Maverick completely dead in the cold, best options?

[icegradner]

What's wrong with trying to jump it while it's cold? I've never heard of that being an issue.

In theory when the temperature is low and the air is dry there is an increased risk of arcing (more static electricity in the air), but that really shouldn't be an issue with a hybrid Maverick, the posts for jumping are a fair distance apart.

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[rclee]

Also if you get one, you will not have to find someone to help you. Keep it charged and keep it in the truck.

 

[Joe Kelly]

Call ford road side assistance Since it appears to be a hybred.

 

[jsus]

Call ford road side assistance Since it appears to be a hybred.

Yep. Your vehicle purchase includes 5 years/60,000 mi of roadside assistance from Ford. Service can be requested via FordPass app or the contact info at the webpage below.

https://www.ford.com/support/category/service-maintenance/roadside-assistance/

 

[Fastbackjon]

Off topic but I ordered my Maverick with the $90 block heater. People laughed because I live in Kentucky. Don't think anyone is laughing now.

For the O-P , There has been discussions on this site about poor batteries from the factory. I would definitely go to the dealer for a warranty claim. And I as well ordered the block heater for the ecoboost in my Mav. Cheap option. Iowa is famous for temp swings during the winter. Fortunately Havent had to use it yet, plus I need to reroute it so I dont need to open the hood to plug in to it.

 

[rlhdweman]

HOA probably has a rule about opening your own hood too! It doesn't look good.

 

[Synthesyze]

HOA probably has a rule about opening your own hood too! It doesn't look good.

Yep no working on your car in parking spots. I hate HOAs with a passion, but the unit was so cheap to buy I'm paying about 1/2 in mortgage + HOA dues what comparable rent would be so I deal with it.

 

[Bj517]

For the O-P , There has been discussions on this site about poor batteries from the factory. I would definitely go to the dealer for a warranty claim. And I as well ordered the block heater for the ecoboost in my Mav. Cheap option. Iowa is famous for temp swings during the winter. Fortunately Havent had to use it yet, plus I need to reroute it so I dont need to open the hood to plug in to it.

I think a lot of the batteries are bad - it's not necessarily the wiring harness issue. My hybrids been giving me deep sleep alerts constantly for the last few weeks with the weather getting colder. Multimeter at the battery shows low voltage every time I've checked. I'll take it in for warranty service eventually

 

[S. fisher]

It probably has more to do with a hybrid in the cold. Up here the only hybrid that did exceptionally well here in the interior of Alaska, was prototype hydrogen powered GMC suburban. Those vehicles performed great in -40 to -50 temps, the problem is that GM never built it.
Granted a lot of people have bought hybrids up here, of course they can’t drive them up here if they park them outside over night when temps reach -10 unless they’ve been winterized and plugged in. When the Prius came out, Toyota wouldn’t even sell you one unless you had a heated garage.
The full electric cars are completely worthless up here in winter.
They are made even worse by the fact since the powers that be decided to shut down the Healy power plant cause it runs on coal.
So now we get a 200$ + or - fuel surcharge each month on our electric bill cause the North Pole diesel powered power plant burns 5,000 gallons of no. 1 every hr. That Price varies depending on what the spot price of oil is.
Lately at the temps we’re experiencing, even full gas and diesel powered vehicles are having problems starting even if plugged in. If you let it sit for a couple of days there is a good chance it won’t start. We’re running in the - 30’s to mid - 40’s, it warmed up to - 20 right now w a 30 mph wind. Tomorrow it should be back to -30.
Merry Christmas

 

[Johnkn]

What lights don’t come on, your overhead and cabin lights when the door is opened or all the indicator lights in the dash?

Your ICE does not necessarily (crank or ) start when initially turning your hybrid to ‘start’ and back to ‘run’.

I would repeat the process tomorrow, enter the truck, insert key, turn fully to ‘start’ and release it to the “run” position. Put the gear selector in drive, release the parking brake and see if the truck moves in electric mode.

If it does, put it in park and the ICE engine will likely kick in shortly as needed.

If the truck does not move in Electric mode, jump it across the 2 pins under the hood pictured above.

I don’t believe my ICE has come on upon my initial daily start up in my 7k miles, it always begins in electric mode.





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[Synthesyze]

What lights don’t come on, your overhead and cabin lights when the door is opened or all the indicator lights in the dash?

Your ICE does not necessarily (crank or ) start when initially turning your hybrid to ‘start’ and back to ‘run’.

