Auto Stop/Start and keyless entry disabled due to vehicle charging

[Matthewc1996]

I have a 2020 Ford Focus ST and the stop/start and passenger door keyless entry has basically never worked since I bought it in November. It has been charged overnight 3 times and the features work for a day or two then stop working again, seemingly as the battery is depleted. I do have a short commute to work of about 10 minutes, but even after 2 hour + drives there is no improvement unless it is fully charged up with a trickle charger overnight. Surely this isn't normal for such a new car to be depleting its battery this quickly? It's been into Ford who say the battery is perfectly fine and doesn't need replacing

[unofix]

2 minutes ago, Matthewc1996 said:

Surely this isn't normal for such a new car

100% totally normal. Welcome to the world of modern motoring !!

Now if you would like to fix the problem you will need a Laptop computer, some software called 'FORScan' and a cable called 'vLinker FS'

Then you can easily change the "State Of Charge" (SOC) of your battery from the factory default (probably 80% but might be less) and set it to SOC 95%.

Then put your battery on charge one last time making sure to connect the negative lead of the charger directly to the main chassis earth point and NOT to the battery negative terminal - and hey presto, problem fix !!!

Download FORScan: https://forscan.org/download.html

vLinker FS: https://www.bmdiag.co.uk/forscan-diagnostic-cable-for-ford-vgate-vlinker-fs

OR

vLinker FS: https://tunnelrat-electronics.fwscart.com/Vgate_vLinker_FS_USB/p4541936_21548171.aspx

[Eric Bloodaxe]

4 minutes ago, Matthewc1996 said:

. Surely this isn't normal for such a new car to be depleting its battery this quickly? 

From the dozens of threads on this topic unfortunately it does seem to be "normal", not just for Fords but the majority of modern cars which use "intelligent" charging systems which rarely charge batteries above 80%.

Lots of us have invested in smart battery chargers over the last few years, such as C-tek, Noco and (I must mention for @StephenFord😀 ) Maypole.

[unofix]

5 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Maypole.

Oh God !!!! you've said the word 🤣

Edited March 5, 2022 by unofix
Picture added

[StephenFord]

C'mon guys, let's give the OP a link LOL 🤣 I have commission to consider!

[Matthewc1996]

1 minute ago, StephenFord said:

C'mon guys, let's give the OP a link LOL 🤣 I have commission to consider!

Unfortunately I live in a flat and my car is parked road side, meaning I don't have the facilities to charge it at home at the moment 

[Matthewc1996]

6 minutes ago, unofix said:

100% totally normal. Welcome to the world of modern motoring !!

Now if you would like to fix the problem you will need a Laptop computer, some software called 'FORScan' and a cable called 'vLinker FS'

Then you can easily change the "State Of Charge" (SOC) of your battery from the factory default (probably 80% but might be less) and set it to SOC 95%.

Then put your battery on charge one last time making sure to connect the negative lead of the charger directly to the main chassis earth point and NOT to the battery negative terminal - and hey presto, problem fix !!!

Download FORScan: https://forscan.org/download.html

vLinker FS: https://www.bmdiag.co.uk/forscan-diagnostic-cable-for-ford-vgate-vlinker-fs

OR

vLinker FS: https://tunnelrat-electronics.fwscart.com/Vgate_vLinker_FS_USB/p4541936_21548171.aspx

Will doing this not result in the battery losing charge more quickly and eventually going flat? I'd rather not have stop/start than get in my car and find it won't start

[unofix]

Just now, Matthewc1996 said:

Unfortunately I live in a flat and my car is parked road side, meaning I don't have the facilities to charge it at home at the moment 

Yes that is a problem that a lot of us here forget. Just wait till you have an all electric car !!

[unofix]

1 minute ago, Matthewc1996 said:

Will doing this not result in the battery losing charge more quickly and eventually going flat? I'd rather not have stop/start than get in my car and find it won't start

Trust me on this, change the SOC 95% and your problems will go away. I'm sure there will be many on here that will confirm what I'm saying.

[Matthewc1996]

1 minute ago, unofix said:

Trust me on this, change the SOC 95% and your problems will go away. I'm sure there will be many on here that will confirm what I'm saying.

Thank you! I don't have any experience of this, would it be better to pay someone else to do it or is it really easy? 

[unofix]

It's quite easy to do. I can tell you step by step.

Have your self a drive to sunny Durham and I'll do it for you 👍

[Matthewc1996]

18 minutes ago, unofix said:

100% totally normal. Welcome to the world of modern motoring !!

Now if you would like to fix the problem you will need a Laptop computer, some software called 'FORScan' and a cable called 'vLinker FS'

Then you can easily change the "State Of Charge" (SOC) of your battery from the factory default (probably 80% but might be less) and set it to SOC 95%.

Then put your battery on charge one last time making sure to connect the negative lead of the charger directly to the main chassis earth point and NOT to the battery negative terminal - and hey presto, problem fix !!!

