After the battery recall

[sajohnson]

We have a brand new shiny AGM battery.

I noticed that it's made in Germany, which is generally a good thing.

Are all of the AGM batteries made in Germany?

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[Me3]

We have a brand new shiny AGM battery.

I noticed that it's made in Germany, which is generally a good thing.

Are all of the AGM batteries made in Germany?

My new AGM is made in China.

 

[Me3]

After reading the recall we were concerned about that (sudden failure).

I was pretty fixated on monitoring and recording the voltage, but we knew that could not predict a mechanical failure.

Fortunately, my wife usually doesn't drive very far, but regardless, to have your car die while in traffic on the interstate is never a good thing.

I wonder what percentage of the recalled vehicles actually had the battery fail while being driven?

I agree, we live in the desert and getting stuck could be dangerous, not to mention causing an accident.

Just a guess, I would think possibly hundreds of batteries may have failed as stated in the recall in order to get enough attention from the engineers at Ford to learn how such a failure as this could happen. Batteries are so simple and basic, and fail occasionally. Unusual circumstances though, where the engine would quit and not be able to be jump started. Diagnoses shouldn't have taken that long. Nor correcting the problem.

 

[Me3]

Yes, at least with my Dealer I agree that Ford and my Dealer were trying to make things right. It is why I have been using the same Dealer for over 30 years. I always feel that the service department is more important than the sales department at the dealer when deciding where to buy a car.

At the time the outside temperatures were in the 30's. I was following the battery voltage using a cigarette lighter volt meter that Dude had suggested. Per the volt meter the battery was operating normally. The battery cranked normally. It was just that it apparently wasn't charging to a level that allowed the auto start/stop to engage no matter how long I was driving around. At the time I was driving almost every day close to 50 miles to try and keep the battery charged. The message on the dashboard for the auto start/stop would not change from "Engine on due to battery charging" when at a stop. My 2019 with a 2 year old AGM battery operated normally including the Auto start/stop engaging a couple of miles from a cold start. A Forman at the dealer did tell me that he was seeing a lot of EFB batteries being replaced under similar circumstances.

Once they replaced the EFB battery with the AGM battery the auto start/stop would engage after a couple of miles of driving from a cold start even in the colder weather.

They shouldn't have had EFB batteries at all in these vehicles, and I wish they would stop buying cheap parts from other countries., though Covid messed up the supply chain of course. But they're still doing it.

 

[BLUEOVALRACER]

Only got mine today, replaced under warranty recall, but really didn't notice any issues with the old one apart from the occasional 'Battery Saver' message.

The System Off To Save Battery would come on at least 3 times a Week when it was Cold Outside on the 2023 BS BB i had. But i never got a Recall Notice and got rid of it for that Reason and all the Recalls, Bad Rattle in the Dash and the Fuel Gauge that would only Register 7/8's of a Tank Not Full. The 2025 XLT AWD Maverick with the 2.0EB i have now came with the AGM Battery.

 

[Aviator]

AGM is charging at 14.2V, on a long run drops to 13.8. Original bat. charged at 14.8. Original bat never gave a glitch. Service tech did not latch hood and never tightened positive terminal. Dealership never responded, after my complaint, except to ask when would be a good time to come in for normal maintenance. I can't print my reply. Took delivery on the Badlands 29June, 2021.

You're not the only one with dealer problems. After my first visit to the dealership, when I got home. I noticed the bolts on the engine skid plate were loose. I took my BL back and the service manager took my vehicle back into the service bay. I could see a group of service techs gathered around as they retightened the bolts. I was thinking "i guess that won't happen again".
Now every time I go in for a service I check everything. This last time they left a bolt out. I went back in and raised heck. The service guy said he couldn't get it one back in so he left it out.
You really have to check. Just because its ford does not make a a good service tech.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

My 22 BSBL has an EFB and occasionally threw a code if it sat for a long time. The ASS never runs in the winter even though that’s when I drive it constantly. I only drive once in a while in the summer and the ASS gets shut off usually after the first time it does it. I’ll go get the battery switched soon. I was waiting until the next oil change but that could be a bit.

 

[sajohnson]

You're not the only one with dealer problems. After my first visit to the dealership, when I got home. I noticed the bolts on the engine skid plate were loose. I took my BL back and the service manager took my vehicle back into the service bay. I could see a group of service techs gathered around as they retightened the bolts. I was thinking "i guess that won't happen again".
Now every time I go in for a service I check everything. This last time they left a bolt out. I went back in and raised heck. The service guy said he couldn't get it one back in so he left it out.
You really have to check. Just because its ford does not make a a good service tech.

"The service guy said he couldn't get it one back in so he left it out."

Oh, never mind then.

Unbelievable. That might be expected from the neighbor's kid who has no experience and just wants to earn a few bucks, but it is inexcusable from a factory certified mechanic.

At the VERY least, the service manager should inform the customer of the issue and say something like: "Your vehicle is safe to drive, but there is one bolt that the technician could not reinstall. Perhaps it was cross-threaded during a previous service. In any case, you can leave it here but it may take a few days to fix, or you can schedule a new service appt."

