Dead Battery

[BAUS67]

I just came back from a two month trip the Bronco started right up.

Just for my personal reference did you leave the key fob in the Bronc?? My guess is you left the battery connected by your response.

In my Bronc, I've gone 2 weeks key fob in house, battery connected. I dove my 08 F-150 for those 2 weeks to put a good charge in that battery. I run an AGM in that as well. If memory serves me correct I installed that in 2015. Now my 08 does not have the draw the Bronc does, but it still needs a little drive every now and then to keep it juiced up.

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[NickOhio]

Just for my personal reference did you leave the key fob in the Bronc?? My guess is you left the battery connected by your response.

In my Bronc, I've gone 2 weeks key fob in house, battery connected. I dove my 08 F-150 for those 2 weeks to put a good charge in that battery. I run an AGM in that as well. If memory serves me correct I installed that in 2015. Now my 08 does not have the draw the Bronc does, but it still needs a little drive every now and then to keep it juiced up.

I actually do always leave the fob in the car, is that an issue? It was in there for 2 days when it first died and then last night it was in there. Even now it is. Sooooo....heading to the garage to grab it.

I've done this with all my cars with no issues.

 

[BAUS67]

Ha exactly! Stay away from consistent 10 minute errands and you should be fine.

Need to go surf fishing every Saturday to keep that battery juiced!

I tell people if they only drive 10 min errands to start the car and let it idle for 10-15 mins before you go with nothing on, no phone plugged into the charger, no radio on, no heat or A/C on, etc. Helps charge the battery because of all the drain these new cars have. I work part time in a battery shop and the owner tells me how the scenario goes all the time with these newer cars.

Car needs jumped. Won't start.

Go to the battery shop to get a new battery.

Can't check the old one because it is low on charge. I need it overnite to charge it. I do it for free.

Just sell me a battery.

If the problem is not your battery then after mine is in there and you have the same problem you will blame my battery. It is not a battery problem the car needs to be run more to put charge back into the battery, put on a tender, the correct way, or disconnect the battery until the car is needed.


Just my observations thought I would pass along.


Oh and I forgot to mention Yes, there is alot of truth to that fishing trip. I go to the cabin every Sunday when I'm driving the Bronc to put a good charge in the battery and give it some "run" time.

 

[BAUS67]

I actually do always leave the fob in the car, is that an issue? It was in there for 2 days when it first died and then last night it was in there. Even now it is. Sooooo....heading to the garage to grab it.

I've done this with all my cars with no issues.

This is what I meant by personal reference. I'm trying to figure out some ideas I have about the Bronc and new vehicles in general. Let me be more specific. My wife decided she wanted to "update" her Exploder so we ended up with a 22 Timberline edition. This was before I got the Bronc. Upon bringing it home it scared the living eff out of me while setting in the garage. About a half an hour after parking it started into this R2D2 bullshit of "clicks" and "whirls" of relays and solenoids doing their thing. It continued even hours later>>>>> click, click. 20 mins later a whiiirrrr. Crazy shit. I'm used to the auto shutdown relay in my 08 F-150 but that's about 10 mins after shut down but after that it is quiet.

Now if you notice your Bronc does the same thing. These newer cars and trucks are HEAVY with computers or "modules" if you will. They control the vehicle completely. Sorry to be long winded but bear with me I'm getting to it. I have noticed with these "fob" keys. The chip in the fob activates the vehicles modules. I believe if you leave the fob in the Bronc it stays in "ready to start" mode and would have a "draining" effect on the battery which would be exacerbated by only driving a short time and not "charging" the battery up. So by leaving the fob away from the Bronc it will go into "deep sleep" mode if not driven to save on the battery voltage.


Here is another little tidbit of useless info I have noticed in my Bronc. I left the fob in the garage. Thought it was in the Bronc and opened the door to pop the hood. The Bronc did it's normal clicks and whirls. I popped the hood, did what I needed to do, then shut the hood. I immediately heard a loud "clunk". That is when it dawned on me the fob was in the garage. My guess is that was the Bronc's main relay saying "ain't nothing happening until I see the fob" kinda clunk. The BCM saw the doors open, the hood open, all with the fob not being present and it didn't like that. I retrieved the fob and as soon as I pulled the door handle I heard the exact same loud "clunk" . Everything came alive as normal.

 

[NORCALGXP]

Just for my personal reference did you leave the key fob in the Bronc?? My guess is you left the battery connected by your response.

In my Bronc, I've gone 2 weeks key fob in house, battery connected. I dove my 08 F-150 for those 2 weeks to put a good charge in that battery. I run an AGM in that as well. If memory serves me correct I installed that in 2015. Now my 08 does not have the draw the Bronc does, but it still needs a little drive every now and then to keep it juiced up.

Yes you are correct on multiple points on this thread. My key fob was in the back of the house and the battery was connected. My Bronco is a Sept 2021 build with just 10,000 miles. When ever I start it at home I will let it warm up and charge. It's been posted on the forum that the Bronco knows when the fob is close by and is in a stand by state, with all it clicking sounds from the computer or something, I no expert. My 2017 Raptor 150 sits for the same two months with no problems but dosen't have all the tech My Bronco has.

 

[da_jokker]

I actually do always leave the fob in the car, is that an issue? It was in there for 2 days when it first died and then last night it was in there. Even now it is. Sooooo....heading to the garage to grab it.

I've done this with all my cars with no issues.

I believe there's been a post on this forum about how the key fob will actually go to sleep if it sees no movement for X minutes. If that is true, then leaving the key in the Bronco should not affect it because it should go to sleep.

The Bronco itself also goes to sleep after so many days. All the electronics are designed to save the battery from going dead.

It's not uncommon for my Bronco to sit five or six days without being started, and that's with me constantly going in there and opening up doors and having all the lights come on and then turning back off and so on.

When I finally get around to starting it, the output voltage will be around 15 v (per the dash)..and after driving for some time (like running around town doing errands and stuff) it will eventually go down to 13 or less.

At 10.n volts, it it too low and people have reported their Broncos will not start with that low voltage. (Not like the old days when it would just spin over slower but still start).

I would disconnect your battery completely, put it on the charger until it gets to its normal (which actually should be close to 13 volts), And then let it sit for a day or two if possible and recheck the voltage. If it's dropped, your battery has been toasted.

 

[MayhemMike]

Ha exactly! Stay away from consistent 10 minute errands and you should be fine.

Need to go surf fishing every Saturday to keep that battery juiced!

Basically all my Bronco does for the majority is short trips with long stays in the garage aka car hole. 20 months to date and no battery issues.

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