Remote Features Disabled To Preserve Battery Life.

[oysterville]

So you got an AGM in 2023, and it's back to battery saving items (lights off quick), and notices about deep sleep mode in app?

I kinda figured eventually - AGM should just last longer before that happens.
Does that mean it only made it a year?

Reduced rate charging is indeed what's happening after a short bit. But that's appropriate at some point.

Misreading where the battery charge is at to do that reduced rate charge seems to be a problem.
It doesn't know how low it's at, and doesn't do the higher charging Amps for as long as needed.

I'll mention this - I constantly see the 10 A level during the initial 5 minutes of a trip, then it drops down after that to barely anything - trickle charge, if that is truly what the battery needed to top off.

Short trips seem to be better. Shoot, don't even have to drive, turn it on and sit for 5 min.
Not like this is an alternator using a lot of amps to spin the engine up on crank, takes barely anything to turn On.
But - you won't fool it sitting there for 5 min, turn off, power on again. I don't know what the minimum off time is, but briefly ain't enough. Maybe the 90 min for clicking to stop.
Also - sitting key on Accessory listening to radio - not good.

My round trip work commute is under twenty miles and about fifteen minutes each way. I get the message every day.

Now, if I do a long road trip of an hour or more then I don't get the message for several days.

I've not tried the trickle charger thing, mostly because I feel like a person shouldn't have to do that with a NEW DAMNED TRUCK.

Sponsored

 

[yeahiguessman]

I wouldn’t worry about that. I think it will be acknowledged by all dealers. They’re just as sick of it as us likely.

My dealer is actually gave me that exact sheet / promise a software fix is coming as the “solution” to the issue. IE - sorry but just deal with it until the software fix comes out.

While we wait, I installed an AGM myself and trickle charge if parked for more than two days.

Love this truck. But hate that me and others have to deal with this on brand new vehicles.

Hopefully the software fix is as simple as the BCM module one. Was nice having a tech just come out, sit with the truck for 20min, and it be done. Fingers crossed?

 

[Krys]

So you got an AGM in 2023, and it's back to battery saving items (lights off quick), and notices about deep sleep mode in app?

I kinda figured eventually - AGM should just last longer before that happens.
Does that mean it only made it a year?

Reduced rate charging is indeed what's happening after a short bit. But that's appropriate at some point.

Misreading where the battery charge is at to do that reduced rate charge seems to be a problem.
It doesn't know how low it's at, and doesn't do the higher charging Amps for as long as needed.

I'll mention this - I constantly see the 10 A level during the initial 5 minutes of a trip, then it drops down after that to barely anything - trickle charge, if that is truly what the battery needed to top off.

Short trips seem to be better. Shoot, don't even have to drive, turn it on and sit for 5 min.
Not like this is an alternator using a lot of amps to spin the engine up on crank, takes barely anything to turn On.
But - you won't fool it sitting there for 5 min, turn off, power on again. I don't know what the minimum off time is, but briefly ain't enough. Maybe the 90 min for clicking to stop.
Also - sitting key on Accessory listening to radio - not good.

I noticed "battery saving" in about 6 months on AGM battery, but it got progressively worse. Will check with the dealer on that issue. Short trips, long trips - it doesn't matter, battery saving is permanent.

 

[Krys]

Thanks for coming forward. It's becoming really obvious that Ford has a problem with their Hybrid system. If you don't use the app you would have no way of knowing you have any issue until the battery dies. I have been taking screenshots of the battery messages because they seem to disappear after a time from my message center. Until recently, the dealerships haven't admitted that there is an engineering design issue. My battery is slowly dieing. I've been to the dealer twice and back again tomorrow. Bought the truck in May and 2 months in it started the save mode. Had to jump it then charge recently. I have a tester and know how to correctly analyze its state. It is slowly going dead no matter how much or little I drive.
I've been trying to tell everyone as suggested by my service writer, to call Ford customer care and complain. The dealer said to mention SSM #53087 - Special Service Message regarding intermittent battery draw. Call 800-392-3673.
Trickle charging is like putting a bandaid on a cut artery.

Thank you for the SSM number!

 

[Mareys]

This may be a dumb question but i have a 22 hybrid with lots of battery issues, waiting on fix but for now turning off all remote updates, fordpass,wifi, keep key in Faraday pouch and double lock on exit. Question is do you think hand washing the truck (without fob nearby) awakens the truck in any way, touching handles etc I had a no start situation the next day after washing it when it had been starting well for awhile. Thanks in advance

 

[Mark1]

This may be a dumb question but i have a 22 hybrid with lots of battery issues, waiting on fix but for now turning off all remote updates, fordpass,wifi, keep key in Faraday pouch and double lock on exit. Question is do you think hand washing the truck (without fob nearby) awakens the truck in any way, touching handles etc I had a no start situation the next day after washing it when it had been starting well for awhile. Thanks in advance

Nothing to do with it. You could put a curse on your truck and it won't change the battery issue.

