Auto stop/ start staying off with "vehicle charging" message

[BigPhatPaulie]

Hey all,

Just thought I would get some opinions on whats going on. For the last 2-3 days my auto stop/ start has not engaged stating "battery needs to charge" which is odd as I drive 50km a day to and from work and it is in a heated garage overnight. I just checked and I do not have an AGM (its the EFB) and checked with a multimeter and the battery is around 12.4 with the car off and 14.5 running so I am not concerned about the alternator but given the issues others have had with the EFB batteries in their sports I am a bit weary of this one. I called my dealer but they cannot get me in until a few weeks from now and I would hate to have them look at it only to tell me its "normal". I am getting a new interstate AGM installed tomorrow at my normal mechanic and will have them load test the old one as well

Anyone else get the same message and having the battery replaced resolve it?

TIA

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[ScareCrow]

Hey all,

Just thought I would get some opinions on whats going on. For the last 2-3 days my auto stop/ start has not engaged stating "battery needs to charge" which is odd as I drive 50km a day to and from work and it is in a heated garage overnight. I just checked and I do not have an AGM (its the EFB) and checked with a multimeter and the battery is around 12.4 with the car off and 14.5 running so I am not concerned about the alternator but given the issues others have had with the EFB batteries in their sports I am a bit weary of this one. I called my dealer but they cannot get me in until a few weeks from now and I would hate to have them look at it only to tell me its "normal". I am getting a new interstate AGM installed tomorrow at my normal mechanic and will have them load test the old one as well

Anyone else get the same message and having the battery replaced resolve it?

TIA

12.4 volts seems low for the mileage you drive, that's around 75% charge...... Sure sounds like the battery or alternator.

 

[RSH]

I had that message when my original battery was on it's way out, didn't matter how much I drove, the message was the same, start stop not available due to vehicle changing. I also had other electrial issues.
Had the battery replaced under warranty, all electrical issues gone, auto start stop is so transparent I have to look at the tach to see if the engine actually stopped/turned off.

 

[TNFurb]

I had that message when my original battery was on it's way out, didn't matter how much I drove, the message was the same, start stop not available due to vehicle changing. I also had other electrial issues.
Had the battery replaced under warranty, all electrical issues gone, auto start stop is so transparent I have to look at the tach to see if the engine actually stopped/turned off.

Did they replace your bad battery with an AGM battery?

 

[RSH]

Did they replace your bad battery with an AGM battery?

Yes. My original from the factory was a FoMoCo lead acid battery, the replacement was a Motorcraft AGM.

 

[magicbus]

What year do you have where you get that message. On my ‘21 the auto stop/start often is disabled due to low driving mileage, but luckily I don’t get an annoying message.

 

[Big Ben]

Hey all,

Just thought I would get some opinions on whats going on. For the last 2-3 days my auto stop/ start has not engaged stating "battery needs to charge" which is odd as I drive 50km a day to and from work and it is in a heated garage overnight. I just checked and I do not have an AGM (its the EFB) and checked with a multimeter and the battery is around 12.4 with the car off and 14.5 running so I am not concerned about the alternator but given the issues others have had with the EFB batteries in their sports I am a bit weary of this one. I called my dealer but they cannot get me in until a few weeks from now and I would hate to have them look at it only to tell me its "normal". I am getting a new interstate AGM installed tomorrow at my normal mechanic and will have them load test the old one as well

Anyone else get the same message and having the battery replaced resolve it?

TIA

Make sure to re set the Battery Monitor System with the new battery or the problem will persist. The procedure is in the manual. Then use a battery maintainer when parked. New vehicles have a constant battery drain.

 

[BigPhatPaulie]

What year do you have where you get that message. On my ‘21 the auto stop/start often is disabled due to low driving mileage, but luckily I don’t get an annoying message.

Its a 22 sorry and yea I drive easily enough Km per day for it not to come up after the drive

 

[Jill]

Hey all,

Just thought I would get some opinions on whats going on. For the last 2-3 days my auto stop/ start has not engaged stating "battery needs to charge" which is odd as I drive 50km a day to and from work and it is in a heated garage overnight. I just checked and I do not have an AGM (its the EFB) and checked with a multimeter and the battery is around 12.4 with the car off and 14.5 running so I am not concerned about the alternator but given the issues others have had with the EFB batteries in their sports I am a bit weary of this one. I called my dealer but they cannot get me in until a few weeks from now and I would hate to have them look at it only to tell me its "normal". I am getting a new interstate AGM installed tomorrow at my normal mechanic and will have them load test the old one as well

Anyone else get the same message and having the battery replaced resolve it?

