SSM 53801: 2022-2025 Maverick Hybrid 12V Battery Drain Issue Update Fix Released!

[Darryl]

My service advisor at the dealership said they did the update with engine off. I told them when they took it in it was supposed to be done with the engine running but he said he read the service message and it never said anything about having it in the running mode. We'll see how long it takes to get the low battery warning. I hope NEVER but have my doubts. Of course they always tell me I don't drive my truck enough but I got the warning the day after a highway trip of over 100 miles. IF the latest update did nothing I will be call Ford's national service number because I have a national case number on this.

The service message itself doesn't specify anything other than to do the update and what part number to code the repair to. But when actually performing the update when we get to a certain step, the SCAN TOOL itself will tell us to start the engine and let it run at a certain speed. The service writer wouldn't know that unless the Tech mentioned it to him. But the tech himself couldn't miss seeing that step because it pops up in large writing And prompts us to do so . Then we press the check mark in order to proceed. It was likely done with the engine running. But the tech and service writer don't usually communicate with that much detail. We just do the job, let the service writer know we're done and move to the next vehicle. Depending on our mood and our relationship with the service writer, we may simply give him the "I DID MY JOB, YOU DO YOURS" look.

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[TheSEARCH]

The service message itself doesn't specify anything other than to do the update and what part number to code the repair to. But when actually performing the update when we get to a certain step, the SCAN TOOL itself will tell us to start the engine and let it run at a certain speed. The service writer wouldn't know that unless the Tech mentioned it to him. But the tech himself couldn't miss seeing that step because it pops up in large writing And prompts us to do so . Then we press the check mark in order to proceed. It was likely done with the engine running. But the tech and service writer don't usually communicate with that much detail. We just do the job, let the service writer know we're done and move to the next vehicle. Depending on our mood and our relationship with the service writer, we may simply give him the "I DID MY JOB, YOU DO YOURS" look.

Thanks for info I get my done August 1st.

 

[rknrbt]

Thanks for info I get my done August 1st.

After only 15 days since the update was supposedly done I am now once again getting the low battery mode warnings. I let the dealership know and I called the National Service Center and have a case number on my truck now. someone from Ford national will call me in the next 24 hours to expedite a solution.

 

[Darryl]

After only 15 days since the update was supposedly done I am now once again getting the low battery mode warnings. I let the dealership know and I called the National Service Center and have a case number on my truck now. someone from Ford national will call me in the next 24 hours to expedite a solution.

The first truck I updated had the low battery notice come on again as well. My heart sank. I contacted Ford’s hotline again. I was told to test the battery once again along with testing it again the next day after being disconnected overnight. Well, when it came back. I retested the battery . And it failed that time. It had enough cranking amp. But our tester said that the battery was sulfated. Likely as a result of being discharged so often. I replaced the battery and put a FULL charge on it. That seems to have done the job. Hopefully your battery will fail this time. And that will solve your problem. Even if the battery was replaced previously, it should be tested again in conjunction with the update.

 

[HeyBales]

After only 15 days since the update was supposedly done I am now once again getting the low battery mode warnings. I let the dealership know and I called the National Service Center and have a case number on my truck now. someone from Ford national will call me in the next 24 hours to expedite a solution.

Knew it would.

You didn't sound like you had a parasitic draw. Just the normal issue the vast majority complain about.

This SSM isn't doing anything for poor charging strategy causing a small battery to die early.

Please report back if this is your solution that you are told to do.
Wait until the the truck doesn't start and then jump start it and take it in to have the battery tested.
If bad enough you'll get a new battery.

No expediting it. Well, unless you sit in the car in Acc mode dancing to some old tunes until the battery runs low.
Make sure you still drive it daily for at least a 15 min drive - so no complaints you aren't driving it enough.

I think you are about to get unhappy. If you think you already were - get ready.

As I've said since last year - that SSM was a red herring, and a rumor and myth for dealing with the real issue, when it was actually dealing with something else.

 

[inline_five]

I'm confused reading all these comments. What is the status on this? Should we get it done or not? I had thought that if you turn off the vehicle with A/C selected on this is what is triggering it to lose battery power.

Generally I try to turn off my HVAC system before parking but if I forget I don't want to drain my battery.

Should we get this done or pass?

 

[HeyBales]

I'm confused reading all these comments. What is the status on this? Should we get it done or not? I had thought that if you turn off the vehicle with A/C selected on this is what is triggering it to lose battery power.

Generally I try to turn off my HVAC system before parking but if I forget I don't want to drain my battery.

Should we get this done or pass?

I just never heard mass comments about AC fans staying on after leaving the truck, if the AC was left on during turn-off. Frankly never heard that many comments about dead battery the next morning, compared to normal issue if battery going dead slowly but surely.

