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Battery dying…a second time?

2430 Views 22 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  Vandy1981
So I am one of the people who got the dreaded wrench icon between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. If I remembered which post I’d piggybacked on, I’d link it here; but long story short: the icon came up and I started noticing issues with having 90% available power, roughly, to my vehicle.

I called the dealership and was originally told they wouldn’t be able to get me in for several weeks. The advisor later then called me back and said no the technician says it’s got to come in immediately. I ended up in a Ranger and then a 250. All in all I was without my truck for about two weeks. I was told to the 12 V Battery was the problem and that certain modules weren’t communicating with the truck. However, I was assured that the actual big battery itself passed all its testing.

Fast forward to last week and this week and I’m starting to notice the same thing happening with not having full 100% battery power available to me. We had some mild weather and then a drastic freeze and are back to mild again.

I am noticing this problem happening when temperatures are actually well above freezing. See the photo below, at the time I got in the truck to leave work it was 58°. The high temperature today was 65. The low temperature the night before was in the high 40s. And the truck is parked in the garage.

The morning that this picture was taken ie yesterday morning, I went to remote, start Beast (what I lovingly call my truck) and ford pass displayed an error I’ve never seen before. It said something along the lines with the truck couldn’t start. Not a failed communication but something else. I tried several more times and then happened to notice that the app said my charge was down to 37% with an estimated range of 89 miles. I was well over 50 or 60% when I parked the night before so this seemed crazy- especially for temperatures that didn’t make it under the high 40s that night before. I had to physically go downstairs and the truck would not start with phone as a key either. I actually had to get a key fob before the truck would start. I did plug it in. It’s stayed on the charger while I went about my morning routine maybe about 45 minutes or so. Drove to work just fine. Vampire drain was literally 1 mile during the time I was at work.

And then, I get in start the vehicle and this is what I see:
Vehicle Motor vehicle Car Automotive tire Automotive design

(Yes, the photo was taken while I was driving and I was on Bluetooth with my hubs – again for those who would have a negative comment otherwise: I am a she)

I can see no good reason for the battery to only give me 91%. Battery temperature was within range and ambient temperature was 58°. This is probably the fourth or fifth time this is happened since the repair; though, this is the lowest amount of charge I’ve had when it’s happened. I’ve literally had it happen rolling out of the driveway to go to work after pulling beast off of the charger at 100%

The only common denominator is it has always happened at 40°F and above for ambient outside temperature. I’ve actually only once had it happen when the outside temperature was well below freezing say in the 15°F range. Otherwise, the other three to four times have all been warm weather with the SOC (other than yesterday) over 60%.

at this point, I don’t know what to think. I really don’t want to be stranded where I can’t get home from or get into work. Or worse, stranded out in the community somewhere. But on the same level, I hated my experience going back to ICE with the loaners at the dealership. The Ranger was too small and felt like a cheaply made roller skate. The F250 suited my style, but I certainly didn’t enjoy not wanting to drive because I knew how expensive gas was. Maybe as temperatures are warming, a sedan or an escape will be fine.

Advice? Would you guys wait and see what happens after the stop build has lifted or would you just take it back into the dealership now?

ETA: build week 13 May 2022. Truck dropped at dealership 3 June 2022; took home next day 4 June. Issues started at approximately 5000 miles. Lariat ER AM Blue

tagging @Ford Motor Company
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So if that were true, why is it that the entirety of the fall and winter this problem never occurred?
I noticed after the DTE update, that I progressively lose power as the battery gets closer to 0. I was thinking it started around 25-30%, but not exactly sure as I don't think I noticed right away.
Any chance this is what is happening?
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I noticed this behavior before the DTE update, especially in colder temps. Maybe the update has made the power reduction more aggressive. It's hard to make any conclusions because I'm sure the algorithm that's used uses multiple factors that will vary between driving sessions and ambient weather.
I'm in Montana, we have only had what you would call cold temps for the last several months, only times I've seen issues/power reductions are when truck has been sitting out for many hours in 10F or lower. I am fortunate enough to park in an insulated garage that stays around 50 (got down to 35 at -40 outside), have left plugged in when it's in there, have seen preconditioning work and not work, but haven't seen the power reduction outside of low batt/very cold.
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This is what I was explaining. I’m in New England and we’ve had a very mild winter outside of a brief cold snap. As I mentioned I park in an insulated garage and have had days where I pull out with a fully topped off battery AND mild weather (40-50F which is mild for NE this time of year…it was 60 yesterday) AND STILL HAVE GOTTEN THIS ERORR.

What I was trying to question is if one is to follow proper use of the battery and operate between 20% and 80%- at 32% would you still expect a 10% is the reduction in availability? My experience where I’ve had 70 or 80% of my battery available which should be the ideal of ideal still generates a 10% reduction in charge. The other thing that I’m also trying to make clear is that the reduction in charge is always the same exact number no matter the state of charge and it’s always been during relatively mild weather. I’ve had days where I’ve been at work during that recent cold snap and got into my truck and didn’t have any reduction in available battery power. And while I can start the vehicle, unless I’m finishing my cases at the hospital (we have chargers there but not at our outpatient clinics) it isn’t coming off a charge at work.

So what I’m saying is what I’m experiencing isn’t falling solidly into one camp or the other and I don’t know what to make of it.
I'd agree, wasn't sure from your initial post if you also experienced this above 50%. I do think you are within range at the 32% to see the reduction in availabililty, as I do think at this point it factors other things in, trying to prolong what's left. I don't think you should be seeing this reduction above 50% charge without also seeing the battery temp indicator indicate a cold battery also (say down to 1/3, where normally sits at around 50% as it is in your photo)

I'd probably schedule an appointment with your dealer, and I'd also PM the Ford Motor Company on this forum describing your issue, they have reached out to a few others on here to try to help keep things moving.
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