LVB Battery Keeps Dying

[horsiedad]

I have a 2023 F150 Lightning Lariat trim. Less than 4K miles. I don't drive it a lot -- about once or twice per week. Twice in the last two months, the LVB has died (throwing lots of error codes) and I needed to recharge the LVB to bring the vehicle back to life. The weather here in Atlanta has been warm, but not overly hot.

I've taken it to the dealership both times, and while they do their best to fix it, they are telling me that the basic problem is that I don't drive the truck often enough. I don't think this explanation is plausible, particularly sitting on a 131 kWh HVB. The practical implication is that I can't take it to the airport and park it while on vacation without concerns that the LVB will be dead when I return. This could easily turn into a safety concern. The truck is coming back from the dealership tomorrow with a new LVB, but I'm not optimistic that they have solved the problem. We'll see.

Has this happened to anybody else? Any other fixes I should advise the dealership to try if this continues? @Ford Motor Company, any suggestions?

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[TaxmanHog]

I've not seen reports to this degree of failure.

Make sure you have the LVB BMS csp performed as well if you haven't already

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...-150-lightnings-bms-sensor-replacement.17900/

 

[Maxx]

If you have not done the LVB BMS replacement performed yet, I would turn on the truck and lock it every once in a while between the drives. HVB will charge LVB when the truck is on without having to reach reach the lower threshold. I am guessing the BMS may lie if it has not been replaced and let battery go bellow that threshold.

 

[Maquis]

My driving pattern is similar to yours. I’ve had my truck almost 19 months and it has 8600 miles on it. I’ve never had a 12V battery issue, even before I had the BMS CSP performed.
The bad BMS sensor was reporting an erroneously low state of charge. That caused OTAs not to install, but it shouldn’t cause the problem you are having.

 

[Jim Lewis]

Related to what Maxx said, you can also charge your truck's LVB if it's plugged into a charger (FCSP in my case) and you press the power button and step on the brake pedal as if you were going to turn the truck on. Because the truck is plugged into a charger, it enters "full-accessory mode." In this mode, it will charge the LVB by drawing power from the wall charger. And unlike turning the truck full-on, the compressors or heaters won't run to cool or heat the HVB and engines. And if you turn off everything else, fan, cabin AC, headlights, etc., you'll only hear a fan running somewhere, and the dash and the SYNC screen will be lit. On days that you're not driving, charging an hour or two a day like this will keep your LVB up around 80% SOC. I've mentioned this in a number of different posts on the forum. For me, since my truck is parked face-in with only a few inches to spare front and back in a tight-fitting garage, it's the easiest way to keep the LVB charged up, not driving much, the same as the OP. With the front of the truck smack dab against the garage end wall and stuff along the passenger side of the truck, it's hard to get into the frunk to charge the LVB via its battery terminals and a pain-in-the-rear to mess with the right frunk cover to access the jump points. I don't know if my "protocol" works with non-FCSP chargers. If you've turned off all the other accessories, you should see in Car Scanner that the truck is drawing only about 1A to charge the LVB (I always turn off Pro Power Onboard-don't know if that matters), and under the Vehicle tab, I turn off the Autotimer Shutdown or whatever it's called (if you don't, the truck will shut down and stop charging within 30 minutes).

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...ng-in-cold-while-plugged-in.17980/post-362225

 

[Adventureboy]

This is abnormal. Has your truck been updating over the air? Initially, my early 2023 had issues that seemed to be resolved by OTA updates and the CSP for the BMS. Your LVB should charge from your HVB if it gets too low, so your LVB should not die. I did have to replace my LVB under warranty probably due to the initial challenges before the updates and CSP.

Agree with others - get the CSP for the BMS done.
You may want to have your LVB capacity tested once the CSP is done.
Make sure you've had an OTA update in the past year or so - I'm pretty sure one of them fixed the charging profile for the LVB.

You can also try resetting the BMS, but this won't help if something else like the BMS is out of whack. Try this once you have charged the LVB so it starts fresh.
LVB BMS reset:

• Start Accessory mode
• flash high beams 5 times
• step on brake pedal 3 times
• red battery icon on dash should flash 3 times

 

[Tdub]

I have a 2023 F150 Lightning Lariat trim. Less than 4K miles. I don't drive it a lot -- about once or twice per week. Twice in the last two months, the LVB has died (throwing lots of error codes) and I needed to recharge the LVB to bring the vehicle back to life. The weather here in Atlanta has been warm, but not overly hot.

