Battery saver message

[Osofast]

This just started the other day, but it does not seem to matter if I use the car for a 5 min drive or a 20 min drive. Everytime I turn the car off I get the battery saver message and it shuts the radio off.

About 3 weeks ago my car went in to the shop because I was getting error messages for all of the safety systems in the car. When the dealer checked it out they said the car had a low battery code and they charged the battery and all has been fine until now.

This seems to me that I may have a dud for a battery like some others have had?

Any opinions?

[neod192]

I'm assuming you read this thread?

 

http://fordfusionhybridforum.com/topic/5885-dead-12-volt-battery-2013-fusion-hybrid/

 

I would ask the dealer to replace the battery.

[VonoreTn]

I;ve got 71,000 miles on my 2010 12 volt battery, and it is still going. The green dot turned red about 10,000 miles ago, but when I monitor it in Engineering Test Mode, it reads about 13.8, and when off reads about 12.4. With a 100 amp load tester on it, it drops to about 11 volts, which I don't consider critically weak. 10.3 volts is my threshold for a 12 volt car battery, based on my experience. If it drops below 8 volts, definitely bad.

 

I have added fluid to it, and am keeping an eye on it, but so far so good. Have them do a 100 amp load test on it. You can get one free at any garage that sells batteries, or buy a tester for $20 at Harbor Freight.

[B25Nut]

Charging my battery was also my dealer's solution to the BS problem a month ago. The message started to appear again last week. When was yours built? Bad batteries seem to be common with many early builds. Getting the dealer to acknowledge this is the problem. The battery's smaller than normal capacity doesn't make any sense to me. Virtually everything is electric powered. It's not worth the weight it saves. Ford needs to put a bigger 12v battery in the 2014 model.

Edited April 27, 2013 by B25Nut

[lolder]

The 12 vdc battery ( LVB ) does not start the car so it needn't have a high current capacity. The heavy load AC compressor runs off the HVB. The LVB powers things like the water pumps, HVAC blowers, computers, entertainment, power steering, accessories and lights which all are mostly used when the car is on and the DC to DC converter is keeping the LVB charged from the HVB and generators. There are no heavy loads on it that must be recharged like ICE starting.

That being said, there have been a lot of LVB failures. I think most of them stem from sitting after manufacture and perhaps "sulfating". That should happen to any vehicle that sits after manufacture but the FFH LVB seems more susceptible. My 2010 FFH LVB took a week after delivery for the sight gauge green ball to replace the red one. After about six months, the green ball disappeared. I replaced the LVB at my cost at about a year and the OEM replacement still shows green after three years. I use the original as a home backup supply.

Edited April 25, 2013 by lolder

[murphy]

My last 6 cars, before the current car, were Fords. I never saw anything other than a red ball on any of them. The Ford replacement instructions say not to replace a battery just because the indicator is red. My 2013 Fusion LVB doesn't have the indicator.

[acdii]

Whats funny is the battery on my 2001 Kubota tractor is original and still starts the tractor. I had to put a charger on it once during the winter only because it was so cold out that it was a little weak, but still cranked the engine over, just not enough spin for it to start. I can go out there now and it will fire right up. I got it in 2002.

[lolder]

My last 6 cars, before the current car, were Fords. I never saw anything other than a red ball on any of them. The Ford replacement instructions say not to replace a battery just because the indicator is red. My 2013 Fusion LVB doesn't have the indicator.

The balls are specific gravity ( SG ) indicators like in the eye dropper types you can get at auto parts stores but in the Ford batteries they are in just one cell and are very sluggish. My LVB hovers around 12.3 v. which would be 60 % charged most of the time but the battery I replaced started to be around 12.15 v. In a battery under no load, or charging, the voltage range from fully charged to dead is 12.7 to 11.7 v. Temperature affects it a little. There is always a small load on the LVB and it can affect the voltage more than you might think. I've measured the SG of the LVB ( unscrewing the caps with quarter ) and the SG indicated a higher charge level than the voltage predicted. I had a large sailboat with 660 ampere hours of 12 vdc batteries for decades and I noticed these peculiarities with them also. The continuous small load on the FFH LVB is higher than in past vehicles which is why they recommend frequent operation , charging or disconnecting if it is to sit for 60 days.

