Stupid question about starting the car (2012 model)

[jediboytj]

Hi guys,

 

So I just got a 2012 MKZ Hybrid, and it still has the standard key-in-ignition. To start the car i have the make the same motions as if it was a standard car (turn to position III then back to II), and it makes no engine sounds, just tells me it's ready to drive. My question is what is really happening since there is technically no starter for the small 12V battery to run, and how will I know if the small battery would need to be replaced?

[murphy]

It closes the relay(s) that connect the HVB to the car and turns on the green light on the dash.

 

If the 12 volt battery is dead the car will be dead. Without the 12 volts the key would do nothing. It needs the 12 volts to activate the relay that connects the HVB.

[acdii]

The 12v runs everything in the car as in a non hybrid, only difference when it comes to the drive train is, instead of spinning a small high torque starter motor to start the engine, it engages the HVB relays to send power to the converter. Once that happens the computer determines what happens next. If the SOC if low, or heat or AC is called for from the HVAC, it will spin up a motor in the CVT that then starts the ICE. If the SOC is high, and the external temps are above 70* you can put it in drive and with light pressure drive off until the SOC reaches a state where it needs ICE assist and will spin up the ICE.

 

If the 12V is low, just like any other car, it will not have enough power to set the relays and you will need to jump the car.

 

The HVB powers two things, the AC compressor and the electric motors in the CVT. There is also a DC converter for charging the 12V battery.

Edited September 26, 2013 by acdii

[lolder]

There is a small sight gauge in the battery which you can carefully look into and should see a green ball. The ball is not very reliable but it should not be red.after you drive the car a few days. At oil changes and tire rotation have it checked. There are warning messages that you may get if there are problems. Ford OEM hybrid 12 vdc batteries have had a spotty record of reliability.

Read the manuals several times and if you don't have them get them online. This forum is mostly for 2013 and later but they are very similar and the principals are the same. I have a 2010 FFH and here is a forum for it and your car that doesn't have much activity now: http://www.fordfusionforum.com/forum/57-fusion-hybrid/

Ford only made 70,000 of the first generation 2010-12 FFH , MKZ and Mercury hybrids. The MKZ operation is identical to the FFH. Have fun, READ THE MANUALS to get the most out of the car. Sit in it parked and operate everything and learn about the dash display menus. There's a lot to learn. You didn't just buy a nice car, you bought a learning project ( if you want to ).

Edited September 26, 2013 by lolder

[acdii]

I thought that forum merged with this one. It doesn't matter, all Fusion Hybrid owners are welcome here. Quite a few of us 13 owners had a previous gen FFH.

[lolder]

They look like they're separate forums.

[acdii]

I believe its the sister forum to this forum, and the hybrid section was there from 2010 when the FFH first came out. They created this separate forum once interest picked up, but left the subforum in place. They both use the exact same format too.

[jediboytj]

Thanks for everyones input, makes sense now that the 12V battery will "start" the relays to connect the battery/electric motor, rather than needing to "start" an engine.

 

I've also read a little bit more and found that if the 12V battery is beginning to fail, it could actually cause the whole car to shut off while driving. Is this true and has anyone experienced this?

 

 

There is a small sight gauge in the battery which you can carefully look into and should see a green ball. The ball is not very reliable but it should not be red.after you drive the car a few days. At oil changes and tire rotation have it checked. There are warning messages that you may get if there are problems. Ford OEM hybrid 12 vdc batteries have had a spotty record of reliability.

Read the manuals several times and if you don't have them get them online. This forum is mostly for 2013 and later but they are very similar and the principals are the same. I have a 2010 FFH and here is a forum for it and your car that doesn't have much activity now: http://www.fordfusionforum.com/forum/57-fusion-hybrid/

Ford only made 70,000 of the first generation 2010-12 FFH , MKZ and Mercury hybrids. The MKZ operation is identical to the FFH. Have fun, READ THE MANUALS to get the most out of the car. Sit in it parked and operate everything and learn about the dash display menus. There's a lot to learn. You didn't just buy a nice car, you bought a learning project ( if you want to ).

 

I am actually a member of that forum and have read through a lot of that to get a feel for any major issues that might crop up. So far it seems the most issues have occurred with the early 2010 models the most (due to being a brand new model).

 

I really do hope to learn everything I can about this car, and even though I read through the whole owners manual, there are still a few tiny things (like this thread) that i'd like to know more about.

[lolder]

The cars computers and 12 vdc battery charging system seems to know a lot more about the battery than a non hybrid and it can and has shut down a car with a failing battery. Unfortunately there is sometimes no warning as slow starters used to give because there are no regular heavy loads like the engine starter. It should last longer but other factors may be present. There were many reports of bad batteries in new cars. We have not been able to determine the cause. Sitting in the hot sun of Hermosillo Mex. for months after manufacture might be a cause but all the cars made there might suffer from the same problems. They may not have been run enough to keep the batteries from permanent damage. Most batteries recovered. My 2010 took a week to turn green but turned red again in about a year with voltages around 12.2 so I replaced it myself. You need the right tools to move the intake tube out of the way and unfasten the battery tie downs. When you loosen the outboard clamp on the plastic intake tube you have to twist it hard to break the rubber gasket free. Then everything else is straightforward. You can't do it with a screwdriver and pliers at the side of the road on a dark night.

Edited September 27, 2013 by lolder

[acdii]

I have to say, that was not an issue with the 2010 I had. There was only one time I needed it worked on(that I didn't cause) and that was right after we got the car. From what I understood, the previous owner bought the car, had seat heaters installed, drove the car a little bit, and then passed away. The car then sat for a year in a garage before it was sold to me. When I was driving on the tollway the check engine light came on and the car acted strange. The MAP sensor went bad. My guess is a spider built a nest in it, as it has an atmosphere hole to measure outside air pressure to be able to monitor the manifold pressures. If it gets clogged it will throw a code.

 

That was the only problem I had with the car over the 2 years we owned it and put over 45K on it. I did have to replace a rear wheel bearing, but thats only because they arent strong enough to put up with a side smack into a curb @ 20 MPH. stupid ice I did run the battery down one day though, I had thought the car had run down protection where it shut off the accessories after a time period, but it didnt and I had the radio going while I was cleaning it, but 30 minutes on a charger restored it, and it was fine ever since.