12V battery failure while driving 45mph: Fix post #58

[PJnc284]

Would've been curious to have seen what Car Scanner or a similar app showed for the module variation and %.

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[El Duderino]

Would've been curious to have seen what Car Scanner or a similar app showed for the module variation and %.

Yep, this. Also curious if you could get in front of this potential problem by monitoring those parameters.

 

[Spirit]

Update: Hopkins Ford called me. They said they went out to the truck today and the 12v was totally dead. Turns out the inverter is bad so they ordered a new one. I asked about the 12V labor being covered now and he said he would see - which is insane to me. Happy to pay for the battery (though, it only died b/c the inverter was dead). Labor is useless.

On Saturday (1/3), I was driving down the road at 45 miles an hour. No warning, no issues, nothing in my Ford app. I get 28 different warnings (Powertrain failure being one of them) that pop up and the truck just dies like a total brick in the middle of the road. I lose power steering and can’t even put on my flashers. Just a sitting duck.

I get it towed to a Ford dealership after a jump does not work and they tell me that my 12 V battery failed. It’s not covered by the extended warranty so between the diagnostic, battery, and labor I’m about $600. On top of that, they have a separate issue they can’t clear with the Bluetooth that they want to treat us a separate issue and want me to authorize a $200 diagnostic. I bought my 23 Lariat in October. It never sits for more than 10 hours and it’s always plugged in because I drive it a lot (in three months I have put close to 7000 miles on it). I do not understand how the 12V could’ve failed so suddenly and so catastrophically. I’m lucky I did not get hit. For reference, I have Ford premium care warranty that I bought directly from Ford.

Has anyone experienced this? Also, is this what Ford Service is like? Feels like I am being nickeled and dimed. Lexus, Cadillac, and Tesla just took care of issues like this, especially with warranty. Even when I asked about warranty coverage for the potential issue, he wanted me to authorize the $200 to diagnose and then reach out to Ford myself for a warranty coverage. Additionally, no loaner. Once again, I have Ford’s premium warranty that I bought at the same time I bought my Lightnings

I understand I could have done the battery on my own - I wish I had. But I had a powertrain failure warning along with 27 others. Additionally, Ford’s roadside was not able to jump it, so I waited for a tow for 2 hours. My wife came to get me - we were able to jump it with another car right away, but Ford advised not to drive it due to the powertrain failure warning.

I assume I have a bad dealer? I tried to contact ford. Ford protect’s number (8005214144) is “dead” for 2 days now, and the general Ford 800 number keeps disconnecting me after telling me they have to transfer me to Ford Protect.

My first Ford - pretty terrible experience so far.

I bought one of these online .. very inexpensive and I can see what the LVB is doing all the time.. the cabin temp is a bonus!

 

[NotPatel]

I bought one of these online .. very inexpensive and I can see what the LVB is doing all the time.. the cabin temp is a bonus!

Awesome idea - just annoying that I would have to do that when I can call a ford dealer and service can just tell me my 12V battery %. If they can see it, I should be able to see it easy

 

[El Duderino]

Any update from the 2nd dealer? Still think it's a bad HV module? Ordered new one?

 

[NotPatel]

Any update from the 2nd dealer? Still think it's a bad HV module? Ordered new one?

I should get an update today by EOD. On Friday, he called me EOD to say it was the battery module + my passive entry in one of the doors was causing a PaaK code to pop up. Both ordered under warranty and I would hear by by Tues. I'll update in this thread.

 

[PJnc284]

I can tell you from personal experience as an ex Ford tech and have been to all the schools Ford had at the time except auto transmission. The issue isn't so much with the training or the mechanics/technicians, it's Ford themselves and their SLTS.

They have some super tech squirreled away in a clean room taking apart and putting back together every Ford ever built to come up with labor times for warranty pay. So they claim.

Ford refuses to pay techs a living wage to handle all these technical systems. Their super tech can diag and change a part in less time than any tech on the planet. So they claim thus they formed SLTS as a direct result and all the mechanics/techs left for greener pastures and all they can get are kids still wet behind the ears to jump in for the jobs.

It's been going on since the 80's I'm told, it got me in the 90's. When you can't afford to buy a new Ford from your own dealer, it's time to move on. I left them over 20 years ago after suffering thru their warranty pay for 11 years.

Had to quit Ford to be able to afford a new Ford. That's the bottom line.

And Farley whines that they can't find techs....

 

[MountainAlive]

I can tell you from personal experience as an ex Ford tech and have been to all the schools Ford had at the time except auto transmission. The issue isn't so much with the training or the mechanics/technicians, it's Ford themselves and their SLTS.

They have some super tech squirreled away in a clean room taking apart and putting back together every Ford ever built to come up with labor times for warranty pay. So they claim.