[Osofast]

B25nut, my build date was January.

[tr7driver]

I;ve got 71,000 miles on my 2010 12 volt battery, and it is still going. The green dot turned red about 10,000 miles ago, but when I monitor it in Engineering Test Mode, it reads about 13.8, and when off reads about 12.4. With a 100 amp load tester on it, it drops to about 11 volts, which I don't consider critically weak. 10.3 volts is my threshold for a 12 volt car battery, based on my experience. If it drops below 8 volts, definitely bad.

 

How do you put the 2010 into Engineering Test Mode?

Thanks!

[gkinla]

I had the same issue with the LVB. Battery Saver was coming on each time I put the key in accessory or pulled the key. I took the car to the dealer they were puzzled. The dealer reset the BS system and it was okay for a week then the same thing started happening. I asked him to research the problem. He called me after a week and told me Ford had a batch of bad batteries as others were complaining about the same thing. The battery was replaced almost three weeks ago under warranty and I haven't had the BS come on since.

[neod192]

BS = bull shit! :)

[lolder]

 

How do you put the 2010 into Engineering Test Mode?

Thanks!

In the 2010-12s, press and hold "Reset" and "Setup" buttons on the steering wheel for over 5 seconds while you turn the car on. The ETM will appear on the right side of the dash display. You can toggle through ten screens with the "Reset" button. You can exit the ETM by holding the "Reset" for over 2 seconds or turning the car off.

[acdii]

I was wondering today if there was one of those screens on the 10.

[tr7driver]

Thanks lolder!

[Osofast]

Well warmer weather had appeared up here in the north east and the battery saver message had gone away with out any change in driver habits. Until the other day when we had a couple of cold nights and the temps went down to the upper 30's and the battery saver message reappeared and seems to resurface every cold morning, and goes away in the warmer afternoon temps. My fear is that the battery will be junk by the time next winter rolls around.

[mrobinso8]

Osofast - Have dealer check out TSB 13-5-1 Reprogram the direct current converter module. That is supposed to fix the problem with the 12 volt not getting enough charge.

[Osofast]

Osofast - Have dealer check out TSB 13-5-1 Reprogram the direct current converter module. That is supposed to fix the problem with the 12 volt not getting enough charge.

 

Thanks for this info, a quick google search shows that this TSB has only been out 2 days so I will call service on Monday and see if they are aware of it yet!

[hermans]

There are two TSBs connected to the battery saver message.

 

13-4-13 Reprogram the FCDIM and clear codes

13-5-1 Reprogram the direct current converter module

[mrobinso8]

I believe that 13-4-13 Reprogram the FCDIM and clear codes is only for the C-Max with the small 4.2 inch center screen.

[gmarshall]

Where do you guys find these TSB's listed, is there a site that we can go to to see these listed somewhere and print them out?

[neod192]

There are two TSBs connected to the battery saver message.

 

13-4-13 Reprogram the FCDIM and clear codes

13-5-1 Reprogram the direct current converter module

Do these show up in Etis for anyone? My VIN doesn't show anything.

[mrobinso8]

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/pubs/content/~WT/~MUS~LEN/3545/tsb13-05-01.htm

 

From a Google search for "Ford TSB 13-05-01. This TSB was identified on the Ford C-Max Forum.

[mrobinso8]

Went in today and had Ford TSB 13-05-01, which I called Service Pack 1 in honor of Microsoft, loaded. Less than one half hour total time in dealership. I had called the day before to tell them to get ready for my arrival. After sitting an hour batter voltage read 12.47 which is higher than I recall it ever being. Time will tell and I hope this works.

[hermans]

Yep, I'm on my second battery and was getting the message again. I took mine in the AM to get the TSB update. Coffee and donuts....

Edited May 7, 2013 by hermans