12 Volt battery died

[FordService]

I've had my Ford since October 2013 and just recently it's  been hit by the dead battery syndrome.  It's been to the dealer 3 times, this last time they replaced the battery and assured me that the problem was fixed.  When I went to pick up the car it was DEAD.  I've read a great deal about this issue on all of the Ford forums but nowhere has anyone been able to say what fixed the problem.  My car is still at the dealers, this trip has been going on for almost 2.5 weeks. It's been about a month since I've driven my car. Does anyone know what this problem is and how to fix it so I can point my dealer in the right direction.

 

Hi anderson510,

 

I'm Crystal, the Ford Service rep here. I wanted to touch base and see if your Fusion is still at the dealership. How many miles are on it currently? I'll see what I can do to assist.

 

Crystal

[anderson510]

Hi Crystal,

Yes my car is still at the Dealers.  It has 9,949 miles on it. It's at The Ford Store San Lenadro, CA  510 352-2000. 

Thanks,

[FordService]

Hi Crystal,

Yes my car is still at the Dealers.  It has 9,949 miles on it. It's at The Ford Store San Lenadro, CA  510 352-2000. 

Thanks,

 

Hi anderson510,

 

I'll look into this and do what I can to help. I got your PM and wrote back; check it out and we'll get things moving in the right direction. :)

 

Crystal

[Kybuck]

anderson, is your car a 2013 or 2014?  I'm curious, because it seems the failures are/were more prevalent in the 2013s and I'm not sure I've heard of any issues with the 2014s yet.

[lsa1218]

Posted for Info. ref. DEAD 12 volt battery.

My 2013 Energi has been towed (4) times by Road Side Asst. Since Sept. 5, 2014.  The 12 volt battery has been replaced by Ford once, and charged several times at the dealership.  A tele-kinetic module has also been replaced.  It is currently at the Ford dealership Service Dept. as of Sept. 20, 2014 for the 5th time, same problem......  The mechanic has talked with Ford Engin. several times and currently have no idea what is causing the dead battery issue.  My Energi was purchased in May 2013 and no problems until September 2014............

13,000 miles

Edited September 22, 2014 at 07:29 PM by lsa1218

[lsa1218]

2013 Fusion Energi   13, 030 miles. 

[lsa1218]

See earlier post : Sept. 22, 2014  12:06 a.m.

 

DEAD BATTERY FIX   

 

 

Picked up my ENERGI today Sept. 24, 2014 after Service Tech. located part of the wiring harness going to the rear battery fans had rubbed the insulation off wire shorting out --- causing the fans to run sometimes after car turned off  ---draining the 12 volt battery.  This information furnished as stated below by the Service Tech. on the Warranty Repair Invoice.

 

Checked battery condition and recharged,  IDS Diag, Low Voltage codes in several modules,  checked for draw, less than 50 milliamps, test drove and charged with 240V several times to try and recreate drain on 12 volt system. ....After several days of attempts,  FOUND HVB COOLING  FAN STAYING ON AFTER VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF.  REMOVED TRUNK LINER TO ACCESS FAN AND HVB.  FOUND SHORT TO GROUND ON PULSE WIDTH COMMAND WIRE TO HVB.  REPAIRED HARNESS AND INSULATE HARNESS TO KEEP FROM CHAFING AGAIN.  REPAIRED CIRCUIT ---VYB18  WH-GN.  Retested all systems and released vehicle to customer.

 

Service Dept. Tech stated he felt 90 % sure this was the problem with my-- continuing-- Ford Fusion Energi Dead 12 volt battery issue .

 

I'll report back later to advise if this FIX-- in fact-- WORKED.  As stated above, I have had my Energi in service almost everyday for approx. 15 months and my dead battery issue JUST  started on Sept. 5, 2014.  Guess the wiring had enough time to rub against something to chaf and short.

 

Sept. 27 2014   Dead 12 volt Battery problem appears to have been fixed thanks to a very sharp mechanic at Mooresville Ford.

Edited September 28, 2014 at 03:11 AM by lsa1218

[Russael]

I think you're the second or third person who had a problem with the cooling fan wiring developing a short, killing the 12v.  I don't suppose they showed you WHERE it is happening?  If so, I think I might go wrap mine up in electrical tape or something more sturdy... like split tubing.

