dealership and let them figure it out.

If they can't fix it, they'll replace it.

[murphy]

The 12 volt battery gets charged by the DC to DC converter any time the car is on.  The car doesn't have an alternator.

The car is loaded with microprocessors that are always on.  If the car isn't driven for a week the 12 volt battery will be dead after a week or so.

I connect a smart battery charger to the 12 volt battery whenever my car will not be driven daily.  Covid-19 has made that the  normal situation.

 

[ShesAHybrid]

On 12/23/2018 at 8:20 PM, majorkaos said:

Have recently started seeing 'System off to save battery' displayed, and occasional glitch when attempting to unlock using the door handle. Never had problems locking with handle sensor or fob.

Today unable to use the fob to unlock the doors or pop the trunk

I saw the ‘System off to save battery’ displayed about a week before my car quit.  I saw it as I started the car, thought it was a strange message, forgot to look it up - headed on my way and forgot about it. The door lock using the fob failed to lock a couple times, pushed again and it did.  One morning on the way to work, fob not working, located spare(never used) and nothing. Opened the hidden key entry and entered car, key started, it all seemed fine.  Drove to work, tested locked door, unlocked … thought it was a signal pairing issue with fob… but when I came back to my car at lunch, it was dead.  Entered with key, didn’t start…all dead.  Towed to dealership, $300 replaced the 12 volt battery.  Fusion Hybrid 2014 with 110,000 miles, I’d say it was due! 

[Cobra348]

I just started getting the "System off" message.  Local Goodyear will be replacing the 12v on Nov 1.  Manager and I looked thru their shop data and I pointed out my trunk arrangement as compared to Prius and other hybrids.  She told me they've done 4 Prius replacements in 2 weeks - about half are 3 years old.  It ain't just FFH.

 

My problem ... the car is literally just 3years and a month or so old.  WTH?  How do you guys get 5 and 6 years on OEM battery and the others of us don't?  And OM was worthless in giving even a hint about the issue.

Edited October 25, 2022 by Cobra348

[Waldo]

Still have the original 12V in my 2014, now with about 65K miles.

 

Back in the deep days of the pandemic, I didn't use the FFH at all, it sat untouched for a couple months.  After that the 12V was totally dead and I went around shopping for a new one but couldn't find one locally.  Instead I bought a CETK charger and put it to work.  Now two years later and I'm still nursing that old battery along.  Just noticed yesterday that the reverse park aid beeps are coming from the cluster and not the rear speakers again - one of the first signs of a 12V issue.  So probably needs to go back on the charger for another overnight.

 

But my point is, don't just give up on the 12V at the first sign of an issue.  A little love can keep them going for a while.

[2014FordFusionSE]

On 10/25/2022 at 11:30 AM, Cobra348 said:

I just started getting the "System off" message.  Local Goodyear will be replacing the 12v on Nov 1.  Manager and I looked thru their shop data and I pointed out my trunk arrangement as compared to Prius and other hybrids.  She told me they've done 4 Prius replacements in 2 weeks - about half are 3 years old.  It ain't just FFH.

 

My problem ... the car is literally just 3years and a month or so old.  WTH?  How do you guys get 5 and 6 years on OEM battery and the others of us don't?  And OM was worthless in giving even a hint about the issue.

 

Here, it's just the weather. Not too hot and doesn't get cold much.

It's not just the FFH. Many cars get 7 or 8 years from their 12v batteries. Heat is one of the biggest battery killers.

[Cobra348]

On 10/26/2022 at 8:04 AM, Waldo said:

Still have the original 12V in my 2014, now with about 65K miles.

 

Back in the deep days of the pandemic, I didn't use the FFH at all, it sat untouched for a couple months.  After that the 12V was totally dead and I went around shopping for a new one but couldn't find one locally.  Instead I bought a CETK charger and put it to work.  Now two years later and I'm still nursing that old battery along.  Just noticed yesterday that the reverse park aid beeps are coming from the cluster and not the rear speakers again - one of the first signs of a 12V issue.  So probably needs to go back on the charger for another overnight.

 

But my point is, don't just give up on the 12V at the first sign of an issue.  A little love can keep them going for a while.

A charger is hard to do ... I rent and there is no outside outlet to plug into.  I could use an inside one by the door but running an extension cord past 2 doorways through a heavily traveled area is not good - even with the safety gizmos to cover cords with.  I've got booster cables and am backing the car into the parking area so the hood is accessible.  <shrug>

[Cobra348]

20 hours ago, 2014FordFusionSE said:

 

Here, it's just the weather. Not too hot and doesn't get cold much.

It's not just the FFH. Many cars get 7 or 8 years from their 12v batteries. Heat is one of the biggest battery killers.

So how come I get 37 months only on the OEM unit?  This is ridiculous because I know batteries can go a long time.  Hell, my son's Fiesta is still on the OEM battery 8 years later.

[Cobra348]

Resurrecting this one again.  I got the 'System off to save battery'  message yesterday - on the battery thsat was put in in October.  This morning it was dead as all get-out.  Had to use the key to get in.  No power to anything.  Got the 12v jumped ... as soon as the charger pack was turned on, everything worked.  Car started immediately.

 

Took it to the local Goodyear (it's their battery - warranty) where they went over it again.  What the mechanic noted on the work invoice was that trying to get a voltage reading was difficult.  Whatever tool he was using reported electrical static or interference.  Took about 8 tries to get a reading.  Battery is good, proper voltage, etc.

 

Soooo, based on the last couple days, I think it is NOT the battery but perhaps a short somewhere.  Has anyone - and I mean ANYONE - had this happen and what was the cause?  I have a couple dealers in the area, an extended service plan (car is about 45K miles), so I'm feeling comfortable.  But I'd like to speak somewhat intelligently when I approach them.

 

Got a clue for a clueless one? <grin>  Thanks!