Get Your Free Battery Now-Updated Recalls-Battery and BCM/PCM 4/25

[Mark S.]

Wow that’s pretty amazing … a battery that tests good isn’t replaced yet countless owners posted on this forum and on the Fb Bronco sports group how their EFB (battery) tested good at the dealership yet failed days or weeks later

I don’t trust battery tests

Perhaps the Tech you had is more thorough… have seen about 20 posts from owners stating their EFB (battery) was replaced with no questions asked which was also my experience last summer

Having the work performed at my house gave me direct access to the tech, so I was able to ask questions. I didn't watch him perform the work (I hate people looking over my shoulder when I work), so for all I know the "test" was to check the type of battery installed.

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[bozer]

I just had a visit from my local dealer's mobile service unit to complete work under this recall. According to the tech, the recall requires a battery test prior to replacement. If the battery tests good then no replacement is required. He told me only one of the two dozen or so batteries he's tested passed, and that was because the customer had replaced their OE battery two months ago. I asked him if the customer was reimbursed for purchasing the new battery and he said yes. So those of you in the unlucky position of having to replace your OE battery prior to parts availability should not despair.

The mobile tech came out and replaced mine with an AGM. There was no test, it was a regular acid battery, so he replaced it.

 

[Me3]

Dude said:
“I don’t trust battery tests”

My experience has been that batteries generally last as long as their warranty period. Give or take a month or two. When the battery nears the end of the warranty period or begin to exceed it many people will notice the engine cranks a little slower or they’ll need a jump, they then get a battery test, including a load test. I’ve seen many instances where the battery dies shortly after. It’s my longstanding theory that the extra stress of a load test hastens the death of batteries near the end of their life.. Defective batteries are rare within the warranty period.

Experience is with lead acid batteries only, AGM may be different, but probably not.

I replace my batteries one to two months before the warranty expires to avoid trouble, and buy ones with the highest CCA I can find.

This recent Ford issue and China made batteries, and extreme weather notwithstanding.

 

[Me3]

Having the work performed at my house gave me direct access to the tech, so I was able to ask questions. I didn't watch him perform the work (I hate people looking over my shoulder when I work), so for all I know the "test" was to check the type of battery installed.

The service advisor at my dealer said they would do an inspection, I asked him what they were inspecting and he said wires and cables and other things in case it wasn’t a battery problem. I showed him the NHTSA remedy and he said we’ll take care of it. I don’t trust dealers, but this one seems pretty good… so far.

 

[Me3]

Similar for me but a little quicker replacement cycle - living with high temps often above 110°F for weeks on end with nighttime temps high 90s or hotter - I consider batteries as a maintainable item and replace every 2 years

Yeh I’ve been to Phoenix a couple of times in the summer. It’s like walking into an oven. Florida also, don’t know which felt hotter , 120 degrees or 100 plus 95 humidity.

 

[Me3]

Similar for me but a little quicker replacement cycle - living with high temps often above 110°F for weeks on end with nighttime temps high 90s or hotter - I consider batteries as a maintainable item and replace every 2 years

Do they actually go bad that fast or are you just playing it really safe? I can see where you wouldn’t want to be stuck, isolated somewhere in that heat for long.

 

[Me3]

Typical battery here will last 18 months to 30 months - easier to replace on a schedule rather than wait for the battery to fail

we used AAA battery service last time for a Toyota - would be easy for me to change but that occurrence the car was at an above ground parking structure exposed to the intense sun when the vehicle would not start. The replacement AAA battery lasted about 17 months and replaced for free.

Man that gets expensive. Unless AAA keeps replacing them for free

 

[The Shark]

I just had a visit from my local dealer's mobile service unit to complete work under this recall. According to the tech, the recall requires a battery test prior to replacement. If the battery tests good then no replacement is required. He told me only one of the two dozen or so batteries he's tested passed, and that was because the customer had replaced their OE battery two months ago. I asked him if the customer was reimbursed for purchasing the new battery and he said yes. So those of you in the unlucky position of having to replace your OE battery prior to parts availability should not despair.

That's funny, the mobile tech never tested anything, he just swapped batteries.

 

[Dude]

Man that gets expensive. Unless AAA keeps replacing them for free

They don’t - the new replacement battery carries whatever warranty remained on the failed battery. In this case, the AAA Tech installed a battery he had on his truck but wasn’t the correct battery - probably why it only lasted 17 months - the new replacement battery was the Toyota recommended AGM Battery.

 

[Mark S.]

Typical battery here will last 18 months to 30 months - easier to replace on a schedule rather than wait for the battery to fail

Given all the issues owners have experienced due to bad/weak batteries--up to and including complete failure of the vehicle to function--this seems like a good idea. The recent recall-driven software updates are supposed to prevent this, but the tech who replaced my battery told me he believes another software update is coming soon. I asked why and he said, "The last one didn't fix the problem for all owners."

 

[thomasm23]

I had both recalls addressed this morning.

The battery was inspected. Since the OE battery was an AGM and the replacement was also a Motorcraft (Camel) AGM, the battery was not replaced.

The BCM and PCM software upgrade was applied again. I was told an updated version was installed.

All is good.

 

[Mark S.]

I took a photo of the battery installed for the recall. Made in Germany. Hmmm...looks like Ford is scrounging around the entire planet.

 

[thomasm23]

For those that have had the battery recall done. Has the dealer also updated the BCM and PCM software?

 

[Dude]

I took a photo of the battery installed for the recall. Made in Germany. Hmmm...looks like Ford is scrounging around the entire planet.

Did you get a 36 month warranty with the new battery?

 

[Mark S.]

Did you get a 36 month warranty with the new battery?

Good question. I didn't ask. Seems like I got a new battery for nothing considering the old one seemed to be working for the most part. I know it wasn't the right battery for the car because my ASS started working again with the new battery.

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