[lsa1218]

they didn't show me the wiring short exact location ......he stated removed trunk liner to access fan & HVB so I assumed it was around that area.

[bobnfloyd]

I just had the 12V die on me twice.  I didn't plug in for 1 day after charging at work.

 

I wonder if a symptom of this is when my car would not register that it was unplugged due to some flakey chargers I have at work.  I would keep getting the "is your car unplugged" warning, it won't reset until I get home and use my 120V Ford Charger.

 

Got home, couldn't charge because a dumpster was in the way, woke up the next morning and had only enough power to unlock the doors.  Jumped it at 5PM after work and drove it around for 20 minutes (car was in hybrid mode since I didn't have any more EV mode only battery left).  After the jump and 20 minute drive, my MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light) or CEL (Check Engine Light) aka Idiot Light haha turned on.  Let it sit for 2 hours, and the car was dead again as I tried to pack it at 7PM to go out of town.

 

Dropped the car off, took them 1 week and a day to evaluate this, my headliner issue, my sync issue, and my steering column issue.  Eventually they only fix my steering column issue.

 

Dead 12V and MIL/CEL = No chaffing, couldn't reproduce the problem, even though the car died in their drive bay.

Headliner = I have a crease in the headliner, they said they could fix it, but they might have to crease a new headliner to get it in and gut the car to do it... didn't want a rattle box so I let it as is.

SYNC = My SYNC will randomly change volumes of from my setting of 5 as default to 2 or 3 (relatively).  If I turn the volume up 1 and down 1, it will go back to a 5.  I had a video which the people agree showed what I said, but they couldn't reproduce it so nothing was done.

Steering Column = On hot days the steering wheel will rub against the two halves of the steering column cover/shroud.  The actually found this to be true and ordered the part, still not installed, even though the car was with them for a week. =(

 

This is a bit more fun than I had hoped.

[FordService]

I just had the 12V die on me twice.  I didn't plug in for 1 day after charging at work.

 

I wonder if a symptom of this is when my car would not register that it was unplugged due to some flakey chargers I have at work.  I would keep getting the "is your car unplugged" warning, it won't reset until I get home and use my 120V Ford Charger.

 

Got home, couldn't charge because a dumpster was in the way, woke up the next morning and had only enough power to unlock the doors.  Jumped it at 5PM after work and drove it around for 20 minutes (car was in hybrid mode since I didn't have any more EV mode only battery left).  After the jump and 20 minute drive, my MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light) or CEL (Check Engine Light) aka Idiot Light haha turned on.  Let it sit for 2 hours, and the car was dead again as I tried to pack it at 7PM to go out of town.

 

Dropped the car off, took them 1 week and a day to evaluate this, my headliner issue, my sync issue, and my steering column issue.  Eventually they only fix my steering column issue.

 

Dead 12V and MIL/CEL = No chaffing, couldn't reproduce the problem, even though the car died in their drive bay.

Headliner = I have a crease in the headliner, they said they could fix it, but they might have to crease a new headliner to get it in and gut the car to do it... didn't want a rattle box so I let it as is.

SYNC = My SYNC will randomly change volumes of from my setting of 5 as default to 2 or 3 (relatively).  If I turn the volume up 1 and down 1, it will go back to a 5.  I had a video which the people agree showed what I said, but they couldn't reproduce it so nothing was done.

Steering Column = On hot days the steering wheel will rub against the two halves of the steering column cover/shroud.  The actually found this to be true and ordered the part, still not installed, even though the car was with them for a week. =(

 

This is a bit more fun than I had hoped.

Have you been back to your dealer (or sought a second opinion with another one) for these concerns? I'll be happy to check out some additional assistance.

 

Meagan

[mczajka]

bobnfloyd, sorry to hear about that. I had my car plugged in at the airport, but I had not started the charge session properly (mixup with loaner ChargePoint card the parking lot let me use). When I returned about a week later, the 12v was dead. I guess you have to be careful with this.

 

I was one of the unfortunate ones with the short in the trunk, causing 12v problems. Surprised to check in and see others had the same issue.

