Dreaded Service Vehicle Soon Error

[drewfaulk]

Got in to an earlier appointment today. Dealership confirmed “multiple bad cells”. No clue on parts or repair timeline yet. Did say it would be a lengthy process. The only thing said with confidence was, we don’t have any loaners.

I got mine back last night after only being at the dealership for 2 business days, and they said all they did was a software update. As of now it is not giving me the error, and power is no longer reduced to 57%. I have a strong suspicion they simply cleared the code and that it will pop back up: based on everything I am reading, this is usually a battery cell failure, and it's hard to imagine mine is the exception when so may others are experiencing this failure. They also didn't fix a few other items I asked them to fix, so this is possibly coloring my perception a little. I guess I'll know soon enough, as simply clearing codes would not hide it for long, I wouldn't think.

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[Srh9]

I got mine back last night after only being at the dealership for 2 business days, and they said all they did was a software update. As of now it is not giving me the error, and power is no longer reduced to 57%. I have a strong suspicion they simply cleared the code and that it will pop back up: based on everything I am reading, this is usually a battery cell failure, and it's hard to imagine mine is the exception when so may others are experiencing this failure. They also didn't fix a few other items I asked them to fix, so this is possibly coloring my perception a little. I guess I'll know soon enough, as simply clearing codes would not hide it for long, I wouldn't think.

I was hoping it was just software. It came on like a software issue. I had no problems prior. Mine was also stuck at 57% and was unable to charge either on both on level 2 or level 3.

Unfortunately, this morning I received word that the entire battery, all banks, will need to be replaced.

 

[Hammick]

So I'm guessing the Ford BEV team is no longer proactive on these bad battery modules? Shortly after we purchased our '22 Mannequin in June of 2023 I was contacted by the BEV team informing me that our truck had a bad battery module. This was about a month before it threw the powertrain fault, reduced power and inability to charge.

It sure seems like Ford is just kicking the can down the road waiting for our battery warranties to expire.

 

[AmandaB]

So I'm guessing the Ford BEV team is no longer proactive on these bad battery modules? Shortly after we purchased our '22 Mannequin in June of 2023 I was contacted by the BEV team informing me that our truck had a bad battery module. This was about a month before it threw the powertrain fault, reduced power and inability to charge.

It sure seems like Ford is just kicking the can down the road waiting for our battery warranties to expire.

As much as I love my Lightning, I plan to sell it before the warranty expires. Too many instances of bad battery modules.

 

[AmandaB]

Dealer said they got my battery module(s) in today. It’s not clear if it’s one or more. No ETA but they left hope it could be done by end of the week.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Dealer said they got my battery module(s) in today. It’s not clear if it’s one or more. No ETA but they left hope it could be done by end of the week.

Hopefully they detail the exact parts replaced during this service.

 

[ivan256]

I got my truck back this morning.

The notes say that Module #8 was replaced. I lost the service counter lottery and got the prickly guy instead of one of the other - nicer - people that I had previously been talking to, so I got terse partial answers to my questions. For example he couldn't be specific about what "Pinpoint test AP" is, and why I have a series of "AP#-" followed by yesses or nos on my report. Or whether it's the yes or no that indicates a problem. Or why I have multiple yesses and multiple nos, but only one module is at fault...

He also said that charging it up "isn't something they do." I dropped the truck off with 78% charge, and received it back with 76% charge. On the way home, which is about 12 miles, it went up to 82% and back down to 73%. One would think that when the complaint is "the truck won't charge" they would try it and see if that was fixed?

I asked how much this repair would have cost if it wasn't under warranty, and got an audible groan. He eventually said that ford paid them "about $1200" for the repair. I pressed further to find out how much it would cost me if I brought it in out of warranty and was told "I don't know. About three times that?"

I asked for status on the other modules and was told that isn't available. Specifically that there is no way to check the overall pack state of health.

Anyway. I'm home now and It's plugged in, and it immediately started gurgling. So I'm going to go figure out where the coolant fill is and check.

Ford did reach out here on the forums and ask for my VIN, and gave me a case number. But that's the last I heard of that.

Summary: 10 days with no truck and no loaner, now I have a truck that I have no confidence in and a Thanksgiving road trip tomorrow.

@AmandaB FWIW it was less than a day between battery module arrival and when I got the call it was ready. I'm not sure if you should hope for the same or not though....

BTW, part numbers for the replaced parts:

NL3Z-10D672-E
NL3Z-10D782-M
TA-38-B (2x)

 

[TaxmanHog]

BTW, part numbers for the replaced parts:

NL3Z-10D672-E
NL3Z-10D782-M
TA-38-B (2x)

 

[TaxmanHog]

He also said that charging it up "isn't something they do." I dropped the truck off with 78% charge, and received it back with 76% charge. On the way home, which is about 12 miles, it went up to 82% and back down to 73%. One would think that when the complaint is "the truck won't charge" they would try it and see if that was fixed?

Dealer that I should avoid?
DM me if you don't want to dox them

 

[Hammick]

My truck has needed two top offs of the coolant reservoir since my module replacement. My service advisor is great and will have the EV tech top it off when I pull it in to the service area. No waiting. I'm guessing about a quart has been added and I have seen no coolant on the garage floor so it has to be air in the system from the module change.

 

[ivan256]

Dealer that I should avoid?
DM me if you don't want to dox them

I'll send you who in a DM, but I don't want to throw them under the bus. They're still the best option around here.

 

[AmandaB]

I called today and they said it would be at least another week. The part supposedly came in last week.

 

[ivan256]

I called today and they said it would be at least another week. The part supposedly came in last week.

Mine's already back in the shop.

I took it on one trip - a ~220 mile trip that I've made 30+ times without issue, and I had to charge 30 miles from home.

Then after charging at home, on Sunday I drove a mile before getting the High Voltage Battery Warning / Pull over now message and had to get it towed in.

They haven't looked at it yet. The Ford BEV specialist called me today to assure me that they'd get my truck back to me quickly .... and that they'd call me with an update on Friday. So clearly a very different definition of "quickly" than the one I was previously aware of. On the plus side, I've got a Bronco Sport as a loaner this time.

(Sorry for hijacking your thread)

 

[Srh9]

Well, I got mine back today. Apparently, the initial service writer wasn’t correct. It ended up only needing a new module 8 instead of the whole pack. Now we wait and see if any others will need replacing…

 

[TaxmanHog]

Well, I got mine back today. Apparently, the initial service writer wasn’t correct. It ended up only needing a new module 8 instead of the whole pack. Now we wait and see if any others will need replacing…

Hopefully this will be the end of your troubles, but you've probably read a few reports of subsequent failures, enjoy the truck until you need to cross that bridge.

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