Charging error and battery saver issue

[Shawnb01]

Hello,
Looking for advice or anyone who has has a similar experience. I have a 2020 explorer. Recently I have been getting the system in battery saver mode message. I had the same problem a few months ago, the dealership replaced both the battery and the alternator. The car was fine until the end of September before the issue started again. Now not only am I getting that message when I go to start the car intermittently, but I am also getting a message saying charging system error. When I read the codes, I get 2 different codes one reading as powertrain control system low battery voltage and the other says all wheel drive module system voltage is high. I tried charging the battery which gave an initial reading of 12.3V and when the charger said done said 12.5V. Now on top of it I was driving at night a couple times and all the interior cabin lights plus the infotainment screen, and the dial lights for the HVAC all went out. The dash does stay lit. There's been a couple instances where when the auto start/stop activated, and then when I'd take my foot off the brake to start driving again, the car wouldn't move, so I had to push the engine start button to restart it again. That gave a message about hill start assist even though I wasn't on a hill.

Its also worth mentioning that as a volunteer firefighter, I do have lights, a control system, and a radio added. These are all separated from the car via a circuit breaker. In the spring after the battery and alternator were replaced and covered by warranty, I was basically told by the dealership that they wouldn't cover anything else because they believe its linked to the extra equipment.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[ferneyhough]

you need to do a bms reset. look it up. You should always do one after you relpace a car battery. Hope this helps.

 

[Ryan8886]

Hi,

I’ve done a search and can’t find much more than this. Last night I got a message from the Ford app that my ‘22 ST was going into a battery saver mode. I went out and started it up and everything seemed fine but now when I check the app it shows the vehicle as “on”. I just bought the car a couple months ago but guessing it’s still on the original battery. My dealer can’t get me in until next week. I’d just go buy a new battery but if there’s a drain on it I don’t want to kill the new one. Should I be okay for a week???

 

[Gadgtfreek]

Given that it’s already three years old, my first guess would be that the battery is simply due for replacement. I’ve seen these Ford OEM AGM batteries last as little as two years, and others make it to seven—it’s really hit or miss. The good thing about the battery saver function and app notifications is that they serve as a potential early warning sign of a weak battery.


For example, my Edge’s battery lasted seven years, but my wife’s Lincoln needed a new one in just three. When the app alerts started popping up, I checked the resting voltage with a tester: the Lincoln was sitting around 12.2V, while the Edge was still much higher (after sitting overnight). I replaced hers with a higher-quality, U.S.-made AGM, and we haven’t had a single issue since.

Edit: I missed the fact you already replaced it. Are you saying you can't find the BMS reset?

 

[Gadgtfreek]

Did you try this:

High Beams 5 times, then brakes 3 times. Is the proper procedure to reset the BMS

1. Push the start button with no foot on the brake pedal

2. Flash the high beams five times, then press the break pedal three times

3. Wait about 2 to 3 seconds you’ll see the battery icon flash two times The BMS System is now reset.


https://www.explorerst.org/threads/bms-battery-management-system.4041/page-2

 

[KANSAS]

Make sure all that extra equipment has its negative (ground) side leads not connected directly to the battery negative terminal. All current draw must go through the BMS module that is mounted on that negative terminal. Equipment leads should connect to either the vehicle chassis or the chassis side of that BMS module. Failure to do this correctly can cause all sorts of problems.