Ford Motorcraft battery failure

Bob - MI

Well-known Member
Amazingly when I took my 2013 Ford Edge in for the "works" at 37,600 miles they told me that the battery was shot. I have been taking it to the same dealer since it was new and every 5,000 miles they give it a once over. Battery has checked good until the warranty ran out at 36,000 miles. Hmmmmm..

The car is 19 months old and I have never in my life seen a battery go that fast. While they initially refused to extend me any consideration on the battery, the service manager reluctantly agreed to replace the battery at no charge.

They told me that Exide makes the Motorcraft batteries. I will be staying away from that brand after this experience.
 
There is/was an Exide plant in the town near here. They had a little mishap and ended up sending battery acid out the stacks. I wonder what it cost them to repaint all of the cars on that side of town? I had a friend that got a pretty new red paint job on his Dodge pickup. It was right about the time it needed one, too.

I figure batteries are like antifreeze. There's only a couple folks that make them and then stick different labels on them.
 
Have you been having any problems with battery before you took it in. If not sounds like they want to sell new battery. Doesn't battery warranties go by months and not milage.I have had two Motorcraft batteries over the years and they were warranted by months and not miles.
 

I've sold ~2700 Exide batteries for everything from Motorcylces to backhoes in the last 6 years, and like any man made product, i've had a couple come back in 3 or 4 months claiming they failed. But ... the vast majority out-live their warranty period without fault. My entry level auto battery carries 24 months free replacement, and another 24 months pro-rated.

Did you ever see proof of a load test or diagnostic print out from the dealer? I hate to say it, but its a very slow time of year for installers, and they might be trying to make a couple extra bucks profit that they didn't make off the inspection.

Cheers,
AR
 
I just replaced the original Motorcraft battery in my 2007 F150. Not because it failed but because it was getting some years on it. Replaced it with another Motorcraft.
 
I find it interesting that the over the counter Ford batteries that I have bought from the dealer have a three year free replacement warranty on them, but yours was based on miles. I think since they replaced it eventually, it was a screw job that you caught them on. BT
 
The better half's 012 Fusion went out under 30 k. Batteries are excluded from Fords warranty. You got lucky. Factory batteries used to be better.
 
I Bought a 2008 Ford Mustang new. Great car, but the battery went out after having it a little more than a year. Not covered under warranty.
 
Didn't see the test take place but they gave me a slip that said it was "dangerously low" in cca. The red box saying replace was also checked.

Never had any issues and never noticed it cranking slowly. I figured they were looking for extra revenue.

If I would have bought the new battery it would have come with an extended warranty ($140.00)
 
Well i would have to be looking at the test results for myself as to it being bad . As that has gotten to be one of the NEW service dept scams . As they tryed that on my dad at a Ford dealership with his TWO year old Motor Craft battery He called me and i went over and the service writer tried that on me , little did he know that the service manager and i went way back to when i worked as a Ford Tech And the service manager and i went out and we checked it and there was nothing wrong with the battery. The War Dept.'s battery in her 203 Dodge Durango is the Org. so that makes it over 12 years old and it has lit the Durango off each and every morning while it has been way below 0 , like anywhere from -5 thru -27 below 0 and it sets in and open shed that keeps the snow and rain off of it .
 
I have a 2003 Dodge Stratus that still has the original battery in it and it started the car last week with the temp in single digits. The car has 48600 miles on it and has a set of new tires on it along with a new heater switch and a new fuel pump. Every thing else is original.

FEB
 
There are only a small handful of battery manufacturers in the US, and two already mentioned are the bigger ones. Then different companies put their stickers on them. Thats not to say they are all equal though. Batteries can be built to the buyers specs, like walmart wanting cheaper built batteries vs die-hard, delco, interstate etc.

Car manufacturers don't particularly want cheap batteries because that can cost them big time in the long run. Consider all the tow bills, reimbursing the parts and service departments for the battery and labor for testing and replacing. Then to consider if the battery failure involves leaking acid, all the parts and labor involved with fixing what gets hurt from the acid.
 
