2012 Dead Battery Procedure

[chipworkz]

So there are a few Dead Battery threads going but in all of them that I read, there wasn't much info on doing anything more than either replacing the battery or taking it to the dealer. Well the other morning I woke up to a low battery that wouldn't start my car. The battery is just going on 3 years old and it is the original battery. I jump started it and drove it for almost 6 hours so the charge should have been back up to normal. The following morning, the voltage had dropped from 12.8 down to 10.7 and wouldn't start the car again. I did a quick current check by connecting my meter up to the negative cable and battery post before I disconnected the cable. At that moment, there was a 12.7 ma draw which is in the normal range.

 

So with the age of the battery with it being the stock smaller battery, the easiest thing to do was to replace the battery which is what I did for a few reasons. First was the age and with only 12K Miles on the car over 3 years, it has had a lot of short runs. Second is I don't have remote start so I had the smaller Type 59 battery which is only 580 cca. I plan on putting in some stereo amps so I wanted to go with a bigger battery anyway. The remote start came with the bigger Type 65 battery so that is what I put in instead. It has a 850 cca rating and more reserve so if you are going to replace your battery and have the smaller Type 59, I would suggest you upgrade it to the Type 65 when you replace it. Only $99 dollars at Cosco for an Interstate battery with a full replacement of 42 months by the way.

 

Just a quick note on the drain when I connected my new battery. When the battery is first connected, there was around a 2.8 amp draw for the first couple of minutes before it went back down to the 14 ma range. So if you are checking the drain when the cable is first connected, don't be alarmed to see even up to 7 amps or so while the lights are on or 2 to 3 amps when nothing appears to be on. Just give it a few minutes.

 

So if I didn't simply have a bad battery, then I will continue to troubleshoot what is causing the drain. Here is a good article I found on the subject http://diagnosticnews.com/parasitic-battery-drains/

 

If you are changing your battery yourself, please note the bold section below.

 

"NOTE: When the battery (or PCM) is disconnected and connected, some abnormal drive symptoms may occur while the vehicle relearns its adaptive strategy. The charging system set point may also vary. The vehicle may need to be driven to relearn its strategy.

1. Disconnect the battery. For additional information, refer to Battery Disconnect in this section.

2. Remove the bolt and the battery hold-down bracket.
   • To install, tighten to 7 Nm (62 lb-in).

3. Remove the battery.

4. To install, reverse the removal procedure.
   • Carry out the Battery Monitoring System (BMS) Reset using the scan tool after the battery is connected. If the BMS Reset is not carried out, it takes approximately 8 hours for the Body Control Module (BCM) to learn the new battery state of charge. During this 8 hour period, the vehicle must be undisturbed, with no doors opened or keyless entry button presses. If the vehicle is used before the BCM is allowed to learn the new battery state of charge, engine off load shedding can still occur and a message may be displayed."

 

Here is the Ford Battery Drain Test procedure that I will be following if the problem still exists.

 

"Battery Drain Test

 

WARNING: Batteries contain sulfuric acid and produce explosive gases. Work in a well-ventilated area. Do not allow the battery to come in contact with flames, sparks or burning substances. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Shield eyes when working near the battery to protect against possible splashing of acid solution. In case of acid contact with skin or eyes, flush immediately with water for a minimum of 15 minutes, then get prompt medical attention. If acid is swallowed, call a physician immediately. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.

NOTE: No factory-equipped vehicle should have more than a 50 mA (0.050 amp) draw.

NOTE: Many electronic modules draw 10 mA (0.010 amp) or more continuously.

NOTE: Typically, a drain of approximately 1 amp is attributed to an engine compartment lamp, glove compartment lamp or interior lamp staying on continually. Other component failures or wiring shorts are located by selectively pulling fuses to pinpoint the location of the current drain. When the current drain is found, the meter reading falls to an acceptable level. If the drain is still not located after checking all the fuses, it may be due to the generator. Disconnect the generator and retest.

NOTE: To accurately test the drain on a battery, an in-line ammeter must be used between the negative battery post and its respective cable. Use of a test lamp or voltmeter is not an accurate method.

