Something to Check on Your Car

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Heima

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 22, 2019
Messages
342
So I was having the strangest warning on the left instrument cluster screen. I was being asked if the vehicle was plugged in. This message was accompanied by the Wrench icon and "See Manual". Also the plug icon was seen.
The vehicle could not go into drive until I answered No to the question.

This problem started out of the blue and not after charging. In fact the vehicle had not been charged in 3 days. For that morning, each time I started the vehicle, I got that question, and all the time driving, I was getting text messages from the car. "... has a warning light on." "... scheduled charging has not begun."
The vehicle did charge, however, upon pressing the release button on the charging handle, charging did not stop. So I had to use the button by the shifter.

By now, you might have determined that the car thought that a charging cable was permanently attached. This is why the message was displayed on the left screen, why the scheduled charging text message was sent, and why I could not stop the charge with the handle button.

Using Forscan, there was a fault in the SOBDM module. P0D59 Proximity Detection Circuit High. Googling this fault returned information for the Volt, but not the Focus. It was caused by something amiss in the charge port.

I researched a generic charge port and EVSE schematic to see what might cause the vehicle to think charging cable is permanently attached. I also read up in the service manual the diagnostic checks to perform when this fault is displayed.

To make a long story short, I was getting nowhere. Yet in my investigation, I keep on seeing connector C1824 and felt something was wrong with it.

C1824 is the orange high voltage connector in the right hand lower corner of this picture of a typical 2016 Focus Electric.

connector1.jpg


Now take a look at the same connector, but on another 2016 FFE.

connector2.jpg


Do you see the difference? It is subtle.

zoom-in.jpg


The little white lock is at the "locked" position in the first picture. It is at the "unlocked" position in the second.

So for my vehicle, the lock was unlocked. Yet the QA inspector at the factory had marked it with a pen as checked and verified.

I needed to disconnect C1824 to perform some of the checks described in the service manual, and when I did, it came apart way too easy.

High voltage connectors are two stage, and in the case of this connector, only the first stage was secure.

So after properly connecting C1824, the warning was corrected. I also cleared the faults with Forscan.

So the lesson here is that Ford did not do a thorough job of fastening connectors, and the fault you are experiencing might be because of a loose connector.

It might be a good idea to check your vehicle and see if the white lock is in the correct position.
 
Really, they gave you a two year warranty on a car that has a 4 year factory warranty. And at least 3 of those years left. Was it a salvage brand? Most if not all 3rd party used car dealerships don't know fuck about electric vehicles, have no access to parts, and definitely will not spring for the specialized tools. So a warranty from them is useless. The dealership you shill for doesn't have any Tesla's on the lot, so why don't you give me the last six digits of your VIN and I can take a look and see who is talking out of their ass.
Most 1st party dealerships don't know much about their own electric vehicles, so to say that it is best to take the car there is a cop-out. You are not adding to the conversation, you are just padding for your spam. Because as so many here have experienced from first hand knowledge, the Ford dealer is not that well educated, nor responsive to service needs. The dealership would rather not touch an electric vehicle.
 
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