Also for someone to tell you or say the battery is bad, even though you think it's not, it could be that their tester is more accurate (or less). I have used a battery tester that cost close to $5000, it can fail a battery that you would think is just fine and pass one that you would swear is bad.

Depending on the battery tester there is a point where you have to draw the line and say pass or fail. The battery might have life left in it but it might not be up to testing specs anymore. Its kind of like saying an engine with 200k miles is bad when it fails compression tests specs, but it still runs and might last another 100k miles.
 
I just replaced the original battery in my 02 f250 v10 w/66+++ miles. The little status eye was still green. My speedo and tach started swinging wide when I stated it and my trip odo would be wiped out at every startup. It was beginning to sound a little weak also. After researching I went back to Ford and got the Maxx battery w/3yr free rplcmt and 100 month pro rata. My research came across an article that said Johnson Controls (Interstate & others) is the major battery mfgr in U.S. Delco (some older Diehards & most all recent Diehards & others), GNB (Champion & others) and Exide. The article infers Exide is independent. However a lot of batteries despite brand is made in Mexico.
About a yr ago I was talking to the guys at my NAPA about batteries and they said Exide or Dekum made their batteries, they couldn't be sure who was the current mfgr is.
 
You may want to change dealers too. My GM dealer does a 30 pt check when he changes oil. That includes a battery test. After 5 years my original Delco battery showed a full charge but only half the CCA. They said it's time for a new battery. Wanted $165 to install another Delco. So I went to rural king and bought an excide for $45 on sale. I figure I could get 4 excides for one delco. Cost averaging, I'm ahead of the game. Excide has been truck for 4 years now.

So why didn't your dealer give you a heads up on your battery???
 
We have an 03 Ford Windstar that we bought new in Nov. 03.
Had to put a new battery in it for the first time this past Dec.

Dusty
 

I bought a used 07 Edge in 09 and dealer had installed a new battery and brakes. Fast forward 2 years and battery failed. It wouldn't start one morning and I put charger on it and later load tested it and it was bad. Called the dealer and he asked me if the battery had a sticker on the top and after checking he told me it wasn't warranted cause it was a replacement battery! I asked him about the 36 mo warranty and he said there is no warranty. After quoting a price of $115 for a similar battery I hung up and bought a 72 mo battery with more cca for $90.
This has been an excellent car with only one other minor issue.
 
a battery can be good 1 day and bad he next. We find that to be true with all brands. I'd say they did you a favor. I'd rather replace it in a warm shop than have her stranded somewhere at 0 or less outside. We did not sell batterys at my tire shop, but we did test them when we did service work. I don't know how many times I've told guys their battery was getting weak and they should have it replaced. A lot of them would get very defensive and say "Well I've not had any trouble with it" Then call back 3 or 4 days later and ask if we could go put a battery in her car, she was stuck somewhere. We would usually go purchase a battery and go put in in for her.
 
The original batteries in my 2000 super duty diesel lasted 93,000 miles and except for the last few years was stored outdoors in central Minnesota. Good batteries. Still passed load test at 93,000 but I didn’t want to see if it would last another winter. The original motorcraft battery in my car lasted about 30,000 miles before failing. Ford replaced it no questions asked. Second battery just died this week at 122,000 miles at my Mom’s funeral of all things. Car is normally stored in a heated and it was -18 degrees during the funeral. Car started fine, but the computers were all messed up, but did get me back to the dealer. I would use Motorcraft again
 
When I was with Ford, we serviced an F-250 diesel for a local farmer. I advised him his batteries were getting weak and quoted him a price on a pair of new Motorcraft batteries. He declined, saying he could get batteries cheaper elsewhere.

Several months later, his pickup was back in the shop for new Motorcraft batteries AND a new $350 starter.

Sometimes there is poetic justice.
 
