Auto Start no longer functioning.

[AtillaTheHung]

While I really dislike this feature in many ways. I also dislike when things that should function, don’t function.

Truck has been parked for a while. Drove it 200 miles the other day, and then 60 miles the next day. Auto start didn’t do anything both drives.

on the dash, it says ‘Engine On Normal Opr.’ But all I see is the grey A with the circle around it.

plugged in Forscan and this is what I have.

is it as simple as a battery replacement? Relatively annoying.

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[t4thfavor]

It won’t function for a crapload of reasons. Ac on mine will hardly ever work. I went into forscan and bumped the voltage targets on the charge controller to 85% and it seems to have helped a few of my issues. I think Ford used a very weak battery as mine will drop well below 10.9v every start. I have not seen this happen on any battery I’ve owned even in diesel vehicles requiring lots of cold cranking amps.

the target may have been 90% but I can’t recall.

 

[LoneRNGR]

The battery is low and needs to be recharged. When charging, connect the negative wire to a chassis ground, not the negative battery terminal. Otherwise the BMS will not detect the charge and the BCM will continue to prevent the auto start stop feature from operating. See video:
https://youtube.com/shorts/cJkTtvjzunI?feature=share

 

[wanted33]

I feel exactly the same way. I don't care for the ASS, but I want it to work as it should. Had the same problem with my Jeep, and it was the battery. Had it replaced, and it works fine now. Not that I use it mind you.

 

[AtillaTheHung]

It won’t function for a crapload of reasons. Ac on mine will hardly ever work. I went into forscan and bumped the voltage targets on the charge controller to 85% and it seems to have helped a few of my issues. I think Ford used a very weak battery as mine will drop well below 10.9v every start. I have not seen this happen on any battery I’ve owned even in diesel vehicles requiring lots of cold cranking amps.

the target may have been 90% but I can’t recall.

So you have the ability to change the levels required for it to work? What module is it in? Not that I’m going to do it, but I wouldn’t mind testing a lower level just to see if it does indeed fix my problem.
Truck starts perfectly fine manually. Hard to believe a 0.2v difference would make S/S not function.

 

[AtillaTheHung]

The battery is low and needs to be recharged. When charging, connect the negative wire to a chassis ground, not the negative battery terminal. Otherwise the BMS will not detect the charge and the BCM will continue to prevent the auto start stop feature from operating. See video:
https://youtube.com/shorts/cJkTtvjzunI?feature=share

So I could try charging it with a charger. Interesting. You’d think that the alt would charge it just fine on my trips.

 

[t4thfavor]

So you have the ability to change the levels required for it to work? What module is it in? Not that I’m going to do it, but I wouldn’t mind testing a lower level just to see if it does indeed fix my problem.
Truck starts perfectly fine manually. Hard to believe a 0.2v difference would make S/S not function.

you have the ability to change the desired level that the alternator will keep the battery at. So it’s set at 75% from the factory which pisses off some more sensitive equipment like ham radios. So I changed mine to 90% and the ham radios are happier. They still restart every stop/start cycle, but they don’t do it while driving anymore.

 

[AzScorpion]

So I could try charging it with a charger. Interesting. You’d think that the alt would charge it just fine on my trips.

It's possible the battery is bad, mine was after only 18 months. I have the Ford version of this trickle charger. There are times where I don't use my truck for several days and it keeps the battery fresh and topped off. Like John said just make sure you ground it to the body and not the negative terminal. I used the quick connect pigtail and not the clamps.

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[LoneRNGR]

You’d think that the alt would charge it just fine on my trips.

The Ranger has a variable alternator and just because the engine is running doesn’t mean that the battery is charging. The BCM and PCM control when the alternator sends charging voltage to the battery. The battery is rarely kept at a 100% charge.

 

[Motorpsychology]

The battery is low and needs to be recharged. When charging, connect the negative wire to a chassis ground, not the negative battery terminal. Otherwise the BMS will not detect the charge and the BCM will continue to prevent the auto start stop feature from operating. See video:
https://youtube.com/shorts/cJkTtvjzunI?feature=share

10-4. The BMS needs to know what the new, charged up reading is.

With the chip shortage, maybe the OEMs could get back to installing $20 voltage regulators.

 

[AtillaTheHung]

The Ranger has a variable alternator and just because the engine is running doesn’t mean that the battery is charging. The BCM and PCM control when the alternator sends charging voltage to the battery. The battery is rarely kept at a 100% charge.

The Ranger has a variable alternator and just because the engine is running doesn’t mean that the battery is charging. The BCM and PCM control when the alternator sends charging voltage to the battery. The battery is rarely kept at a 100% charge.

I guess what I’m saying is, is that the smart charging feature is incapable of bringing my battery back to where it should be at for S/S to function. And that it might be possible to rejuvenate it enough with a battery charger for it to function?

basically. The smart charging system knows the battery needs charged - shouldn’t it charge it to the required level?

 

[LoneRNGR]

basically. The smart charging system knows the battery needs charged - shouldn’t it charge it to the required level?

It should, but it seems it gets out of sync every now and then. I travel on planes a lot. After a couple of months of 4-5 days parked at the airport each week, I need to charge it.

 

[12Bravo20]

These systems can be fickle to say the least. It could be something as simple as the battery being weak for not being driven. Or it could be that your battery is starting to go bad. Another thing that can cause issues is the intelligent battery sensor.

The ASS never did work on my 2016 Jeep Cherokee (bought used). I had the battery and charging system checked several times. It very well could have been teh IBS which on the Jeep is connected to the negative battery terminal.

I haven't delved into the Ford system much. On the Chrysler system something like the the hood switch will cause the ASS system not to work.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

These systems can be fickle to say the least. It could be something as simple as the battery being weak for not being driven. Or it could be that your battery is starting to go bad. Another thing that can cause issues is the intelligent battery sensor.

The ASS never did work on my 2016 Jeep Cherokee (bought used). I had the battery and charging system checked several times. It very well could have been teh IBS which on the Jeep is connected to the negative battery terminal.

I haven't delved into the Ford system much. On the Chrysler system something like the the hood switch will cause the ASS system not to work.

Hi 12B

It should be a simple test to disconnect the Intelligent battery sensor and try Autostart. That would indicate investigation into the battery/system. Comments? I am a bit out of my box on this one...

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co Retired

 

[arbjosh]

Does Ford switch out the battery if it's under warranty?

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