I've taken it to the dealership both times, and while they do their best to fix it, they are telling me that the basic problem is that I don't drive the truck often enough. I don't think this explanation is plausible, particularly sitting on a 131 kWh HVB. The practical implication is that I can't take it to the airport and park it while on vacation without concerns that the LVB will be dead when I return. This could easily turn into a safety concern. The truck is coming back from the dealership tomorrow with a new LVB, but I'm not optimistic that they have solved the problem. We'll see.

Has this happened to anybody else? Any other fixes I should advise the dealership to try if this continues? @Ford Motor Company, any suggestions?

A voltage meter/gauge would help in these situations as you would have an early warning that the battery is not charged/charging. As some have mentioned on the forum, you can check the level of charge with a OBD scanner. Without the LVB, you can’t move!

 

[Tfarrell73]

You can get a usb charger that plugs in to the accessory outlet that has a digital voltmeter built in. About $12 on amazon

 

[hturnerfamily]

your situation is certainly not normal, as many of us live in the same area and have similar driving patterns, and don't have ANY problems... I've left my truck parked for WEEKS and never had any issue with any battery, nor should anyone. Driving or not driving should have no impact, whether an EV or a gas vehicle.

You may have a phantom draw that is just not detected yet, or a loose wire/ground, etc.

 

[Jodokk]

May be old news, but I recently learned that you can see the LVB charge state on your account page in the Ford website. Just go into the FordPass app and unlock or lock your doors so the communication updates, and then check your account in the Ford site.
FordPass only shows the HVB state of charge.

 

[Danface]

This is abnormal. Has your truck been updating over the air? Initially, my early 2023 had issues that seemed to be resolved by OTA updates and the CSP for the BMS. Your LVB should charge from your HVB if it gets too low, so your LVB should not die. I did have to replace my LVB under warranty probably due to the initial challenges before the updates and CSP.

Agree with others - get the CSP for the BMS done.
You may want to have your LVB capacity tested once the CSP is done.
Make sure you've had an OTA update in the past year or so - I'm pretty sure one of them fixed the charging profile for the LVB.

You can also try resetting the BMS, but this won't help if something else like the BMS is out of whack. Try this once you have charged the LVB so it starts fresh.
LVB BMS reset:

• Start Accessory mode
• flash high beams 5 times
• step on brake pedal 3 times
• red battery icon on dash should flash 3 times

Just remember to let your spouse know you're not signalling your lover!

 

[TaxmanHog]

Nope, still in the same place
https://www.ford.com/myaccount?gnav=header-account/account-dashboard/account-dashboard

Though in Canada, your experience should be via Ford.CA
https://www.ford.ca/myaccount/?gnav...dashboard/account-dashboard/account-dashboard

 

[l!ghtning]

I've had a 24 Flash ER for a little over three months, 2,200 miles, and it's happened to me four different times already.

Try to start the truck but no power from LVB. HVB is always just under 80%. First time it was middle of the week, next two times Sunday morning and last time Saturday night. Last three times were a week apart. Every time it happens, I have to jump start the battery, then it runs fine.

What sucks, obviously with no LVB, is manually opening the door with physical metal key, manually opening frunk by pulling the cables, taking off battery terminal plastic cover, jump starting, then replacing the cover. I've snapped a fastner or two off the terminal cover already.

Not sure what is happening on weekends, I'm confident no lights are left on and it's plugged in charging overnight. I received notice of being affected by CSP 24B14, where if LVB falls below 9 volts, charge port actuator may not fully extend actuator pin, preventing DC charging.

Finally took it in yesterday for the CSP and to report the issue with the LVB, hope to get it back quick and to share the diagnostic and proposed solution. In the mean time dealer let me use a 24 Mach-E Mustang. Not large enough for my day to day work, but this will be a light week and hoping I get the Flash back soon. Not sure if it matters but some options I have that may affect LVB discharge (?) is Max Tow Package.

Have to say I am jealous of the Mach-E being able to close windows from Ford Pass app, seems like something simple to do for Lightnings?

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