1. Make sure the junction box(es)/fuse panel(s) is accessible without turning on the interior lights or the underhood lights.

2. Drive the vehicle at least 5 minutes and over 48 km/h (30 mph) to turn on and activate the vehicle systems.

3. Allow the vehicle to sit with the key out of the ignition for at least 40 minutes to allow the modules to time out/power down.

4. Connect a fused jumper wire (30A) between the negative battery cable and the negative battery post to prevent modules from resetting.

5. Disconnect the negative battery cable from the negative battery post without breaking the connection of the jumper wire.

6. NOTICE: To prevent damage to the meter, do not crank the engine or operate accessories that draw more than 10A.

   NOTE: It is very important that continuity is not broken between the battery and the negative battery cable when connecting the meter. If this happens, the entire 40-minute procedure must be repeated.

   Connect the battery tester between the negative battery cable and the post. The meter must be capable of reading milliamps and should have a 10-amp capability.

7. NOTE: If the meter settings need to be switched or the test leads need to be moved to another jack, the jumper wire must be reinstalled to avoid breaking continuity.

   Remove the jumper wire.

8. Note the amperage draw. Draw varies from vehicle to vehicle depending on the equipment package. Compare to a similar vehicle for reference.

NOTE: If the vehicle sits for an extended period of time and the battery drains, there is the possibility of a control module staying alive and not going into sleep mode. If a module does stay alive, it can also result in battery drain. If a module is suspect, isolate individual modules by disconnecting each module one at a time and note if the excessive draw goes away.

NOTE: For vehicles equipped with aftermarket bodies or boxes which contain electrical connections, disconnect the aftermarket to factory connections to isolate the body from the chassis.

9. If the current draw is excessive, remove the fuses from the Battery Junction Box (BJB) one at a time and note the current drop. When the current level drops to an acceptable level after removing a fuse, the circuit containing the excessive draw has been located. The excessive draw can be isolated by continuing to pull sub system fuses. Do not reinstall the fuses until testing is finished. To correctly isolate each of the circuits, all of the fuses may need to be removed, then install one fuse and note the amperage draw, remove the fuse and install the next fuse. Continue this process with each fuse.
   • Once the main circuit is identified, continue to remove the fuses from the Smart Junction Box (SJB) one at a time and note the current reading. Do not reinstall the fuses until testing is finished. To correctly isolate each of the circuits, all of the fuses may need to be removed, then install one fuse and note the amperage draw, remove the fuse and install the next fuse. Continue this process with each fuse.

10. Check the wiring diagrams for any circuits that run from the battery without passing through the BJB or the SJB . If the current draw is still excessive, disconnect these circuits until the draw is found. Also, disconnect the generator electrical connections and retest if the draw cannot be located. The generator may be internally shorted, causing the current drain."

 

 

I hope this helps some of you DIY type of people out there. I do have a bumper to bumper warranty which I will use if I can't figure out the issue in the end. That is if the new battery itself didn't fix the issue. I will update this thread if my problem continues and what I am doing to fix it.

Edited October 18, 2014 by chipworkz

[omar302]

chipworkz,

 

Thanks a lot for the info. I did not know or expected the "Battery Monitoring System (BMS) Reset". How is it rest with the scan tool? Can it be reset without it and without having to wait 8 hours?

[chipworkz]

Sorry omar302, I am not a Ford mechanic so I can only go by what the documentation says. It only lists those two options so I would assume that those are they only choices.

I do have the Atuo Enginuity tool but I haven't connected it to my Edge yet to see what all it will do with it. I have only used in on my 99 F350.

I haven't used it in the last year but it is a great tool. Here is the link if anyone wants to look into it. https://www.autoenginuity.com/

Edited October 21, 2014 by chipworkz

[chipworkz]

Just a quick update, I haven't had a single issue since I replaced my battery. The original was either bad or just could'nt handle how I use the car most of the time. Mostly just short 3 mile round trips to my kids school once or twice a day. The original battery has been setting there since I replaced it and it is still holding a change so it wasn't a bad cell or anything that was killing it.

Edited January 11, 2015 by chipworkz