Sudden battery death?

[ROBERT BONNER]

My '20 is still running on the OEM battery, which is a record for me, living in NC. Something about my duty cycles/vehicles, etc. This is the first battery I've had, OEM or replacement, that has gone past 40 months. 52 months now and counting. No signs of weakening yet. Since 40 months I've been carrying around a jump pack, because the 40 month thing makes me paranoid.

 

[Hellwig]

My '20 is still running on the OEM battery, which is a record for me, living in NC. Something about my duty cycles/vehicles, etc. This is the first battery I've had, OEM or replacement, that has gone past 40 months. 52 months now and counting. No signs of weakening yet. Since 40 months I've been carrying around a jump pack, because the 40 month thing makes me paranoid.

I usually replace battery at 5 years mark, no matter it gives any symptom or not.

 

[hokie98]

Ironically I got in my 2018 last Sat AM early to run to the store to pick up a few things. We were on our way out of town a few hours later...to a COLD college football game in the mountains where the vehicle would be sitting in the cold for hours. It was in the garage, and I attempted to start it, but it wouldn't turn over. I let it sit for a little bit, then called my husband out so we could jump it...and when I tried, it went ahead and cranked slowly. I drove to a local auto parts store, and the advisor tested it, said yes, the battery was low, so he replaced it for me. Luckily it is a 2018...the kid at the auto parts store (not sure if he's right) says alot of newer cars have a note in their system it needs "professional installation". I was just glad he could take care of it for me on a Sat AM. It's been at the dealer a few times this year, and no indication from them the battery was getting low, but they also didn't tell me my brakes needing replacing, so there is that. But yep, no warning. I used to drive a Honda Ody, and same thing. That was ok one day, wouldn't turn over the next. I noticed on the way to the auto parts store, things like "blind spot alert" wasn't work. I assume because of the weak battery. I'm a bit surprised mine went ahead and started, and frankly, glad it lasted this long (~6 yrs), although the replacement battery was the most expensive one at the auto parts store. I'm glad it happened in my garage rather than in a parking lot at midnight when it's 20 degrees.

 

[GlennSullivan]

Ironically I got in my 2018 last Sat AM early to run to the store to pick up a few things. We were on our way out of town a few hours later...to a COLD college football game in the mountains where the vehicle would be sitting in the cold for hours. It was in the garage, and I attempted to start it, but it wouldn't turn over. I let it sit for a little bit, then called my husband out so we could jump it...and when I tried, it went ahead and cranked slowly. I drove to a local auto parts store, and the advisor tested it, said yes, the battery was low, so he replaced it for me. Luckily it is a 2018...the kid at the auto parts store (not sure if he's right) says alot of newer cars have a note in their system it needs "professional installation". I was just glad he could take care of it for me on a Sat AM. It's been at the dealer a few times this year, and no indication from them the battery was getting low, but they also didn't tell me my brakes needing replacing, so there is that. But yep, no warning. I used to drive a Honda Ody, and same thing. That was ok one day, wouldn't turn over the next. I noticed on the way to the auto parts store, things like "blind spot alert" wasn't work. I assume because of the weak battery. I'm a bit surprised mine went ahead and started, and frankly, glad it lasted this long (~6 yrs), although the replacement battery was the most expensive one at the auto parts store. I'm glad it happened in my garage rather than in a parking lot at midnight when it's 20 degrees.

There is literally no rhyme or reason to this battery situation. Some times there will be a slow crank warning, other times there will be secondary electronic features not acting right or shutting down warning - those are the lucky situations where you can do something about it before getting stranded. Other times a vehicle can act perfectly fine the day before and then just not start and the battery will not take a jump or charge. I have had all 3 scenarios happen to me with 2011 - 2017 Expeditions. Bottom line, batteries are not constructed like they used to be. Want a little more safety / resiliency, buy a deep cycle marine battery which cost 2 to 3 times as much.

 

[chrismills]

I had the same advice from my dealer when we were 4 plus years into ownership of a 2018 Limited---it lasted 5 years. Here are warning signs that your battery is in need of replacement.
1. Auto stop/start quits working
2. Interior mood lighting in the doors and under the footwell quit working

Vehicle still started but I knew it was getting close.

Those two clues led me to say time to replace.

 

[Danm355]

Hey all,
We have a 2018 Limited on the original battery. Last time I had service done the place told me the battery was low and replace it before it got really cold. Makes sense. I bought a new one but had it in the garage for the weekend since I didn’t have a chance to change it.
Yesterday, it started fine for my wife and she drove it to work. Sat 8 hours in 20 degree weather. When she tried to start it, it cranked for 2 seconds or so and then the starter cut out. Tried again, same thing. She FaceTimed me while she did it. A coworker tried to jump start it but they said the battery didn’t take any charge after 20 minutes.
Ran the new battery out, swapped it, and everything is fine.
Every car I’ve ever owned shows a dying battery by progressively slower and harder starts, usually over the course of days or weeks. You know it’s coming. This car just said “no” and cut out the starter.
Is this some sort of feature? Too many gadgets so there’s a voltage cutout and it just denies the attempt? Why not alert the driver somehow? Even my motorcycle gives me a low battery alert on the display if it’s been sitting too long. I drive her car at times too and there was no traditional indication of a dying battery.
Anyone else have a similar story? This car has been sort of a pain in the ass as of late and I won’t be sad to see it go. Frozen door handles, power running boards with a mind of their own, startup lifter rattle, and the hits keep coming.