I would repeat the process tomorrow, enter the truck, insert key, turn fully to ‘start’ and release it to the “run” position. Put the gear selector in drive, release the parking brake and see if the truck moves in electric mode.

If it does, put it in park and the ICE engine will likely kick in shortly as needed.

If the truck does not move in Electric mode, jump it across the 2 pins under the hood pictured above.

I don’t believe my ICE has come on upon my initial daily start up in my 7k miles, it always begins in electric mode.





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It’s all lights, anything electric. Locks, overhead lights, dash, airbag sensor. Got a jump yesterday and was able to drive it for a bit to the store. When I got back in I got a message to stop the car immediately and received a “SHIFT SYS FAULT” and it forced the parking brake so I couldn’t move. After about 10 attempts it let me remove the parking brake and I was able to drive home but I guess I’m getting in touch with the dealer on Monday.

 

[Red Ryder]

Off topic but I ordered my Maverick with the $90 block heater. People laughed because I live in Kentucky. Don't think anyone is laughing now.

That's good, but Chris_G is likely on target with it being the battery cable. Mine is currently down, the 12V battery is topped off but I'm still down as 12V power is not getting to the underhood distribution point reliably.

If OP does get it jump started and goes out in single-digit temperature, I recommend being prepared (dress warmly) in the event of stranding/waiting for tow.

 

[TedTX]

Yes extremely bad self protection mode, but possibly not fatal. We have reached temperatures for most of North America so far below normal that the fake out tricks that the battery chemistry can’t handle low temperatures no longer work. Lithium ion batteries can’t be charged but can be discharged at around freezing temperatures of water. This is bad why would we use them in EVs and Hybrids? Well EVs are discharging only while in use, and when being charged the electric charger is warming up the batteries to safe levels before actually charging them. And Hybrids batteries heated by the engine exhaust quickly and internal more precise but very weak toaster like heat wires.
There is enough capacity generally left in the hybrid high voltage battery so that it can heat itself up by draining itself.
When it gets super cold for long then even the engine exhaust heat is unable to raise or keep the battery to accept a charge.
And its been drained to unsafe levels in a effort to accept a charge by heating itself up. The hybrid always generate some electricity when the ICE is running. It can electronically make the generator/motor basically just spin and do nothing useful.
There are many ways to shed this tiny amount of electricity but there is always a large wire directly connected between generator and HV battery and like wise there is a hard physical connection between ICE and electric motor/generator.
The only way to have the hybrid protect the HV battery from actual and unrepairable damage is to kill the ICE. The step just before that is to engage the brakes to emergency levels to waste the surplus, brakes are not regenerating but running the electric motors backwards just before ICE is killed.

 

[TedTX]

Don’t try to start the truck again until just above freezing has been reached and that the truck had time to match the outside temperatures.
First time after it starts it would be best to just leave it idle. Let the engine cycle normally even if it runs an extra long time. HV battery would be very low and needs to be charged.

 

[V2WIN]

Hey guys. Woke up yesterday morning early to start the Maverick up due to the cold temps so I could get to work. It hit about -10F here.

Turned the key, and lights in the cabin flickered for a brief moment and then shut off. I tried 3-4 more times and then the lights would not appear at all and there's no sound that the engine is even cranking. Figured it was just too cold. FordPass app doesn't show any issues but none o the commands work as well.

Today it's a bit warmer, around 7F right now. It still has the same issue so my assumption is the battery was completely drained. The key fob doesn't work to lock/unlock the Maverick as well so it's just sitting unlocked. I live in an apartment complex where we cannot have engine block heaters. I've never tried jumping a car this cold before, and have heard lots of horror stories online so I'm hesitant to do it. I've seen someone online mention using a hair dryer to heat the battery but I'd need to get about 100ft of extension cord to reach my car from an outdoor outlet.

Would it be okay to jump it in 7-10F weather? Should I contact roadside assistance from my insurance since I have that coverage?

Thanks!

2022 Maverick XLT Hybrid, 10,500 miles. Built in March 2022.


EDIT: Ah, I saw this post here which sounds very similar to the issue I'm having... Sounds like a warranty repair is in order...

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...for-a-replacement-hybrid-battery-cable.25144/

Sounds like a cable replacement replacement. Sorry, I was extremely worried after set two days in sub zero Temps with wind chills hitting -35. Luckily it fired right up. 22 hybrid xlt 9100 miles. It looks like if the cable is OK they can take the cold.

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