Hybrid Battery Rundown Solution - Battery Tender ($55 total) w/Installation Photos

[Zanky]

My Maverick is only 4 months old, but I've read quite a bit on the primary battery getting run down. Even though a 2025 model with a U.S. made FoMoCo battery, I didn't want to start down the whole battery replacement road.

Bought a battery monitor set that has a remote BT monitoring panel. Easy attachment to the battery in 2 minutes. Monitor panel can go anywhere within 30'.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DGQH5S1H?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Also got a battery tender as the truck may sit for 5-7 days.
I can plug in the tender and it charges up the battery up to ~14.0 volts, then shuts off. It will kick back on around 12.8-9 volts and refresh the battery.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074KK8RCW?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Photos are below on complete easy installation which took 20 minutes to figure out best way to install. I used the plug-in connector and attached to the primary battery terminal under the hood. Was also able to route the connector out the left front fender well for charging when needed. There is also a little pocket in the fender well around 10 o'clock that allows the cord to be perfectly tucked in for storage.

Still learning more about the simple battery tender and the charging routine. Peak current is 1.5Amps.

So you think the old style solar panel you used to put on the dash to trickle charge the battery would be enough charge? I looked where that battery is under the back seat & l could go from the battery to the back window easily

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[mwbaumannmo]

Yes, I would imagine a solar tender would help, as long as the vehicle is outdoors. It wouldn't make much difference while the vehicle is running.

My goal with adding a tender was to ensure the battery stays up while sitting 1-2 weeks at a time. That is the same principle for a solar tender.

 

[wthclt]

So, would the solar panel in the rear window connected to battery + and ground point next to battery on floor under the back seat would be ok to leave connected all the time? Not an issue while driving? Or should it have a switch and or fuse?

like this one: https://www.harborfreight.com/10-watt-solar-trickle-charger-70830.html

2025 lariat hybrid


thanks in advance for your input

 

[Hansolo]

 

[HeyBales]

So, would the solar panel in the rear window connected to battery + and ground point next to battery on floor under the back seat would be ok to leave connected all the time? Not an issue while driving? Or should it have a switch and or fuse?

like this one: https://www.harborfreight.com/10-watt-solar-trickle-charger-70830.html

2025 lariat hybrid


thanks in advance for your input

Lot's of posters have had a rather permanent setup, as far as the cable hookups.
Don't recall if the panel was like taken out of back window and placed in seat, or what, so no actual charging happens while driving.
I left mine up behind the headrest until it slipped out. Wasn't much while moving thru shade and bad sun angles - I also had a cheap setup.

The amount of charge coming from it compared to the BMS system anyway - not much.
But the system does actually log charging while key is On, so you'd want it on the correct side of battery sensor mentioned in post above.

Take that back - I'd rather the system NOT know about this extra little charge - let that be the replacement to what a battery looses anyway just sitting.
Because if it sees extra charge while driving - it'll back off it's own charging - which really doesn't need to happen.
The risk to overcharging, hah!, unless you went BIG on the solar panel system.
Overcharging the 12V battery - oxymoron.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

I'm switching to AGM soon.
1000% over-kill though.

As in next time my truck won't start.
Already purchased one.
My AGM was ~80% charged when I bought it. Took a bench charger with AGM setting over 4 hours to top it off.

Just giving my 44 month old FLA one last chance. Because I can afford to wait. Have the AGM on standby.

For what it's worth; I've been saying for 20 years now you can start a hybrid with a camcorder battery. I had the chance to prove it last week.

The truck just needs high voltage and a couple of amps.

I "jump started" my hybrid truck with a 12v battery the size of a deck of cards.
Used 3% of the external battery.

 

[kevink]

Luckily I haven't had issues with my 2025 yet. 51 weeks in. I often don't drive it for a week at a time, generally alternating my 2 vehicles.
YMMV, especially with the reports for earlier year's battery issues.

 

[HeyBales]

Luckily I haven't had issues with my 2025 yet. 51 weeks in. I often don't drive it for a week at a time, generally alternating my 2 vehicles.
YMMV, especially with the reports for earlier year's battery issues.

The 25/26MY manual also mention that the battery be replaced with exact same spec - or get the values entered correctly.

Pre-25MY gives no such instruction for the Hybrid. It does for the EB though.
I'm betting they changed some things in the BMS system - instead of hoping the BMS Learn gets the correct battery info - it's entered.