[mczajka]

If you buy a jumper, make sure you keep it in the cabin area/back seat. My 2013 model has no way to get into the trunk without power (poor design, wonder if they fixed it), unless you can reach the trunk release through the pass-through from the back seat.

[Fat Fusion]

Somebody along the line suggested tieing a rope to the release and having it close to where you can grab it from the back seat.  Maybe tape it down in the corner or something?

 

Are you guys that are having trouble even trying a new 12V battery?  Seems like a slam dunk to me, unless you're one of the ones with the wire short.

[sorinmtl]

You can add another 2014 fusion energi to the list. Car was plugged in the whole night, and today around noon the car was completly dead. I read this thread and I had the symptoms where the battery fans were on while stopped at a light, which points to a bad sensor or a short. I'll bring the car to the dealership tomorrow and hopefully they won't just change or charge the dead battery. 

I already had an appointment for tomorrow because for the last 7 days the check engine light and the ratchet light were on and off intermittently. 

Problem is my local dealership has only sold 1 energi I think, so I don't know how good they are servicing it. Plus I'm in Canada and everybody from Ford on the forum they all seem to be from the US...

[Hybridbear]

You can add another 2014 fusion energi to the list. Car was plugged in the whole night, and today around noon the car was completly dead. I read this thread and I had the symptoms where the battery fans were on while stopped at a light, which points to a bad sensor or a short. I'll bring the car to the dealership tomorrow and hopefully they won't just change or charge the dead battery. 

I already had an appointment for tomorrow because for the last 7 days the check engine light and the ratchet light were on and off intermittently. 

Problem is my local dealership has only sold 1 energi I think, so I don't know how good they are servicing it. Plus I'm in Canada and everybody from Ford on the forum they all seem to be from the US...

Send a PM to FordServiceCA. They're the Canadian Ford representative who can help you. They usually ask for your full contact info, VIN, dealer name & a description of your issue.

[lonzo71]

Would this now be a recall? or something on that line? Wiring short from the trunk, and with so many, you would think it would hit a safety recall

[expresspotato]

You can add another 2014 fusion energi to the list.

 

Yikes this isn't good so sounds like it's a real wide spread problem. Hoping my 2015 doesn't have the same issue when it's picked up next Monday.

[eeeny]

My wife's energy is having the same issue, if it sits on charge (always on L2 charge when my used), the 12v battery is dead after sittin for a couple of days. After jump staring it is ok, traction battery is full.

 

Took it to the San Leandro dealer and they fobbed me off by telling me the battery was loose and they had tightened it up. It died the next weekend. I should have known it was a lemon when I bought it as they had to jump start it.

 

When it died the 12v battery measured less than 1volt, so that is now ruined, but the dealer won't replace it under warranty.

 

I also have an energy and it has started making clunking noises when I brake and accelerate, but I just don't have any faith that the dealership will be able to fix it and it'll just be a waste of my time taking it in.

[lsa1218]

Well with all the problems I experienced with my LEMON fusion the first year, back & forth to the dealership 5 times in about 3 weeks, and trying to get the regional manager to replace my vehicle, which she refused and told me it was my responsibility to continue to return it to ford dealership until it was fixed,  I politely told her FORD WOULD NEVER GET ANOTHER DOLLAR FROM ME. I like my Fusion Tit. Energi but it cost me many, many, hours of lost wages, my time,  etc. and I truly am NOT A SATISFIED CUSTOMER.

[troylikesbikes]

Well with all the problems I experienced with my LEMON fusion the first year, back & forth to the dealership 5 times in about 3 weeks, and trying to get the regional manager to replace my vehicle, which she refused and told me it was my responsibility to continue to return it to ford dealership until it was fixed,  I politely told her FORD WOULD NEVER GET ANOTHER DOLLAR FROM ME. I like my Fusion Tit. Energi but it cost me many, many, hours of lost wages, my time,  etc. and I truly am NOT A SATISFIED CUSTOMER.

 

Unfortunate. I've owned Fords that had issues before, transmissions in Mustangs come to mind, fuel pumps in Rangers and hybrid Escapes, but on a vehicle with the complexity and more computing power than the space shuttle, I would probably have allowed them some time to figure out issues, I mean really, NASA had the best engineers they could hire and their stuff still exploded at random intervals, the guys working there way through Energi problems are lucky to have a few SAE certifications to their credit, and most of that probably wasn't debugging combined software/hardware issues on computers with wheels.