I only heard 1 poster that saw an effect with a fan when leaving AC on, compared to turning it off - reliably.

Bob commented on AC being on when he started it, when he turned it off prior stop. Now working correctly after the update. Not really a drain though.

I've not had either effect that I can recall. I usually don't turn HVAC off, but I do fan speed 1, and AC off. Never heard a fan running after getting out, all last summer or this one so far. I've accidentally left AC on a few times in a rush - still no fan running as I left or on return 30 min later.

I think the SSM description of intermittent battery drain is still accurate - just doesn't happen much - but when it does, it'll suck.
There's probably some stars in alignment requirement to cause it, for as long as the SSM was out before a solution.

I get my truck back tomorrow morning after battery replacement finally, I'm betting a 2nd cell finally bit the dust the way the SOC and resting voltage took a noise dive this week. I'll be curious if they did the SSM process - but I never complained about an intermittent drained battery either, and didn't see the need for the update. Yet.

 

[skinnyboy]

I think the SSM description of intermittent battery drain is still accurate - just doesn't happen much - but when it does, it'll suck.
There's probably some stars in alignment requirement to cause it, for as long as the SSM was out before a solution.

This!

Kudos to your efforts to dispel what are almost certainly incorrect assumptions regarding this SSM. Keep up the good work, hopefully it will save some from chasing a dead end.

Owners are, understandably, looking for a "fix" for their withering batteries, and equating this software update with that, when their issue is likely just the way the charging algorithms are designed. Not to destroy batteries intentionally, but to eke out every last bit of fuel economy. Ford isn't alone in this situation, I know of three people with various Toyota hybrids, every one has had a run down battery. It's not a hybrid concept failure, as the HV battery should be a perfect resource for keeping the 12v charged, but also a great way to micromanage the 12v charging down to what is the edge of failure.

My 2022 hybrid killed the battery once, overnight, stone cold dead (3v). Charged it and had no more issues, so wasn't a battery/charging issue. It seems the cause was what this SSM is designed to rectify.

Another assumption that is being made is the bad ACCM software is keeping the HVAC on and causing the failure. It could be, but it could also be triggering a different system on by sending bad data over the canbus under very select circumstances. Probably why it took Ford so long to diagnose and engineer a solution for this issue, it's a rare failure and potentially another component involved. Had a Five Hundred that would kill its battery every night. A failing infotainment unit would trigger the HVAC on after being parked for about 45 minutes. The head unit was fine other than (probably) sending a bad packet of data. That was a b*tch to diagnose, and it happened every night. Can't even imagine how you could find a failure that might happen once every few years. Ford engineering gets a pass in my book for the SSM, but not for the bad initial code.

Cheers.

 

[Darryl]

I'm confused reading all these comments. What is the status on this? Should we get it done or not? I had thought that if you turn off the vehicle with A/C selected on this is what is triggering it to lose battery power.

Generally I try to turn off my HVAC system before parking but if I forget I don't want to drain my battery.

Should we get this done or pass?

My advice: if your vehicle is having symptoms, go ahead and get it done. If you’re not having symptoms, then don’t. It may actually help. Also, when you have it done have them test the battery using their FORD approved charger/tester, not just their quick tester they probably use when they’re testing as a part of their quick inspection. And if the battery passes the test, have them allow the battery to FULLY charge. Then do a battery monitoring system reset. We have a 2022 that would sometimes drain the battery after sitting two days. I did the update, tested and FULLY charged the battery, and performed a bms reset. There was also another update to a different module (I forgot which it was) that sometimes contributed to a false warning of a low battery. For good measure, I updated EVERY module that had an available update. The truck sat a FULL WEEK untouched with no issues.

 

[2024_xl_hybrid b&w]

My advice: if your vehicle is having symptoms, go ahead and get it done. If you’re not having symptoms, then don’t. It may actually help. Also, when you have it done have them test the battery using their FORD approved charger/tester, not just their quick tester they probably use when they’re testing as a part of their quick inspection. And if the battery passes the test, have them allow the battery to FULLY charge. Then do a battery monitoring system reset. We have a 2022 that would sometimes drain the battery after sitting two days. I did the update, tested and FULLY charged the battery, and performed a bms reset. There was also another update to a different module (I forgot which it was) that sometimes contributed to a false warning of a low battery. For good measure, I updated EVERY module that had an available update. The truck sat a FULL WEEK untouched with no issues.

You're the man! I'd take a trip to Florida if you'd do mine.

 

[HeyBales]

I get my truck back tomorrow morning after battery replacement finally, I'm betting a 2nd cell finally bit the dust the way the SOC and resting voltage took a noise dive this week. I'll be curious if they did the SSM process - but I never complained about an intermittent drained battery either, and didn't see the need for the update. Yet.

