Connected to Charger Error & Won't Shift Out of Park. Lesson learned: carry a 10mm wrench (to disconnect battery)

[Lytning]

Today I experienced an error that I do not recall seeing on the forum. I also searched and did not find the issue, but I could have missed it.

I was running errands and after my third stop, when I started my truck it would not shift out of park. An icon on the dash display erroneously showed that the truck was connected to a charger, and there was a pop-up message to disconnect from the charger. (I was not connected to a charger.) I started and powered off several times, pushed the release button at the the charge port several times, and re-booted the main screen, all without eliminating the error. On two occasions upon starting the red 12 volt battery icon displayed. I plugged in a cigarette lighter USB charger with a voltage display. It showed 13.6 volts with the truck started and 12.5 volts when powered off. Everything else seemed to work properly. The AC was running, both displays were normal except for the connected-to-charger icon on the dash display, and the frunk opened properly. I have had the 12 volt BMS module replacement completed.

I pulled out the 10 mm wrench I purchased 18 months ago and lifted the negative cable off the 12 volt battery. I waited about a minute and reconnected the cable to the battery. The connected-to-charger icon was no longer present on the dash display, and the truck would now shift out of park. If I did not have the 10 mm wrench, I would still be sitting in the parking lot waiting on a tow truck to the dealership. I checked the battery status with an OBDLink MX+ and CarScanner when I returned home (only 1 mile distance), and found 12 volt SOC at 80% per the attached photo. Although the display is showing 102 degrees, the ambient temperature is 85 degrees. The truck is parked in the sun after driving it, so heat from the radiator is likely affecting the display temperature.

If you don't have a 10 mm wrench, you surely need to get one. This is the first time I have had to use mine. I am not a fan of using a 12 point wrench on hex head nuts. I have a 6 point box end / open end wrench, but it was a bit unwieldy. Here is a link to a ratcheting 10 mm 6 point wrench that I just ordered.
https://a.co/d/6KFPqRY

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[PrimeRisk]

Yeah, that's a bad issue to run across. I have a basic toolkit, roadside emergency kit, and survival kit in every vehicle I own. You never know when having something as simple as a wrench or pair or pliers being the difference between a mild inconvenience and being stranded in a life-threatening situation.

I have an idea for an essential Ford EV repair kit:

A 10mm box wrench and an instruction sheet with one simple line: "Power cycle it."

 

[TaxmanHog]

Is this detail screen coming via an app & OBD connection?

 

[queuewho]

If you don't have a 10 mm wrench, you surely need to get one.

Thanks for the tip, I know lots of random issues can be fixed by a 12v power cycle, but I hadn't really thought about *how* I would disconnect the battery if issues popped up. I checked my gear I keep behind the seat, and there was indeed a 10mm thin as paper chinesium wrench that came with my jump starter... I threw that away and added in a craftsman 10mm from a set I bought at sears in 2000.

 

[Lytning]

Is this detail screen coming via an app & OBD connection?

Yes. CarScanner is now an app in CarPlay. Paired with the OBDLink MX+ Bluetooth scanner.

 

[Lytning]

Thanks for the tip, I know lots of random issues can be fixed by a 12v power cycle, but I hadn't really thought about *how* I would disconnect the battery if issues popped up. I checked my gear I keep behind the seat, and there was indeed a 10mm thin as paper chinesium wrench that came with my jump starter... I threw that away and added in a craftsman 10mm from a set I bought at sears in 2000.

With all the 12 volt battery issues we could use something like this on the dash ...

 

[TaxmanHog]

Yes. CarScanner is now an app in CarPlay. Paired with the OBDLink MX+ Bluetooth scanner.

I wonder if it's also linked in android-auto?

 

[FloridaMan655321]

So I keep one in my trunk/frunk after reading how people had issues after a software update. Not saying this was the culprit, more that this makes me wonder if we should just do a nice cold reboot once every quarter or 6 months or so. Kind of like back in the old Windows days. I'm 20 years from doing help desk work, but way back in the day it helped if you pulled the power from a workstation, hit the power button while the power was disconnected, then power it back on. A nice cold boot really helped keep the calls down.

So maybe we should disconnect the power cable for 20-30 minutes every x number of months? Just treat this like Windows 95 for now

 

[Warren]

I had something similar happen 2 weeks ago. Happened on my 3rd stop also. Pop up said something about accessory power? Did not have a wrench, but googled and found a hack that worked. Let the shifter retract, then turn off the power for 2 minutes.

After getting home, I was prompted with an urgent software update. I still think that had something to do with the issue

 

[CRAIGC540]

So I keep one in my trunk/frunk after reading how people had issues after a software update. Not saying this was the culprit, more that this makes me wonder if we should just do a nice cold reboot once every quarter or 6 months or so. Kind of like back in the old Windows days. I'm 20 years from doing help desk work, but way back in the day it helped if you pulled the power from a workstation, hit the power button while the power was disconnected, then power it back on. A nice cold boot really helped keep the calls down.

So maybe we should disconnect the power cable for 20-30 minutes every x number of months? Just treat this like Windows 95 for now

Yes as electrical engineer buddy always said and I live by today. "If all else fails reboot"
He worked for Northrop on the blackbird. Also Triple A responsible for setting up communications antennas on California mountains and what we know of today as cellphone service.
Rest in piece Jonith Johnson.

 

[Heliian]

If it happens again, try the manual charge release. Could be a port issue.

 

[subseavet]

Okay, guys... shoot me now because this is an expensive option for a simple problem (I carry a toolbox in the truck for emergencies and have learned over the years to have a 10mm socket and odd smaller socket sizes in my Ford trucks). Still, I bought an OHMMU battery to replace the AGM in the truck. One thing I like about it (there are plenty of things I like, but one in particular) is the ability to turn off charge or discharge on the battery via Bluetooth, which has the same effect as lifting the negative terminal. It also lets me see the SOC without needing anything separate. The newer OHMMU batteries are heated and do well even in the cold winter months up in MA on my visits there. I also have an OBD2 device and a car scanner. But I'm an engineer and belt and suspenders plus kind of guy.

 

[Adventureboy]

Alternatively, @Ford Motor Company could provide a reboot procedure to power off the truck completely and restart it. A button in settings to do this would accomplish a few things:

• Provide an orderly cold start reboot of every module when things don't go as planned
• Identify updates in progress that could cause grief and issue a warning/confirmation to the user attempting the restart before proceeding.
• If an update is in progress, provide an active status on the update so the user can make an informed decision
• It would be far safer than an uninformed 12v disconnect that we need to do now

 

[Lytning]

I wonder if it's also linked in android-auto?

I don't know since I do not have any Android devices. I found it during a random review of in-truck CarPlay screens last month as detailed here ...
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...23306-revision-1076.21110/page-13#post-419240

 

[Lytning]

Okay, guys... shoot me now because this is an expensive option for a simple problem (I carry a toolbox in the truck for emergencies and have learned over the years to have a 10mm socket and odd smaller socket sizes in my Ford trucks). Still, I bought an OHMMU battery to replace the AGM in the truck. One thing I like about it (there are plenty of things I like, but one in particular) is the ability to turn off charge or discharge on the battery via Bluetooth, which has the same effect as lifting the negative terminal. It also lets me see the SOC without needing anything separate. The newer OHMMU batteries are heated and do well even in the cold winter months up in MA on my visits there. I also have an OBD2 device and a car scanner. But I'm an engineer and belt and suspenders plus kind of guy.

How long have you been using the OHMMU battery?
I understand it has its own BMS. Has that presented any issues with the truck's BMS?
Is the OHMMU BMS integral to the battery, or is it a separate device?

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