Battery Saver Mode

[lariat]

I keep seeing this message appear in my Ford App. I tried to start my Ranger recently using remote start on my phone (just as a test). It took a bit of time to actually start the vehicle, but it worked. Now it is not longer active and this message appears all the time. The vehicle starts fine otherwise. I start and use my vehice several time a week so not sure why this is now showing up?

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[airline tech]

It’s picking up a Low SOC that is being reported by the BMS System, so this would be about 11.6 Volts - during Sleep and the message is telling you it’s entered DEEP SLEEP and has disabled features to save the battery for it’s primary purpose- starting the engine.
Use a voltmeter and check the battery, before engine start after it sits overnight and you will most likely see a low voltage reading, the fix is to use a external charger and maintenance repair- desulfate the battery as it’s IR has most likely climbed above the normal 3.2 to 3.4 range - all covered in the Maximizing Battery Life Thread

 

[airline tech]

I should add - Deep Sleep - disables the TCU, which is what the Ford App communicates with to trigger the Remote Start and any interaction with the truck from your phone. To get it to reactivate as well as reactivate the ASS the BMS system will need to see a overnight calibration Test - that reads a HIGHER voltage than what it currently is reading, this is why it’s a continuous message and continuous disabling of the Remote Start / TCU and ASS , if it’s low enough it will disable the Passive Entry of the Door Locks, first is normally passenger side then the drivers

 

[lariat]

I should add - Deep Sleep - disables the TCU, which is what the Ford App communicates with to trigger the Remote Start and any interaction with the truck from your phone. To get it to reactivate as well as reactivate the ASS the BMS system will need to see a overnight calibration Test - that reads a HIGHER voltage than what it currently is reading, this is why it’s a continuous message and continuous disabling of the Remote Start / TCU and ASS , if it’s low enough it will disable the Passive Entry of the Door Locks, first is normally passenger side then the drivers

Thanks. What's the general life-span of a Ranger battery if you know?

 

[mtsoxfan]

It varies. Mine was/is 58k and 2019. But replacing tomorrow as it went into shutting down everything but truck itself.

 

[lariat]

It varies. Mine was/is 58k and 2019. But replacing tomorrow as it went into shutting down everything but truck itself.

I'm about 3+years into my Ranger so it's likely a good preventative maintenance swap timeframe. even though It starts fine and cranks without issues.

 

[mtsoxfan]

I'm about 3+years into my Ranger so it's likely a good preventative maintenance swap timeframe. even though It starts fine and cranks without issues.

Yeah, mine started 2 years ago. Almost all my driving is well over 20 minutes, so it stays charged. Started with ASS not working, the same message as yours. Today, infotainment center went blank, ASS, all cameras, check charging system message, touch door unlock, phone use all disabled. That was enough for me.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

Thanks. What's the general life-span of a Ranger battery if you know?

The lifespan varies quite a bit but postings from forum members suggest two things have a significant impact on battery life - only making short trips and hot climates.

It seems that if you live in a moderate climate and your trips are frequent and of some duration, you can get five or six years out of it.

If you live somewhere hot like AZ, NM, or TX and use it once or twice a week to run errands, it might only last half as long. A quality battery maintainer will help with that.

 

[rangerfx]

And if you tend to leave a phone charger plugged in at all times, stop doing that. The cord will still draw current even if the phone isn't attached. This will drain the battery a lot faster. Been there, done that. After the battery replacement and unplugging the cord, no issues since.

 

[AzScorpion]

And if you tend to leave a phone charger plugged in at all times, stop doing that. The cord will still draw current even if the phone isn't attached. This will drain the battery a lot faster. Been there, done that. After the battery replacement and unplugging the cord, no issues since.

The power points shut off when the ignition is off. The rear 12v turns off immediately and the front USB ports stay on for about 10 minutes after the truck is turned off. I've had a nightlight in both my Rangers for the last 6 years and as soon as I turn the truck off the light goes off.

From the owners manual:

 

[mtsoxfan]

Anytime I'm in my truck, my phone is plugged in. Never disconnected charger at any time. Think I got my moneys worth at 58K

 

[lariat]

It varies. Mine was/is 58k and 2019. But replacing tomorrow as it went into shutting down everything but truck itself.

I had Ford points to use so while premature, I ended up at the Ford dealer today and picked up a new battery for $100+ dollars. Use or lose the points, so the timing was about perfect.

Installed it at home, did the flashing lights/brake sequence and it all worked well. I'll get $18 back from Ford when I return my existing battery. It has plenty of life left on it, but now it's done and over. My mileage is very low on my Ranger and my trips are generally short so this probably wasn't helping the battery.

On a pleasant side note: After replacing the battery and going thru the flashing high beams/ pressing the brake peddle 3 times sequence, my squishy brake issue has been mostly resolved after 3 years of spongy brakes! Very happy about this.

 

[Joeiconic]

I get this message when I don’t drive the truck for a couple of weeks, even when it’s been connected to a charger the entire time. So, sometimes the message is simply triggered by time and not because the battery is weak.

 

[lariat]

I get this message when I don’t drive the truck for a couple of weeks, even when it’s been connected to a charger the entire time. So, sometimes the message is simply triggered by time and not because the battery is weak.

I was getting the message, even though I was driving it - Short distances however.

Available Ford points to use made the decision justifiable to be honest.

 

[RangerBill]

I get this message when I don’t drive the truck for a couple of weeks, even when it’s been connected to a charger the entire time. So, sometimes the message is simply triggered by time and not because the battery is weak.

When you are using the charger, are you connecting the negative lead to the chassis instead of the negative battery terminal? If connected directly to the negative terminal, the truck will not calculate the amount of charge correctly.

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