Would love to have the dealer tech that actually has the info on this it appears they should have. I'm betting a gap in info occurred. Never heard of EB owner saying battery info was entered.

MOTORCRAFT PARTS - 2.5L, HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE (HEV)

Component	Motorcraft Part Number
Air filter element.​	FA-1948
Oil filter.3​	FL-910-S
Battery. 1​	See note below. 2
Spark plug.​	SP-530-X
Cabin air filter.​	FP-131
Windshield wiper blade.​	WW-2249 (driver side) WW-2054 (passenger side)

1 Configure your vehicle’s battery management system to match the replacement battery. Failure to use an appropriate configuration for your battery management system could result in shortened battery life, features not working correctly, or your vehicle not starting. Consult your local dealer or service provider for further details.
2 See your dealer for the most current part number.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

The 25/26MY manual also mention that the battery be replaced with exact same spec - or get the values entered correctly.

Pre-25MY gives no such instruction for the Hybrid. It does for the EB though.
I'm betting they changed some things in the BMS system - instead of hoping the BMS Learn gets the correct battery info - it's entered.

Would love to have the dealer tech that actually has the info on this it appears they should have. I'm betting a gap in info occurred. Never heard of EB owner saying battery info was entered.

MOTORCRAFT PARTS - 2.5L, HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE (HEV)

Component	Motorcraft Part Number
Air filter element.​	FA-1948
Oil filter.3​	FL-910-S
Battery. 1​	See note below. 2
Spark plug.​	SP-530-X
Cabin air filter.​	FP-131
Windshield wiper blade.​	WW-2249 (driver side) WW-2054 (passenger side)

1 Configure your vehicle’s battery management system to match the replacement battery. Failure to use an appropriate configuration for your battery management system could result in shortened battery life, features not working correctly, or your vehicle not starting. Consult your local dealer or service provider for further details.
2 See your dealer for the most current part number.

My 2022 hybrid lariat had in manual that replacement battery had to have same specs as OEM. I don't believe that it was as easily found as this example.

 

[rivermaverick]

My Maverick is only 4 months old, but I've read quite a bit on the primary battery getting run down. Even though a 2025 model with a U.S. made FoMoCo battery, I didn't want to start down the whole battery replacement road.

Bought a battery monitor set that has a remote BT monitoring panel. Easy attachment to the battery in 2 minutes. Monitor panel can go anywhere within 30'.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DGQH5S1H?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Also got a battery tender as the truck may sit for 5-7 days.
I can plug in the tender and it charges up the battery up to ~14.0 volts, then shuts off. It will kick back on around 12.8-9 volts and refresh the battery.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074KK8RCW?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Photos are below on complete easy installation which took 20 minutes to figure out best way to install. I used the plug-in connector and attached to the primary battery terminal under the hood. Was also able to route the connector out the left front fender well for charging when needed. There is also a little pocket in the fender well around 10 o'clock that allows the cord to be perfectly tucked in for storage.

Still learning more about the simple battery tender and the charging routine. Peak current is 1.5Amps.

The 12 volt battery can be charged, maintained, jumped or replaced. The concern is the High Voltage battery, the only way to keep it charged is to run the engine or drive it for 15 minutes every 15 days. Not possible when you are going to be out of the country for 6 months. There are high voltage battery chargers but they are expensive and I imagine scary to use - we are dealing with lethal voltages.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

The 12 volt battery can be charged, maintained, jumped or replaced. The concern is the High Voltage battery, the only way to keep it charged is to run the engine or drive it for 15 minutes every 15 days. Not possible when you are going to be out of the country for 6 months. There are high voltage battery chargers but they are expensive and I imagine scary to use - we are dealing with lethal voltages.

So far there are not many, if any, reports of high voltage battery issues.
99 out of 100 cases are low voltage battery issues.

Your hybrid battery will work something like this:

When new or 1 or 2 years old it will be OK sitting for 3 months unused. It will start the vehicle and recharge normal

At 3 to 5 years old it will be OK sitting for 2 months unused.

At 5 to 7 years old it will survive sitting for 1 month.

At 7 to 10 years old it will be ok sitting for 3 weeks.

At 10 years old and above; yes it will absolutely need to be started and run every 2 weeks or so.

General rule; as batteries age, they self discharge faster.

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