CSP-23B57 for High Voltage Battery Notice

[RickLightning]

Well all this talk of battery module issues and failures had me concerned so I rechecked my battery stats live data from the BECM via my OBDII dongle and it would appear that my battery is still healthy as a horse.

Any of you guys have an OBDII dongle and wanna compare data?

You're not going to see the issue in that app to my understanding.

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[Mike G]

A friend of mine from the dealership sent me the dealer bulletin detail.

Impacts 36,611 US vehicles. As of right now it looks like it includes 2022 MY build dates 10/14/21 - 10/19/22 and 2023 MY beginning 6/10/22. Seems like pretty much all of them.

Edit: removed the detail since someone already posted a pdf of it in full...

It affects Lightnings built before that date range as well...because everybody needs the BECM update no matter when your build date was. The trucks built during the build date window will need their packs dropped, but everybody gets the software update. At least that's the way I read it.

 

[3rdgenfan]

I have the tile in my FordPass app, was going to schedule my slightly behind 10k service and have it taken care of but figured I'd email the service writer first to see if they even have the right techs on Saturdays.

 

[jdmackes]

Am I misunderstanding everything, or is this not that big of a deal? My understanding on this is that it is a software update so that the battery will be watched better and will shift it into a reduced power state before the battery gets too unstable, right? Like I'm not concerned that there is something wrong with my truck, it's just more a software update that they want to push out.

 

[GDN]

I wonder if the BECM, Battery Energy Control Module, software update will allow for a wider range of Voltage variance? This might keep a few trucks out of the shop until after the 8 year warranty! How critical is it that all the battery cells in all the battery modules are perfectly charging? Maybe no one would notice one or two or ? cells gone bad, like bad pixels on a high definition screen?

Do what? This doesn't bother you?

 

[GDN]

Don't have it either. I've got the same 7 icons on iOS. I have the CSP listed in my account through a web browser however. Closed and restarted the app, still nothing. So it isn't just Android, as usual, its Ford.

Mine shows up this morning on iOS. It just took another night for them to get the update out, or for my app to get the update.

 

[GDN]

I wonder if the CSP tile is dynamic?
For those of you NOT seeinging, are you still listed as affected when you search via the VIN check?

Already replied once, but I think Ford is just slow at getting all of the updates out. My truck is affected. Didn't display last night, it does today.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Mine shows up this morning on iOS. It just took another night for them to get the update out, or for my app to get the update.

Apple has rigorous protocols for releasing apps to their app store, or so I'm told as I'm an android user

 

[GDN]

Apple has rigorous protocols for releasing apps to their app store, or so I'm told as I'm an android user

They do, but my FordPass did not update overnight, it updated 3 days ago to v4.30.0.

Surely Ford is smart enough to have this built into the app as a feature they can just add data to and then expose the icon and hide the icon when there is no detail to display.

 

[RickLightning]

It affects Lightnings built before that date range as well...because everybody needs the BECM update no matter when your build date was. The trucks built during the build date window will need their packs dropped, but everybody gets the software update. At least that's the way I read it.

Maybe I'm missing something, but this is ALL LIGHTNINGS MADE.

2022s made from 10/14/21 - 10/19/22. I believe this is every 2022 Lightning made.

2023s made since 6/10/22. I believe this is every 2023 made.

There is no "before".

 

[Lytning]

So this is interesting. It first seemed to be interpreted that the SW was just an update to change the behavior of the truck if a bad battery module was detected (reduce power vs pull over and stop). But reading from the bulletin it seems this SW may truly update the BECM SW to determine over time if each battery has the problem by watching better for the voltage deviation.

This is from the bulletin "All vehicles will receive an update to the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) software strategy that detects if the high voltage battery experiences a voltage deviation and may enter the vehicle into a reduced performance state.

Here is the question - if they know that 4% of the 36K trucks have the battery problem, also from the bulletin, why can't they identify that 4% by VIN? If they know how many, they should know what truck they put them in.

I am with you on the 4%. That fact that Ford says it is 4% (say, versus 5%), suggests a degree of accuracy within 1%. I don't know how they could arrive at that accuracy without knowing precisely which VIN's were involved. Maybe, 1 of 25 machines were producing bad product? Even then, you would think Ford would know exactly which VIN's received the modules or cells from a specific machine.

 

[Grease Lightning]

Am I misunderstanding everything, or is this not that big of a deal? My understanding on this is that it is a software update so that the battery will be watched better and will shift it into a reduced power state before the battery gets too unstable, right? Like I'm not concerned that there is something wrong with my truck, it's just more a software update that they want to push out.

talking to my service advisor, it sounds like there is potential for more. They made sure they would have the required parts on had for my appointment. So if it was just software they wouldn’t need parts on hand. As others have said, it is likely some have bad modules too and need the software and hardware.

 

[ctuan13]

I will post mine later today, but I wanted to ask you how many fast charging sessions have you had?

I've actually kept very close track of this!

DCFC: 16 Total sessions
50KW: 10 All less than 1 hour
162KW: 6 All less than 35 minutes
But yeah I'm also curious to see what your data looks like!

 

[ctuan13]

You're not going to see the issue in that app to my understanding.

Well if there was a bad cell leading to voltage variance between modules, it would be very apparent and easy to spot looking at BECM live data. So I'd argue you can spot it there.

Now Ford might have some more vigorous system for spotting "bad" modules simply by serial number or something, but in terms of actual failure or reduced module performance, it'd be pretty easy to spot monitoring module voltage and SOC variance.

 

[chillaban]

Am I misunderstanding everything, or is this not that big of a deal? My understanding on this is that it is a software update so that the battery will be watched better and will shift it into a reduced power state before the battery gets too unstable, right? Like I'm not concerned that there is something wrong with my truck, it's just more a software update that they want to push out.

It's like a medium big deal. The software update is said to do two things:

1. Instead of "OMG PULL OVER NOW" when HV fluctuation happens, you now go into limp / reduced power mode. That's definitely better than being stranded in the middle of nowhere waiting for a tow truck.
2. Alleged changes to the BECM "strategy" for detecting HV fluctuations. This could either mean the BECM becomes more sensitive or less sensitive.

Either way, if your vehicle needs replacement cells, it's already in limp mode or on a flatbed to the dealership. But if your vehicle doesn't need replacement cells right now, it could in the future because the entire VIN range is affected.


Long story short, IMO for peace of mind everyone wants this software update. The update doesn't seem to fix or prevent HV modules from going bad, which will require replacement. It just makes the experience somewhat more pleasant.

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