 

[HeyBales]

This may be a dumb question but i have a 22 hybrid with lots of battery issues, waiting on fix but for now turning off all remote updates, fordpass,wifi, keep key in Faraday pouch and double lock on exit. Question is do you think hand washing the truck (without fob nearby) awakens the truck in any way, touching handles etc I had a no start situation the next day after washing it when it had been starting well for awhile. Thanks in advance

The Ford fobs (perhaps others at this point), go to sleep mode when not moved, so the keyless entry fobs aren't sending any signal out after a few minutes anyway.

You don't state your trim in your profile vehicle description, and that matters on so many things.
non-keyless entry don't matter, as no signal sent until you push a button.

Of course that doesn't matter on that side, because key sending out signal or not doesn't matter - the truck always has it's radio on to listen for the fob sending a signal.
Whether that's non-keyless fob saying Open sesame, or keyless entry saying I'm here get ready with handle to unlock.

You turned off Fordpass?
But did you get into the truck settings to disable the access?
You can turn off the app & ability to reach the Ford servers to view status & such - but that doesn't stop the truck from updating that status frequently and awaiting a remote start/unlock.

Unless washing had you opening the doors constantly and lights turning on again and again - mere coincidence.
You didn't get the truck excited by the wash it was getting turned on...

 

[Mareys]

The Ford fobs (perhaps others at this point), go to sleep mode when not moved, so the keyless entry fobs aren't sending any signal out after a few minutes anyway.

You don't state your trim in your profile vehicle description, and that matters on so many things.
non-keyless entry don't matter, as no signal sent until you push a button.

Of course that doesn't matter on that side, because key sending out signal or not doesn't matter - the truck always has it's radio on to listen for the fob sending a signal.
Whether that's non-keyless fob saying Open sesame, or keyless entry saying I'm here get ready with handle to unlock.

You turned off Fordpass?
But did you get into the truck settings to disable the access?
You can turn off the app & ability to reach the Ford servers to view status & such - but that doesn't stop the truck from updating that status frequently and awaiting a remote start/unlock.

Unless washing had you opening the doors constantly and lights turning on again and again - mere coincidence.
You didn't get the truck excited by the wash it was getting turned on...

Thanks so much! I have basic XL and have turned off Fordpass in the info screen, never loaded it up on my phone. I keep thinking about how hard the salesman tried to get me to load it up on my phone, he kept offering to do it for me. thanks again you provided a lot of useful info. I would hate to not be able to keep her clean and shiny.

 

[Brumbach]

The Ford fobs (perhaps others at this point), go to sleep mode when not moved, so the keyless entry fobs aren't sending any signal out after a few minutes anyway.

You don't state your trim in your profile vehicle description, and that matters on so many things.
non-keyless entry don't matter, as no signal sent until you push a button.

Of course that doesn't matter on that side, because key sending out signal or not doesn't matter - the truck always has it's radio on to listen for the fob sending a signal.
Whether that's non-keyless fob saying Open sesame, or keyless entry saying I'm here get ready with handle to unlock.

You turned off Fordpass?
But did you get into the truck settings to disable the access?
You can turn off the app & ability to reach the Ford servers to view status & such - but that doesn't stop the truck from updating that status frequently and awaiting a remote start/unlock.

Unless washing had you opening the doors constantly and lights turning on again and again - mere coincidence.
You didn't get the truck excited by the wash it was getting turned on...

 

[Brumbach]

I was talking to a tech at my dealership when i dropped my Maverick off. He was saying that you should keep your fob at least 20 feet from the vehicle. If the vehicle senses the fob it starts cycling the modules prepping for start. He said a customer hung his keys on the other side of the wall in the garage and it was causing a drain on the battery. My last vehicle is an 09. I am not astute on modern e-lectronics. Your post makes sense. Actuate fob signal goes to car. Unless there is like an RFID chip that the car is looking for? This is a very good conversation. Thanks for adding to it.
Last Monday i was called and they put a new battery in it. A little over 24 hours later i got the remote features disabled alert. My maverick says its in deep sleep since. Its still there waiting for parts for the other issues. I emailed them last week telling them , but have not heard back it. More to come haha