Ford refuses to pay techs a living wage to handle all these technical systems. Their super tech can diag and change a part in less time than any tech on the planet. So they claim thus they formed SLTS as a direct result and all the mechanics/techs left for greener pastures and all they can get are kids still wet behind the ears to jump in for the jobs.

It's been going on since the 80's I'm told, it got me in the 90's. When you can't afford to buy a new Ford from your own dealer, it's time to move on. I left them over 20 years ago after suffering thru their warranty pay for 11 years.

Had to quit Ford to be able to afford a new Ford. That's the bottom line.

This might explain why every Ford tech I’ve met so far is about as happy as a postal worker.

 

[NotPatel]

Update for everyone:

Truck is back with a new battery module. It charged just fine yesterday. Drove fine - no issues. Last time, it died on the road the morning after I picked it up. Highly recommend St Charles Hawk Ford - Brandon (the tech) was excellent and has a Lightning himself.

DO NOT go to Hopkins Ford in Elgin, IL. I got a follow up email from them asking me to come in for a $400 (yes, 400) diagnostic for my PaaK issue that St Charles just took care of. Keep in mind they quoted me $595 for the 12v battery alone, then sent me a text estimate for $996 for the battery, diag, and labor. Also had physical damage to my truck from them that I'm still working through getting taken care of.

I wish I could see my 12v status b/c I am paranoid about it now. I'm going to buy one of those monitors to plug into my cig lighter as some folks have mentioned - but it is crazy to me that I cannot see it in my app as any dealer can see it and Ford engineers can see it. @Ford Motor Company , this would be a huge upgrade to our app. Thanks for the help, Brian!

 

[MountainAlive]

Update for everyone:

Truck is back with a new battery module. It charged just fine yesterday. Drove fine - no issues. Last time, it died on the road the morning after I picked it up. Highly recommend St Charles Hawk Ford - Brandon (the tech) was excellent and has a Lightning himself.

DO NOT go to Hopkins Ford in Elgin, IL. I got a follow up email from them asking me to come in for a $400 (yes, 400) diagnostic for my PaaK issue that St Charles just took care of. Also had physical damage to my truck from them that I'm still working through getting taken care of.

I wish I could see my 12v status b/c I am paranoid about it now. I'm going to buy one of those monitors to plug into my cig lighter as some folks have mentioned - but it is crazy to me that I cannot see it in my app as any dealer can see it and Ford engineers can see it. @Ford Motor Company , this would be a huge upgrade to our app. Thanks for the help, Brian!

When the tech themselves own a Lightning you know you’re in good hands.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Update for everyone:

Truck is back with a new battery module. It charged just fine yesterday. Drove fine - no issues. Last time, it died on the road the morning after I picked it up. Highly recommend St Charles Hawk Ford - Brandon (the tech) was excellent and has a Lightning himself.

DO NOT go to Hopkins Ford in Elgin, IL. I got a follow up email from them asking me to come in for a $400 (yes, 400) diagnostic for my PaaK issue that St Charles just took care of. Keep in mind they quoted me $595 for the 12v battery alone, then sent me a text estimate for $996 for the battery, diag, and labor. Also had physical damage to my truck from them that I'm still working through getting taken care of.

I wish I could see my 12v status b/c I am paranoid about it now. I'm going to buy one of those monitors to plug into my cig lighter as some folks have mentioned - but it is crazy to me that I cannot see it in my app as any dealer can see it and Ford engineers can see it. @Ford Motor Company , this would be a huge upgrade to our app. Thanks for the help, Brian!

Happy that you're back on the road and glad that we got you sorted.

 

[NotPatel]

You can see it with Home Assistant also so it's not like the info isn't there to be used by the app.

what home assistant app is this?

 

[Lytning]

You can see it with Home Assistant also so it's not like the info isn't there to be used by the app.

The British use the term “gobsmacked”, which seems to fit for this situation. I am gobsmacked that in almost 4 years @Ford Motor Company has refused to provide us with the much requested 12 volt battery SOC. Ford can see it in Dearborn, but we can’t see it in our trucks. We must be on double-secret probation (as in Animal House) or something.

 

[El Duderino]

Happy to hear you are back and going again. Good to hear you found a good dealer too.

 

[NotPatel]

I have an appointment on Monday - but if there is a quick way someone could help me out, that would be great. I flashed my high beams 10x, and reset my system using the volume/track button. Neither worked.

My passive entry no longer works with my phone. It recognizes my phone as a key when I get in, but my passive entry is not working. I cannot lock/unlock the doors. I am happy to go in Monday, but would rather fix this if it just has something to do with my HV module replacement. Thanks!

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