 

My Energi Ti is doing okay, used a little oil on its ongoing 4000 mile road trip maybe, but I think the engine probably hadn't been broken in by the prior owner who used it primarily as an EV, whereas I use it more as the hybrid the world should have been given 10 years ago.

 

Good luck with yours though, Ford isn't BAD though just because you aren't completely satisfied. I mean, they are cars, my Toyota van puked a motor in the middle of nowhere Kansas with entire family onboard, the same weekend as my Camry hybrid threw a CEL that required some hunting and pecking around to figure out. Nobody makes perfect cars, that is just the way it is.

[troylikesbikes]

My wife's energy is having the same issue, if it sits on charge (always on L2 charge when my used), the 12v battery is dead after sittin for a couple of days. After jump staring it is ok, traction battery is full.

 

Took it to the San Leandro dealer and they fobbed me off by telling me the battery was loose and they had tightened it up. It died the next weekend. I should have known it was a lemon when I bought it as they had to jump start it.

 

When it died the 12v battery measured less than 1volt, so that is now ruined, but the dealer won't replace it under warranty.

 

I also have an energy and it has started making clunking noises when I brake and accelerate, but I just don't have any faith that the dealership will be able to fix it and it'll just be a waste of my time taking it in.

 

It isn't a lemon if something is draining the 12V system, it is a car that for some reason is draining the 12V system and you just don't know why yet. I'm not a fan of the voltage on my 12V either, seems a little low for a fully functional 12V system (runs 12.2-12.3 most of the time) but once you learn the work around, you can prepare for it, jumper cables or one of those portable systems you can hook up to the under the hood connections to get the car up and running.

[Hybridbear]

When it died the 12v battery measured less than 1volt, so that is now ruined, but the dealer won't replace it under warranty.

 

I also have an energy and it has started making clunking noises when I brake and accelerate, but I just don't have any faith that the dealership will be able to fix it and it'll just be a waste of my time taking it in.

Why won't they replace it under warranty? Our dealer replaced our 12V under warranty. They have a load tester that they use & if the 12V battery fails the test they replace it. Ford foots the bill. I think you need to find a new dealership.

[Fat Fusion]

Why won't they replace it under warranty? Our dealer replaced our 12V under warranty. They have a load tester that they use & if the 12V battery fails the test they replace it. Ford foots the bill. I think you need to find a new dealership.

 

This ^^^^.

 

 

I had ONE DROP of liquid coming out of the sight hole on my 2012 Boss 302 battery and they replaced it under warranty.  It worked fine.

[FordService]

My wife's energy is having the same issue, if it sits on charge (always on L2 charge when my used), the 12v battery is dead after sittin for a couple of days. After jump staring it is ok, traction battery is full.

 

Took it to the San Leandro dealer and they fobbed me off by telling me the battery was loose and they had tightened it up. It died the next weekend. I should have known it was a lemon when I bought it as they had to jump start it.

 

When it died the 12v battery measured less than 1volt, so that is now ruined, but the dealer won't replace it under warranty.

 

I also have an energy and it has started making clunking noises when I brake and accelerate, but I just don't have any faith that the dealership will be able to fix it and it'll just be a waste of my time taking it in.

 

Hi eeeny,

 

I want to check out some extra options. What's your mileage?

 

Well with all the problems I experienced with my LEMON fusion the first year, back & forth to the dealership 5 times in about 3 weeks, and trying to get the regional manager to replace my vehicle, which she refused and told me it was my responsibility to continue to return it to ford dealership until it was fixed,  I politely told her FORD WOULD NEVER GET ANOTHER DOLLAR FROM ME. I like my Fusion Tit. Energi but it cost me many, many, hours of lost wages, my time,  etc. and I truly am NOT A SATISFIED CUSTOMER.

 

Hi Isa1218,

 

When you mention a regional manager, are you referring to someone at the dealership, or your regional customer service manager? If it's the latter, you should have a case number. Please send it over, and I'll take a look. 

 

Meagan