Electrical Issue?

F150 Issues Forum
1

Hi! First time that I’ve seen a notification like this, let alone two of them… my truck actually is plugged in right now, Ford Charge Station Pro, just not actively in my preferred charging time window yet.

I’m scheduled to drive to the airport at 4am for a work trip and leave the truck parked for the whole week. Is the 12v battery gonna be an issue for this?

We just moved after being temporarily homeless from our house flooding during the hurricanes back in September, so I don’t know if either of my portable charging packs survived (let alone where they would be packed).

Anyone with some insight would be greatly appreciated.

image
image1080×2348 162 KB

image
image1206×2622 103 KB

image
image1206×2622 95.2 KB

2

Many people have been posting about low 12v batteries. That’s why I came here last week, because it was happening to me. Briefly, Ford released an update, and if your truck wasn’t charging, it would drain the 12v battery during the update. If the 12v battery got too low, it would enter a loop. Every time you drove, even though the 12v battery charged while driving, as soon as you stopped, it would try to update and drain the 12v battery again.

Step 1: Trickle charge the battery a bit so it has a charge after you reset the battery. Open the front trunk, remove the plastic panel on the left by twisting the tabs to unlock, and you’ll see the battery terminals. I charged mine for about 6 hours. You can search YouTube; it’s easy.

Step 2: Open the 12v battery panel in the front trunk and disconnect the battery for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Reconnect the 12v battery.

Step 4: Your 12v is now reset, but you need to tell the truck to fully charge it. Press the start button without stepping on the brake (Accessory mode).

Step 5: Flash the high beams with the stalk 5 times, then step on the brake pedal 3 times, and check the red battery icon on the instrument panel to see if it flashes three times.

Step 6: Press the start button again to turn the truck off.

Step 7: Turn the truck fully on and drive off. Your 12V battery should then fully recharge.

Ford does this every time they replace a 12v battery for the Lightning.

You can also take it to a dealer. But in my area, this happened to many Lightnings, so the wait was 2 weeks. If you take it in, they’ll likely replace your 12v with a new one and follow the same steps above.

I hope this helps!

3

@Charlie
Thanks! I’ve seen some of those posts but didn’t realize it was the same error message.

4

@Charlie
It’s winter, so batteries are more likely to die now.

Also, make sure you don’t have a USB or OBD2 device connected. The linkers for a better route planner don’t always turn off with the vehicle.

5

Mine did this the other day - reduced me to 53% power for about 50 minutes of driving, then back to normal on the next start.

I checked my 12v SOC after the drive, and it was at 94%, so I think it was just a weird blip, and nothing to worry about.

6

@Vern
Are you manually testing the 12v battery with a multimeter, or is there a menu somewhere that shows that SOC?

7

Nyx said:
@Vern
Are you manually testing the 12v battery with a multimeter, or is there a menu somewhere that shows that SOC?

You need an OBDII scanner or access to Ford’s tech system.

8

I would manually start charging if you can.

9

Lior said:
I would manually start charging if you can.

I just did that, so we’ll see what happens. I was already at 65% and set it to a max charge limit of 100% to give extra time.

10

Your 12v battery may have died from the cold.

11

Deen said:
Your 12v battery may have died from the cold.

I’m in Florida, so the temp has mostly been in the 80s or even 90s the last few days haha.

12

Nyx said:

Deen said:
Your 12v battery may have died from the cold.

I’m in Florida, so the temp has mostly been in the 80s or even 90s the last few days haha.

Literally 100° warmer than here. :joy:

13

@Kim
OMG, I feel this… Many years ago, I was stationed in Alaska for the Air Force, and I left there for Florida in the middle of winter. That transition went from -70° ish to almost 80°, a legit 150° difference, and I couldn’t breathe because of the humidity, lol