Work order says nothing about doing the SSM, just battery charge, test, fail, replace, BMS reset.
Wish they had given tester results figures.
Battery mfg 42nd wk of 2023, put into Mav built 3/24, activated 4/24. Dead enough almost 8/25. 16 months, 1 1/3 yr.

And then I charged it up too because on pickup the PID already said 68% SOC, probably because it sat overnight doing it's relearn. And then a couple hours off charger for float charge to .... float away, and the systems own values for SOC was 82% at full voltage.
I really don't think their value for SOC is what is normally used elsewhere - it's their own value.
Charger was hooked under hood - so charge went thru the sensor. But again, there are no PID values for logging charging with key off, only key on. But it sits again tonight to Relearn, so hopefully it'll get a new value.
Ended my last drive at 84% SOC. Strangely during an extended idle time where it had gone to 0 A delivery to the battery, it started reading -1 A (neg). Now I know why there is a PID for discharge while Key On - it is possible.
Also before turn-off on that drive, the Amps had gone back up to 4, still at 84% SOC though. Very strange.
So that was my last charge-up. So begins my slow decline to another dead battery for good timing while still under warranty, closer to the end of the 3 yrs. That next one I'll maintain!

 

[Darryl]

Work order says nothing about doing the SSM, just battery charge, test, fail, replace, BMS reset.
Wish they had given tester results figures.
Battery mfg 42nd wk of 2023, put into Mav built 3/24, activated 4/24. Dead enough almost 8/25. 16 months, 1 1/3 yr.

And then I charged it up too because on pickup the PID already said 68% SOC, probably because it sat overnight doing it's relearn. And then a couple hours off charger for float charge to .... float away, and the systems own values for SOC was 82% at full voltage.
I really don't think their value for SOC is what is normally used elsewhere - it's their own value.
Charger was hooked under hood - so charge went thru the sensor. But again, there are no PID values for logging charging with key off, only key on. But it sits again tonight to Relearn, so hopefully it'll get a new value.
Ended my last drive at 84% SOC. Strangely during an extended idle time where it had gone to 0 A delivery to the battery, it started reading -1 A (neg). Now I know why there is a PID for discharge while Key On - it is possible.
Also before turn-off on that drive, the Amps had gone back up to 4, still at 84% SOC though. Very strange.
So that was my last charge-up. So begins my slow decline to another dead battery for good timing while still under warranty, closer to the end of the 3 yrs. That next one I'll maintain!

If the battery tested bad, many of them simply replace the battery because that alone could explain it
Just see what your vehicle will do if you drive it the way you normally drive it
Don't do anything special. Just let what happens happen . If the battery discharges again, have them to perform the SSM



If the battery discharges again, take it back and mention the SSM to them and have them perform it

 

[Master Blaster]

Get ALL the recalls, software updates and SSMs done. Some of them affect the battery usage and life. Trying to figure out which ones you want to have is not productive when all of them are required for various reasons.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

My advice: if your vehicle is having symptoms, go ahead and get it done. If you’re not having symptoms, then don’t. It may actually help. Also, when you have it done have them test the battery using their FORD approved charger/tester, not just their quick tester they probably use when they’re testing as a part of their quick inspection. And if the battery passes the test, have them allow the battery to FULLY charge. Then do a battery monitoring system reset. We have a 2022 that would sometimes drain the battery after sitting two days. I did the update, tested and FULLY charged the battery, and performed a bms reset. There was also another update to a different module (I forgot which it was) that sometimes contributed to a false warning of a low battery. For good measure, I updated EVERY module that had an available update. The truck sat a FULL WEEK untouched with no issues.

I have a 22 hybrid lariat, which at 34 months had to live in my noco. The quick tester showed 12v at 10.1(+/-), I asked for the overnight full charge test. The service advisor ask a few questions which I answered correctly, qualified for the test, which showed bad cell and battery was replaced. I also have a hybrid XLT luxury which is now 34 months old. I don't drive it much (4400 miles). It sees the noco frequently and it's original 12v stays above 12.2 and will fully charge with about 40 miles driven. About a year ago I fully charged battery, locked truck overnight for battery learn. I repeated the charge/learn five or six times hoping that the BMS seeing the 12v at 100% multiple times would help. Have no idea but it seems to have helped to charge battery with a trip of 40-50 miles. I am going to start driving it more to keep miles off the lariat. I do keep updates done except the ones requiring an error first.

 

[TheSEARCH]

Question. I will be bringing my 23 hybrid in for them to look at battery and hopefully do service bulletin . So

Should I charge the 12 volt over night the night before I bring it in?? I really hoping I get a new battery and service bulletin done.

My Mav was picked up Aug 16th 2023 original 12 volt I have been charging on a regular basis since new. .

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