Electrical system drain Service required message

[ciferguson37733]

Updates are set for 1A.
I try not to be awake at that time.
Thanks for the reminder! Will be acutely aware of that moving forward

Sponsored

 

[Adventureboy]

This message usually indicates a faster-than-normal drop in 12v voltage due to a weak battery as @Heliian mentioned or accessories as @Grease Lightning mentioned.

I also get this message if I don't drive for a couple of days but need to move the truck to let the wife park in the garage. Starting the truck for a short move (driveway shuffle) lights up all of the modules and keeps them lit for a while after powering off and can deplete the 12v in just a few shuffles resulting in this message, even with a good 12v battery. For me, this happens more often in the cold winter temps.

 

[strahanjen]

Thanks, everyone, for the tips. I called the service department at our local Ford dealer this morning. He said that if the message is not currently present, that it was probably related to the cold. I saw the message 4 times yesterday, but have not driven it yet today. I started it and did not see the message. He said there is no need to bring it in unless the message displays continuously. Would you all agree with that?

 

[ciferguson37733]

Agree

 

[Maxx]

I am usually in the camp of ignore the problem until it goes away. Most of the time, this works for me very nicely but then there are those other times.

Although I have seen new trucks replacing 12V batteries, your battery is not that old. Mine is over two years old and running strong. If you have OBDII and car scanner, it would be cool to see what your 12V SOC is when you get this message. Also how fast it drops during different conditions. If you don’t have it, I think you can see it on Ford’s website or you can measure the voltage.

I am thinking at -5F, your 12V battery ability to hold and give juice is reduced and when you turn off the truck, the modules eating power, reduce that SOC faster than they do in summer so every time you wake up the truck, it costs the 12V battery more than it does during summer time. If you monitor the SOC, you may be able to figure out what is eating that low voltage juice.

If charging HVB battery or keeping truck on, get rid of the message, it means 12V charging system is working OK. If when you charge HVB and leave home you don’t see it but when you get to your destination, message comes on, I would not dismiss the problem. Because 12V battery SOC should go up while you are driving. But if it gives you a message when it has been sitting for a while but goes away when you start using it, you may be able to get away with ignoring it.

 

[Adventureboy]

Thanks, everyone, for the tips. I called the service department at our local Ford dealer this morning. He said that if the message is not currently present, that it was probably related to the cold. I saw the message 4 times yesterday, but have not driven it yet today. I started it and did not see the message. He said there is no need to bring it in unless the message displays continuously. Would you all agree with that?

Cold definitely makes it worse. The LVB has less capacity in the cold.

4 times in one day indicates that you may have moved or started the truck at least 3 times or more for short distances which didn't give the truck time to charge the LVB leaving it around the trigger point for this message. On mine, the trigger point is between 40-50% SOC on the LVB.

I leave the truck running sometimes when I'm running into a store - I shut the lights/climate off and lock the doors (sometimes I leave climate on for comfort). It will run for 30 minutes (or whatever you have your timeout set to) then shut off. It takes about an hour to fully charge the LVB once you get this message.

I would want to understand why the message is showing up repeatedly if the above is not the case. In my case, I installed an independent battery monitor on the truck to watch what was happening.

• In my first case of repeated messages, it was a weak 12v battery in combination with the bad BMS sensor that some of us had on 2022 and 2023s.
• In my second case, it was due to the driveway shuffling when I didn't actually drive for a couple of days but had to move the truck a few times for garage access.

I felt better knowing why I got the message and that the truck actually charged the battery when I got the message provided I didn't start the truck within an hour and kill the safety charge process. The downside to getting this message is that the truck usually shuts down non-essential modules including the gateway (modem) killing FordPass functions that require connectivity so things like Remote Climate don't work until you physically start the truck.

 

[Adventureboy]

it would be cool to see what your 12V SOC is when you get this message

Between 40-50% SOC on the LVB when I get this message.

 

[Firn]

Thanks, everyone, for the tips. I called the service department at our local Ford dealer this morning. He said that if the message is not currently present, that it was probably related to the cold. I saw the message 4 times yesterday, but have not driven it yet today. I started it and did not see the message. He said there is no need to bring it in unless the message displays continuously. Would you all agree with that?

