12V Battery Cable Failure

[keswhisk]

Just got back from the dealer. I took my truck in this morning because on the last software update it keeps throwing Failure due to Low 12V Battery error. I had noticed over the course of the last 6 months that the truck has seemed to be having issues. The Powered Down to Save Battery message is present when I start the truck after work all day. I tried my best to use Car Scanner but there was never anything that seemed wrong with battery voltage when On or Off for extended periods. Without any major issues impacting me I waited until this software update error started occurring.

I am almost to 36K miles so I figured I needed one last check before warranty expired anyway. Sure enough the 12V battery failed their test and they are replacing. The interesting thing that I had not seen on the forums was that they claim the Postive Cable to the 12V had failed and they need to replace it as well. The Tech is claming that it is a throwing a high resistance error at him when he tried to finish the software update that was pending. I am not sure how easy it is (or if diag tool(forscan???) can run it) but might be worth checking into tests for this type of failure for others with 12V issues.

Will update when I get the truck back. It wasn't in stock at the dealler but was supposed to show up today(heard that story before too).

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[chriserx]

Out of curiosity do you have any high draw 12v accessories? Cable problems are extremely rare, but manufacturing problems do occur. Glad you caught it early.

 

[Karlos]

Just got back from the dealer. I took my truck in this morning because on the last software update it keeps throwing Failure due to Low 12V Battery error. I had noticed over the course of the last 6 months that the truck has seemed to be having issues. The Powered Down to Save Battery message is present when I start the truck after work all day. I tried my best to use Car Scanner but there was never anything that seemed wrong with battery voltage when On or Off for extended periods. Without any major issues impacting me I waited until this software update error started occurring.

I am almost to 36K miles so I figured I needed one last check before warranty expired anyway. Sure enough the 12V battery failed their test and they are replacing. The interesting thing that I had not seen on the forums was that they claim the Postive Cable to the 12V had failed and they need to replace it as well. The Tech is claming that it is a throwing a high resistance error at him when he tried to finish the software update that was pending. I am not sure how easy it is (or if diag tool(forscan???) can run it) but might be worth checking into tests for this type of failure for others with 12V issues.

Will update when I get the truck back. It wasn't in stock at the dealler but was supposed to show up today(heard that story before too).

What's the build date of your '23 LER ?

 

[Heliian]

Probably the bms cable. Could also be just dirty connections. Always clean and reset connections when things like this pop up.

So many times I've gone to diagnose a failure to crank and standing voltage is perfectly fine with no load, put a load on and voltage drops to almost nothing on the cables even though battery voltage is fine.

 

[keswhisk]

Out of curiosity do you have any high draw 12v accessories? Cable problems are extremely rare, but manufacturing problems do occur. Glad you caught it early.

Nope I have nothing attached permentantly to the 12V battery or elsewhere in the truck. I only attach the OBDII when I am looking at stuff through car scanner.

 

[keswhisk]

I got the truck back this afternoon and all seems well at this point. I was surprised that they somehow got the cable sent over the same day. Maybe this is a shared component with ICE F150?

I was going to do the connection check myself, clean and reseat, but since I was right on the line of still being in warranty figured that it was better to just have Ford deal with any costs.

 

[Maquis]

I got the truck back this afternoon and all seems well at this point. I was surprised that they somehow got the cable sent over the same day. Maybe this is a shared component with ICE F150?

I was going to do the connection check myself, clean and reseat, but since I was right on the line of still being in warranty figured that it was better to just have Ford deal with any costs.

No, the 12V battery cables are not shared with the ICE F150.

 

[JMD359]

Out of curiosity do you have any high draw 12v accessories? Cable problems are extremely rare, but manufacturing problems do occur. Glad you caught it early.

I tend to agree with you that cable problems are rare on a truck that’s only three-5 years older or less, but as they get older than that, Inforunately they are common especially in the northern states. I’m a Highway department Fleet mechanic corroded cables are an occasional problem on pick ups and class eight trucks again, not in the first 3 to 5 years but as they age out. Most of the time you can’t see what’s going on the corrosion is under the protective covering. I’m kind of surprised too that the lightning had a bad cable because usually the truck won’t start or do anything with a bad cable even though it doesn’t need a lot of amperage through the 12 V he needs enough to where a cable with voltage drop across it would cause a problem.

 

[chl]

" I am almost to 36K miles so I figured I needed one last check before warranty expired anyway. Sure enough the 12V battery failed their test and they are replacing. The interesting thing that I had not seen on the forums was that they claim the Postive Cable to the 12V had failed and they need to replace it as well. "

Interesting.

For the new battery, put it on a maintainer when ever possible or in 3 years, the new one will be on your dime.

The cable is definitely a puzzle to me - the periodic service (inspections) ought to have caught that?
Did you get a chance to see the bad one?

High resistance does sound like corrosion which would likely be around the terminal as noted by @JMD359 above and should be apparent.
There have been cases of rodents chewing damage to electrical cables, but that'd more likely be a short or open connection electrical problem not high resistance.

A good coating of dielectric grease or petroleum jelly for corrosion inhibition might be in order?
And watch out for corrosion in the future - I'm going to keep an eye on my battery terminals more often after seeing the OP's post.

 

[chriserx]

" I am almost to 36K miles so I figured I needed one last check before warranty expired anyway. Sure enough the 12V battery failed their test and they are replacing. The interesting thing that I had not seen on the forums was that they claim the Postive Cable to the 12V had failed and they need to replace it as well. "

Interesting.

For the new battery, put it on a maintainer when ever possible or in 3 years, the new one will be on your dime.

The cable is definitely a puzzle to me - the periodic service (inspections) ought to have caught that?
Did you get a chance to see the bad one?

High resistance does sound like corrosion which would likely be around the terminal as noted by @JMD359 above and should be apparent.
There have been cases of rodents chewing damage to electrical cables, but that'd more likely be a short or open connection electrical problem not high resistance.

A good coating of dielectric grease or petroleum jelly for corrosion inhibition might be in order?
And watch out for corrosion in the future - I'm going to keep an eye on my battery terminals more often after seeing the OP's post.

Speaking of which, anyone know what the corrosion rate of our 12vs, particularly in relation to ICEs. I suspect its less but curious none the less.

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