I might be overly cautious, but I never green light any service unless I see proof of something actually being bad. I guess I have had too many bad experiences, and had friends and family who worked at them. My son worked at new car dealerships for several years, and he confirms my suspicions of dealers "up selling", or selling things to customers they really do not need. If the battery was cranking just fine, I would definitely asked to either witness or see a load test. But, at least they stood behind the battery, and you did not have to pay for it. Vehicle inspections are sometimes a tool to sell items. Several years ago I had a little shop try to sell me a part and told me they would not pass until I replaced the part (idler arm on a pickup). I had my suspicions that it was not all that bad, and it drove just fine (a loose idler arm will usually make them wander, and that truck had very low miles, but out of warranty). Took it to a new car dealer, they inspected and passed. AFTER I had the passed inspection slip in my hands, and had paid them I showed them the failed inspection from the other shop , and asked what they thought about the loose idler arm. He would not go on record about the other shop, but simply told me "it was not bad enough to fail, but probably should be replaced". I know there are good honest shops, and folks that work at some, but there are a lot of shops out to sell parts and service regardless of whether you actually need them or not, and charge "doctor and lawyer" rates to do so. Just my opinion, and experience.
 
The battery in my daughter's car failed last week. When I went to pull it out, it had been installed Feb 2006. I think that is a new personal record. It was a Marathon Battery from Battery Mart. I think my next best was 6 years out of a WalMart Battery I installed thinking I was selling a car.

Cliff(VA)
 
As posted below I don't think the battery is covered under Ford's warranty - it has its own warranty like the tires do. I glanced through what is covered/not covered and neither section says a word about the battery.
 
Deka batteries are the main brand name made by East Pennsylvania Manufacturing company. They make some of the best batteries under many labels, including O'Riellies batteries. Look up EPM on the net. Tom
 
I would be very skeptical of the battery being bad , especially if the guy testing it was using one of those little hand held marketing devices, uh I mean battery testers. Those can be horribly inaccurate and very dependent on a perfectly clean connection , any crud or corrosion throws the reading off , even where you hook the clips makes a difference . We had those testers at my last dealership , hook it up to the same battery 10 times , get 10 different readings.
 
You got my attention with this post.....
First off, I would say that if you had the battery checked elsewhere, it might have been just fine. After all, it did start the car and bring you to the dealer for your service.

This brings up a few items I learned when I was in that business....
Those exotic multi-point inspections are actually a tool to sell you repair work. No more, no less. And NOTHING is FREE. In every case, there is a money motive. Count on it. I spent 25 years working in dealerships. I know their tricks. I got fired from a dealership for refusing to oversell unneeded and unnecessary repair work. There was a lot to that story. Sometime, I will post more about that.

One of the things that offends me about dealers and many other repair shops is their labor rate. There is nothing that I see that can justify over $100 per hour for anything but the high-tech electronic diagnosis and testing. When they charge that kind of rate for brakes, exhaust, and light underhood repairs, I feel that is excessive. And, the mechanic only sees a small portion of those exotic rates.

Well, I am getting off topic, and starting to ramble and rant, so I'll stop here.....
 
I am glad someone else feels as I do on labor rates. I realize shops have overhead, but it is insane to charge even $60 an hour for something that even a novice with normal hand tools can do. Recently I was charged $40 to balance 4 tires, which might not sound too bad if it weren't the fact I carried the wheels and tires into their shop, and out so they never put the car on a lift, or removed/installed a wheel, and took all of about 20 minutes, but I guess they charge the same rate regardless. I could go on, but I think everyone has likely experienced this.
 
Amen. I think you and I are very similar. I left a dealer for many of the reasons you stated . And those "inspection sheets " yeah , I could go on a rant too.
 
Ron, this is coming from someone who has run a service oriented business, do you have any idea how much overhead is involved with a service technician??? A good technician is worth 15-20 bucks or more per hour and all the expenses associated with him being there, you can thank a lot of the high shop labor rates to the government taxes, insurance companies, benefits, vacations, sick days, on and on. I could go on.
 

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