Download FORScan: https://forscan.org/download.html

vLinker FS: https://www.bmdiag.co.uk/forscan-diagnostic-cable-for-ford-vgate-vlinker-fs

OR

vLinker FS: https://tunnelrat-electronics.fwscart.com/Vgate_vLinker_FS_USB/p4541936_21548171.aspx

I only have a Mac and it looks like there isn't FORScan software for Mac yet, thanks for your help at least I understand the issue and know how to fix it now 

[unofix]

Yes you need to get a real computer 😀

These Steve Jobs pretendy things will never catch on. Also it has to be connected via cable - NOT wifi/bluetooth.

[MarkRS9]

I changed my battery SOC to 95%, 6 months ago and found it's made no difference, stop/start never works 😀 and passenger keyless entry still rarely works.

Just got used to it, as long as the car starts, I'm not too bothered.

[Matthewc1996]

1 hour ago, MarkRS9 said:

I changed my battery SOC to 95%, 6 months ago and found it's made no difference, stop/start never works 😀 and passenger keyless entry still rarely works.

Just got used to it, as long as the car starts, I'm not too bothered.

Thanks 

[unofix]

There are over 120 somethings that can inhibit the Start/Stop system, it's actually surprising that it ever works.

Watch this SY Diagnostics video, fast forward to 3:50 if you just want to watch the list.

[should mention there is an error in the video regarding the "Green A" which is the Auto Hold and nothing to do with Stop/Start]

 

[StephenFord]

10 hours ago, unofix said:

There are over 120 somethings that can inhibit the Start/Stop system, it's actually surprising that it ever works.

Watch this SY Diagnostics video, fast forward to 3:50 if you just want to watch the list.

 

What a great video! It's the first time I have seen ForScan actually being used as opposed to just descriptions of it. Has now given me the knowledge never to go near it as it looks so complicated, I know I'd turn my car into a very large paperweight by ***** it up 🤣

[adamfarmiloe]

Did we ever resolve this issue?? I have done very thing listed, the focus STedition 2021 is currently in Ford. I was finding that the car doesn’t seem to charge when driving, I get the battery to 100% then within 24 hours it’s back to about 45% 

[adamfarmiloe]

Within about 30 seconds of starting the BAT_CURRENT, drops to ZERO even if all accessories are being used 🤔

[unofix]

1 hour ago, adamfarmiloe said:

Within about 30 seconds of starting the BAT_CURRENT, drops to ZERO even if all accessories are being used

That is possible, you are only measuring the current in or out of the battery. If the alternator is capable of supplying the demand of the equipment in use then there will be no current draw from the battery.

[adamfarmiloe]

2 minutes ago, unofix said:

That is possible, you are only measuring the current in or out of the battery. If the alternator is capable of supplying the demand of the equipment in use then there will be no current draw from the battery.

Am I correct in saying if it’s a minus it’s being taken from the battery and if it’s a plus it’s going into the battery? 

[unofix]

That's a good question. Using a normal current meter that would be correct, discharging the battery would be a negative current draw and charging the battery would be a positive current.

I assume that FORScan have gone with the same convention.

[adamfarmiloe]

4 minutes ago, unofix said:

That's a good question. Using a normal current meter that would be correct, discharging the battery would be a negative current draw and charging the battery would be a positive current.

I assume that FORScan have gone with the same convention.

What I am struggling to see is voltage going into the battery when the vehicle is in operation? 
let’s say we use the vehicle for about an hour of constant driving the battery percentage doesn’t seem to go up 🤔

[unofix]

I can see from the two screen shots that the battery voltage as seen by the Body Control Module (BCM) is a very healthy 14.8V and 14.7V respectfully. Assuming the voltage at the battery terminals is almost identical to those values then the battery is been supplied with a high enough voltage, that if it required charging then the battery would draw current. If the battery is already sufficiently charged then it will not draw any current.

It is very important to realise that you can not force or push current in to a battery. Current is something that can only be drawn by the battery (or other equipment using power).

If the battery is been provided with a good charging voltage (and it looks like it is) and the battery is not drawing current then that is because it is fully charged. After switching off the car and waiting for about one hour if you measure the voltage at the battery terminals it should be about 12.6V (or 12.42V due to Ford's smart charging system). If you find the voltage is much less, then either the battery has come to the end of it's life and is not holding a charge, or there is a parasitic current draw from the car.

[adamfarmiloe]

39 minutes ago, unofix said:

I can see from the two screen shots that the battery voltage as seen by the Body Control Module (BCM) is a very healthy 14.8V and 14.7V respectfully. Assuming the voltage at the battery terminals is almost identical to those values then the battery is been supplied with a high enough voltage, that if it required charging then the battery would draw current. If the battery is already sufficiently charged then it will not draw any current.

It is very important to realise that you can not force or push current in to a battery. Current is something that can only be drawn by the battery (or other equipment using power).

If the battery is been provided with a good charging voltage (and it looks like it is) and the battery is not drawing current then that is because it is fully charged. After switching off the car and waiting for about one hour if you measure the voltage at the battery terminals it should be about 12.6V (or 12.42V due to Ford's smart charging system). If you find the voltage is much less, then either the battery has come to the end of it's life and is not holding a charge, or there is a parasitic current draw from the car.

Thanks for that, let’s see what has been done when we get it back from Ford. 👌