Battery Drainage due to Ford App & Telematic Unit sending Data to Ford

[RRR]

To clarify: Are you saying that after you pulled fuse #11 you started getting Front Camera & Pre-collision alerts?

No, I made a change in Forscan yesterday and brought up these two error messages. Tonight, I was able to correct it,

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[HeyBales]

Ozarkbeard, you seem to be quite knowledge about Maverick's. I have a 2023 Maverick XL Hybrid with only 350 miles. I've already had three safety recalls done, another notice for rear camera freezing, and a future notice for the wiper motor. From the beginning of ownership, I couldn't keep my battery charged up with a trickle charger. I replaced the battery with a 760CCA AGM battery. The issue still ongoing until I pulled fuse #11, the telematic unit. Yet others commented the battery usage is negligible. Not enough to drain the battery. But yet when I pulled fuse #11 the battery drainage stopped; why? Furthermore, while my truck was in the garage, I now have an Alert on the instrument panel stating, 'Front Camera Fault Service Required' & 'Pre-Collision Assist Not Available'. The solution is reprogram the IPMA using Ford software (FDRS) and do a IPMA alignment procedure. Can I do this myself in Forscan? The second reason for the two alerts is due to a faulty camera module. Any guidance or recommendations? Ron

Watch enough videos about parasitic draw and you'll find that modules can go bad - any module on any vehicle almost any age (newer is better for more modules to go bad of course!).

There has been a thread where the OP shared the tech notes and they did see excessive draw on the TCU - it was the issue. Not the normal expected minor draw that would cause no issue, which was proved out on the replacement module.

You may indeed have a bad TCU. Plenty of others don't.

Forscan won't have those procedures - besides keep it under warranty by having them fixed by dealer.

 

[BAScott62]

CCA is calculated at around turning a starter in cold weather. To extend performance in the hybrid, you'll want to look for a high Amp Hour (Ah) battery.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

...when I pulled fuse #11 the battery drainage stopped...

I don't know how much battery drain is caused by the Telematics unit. I do know there are several things that can cause battery drain, and the TCU is one of them.

To try & prevent battery issues and extend the 12v battery's lifetime, I do several things; the pulled fuse#11 (shortly after buying the truck), double-lock with fob and slap a battery tender on the truck if I won't be driving it for a few days.
I have no proof any of the above will help, although cumulatively they might. My original flooded 12v battery is still working fine, with no dome light problems or other issues, many have posted on MTC.

I do these things to avoid going to a stealership - the closest one is over an hour away.

 

[RRR]

I don't know how much battery drain is caused by the Telematics unit. I do know there are several things that can cause battery drain, and the TCU is one of them.

To try & prevent battery issues and extend the 12v battery's lifetime, I do several things; the pulled fuse#11 (shortly after buying the truck), double-lock with fob and slap a battery tender on the truck if I won't be driving it for a few days.
I have no proof any of the above will help, although cumulatively they might. My original flooded 12v battery is still working fine, with no dome light problems or other issues, many have posted on MTC.

I do these things to avoid going to a stealership - the closest one is over an hour away.

What do you mean by double lock with fob? Are you just pressing the lock button twice on the key fob or making a change in Forscan? Also, what is the purpose of a double lock?

 

[Dad]

No, I made a change in Forscan yesterday and brought up these two error messages. Tonight, I was able to correct it,

Oh, ok. So pulling the fuse had no other effect except to terminate the flow of data to Ford?

 

[RRR]

Oh, ok. So pulling the fuse had no other effect except to terminate the flow of data to Ford?

So far, I haven't noticed it affecting anything else nor did anyone else comment about it affecting other things.

 

[Dad]

So far, I haven't noticed it affecting anything else nor did anyone else comment about it affecting other things.

Ok. thanks for the clarification and sharing your information and experience. You're one of the reasons why this is such a great club.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

Ok. thanks for the clarification and sharing your information and experience. You're one of the reasons why this is such a great club.

Pulling fuse 11 will do nothing but disable the telematics unit. Fuse 11 powers nothing else.
You will get no notices on-screen or chimes or bells or vibrating CV axles.

Of course your app won't work anymore, but it's pretty much a PITA now anyway, after all the updates that have crippled it. Unless you like yet another tracking device on your phone.

 

[Dad]

Pulling fuse 11 will do nothing but disable the telematics unit. Fuse 11 powers nothing else.
You will get no notices on-screen or chimes or bells or vibrating CV axles.

Of course your app won't work anymore, but it's pretty much a PITA now anyway, after all the updates that have crippled it. Unless you like yet another tracking device on your phone.

Thank you!

 

[Ozarkbeard]

What do you mean by double lock with fob? Are you just pressing the lock button twice on the key fob or making a change in Forscan? Also, what is the purpose of a double lock?

Press the lock button twice on the fob.
I read on here that it may shorten the time that all of the relays click and clack while the truck is turned off. I have no proof. All I do things that I've read may contribute to reduce premature battery drain. I have no proof that any of them have helped.
I do, however, still have the original OEM non-AGM battery and no battery issues yet.

 

[richard a. winkler]

I bought a Maverick on July 22 and have had it in to the dealer three times for dead battery. The second time they put a new battery in and it went dead. It is dead now. They do not know what the problem is and they can't fix it. I told them I wanted my money back or a new vehicle that works. I don't think they will do either, but said Ford would buy it back. It's been four months. This is not right.

 

[Packer Bill]

I bought a Maverick on July 22 and have had it in to the dealer three times for dead battery. The second time they put a new battery in and it went dead. It is dead now. They do not know what the problem is and they can't fix it. I told them I wanted my money back or a new vehicle that works. I don't think they will do either, but said Ford would buy it back. It's been four months. This is not right.

Unfortunately, your dealer will not be able to fix it. Ford does not have an AGM battery for your hybrid. ..you need a third party AGM battery. However, Ford has promised a software fix for battery issues in the hybrid sometime first quarter of 2025. Your dealer should know this but sadly, like many dealers, are not up to speed on the latest info from Ford.

 

[HeyBales]

Unfortunately, your dealer will not be able to fix it. Ford does not have an AGM battery for your hybrid. ..you need a third party AGM battery. However, Ford has promised a software fix for battery issues in the hybrid sometime first quarter of 2025. Your dealer should know this but sadly, like many dealers, are not up to speed on the latest info from Ford.

Actually - couple of these threads have pointed out a correctly sized H4 AGM Motorcraft battery now!

So perhaps after the software update they'll start putting those in as warranty replacements, and then we'll see how much longer a cheap quality AGM can last under better charging conditions.

ETA:
So NOT like this one.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...80-minute-reserve-capacity-h4-xev/50001093-p?

 

[Dad]

Pulling fuse 11 will do nothing but disable the telematics unit. Fuse 11 powers nothing else.
You will get no notices on-screen or chimes or bells or vibrating CV axles.

Of course your app won't work anymore, but it's pretty much a PITA now anyway, after all the updates that have crippled it. Unless you like yet another tracking device on your phone.

According to the manual, fuse 11 is located in the "body control fuse panel". Unfortunately, the photo accompanying the text is absolutely no help in locating that panel. Can anyone here be more precise?

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