 

[HeyBales]

I was talking to a tech at my dealership when i dropped my Maverick off. He was saying that you should keep your fob at least 20 feet from the vehicle. If the vehicle senses the fob it starts cycling the modules prepping for start. He said a customer hung his keys on the other side of the wall in the garage and it was causing a drain on the battery. My last vehicle is an 09. I am not astute on modern e-lectronics. Your post makes sense. Actuate fob signal goes to car. Unless there is like an RFID chip that the car is looking for? This is a very good conversation. Thanks for adding to it.
Last Monday i was called and they put a new battery in it. A little over 24 hours later i got the remote features disabled alert. My maverick says its in deep sleep since. Its still there waiting for parts for the other issues. I emailed them last week telling them , but have not heard back it. More to come haha

Like anything electronic - there can be a malfunction, or bad design.

So the manual mentions under both non-keyless & keyless:

Keyless Entry Limitations

Make sure your remote control is within 3 ft (1 m) from the front door handles and the tailgate.
The system could not function if:

• The remote control remains stationary for about a minute.

Remote unlock:
"The system may not function if:
The remote control remains stationary for about a minute."

So someone could have a bad fob, never going to sleep. But guess which battery is going to die out then really quick.
There again, it's the keyless entry that sends out the code from the transponder, for truck to confirm this key is allowed to open when hand grabs handle. Those are the times in many vehicles where modules start preparing - tech probably thinking of those systems.
Non-keyless entry typically don't waste time sending anything, because to get in you'll be pressing unlock anyway - it can prep the modules then, Maverick falls under this method.
You can stand by sleeping truck (maybe 90 min locked minimum), and have someone approach with key fob to prove it out.
Besides which different frequency & systems to work with keyless vs non-keyless.

Like your point on RFID for our non-keyless entry (XL/XLT) - key in the ignition gets the transponder close enough to be powered and send out it's short distance signal with code for the truck to read and confirm allowed to start.

But unlock your truck with key at door and see what happens because there is no transponder reader there. Don't do this late at night.

I'll bet the tech was looking for an excuse, or indeed keyless entry with bad fob, or cat liked playing with it hanging there. Or truck had another parasitic draw issue. Or he was talking in general including experience with older vehicles.

Not sure how they would still have an ancient battery on the shelf, but possible you got a worse than normal one.
The date code is written on the negative terminal, week and year. Might as well look. Like:
43
23

 

[HeyBales]

Thanks so much! I have basic XL and have turned off Fordpass in the info screen, never loaded it up on my phone. I keep thinking about how hard the salesman tried to get me to load it up on my phone, he kept offering to do it for me. thanks again you provided a lot of useful info. I would hate to not be able to keep her clean and shiny.

Several have mentioned it's required to get or have access to your points. Not sure, but just saw that posted in another thread. Maybe creating an online Ford account is really all that's needed.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I was talking to a tech at my dealership when i dropped my Maverick off. He was saying that you should keep your fob at least 20 feet from the vehicle. If the vehicle senses the fob it starts cycling the modules prepping for start. He said a customer hung his keys on the other side of the wall in the garage and it was causing a drain on the battery. My last vehicle is an 09. I am not astute on modern e-lectronics. Your post makes sense. Actuate fob signal goes to car. Unless there is like an RFID chip that the car is looking for? This is a very good conversation. Thanks for adding to it.
Last Monday i was called and they put a new battery in it. A little over 24 hours later i got the remote features disabled alert. My maverick says its in deep sleep since. Its still there waiting for parts for the other issues. I emailed them last week telling them , but have not heard back it. More to come haha

If you think of it when you talk with tech again ask if the double lock turns off the fob detection prepping. I believe I read where it does until finger in door handle to open reactivates key fob detection.

 

[ZABSMAV]

So Ford is working on this? Will it be a recall ?

It should darn well be a recall item. It is a safety related issue if your vehicle battery is being depleted when it is not running and the recharging circuit is not doing just that: properly recharging the battery.

 

[Krys]

This may be a dumb question but i have a 22 hybrid with lots of battery issues, waiting on fix but for now turning off all remote updates, fordpass,wifi, keep key in Faraday pouch and double lock on exit. Question is do you think hand washing the truck (without fob nearby) awakens the truck in any way, touching handles etc I had a no start situation the next day after washing it when it had been starting well for awhile. Thanks in advance

I tried all of that and had no effect. It appears that the 12V battery does not start the car and power comes from the main battery. I don't know how does the car fob communicate, is this BlueTooth or some other frequency?

Sponsored