If it's happening frequently I would be more concerned. These trucks are a bit picky on their 12v batteries and it can leave the vehicle unable to drive.

There was an update to the 12v BMS for older trucks but yours shouldn't have that issue.

I might put a battery charger on the 12v. Disconnect it. Charge the 12v completely. Then reconnect it and reset the 12v bms (procedure around here somewhere)

 

[Adventureboy]

I might put a battery charger on the 12v. Disconnect it. Charge the 12v completely. Then reconnect it and reset the 12v bms (procedure around here somewhere)

This is a good idea if you have a charger. You can also do the BMS reset after a good hour or so of driving when the LVB should be topped up.

BMS reset procedures:

• Start Accessory mode
• flash high beams 5 times
• step on brake pedal 3 times
• red battery icon on dash should flash 3 times
• do a happy dance if it works

 

[marc_hanna]

I had that error message too. 12v battery died and replaced at 26,500 kms (16,500 miles). I haven't seen the message in a couple months. It was always when the truck was plugged in.

 

[ciferguson37733]

I had that error message too. 12v battery died and replaced at 26,500 kms (16,500 miles). I haven't seen the message in a couple months. It was always when the truck was plugged in.

That is when I get the message as well.
Plugged in, but not charging.
When charging, the BMS keeps the battery topped off (positive current into battery).

When done charging, it will start drawing from the battery (negative current) for a time and most times goes to zero or there about.

Then at times (about midnight), the truck starts drawing power from the battery again. After about 3 hours it drops the LVB SOC to about 50% or so.

Then it throws the electrical drain error and will sometimes set off the frunk tamper alarm - waking the neighbors.

So I just turn off the battery and stop the charger when I hit the sack.

 

[Adventureboy]

I had that error message too. 12v battery died and replaced at 26,500 kms (16,500 miles). I haven't seen the message in a couple months. It was always when the truck was plugged in.

Yep, that's typical with a weak 12v. When plugged in, the truck only charges the LVB when the HVB is actively charging. Once HVB gets to SOC, it stops charging the LVB and you'll get the message sometime later even when plugged in.

 

[Adventureboy]

Then at times (about midnight), the truck starts drawing power from the battery again. After about 3 hours it drops the LVB SOC to about 50% or so.

If your Ohmmu does, this, you either have a bad battery or something is wrong with the truck that is drawing it down. If your charge cycle is at least an hour, the LVB should be completely topped up and if healthy, should have no trouble getting you through the night.

 

[ciferguson37733]

If your Ohmmu does, this, you either have a bad battery or something is wrong with the truck that is drawing it down. If your charge cycle is at least an hour, the LVB should be completely topped up and if healthy, should have no trouble getting you through the night.

The battery reports power draw. It goes > 10A. Battery drops to < 50% SOC after about 3 hours of this. Don’t believe the battery is causing the draw on the battery. Perhaps I don’t understand the physics here.

I would lean toward there something wrong with the truck that causes it to start drawing power around midnight - but the dealer could not find anything. Will ask them again.
Since it is quite predictable - around 11:30P when the power draw starts - it is likely a configuration setting.

Persists with auto updates off, with departure times off.

Does not happen all the time - but once a week or so.

Never happens when battery is off. So battery gets shut off.

Will ask dealer again as we are approaching 30k miles

 

[Adventureboy]

The battery reports power draw. It goes > 10A. Battery drops to < 50% SOC after about 3 hours of this. Don’t believe the battery is causing the draw on the battery. Perhaps I don’t understand the physics here.

I would lean toward there something wrong with the truck that causes it to start drawing power around midnight - but the dealer could not find anything. Will ask them again.
Since it is quite predictable - around 11:30P when the power draw starts - it is likely a configuration setting.

Persists with auto updates off, with departure times off.

Does not happen all the time - but once a week or so.

Never happens when battery is off. So battery gets shut off.

Will ask dealer again as we are approaching 30k miles

Yes, I'd definitely get that fixed under warranty. I'd be pretty persistent with them. Finding the problem with the intermittent nature will be challenging. If it only happens once per week, the dealer will have a heck of a time finding it but hold them to it and make sure it is a documented issue with the truck that stays open until they fix it. Get the Ford BEV team involved to help nudge the dealer.

Sponsored