Thanks,
Ryan

The batteries they use now are made in China and are crap. They don't last like they used to. The dealer replaced my battery 6 months ago and it's already not fully charging. I'll take it back again and have them put in another battery as long as it's still under warranty. When it's no longer under warranty I will search for a good battery and install it myself.

 

[haviland]

I have a 2022 not even three years old and the battery died. It was replaced under warranty. I don't think I ever had a battery fail so quickly.

 

[GaryH]

Well Captainjerky, yes, years (decades) ago you could tell when your battery was on its last legs. Now days, sudden death is the norm. The only way to tell is to put an electronic battery tester on it. I change mine out every 5 years or so just so that I won't be stranded somewhere at the most inconvenient times. I've been lucky so far The first and last time it happened to me 25 years ago, I happened to be in my own driveway.

 

[Hellwig]

I have a 2022 not even three years old and the battery died. It was replaced under warranty. I don't think I ever had a battery fail so quickly.

Is your factory battery AGM or Flooded? My 2024 came in with factory AGM battery.

 

[19ExpMaxPlatYYC]

In my experience usually, a battery weakens as you expected. On occasion a full cell within the battery fails and this may be what you've experienced. A typical battery contains 6 2 volt cells. When one fails the five cells that remain take the charge intended for six. Typically, something like 14.2+ volts is going to the battery or 2.36 v/cell. Drop to 5 cells and it sees 2.8+ volts. Now you're overcharging each cell and the results are as one would expect. Battery done.

There's probably room to debate these numbers, but the point stands.

 

[Dice Roll]

My battery made it until this past week. Only gave one slow crank but it did fire. Started fine for next week as I waited for battery to come in.

It started not unlocking pass side and I noted the stop start deal wasn’t working. I watched and it said it was in due to charging. Odyssey had a Black Friday deal and I waited for it to come in.

I typically get 60 months plus or minus a month or two on every car I’ve had. This one was two months short, but car was 6 months the old when I got it, so I’d say that equates about the same as I normally get. One thing I do is never let the liftgate raise off the battery or the running boards either. Just takes an extra second of running to do that. I see many posts on batteries that don’t make it 5 years.

I looked in the manual and it says to let it sit 8 hours for a BMS reset. There apparently is a way to do it right away too. Click your heels three times and say no place like Autozone or something like that.

 

[Fizzy]

It's been mentioned several times in this thread, and I've searched unsuccessfully in the gen 4 forum, but...

What is battery pairing, why do you do it, and how?

 

[cekkk]

DW's '13 King Ranch with every conceivable option (no failures) is on its third battery. OTOH, my 2020 Lincoln Corsair is on its fourth battery. The others all died of a mysterious cardiac arrest that occurred overnight without warning. Dead. Capit. Zero response to shocking. No voltage. Gotta love her, though. Even without the key fob in my pockets she usually greens me with a few grunts or growns. And if I have a fob on me, oh, my! Her eyes light up, all countless numbers of them!

God how I wish I had our '97 STS back.

 

[Dice Roll]

It's been mentioned several times in this thread, and I've searched unsuccessfully in the gen 4 forum, but...

What is battery pairing, why do you do it, and how?

Key on. Engine off. Flash brights five times. Push brakes three times. Watch for battery light to flash a few times then go back solid. Turn off. Takes a few seconds for the battery light to confirm it took.

 

[Dice Roll]

I’m dismayed ford did this bms deal and didn’t think out how it tells the owner there is an issue. Instead of turning off things like ASS that most people hate, turning off the passenger door unlock, why not just put a message on the dash saying to “check battery?” Just seems ****** stupid to mess around like this. And really the battery reset could be a two step confirmation in one of the menus and get away from the hokey click your heels three times and say there’s no place like Autozone, there’s no place like Autozone routine.

 

[Fizzy]

Key on. Engine off. Flash brights five times. Push brakes three times. Watch for battery light to flash a few times then go back solid. Turn off. Takes a few seconds for the battery light to confirm it took.

Thanks. I assume this is done right after the new battery is installed?

 

[texsn95]

Can Forscan pair the battery?

 

[Dice Roll]

Thanks. I assume this is done right after the new battery is installed?

Yeah the car will not charge it right. Stuff still not turn back on by bms. Or wait 8 hours without using the car is supposed to reset it.

 

[B Tanzer]

My 2018 Limited needs a new battery about every 2 years. There are signs when it begins to lose peak capacity, such as the locking button on the outside door handle not working. Make sure you get the right replacement as these vehicles are power hungry.

 

[Left Coast Geek]

re: batteries made in China.. East Penn still makes all its batteries in the USA, brands include Deka, Intimidator. I've had quite good luck with these on a variety of vehicles (Mercedes, Ford, etc). Group 94R / H7. They are also sold as Duracell at stores like Batteries Plus.