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:
(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
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@Ford Motor Company
