Battery charging questions

[Severum17]

Charging rates for 2024 2.7 Mine shows variable from 12.5 and I have seen 14.9 is this normal to have the variable rates. We have short trips and I have been using a charger sometimes. Battery shows about 50% charge or less sometimes unless I put the charger on. Maybe the battery is bad? Dont want to go to Ford unless I have to.

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[Brian_B]

Totally normal to see anything from low 12V to low 15V

Bronco has a very dynamic charging controller.

And yes, unfortunately, low state of charge due to short trips is also a common issue. A trickle charger overnight usually fixes it right up. If it starts going into Deep Sleep mode even after a few days of charging overnight, or you start getting weird and seemingly random errors/glitches/Check Engine/Check 4WD problems out of the blue -- then your battery may be on the way out. They seem to only have a 2-5 year life span.

 

[Severum17]

Totally normal to see anything from low 12V to low 15V

Bronco has a very dynamic charging controller.

And yes, unfortunately, low state of charge due to short trips is also a common issue. A trickle charger overnight usually fixes it right up. If it starts going into Deep Sleep mode even after a few days of charging overnight, or you start getting weird and seemingly random errors/glitches/Check Engine/Check 4WD problems out of the blue -- then your battery may be on the way out. They seem to only have a 2-5 year life span.

Thanks, seems like I shouldnt have to constantly charge a battery on a new vehicle. Wife doesnt get it, guess I will just charge it up every now and then.How do I know if its in deep sleep mode? I just dont want to get caught with a no start dead battey

 

[Brian_B]

Thanks, seems like I shouldnt have to constantly charge a battery on a new vehicle. Wife doesnt get it, guess I will just charge it up every now and then.How do I know if its in deep sleep mode? I just dont want to get caught with a no start dead battey

You will get a notification in Ford Pass

The lights and everything will be dead when you open the door, and the infotainment screen will have a message saying the Bronco went into Deep Sleep to preserve the battery. It ~should~ still start up from that and go back to normal once it charges a bit, unless the battery is pretty far gone.

 

[Brian_B]

My wife does lots of short trips in her Sport. I have to put it on a changer every couple of months — more often when she uses the seat and steering wheel heat.

Lots and lots of electronics in new cars - the power steering, the brakes, comfort heating, lots of lighting, all the computers and modems to enable OTA updates and features like Ford Pass, auxiliaries (side steps, radios, air compressors, satellite internet, etc), auto-start-stop, the list goes on

And on top of all of that, the dynamic charging aims to only charge when it won’t impact fuel economy - so basically just coasting downhill.

And on top of that, the computers need a very stable voltage to operate or they get glitchy.

These batteries get hammered any more.

I knew my first battery was on the way out when it started to lose charge over my typical 1-hour commute. It took 8 hours of driving to charge it up unless I put it on the charger once a week.

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