Active Grill Shutters Not Working

[Phoenix4]

I got a ‘23 XLT FX4 and with winter upon us, it’s taking way too long to warm up. As I’m inspecting, I’m noticing the grill shutters aren’t closing when it’s cold. I ran a functions test with a Launch Tool and the shutters will move when commanded. There are no history or stored codes for overheat conditions, thermostat, or grill shutters fault.

Trying to see if anyone’s had similar issues and resolved them before I dropped her off at the dealer for a few days.

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[MaverickDragon]

Phoenix4
This item may be applicable:

• Cold Weather Operation: In colder conditions, the shutters may remain open longer to ensure adequate engine warming.

I know, it seems like the reverse should be true, but it may be that once the engine warms up, they close, and if so, what you observed could be normal operation.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I got a ‘23 XLT FX4 and with winter upon us, it’s taking way too long to warm up. As I’m inspecting, I’m noticing the grill shutters aren’t closing when it’s cold. I ran a functions test with a Launch Tool and the shutters will move when commanded. There are no history or stored codes for overheat conditions, thermostat, or grill shutters fault.

Trying to see if anyone’s had similar issues and resolved them before I dropped her off at the dealer for a few days.

From what I've read they may not close in freezing weather to prevent the possibility of ice freezing them in shut position!!!

 

[MaverickDragon]

@MakinDoForNow
That actually makes sense.
In Phoenix, temperatures below freezing are few and far between and icing conditions are as common as unicorns.

Since a shutter ice lock is highly unlikely, I wonder if a parameter change is possible to alter the temperature that initiates closing and/or opening the shutters so the OP's engine warms up faster.
Many other operational variables can be altered via software, no idea if this is one of them.

 

[Phoenix4]

I would understand the prevention from freezing shut, but even days where it’s 40-60 degrees they still don’t operate. The first few years I had it, there were no issues, even in colder weather. I’ll probably have to take it in to have the dealer look at it.

My biggest concern is it’s not breaking 100 degrees while running, even for a long drive and idle cycle.

 

[Carlitos_92]

My biggest concern is it’s not breaking 100 degrees while running, even for a long drive and idle cycle.

If that's in Fahrenheit and you've documented that with an OBD2 reader, that would be abnormal and an issue worthy of troubleshooting.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

@MakinDoForNow
That actually makes sense.
In Phoenix, temperatures below freezing are few and far between and icing conditions are as common as unicorns.

Since a shutter ice lock is highly unlikely, I wonder if a parameter change is possible to alter the temperature that initiates closing and/or opening the shutters so the OP's engine warms up faster.
Many other operational variables can be altered via software, no idea if this is one of them.

I would expect it to be encoded somewhere. But???
Of course chill factor would have to be considered???

 

[MaverickDragon]

Of course chill factor would have to be considered???

Wind chill affects animals and humans because it increases the rate of heat loss, and cooling down to a low ambient temperature can kill us..

Wind chill doesn't actually lower the temperature of a metal grill or any other inanimate object below the ambient air temperature, but it does increase the rate at which objects will cool down to ambient. Once ambient temperature is reached, no further cooling occurs.

Any vehicle sensors would be similarly immune from noticing the wind chill effect, other than the rate of cooling being accelerated, so if it's possible to alter the shutter parameters, there shouldn't be surprises... unless the vehicle is driven to snow country...

 

[gzebrick]

Is there a speed parameter that also effects the operation of the shutters? I've watched them through the ODB2 reader + the free version of car scanner (works with CarPLay!). I see they modulate based on engine temp, but not sure what else is figured in with the algorithm.

 

[MaverickDragon]

I would understand the prevention from freezing shut, but even days where it’s 40-60 degrees they still don’t operate. The first few years I had it, there were no issues, even in colder weather. I’ll probably have to take it in to have the dealer look at it.

My biggest concern is it’s not breaking 100 degrees while running, even for a long drive and idle cycle.

It sounds like the engine temperature being low could be preventing the shutters from closing.
I wonder if you might have a thermostat stuck in the open position...
In any case, sounds like a dealer visit... You are still under the 3year/36K ??

 

[Tim d]

I got a ‘23 XLT FX4 and with winter upon us, it’s taking way too long to warm up. As I’m inspecting, I’m noticing the grill shutters aren’t closing when it’s cold. I ran a functions test with a Launch Tool and the shutters will move when commanded. There are no history or stored codes for overheat conditions, thermostat, or grill shutters fault.

Trying to see if anyone’s had similar issues and resolved them before I dropped her off at the dealer for a few days.

Is this active shutter feature only on the FX4?

 

[MaverickDragon]

My trucklett is a 25 and a hybrid, but it has shutters.
AFAIK, they all have shutters, but that's just a swag.

In the case of the OP, he's stated that he can operate the shutters in his vehicle with the launch tool, so I doubt they would install shutters without making them operational...

 

[22XLThybrid]

I got a ‘23 XLT FX4 and with winter upon us, it’s taking way too long to warm up. As I’m inspecting, I’m noticing the grill shutters aren’t closing when it’s cold. I ran a functions test with a Launch Tool and the shutters will move when commanded. There are no history or stored codes for overheat conditions, thermostat, or grill shutters fault.

Trying to see if anyone’s had similar issues and resolved them before I dropped her off at the dealer for a few days.

If you had an early Hybrid with the engine recall you would have had a couple of the blades removed and the rest would operate. Of course this probably makes cold weather operation more cold since the ICE engine on the hybrid is running cold because it's not running all the time.

 

[johnDeere]

The shutters open to 46% when the temperature is below 36 degrees when driving to prevent them from freezing in the closed position.

Some ford engineer had a hair in there butt who though of this.

Ford also runs the coolant fan when you not moving and not up to temperature too. ( they had problems with some ford catching on fire because of fuel or crankcase leaks vapor that could not vent out from under the hood).


if its below freezing and your not pushing the engine hard, the shutters may not open at all.
(I have seen this with "car scanner" app)
If the shutters needed to open (temperature over 210 degrees), ( that is when i notice the shutters opening to 20% first), and they were frozen shut, all ford had to do was turn on the fan in pusher mode and blow all that hot air on to the shutters and they would thaw out.
Or you could put a piece of cardboard between the coolant fan shroud and the engine.
I did that.
Or you could put a spring to hold the shutter more closed than what it is, (there is slop in the linkages).
I did that too.
The shutter will not be closed all the way, and you can't pull it closed.
Just a note, I have the full set of shutter blades.

23 mav hybrid xlt.
20K miles

 

[Phoenix4]

All mavs have shutters. Mine was built after the recall took effect, so I’m already missing the two. This is definitely something that I’ll need the dealer to look at within the next month/2000mi. As someone else had stated, and what I suspected is I have either a stuck thermostat or a faulty temp sensor that’s not popping a mil.

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