Just leaving a bolt out and hoping the customer will not notice is a very bad indicator of that shop's quality of work.

 

[ChuckG]

Had my battery tested in January on my '22. It failed and they replaced it under warranty with an AGM battery. I received a recall notice two weeks later notifying me of the recall and saying that new batteries were not in stock. Guess I lucked out with the timing.

 

[wireman]

"The service guy said he couldn't get it one back in so he left it out."

Oh, never mind then.

Unbelievable. That might be expected from the neighbor's kid who has no experience and just wants to earn a few bucks, but it is inexcusable from a factory certified mechanic.

At the VERY least, the service manager should inform the customer of the issue and say something like: "Your vehicle is safe to drive, but there is one bolt that the technician could not reinstall. Perhaps it was cross-threaded during a previous service. In any case, you can leave it here but it may take a few days to fix, or you can schedule a new service appt."

Just leaving a bolt out and hoping the customer will not notice is a very bad indicator of that shop's quality of work.

I can't say for sure, but I bet the tech wasn't a certified Ford mechanic. Certified "LAZY" is more like it.

 

[wireman]

A history of my battery issues on my 2021 BL.

Original battery was an EFB.

Replaced under warranty with an Motorcraft AGM on 11-1-2023.

I continued to have issues with the Start/Stop not working, and the low battery message after a few months on the new AGM.

I just put up with the issue and I would charge the battery every few weeks.

In February of this year I had enough. Called my dealer to see if they would replace the AGM on the recall. Not happening. They would put in another AGM for $250. No thanks.

I bought a Walmart Everstart with a 4 year free replacement warranty and installed it myself on
2-20-2025, $200.
I also did the recall 25S26 in April, the BCM & PCM recalibration. Ever since then everything works great.

I got another copy of the battery recall in May of this year.

Today I took the BL in for the "Works" service so I also decided to clear the books on the battery recall.

My S/A said that they would have to replace my 4 month old Everstart battery and keep the core
to show the recall being completed or I can just leave the recall open.

The recall will stay open until hell freezes over as far as I'm concerned.

Since the Everstart is the 3rd battery, paid out of my pocket, I'm going to try and get reimbursed from Ford for the cost. I really don't expect that to happen.

 

[Rinzler]

Replaced my battery w/Ford AGM about a year ago At my cost. It works perfectly and got reimbursed by my dealer last month.

Bill - did you get it done elsewhere or at a Ford dealership? I also replaced my '21 AGM battery at my cost last year. As DWG says, service is more important than sales. after disappointment at 2 dealerships, I went for an independent shop. getting it inspected next month at independent and want to see if purchasing dealership is worth contacting for a reimbursement.

 

[Robins21]

Bill - did you get it done elsewhere or at a Ford dealership? I also replaced my '21 AGM battery at my cost last year. As DWG says, service is more important than sales. after disappointment at 2 dealerships, I went for an independent shop. getting it inspected next month at independent and want to see if purchasing dealership is worth contacting for a reimbursement.

I would. If you had to pay for a battery because Ford did not have a replacement in stock they have to reimburse you for what you paid. We had our battery replaced at the dealer that services our BS/BB & they submitted the paperwork to Ford & we got every penny we spent on the battery & labor back.

 

[Bill G]

Bill - did you get it done elsewhere or at a Ford dealership? I also replaced my '21 AGM battery at my cost last year. As DWG says, service is more important than sales. after disappointment at 2 dealerships, I went for an independent shop. getting it inspected next month at independent and want to see if purchasing dealership is worth contacting for a reimbursement.

Got the battery changed out at my local Ford dealership At my expense. This was done right before the initial “recall is coming, but we don’t have parts letter”. The dealer said they would try to get reimbursement and they came through in the end — kudos to my dealer and to Ford!

 

[Me3]

A history of my battery issues on my 2021 BL.

Original battery was an EFB.

Replaced under warranty with an Motorcraft AGM on 11-1-2023.

I continued to have issues with the Start/Stop not working, and the low battery message after a few months on the new AGM.

I just put up with the issue and I would charge the battery every few weeks.

In February of this year I had enough. Called my dealer to see if they would replace the AGM on the recall. Not happening. They would put in another AGM for $250. No thanks.

I bought a Walmart Everstart with a 4 year free replacement warranty and installed it myself on
2-20-2025, $200.
I also did the recall 25S26 in April, the BCM & PCM recalibration. Ever since then everything works great.

I got another copy of the battery recall in May of this year.

Today I took the BL in for the "Works" service so I also decided to clear the books on the battery recall.

My S/A said that they would have to replace my 4 month old Everstart battery and keep the core
to show the recall being completed or I can just leave the recall open.

The recall will stay open until hell freezes over as far as I'm concerned.

Since the Everstart is the 3rd battery, paid out of my pocket, I'm going to try and get reimbursed from Ford for the cost. I really don't expect that to happen.

Smart to keep the Everstart. They appear to be better quality plus you have a good warranty. Hope you get reimbursed.

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