TIA

My issue wasn’t quite the same as yours but I’ll explain. I have a 21 Badlands that’s almost three years old. I only use my vehicle once or twice per week and always turn the auto star/stop off. A few months ago, while stopped at a traffic light, my vehicle completely shut down with no warnings at all. It happened twice in a period of a couple of weeks and I was able to re-start each time. Dealer tested the battery and changed it. They indicated the auto start/stop wasn’t working for them prior to replacing the battery and worked afterwards (even though I never use it). My invoice doesn’t indicate what type of battery I received and I haven’t bothered to look under the hood.

 

[BigPhatPaulie]

Well I just got it back from my Mechanic and the stop/ start works flawlessly now. Will keep an eye on it but just glad to be rid of the old battery. Did also perform the BMS reset as well

 

[wireman]

My issue wasn’t quite the same as yours but I’ll explain. I have a 21 Badlands that’s almost three years old. I only use my vehicle once or twice per week and always turn the auto star/stop off. A few months ago, while stopped at a traffic light, my vehicle completely shut down with no warnings at all. It happened twice in a period of a couple of weeks and I was able to re-start each time. Dealer tested the battery and changed it. They indicated the auto start/stop wasn’t working for them prior to replacing the battery and worked afterwards (even though I never use it). My invoice doesn’t indicate what type of battery I received and I haven’t bothered to look under the hood.

I had my L/A replaced last week under warranty with an AGM. Yours should look like this.

 

[RSH]

My replacement battery is the same.

 

[NMhunter]

The auto S/S system is a low battery warning. In Canada, the days are getting short, so your lights are on more. I find even down here in the southwest that I have to charge my battery every couple of weeks in the winter to keep auto S/S working. I probably should let it run low to wear out the battery while under warranty, but I like to know it will start when I need it.

 

[Canuck]

Hey all,

Just thought I would get some opinions on whats going on. For the last 2-3 days my auto stop/ start has not engaged stating "battery needs to charge" which is odd as I drive 50km a day to and from work and it is in a heated garage overnight. I just checked and I do not have an AGM (its the EFB) and checked with a multimeter and the battery is around 12.4 with the car off and 14.5 running so I am not concerned about the alternator but given the issues others have had with the EFB batteries in their sports I am a bit weary of this one. I called my dealer but they cannot get me in until a few weeks from now and I would hate to have them look at it only to tell me its "normal". I am getting a new interstate AGM installed tomorrow at my normal mechanic and will have them load test the old one as well

Anyone else get the same message and having the battery replaced resolve it?

TIA

This happened on my 2019 Ranger.
Turned out that it was caused by a defective battery (bad cell). Dealer replaced it under warranty. Ok ever since

 

[dweeks]

Hi all,

First time poster here. So if this is in the wrong thread my apologies.

However, currently my 2021 BS BL is in the service department at the dealership I bought it at. I bought the vehicle in Oct. 2021, and up to this point had no issues with it. The current reason its in the service department is the Auto Stop/Start is not functioning as designed.

Let me give you some background. I dropped my vehicle off 22 OCT 2023 for a tapping/ticking sound in the engine area when it idled, as well as the whale moaning sound when in reverse. The service department had my car for 9 days. My invoice states the tapping/ticking sound was a pin on the manual parking release cable that wasn't disengaging, so that cable was replaced and for the whaling sound they replaced all the caliper bushings, pins, cleaned bushings, and added grease. At which time they found on of my rear shocks was leaking, so they replaced that too. All well and good. Pick up the vehicle, drive it home. Notice on the way home the auto start and stop isn't performing like it was when I dropped it off. Also noticed the dash wasn't put back together correctly, so back to the service department we go. They fix the dash and tell me it's a programming thing so when I have a free day to bring it back. Call Saturday for an appointment and the first available is Wednesday 08 NOV 2023. Well, I was driving it on the freeway over the weekend and the "charging system service now" message comes on my dash. Luckily I took a picture, and got the vehicle home.

So the car went back into on Monday 06 NOV 2023. I wasn't waiting for my appointment on Wednesday. Told my advisor what happened, he'll get it checked and get the auto start/stop issue fixed too. He calls me the next day and tells me my alternator and battery need to be replaced. Okay. Wow! on such a new vehicle. Luckily it's all under warranty. He calls me yesterday , and tells me the vehicle is ready. I ask if it's throwing any codes and is the auto stop/start working. I'm told yes! I get in the vehicle and drive off... a few miles down the road, I notice the auto start/stop isn't working at all. Back to the dealership. Grab the advisor, take him for a ride... he says, "yep you're right it's not working". So, my Bronco is still at the service department.

While the service department is trying to fix it, I'm curious if anyone else has had these problems.

Thanks for your input.

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