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Ford Escape car battery needed to be jumped. Ideas for prevention

sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
 So went on my longest trip so far (  4 days). We did not have any hook ups and were being pretty conservative with the DC electrical. But lo and behold upon day of departure we discovered my Ford Escape needed to be jumped. We were unaware of needing to  be conservative with all the opening of the tow vehicle doors and opening and closing of the car windows. ( Yes the 7 pin was disconnected).  
 Has this happened to anyone else? The Ford  mechanic says that the cars computer systems are always updating and so are drawing milliamps of power if you keep opening doors etc.  Does anyone carry any  jump start  emergency  gear? any suggestions. We got the camp host to give us a jump start, but i would hate to count on that always being available. 
 As for   being able to go without shore power I think we did pretty good. Came home and the settings said we were at 12.3 volts.  It was the car battery that failed us this time. 
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,497
    How old is the battery? Did you stop for any period of time along the way and stay connected to your 7 pin?  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    The same thing happened to my 2012 Ford Escape in 2013.  I camped for a week without starting my Escape, but I opened the door frequently for the cooler and other food items kept in the Escape. The battery was dead when I was packed and ready to leave. Within 6 months I had to replace my battery. Maybe it was a coincidence, but I've felt it had electrical problems anyway. I'm not saying you will have the same problem, just telling you how my Escape reacted.  I traded the Escape at 48,000 miles for my Tacoma and have been happy to have gotten away from that particular vehicle. 

    I now carry a small jump pack named Power All (about the size of an iPhone, twice the thickness of an iPhone). It will jump several vehicles before charging it, charge phones, has a light and is a great thing to carry for such a small package. You can jump your own battery, not worrying whether someone else has battery jump cables or not. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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    lapowers57lapowers57 Member Posts: 186
    My first thought is also an old battery.  They are only good for 5 years or so.  If you were leaving your doors open and lights on and opening/closing windows that might have been enough to bring the voltage down tow where it would not start the car.
    2016 T@B M@X S grey/red 16 Foot Airstream, towed by 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 4x4, Central Connecticut



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    DouglasbooDouglasboo Member Posts: 9
    My battery on my Jeep Wrangler went out of service 
    with no notice.  I wasn't camping at home but just went bad all at once was fine on Friday wouldn't start Monday morning it was 5 years old 
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    DurangoTaBDurangoTaB Member Posts: 754
    Ditto to Verna on the Powerall...the battery on my Tacoma died suddenly in a shopping center parking lot last summer.  That little charger is amazing, and great insurance!

    J.D. & Sue

    Durango, CO    2014/15 S M@xx :  "Dory's HabiT@B"  Keep on swimming...

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    db_cooperdb_cooper Member Posts: 726
    When camping I turn off the interior lights so they won't come on when opening the doors.  There's always a chance you didn't shut one completely, and that will kill a battery overnight.
    2015 Max S Outback | 2010 Xterra



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    RatkityRatkity Member Posts: 3,770
    edited July 2017
    Douglasboo said:
    My battery on my Jeep Wrangler went out of service 
    with no notice.  I wasn't camping at home but just went bad all at once was fine on Friday wouldn't start Monday morning it was 5 years old 
    It's almost as if it senses the warranty is gone and *poof* stops working. I have that small device that has EIGHT jumps to it (the one Verna has). I put the pigtail for motorcycle battery that came with it. The CCA are very low on motorcycle batteries and everyone knows it takes nearly the entire battery's juice to start a Harley LOL. Peace of mind with V's suggestion for charger.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
    Bought the car March 2013 so that is getting close to 5 years.   All good ideas. Will be getting a charger  jump pack ASAP.
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    TorzanneTorzanne Member Posts: 31
    Same thing happened to us with our 2012 Ford Escape. It was our maiden voyage and the car battery died in Joshua Tree. When we finally got into town we had the battery checked at a quick lube type place and they said it was fine. Purchased a jump starter (Redfuel brand) just in case it happened again, which it did a few days later in Valley of Fire (the jump starter worked great, well worth the purchase!). Since our next stop was Death Valley, I was very nervous about another dead battery so we drove to an auto parts store in Las Vegas where the battery died right in front of the store. The very nice folks at the auto parts installed a new battery to get us home. They said the alternator was reading just fine but that we should take car in once we got home. That was 7 months ago and we haven't had any problems since!!! The new battery seemed to solve the issue. 
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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
    OK this is an update and new request for info.  Since  the above incident I have gotten a  brand new battery for  the Ford Escape. We went camping this past weekend.   We Hardly ever opened the  car doors at all  and upon  starting the car 36 hours after setting up camp it was practically dead ( e.g.  it needed a few cranks  of the engine/gas to get going).

    I have not figured out how to shut off ALL the interior lights ( the one in the hatch always comes on when you open the back rear  hatch door) .

    AM I doomed to having to worry about a dead battery? Should I be  turning on the car once a day to get it to run to  charge itself. ?  IF so how long should it  run. I hate to do that as it is really wasteful and  disturbing of the quiet. By the way  it is not hooked up to the T@B at camp. 
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    rjgorsrjgors Member Posts: 41
    Same thing happened to us two weeks ago. It was fine on Friday heading up north and fine on Saturday. We decided to go into town Saturday and we did a bit of getting in an out of the car, but had no issues. Sunday morning, getting ready to head home, went to start the car and a dead battery. A gentleman happen to be walking by and assisted with a jump. Later in the week had a new battery installed.

    My TV is a 2013 Escape and it was the original battery...and we did keep the back hatch opened a bit during the weekend. I'm contributing the dead battery to that. It sounds like maybe you have a bad alternator.
    Bob
    Richmond, MI

    2019 T@B 320 S
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    MuttonChopsMuttonChops Member Posts: 1,595
    Seem to be lots of Ford Escape battery drain complaints on the various forums.
    One lists this Service Notice:

    '18 320 S,  pitched axle, 3020HE; PNW based
    TV: '17 Colorado V6 Z71 4x4, Tow Package, GM Brake Controller
    Adventures:  51   Nights:  322  Towing Miles 41,200+
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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
    Thanks. Will take info to the dealer and see if they can act on it.
     I will  also hit that dome light lock button which should keep interior lights off when opening doors. However the rear hatch light can not be disabled as far as I can tell. It still goes on when doors open.
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    RollingBnBRollingBnB Member Posts: 322
    Do you have a digital meter? I would check the battery with the engine running with the Tab both connected and not connected. You could be draining the Escapes battery on the drive to your camp.
    2020 Tiffin Open Road
    2020 Nissan Versa Toad 
    Alan & Patty
    Southern Az
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    mrericmreric Member Posts: 154
    seem to be car issue,  not a battery issue
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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
    RollingBnB.....Why or   How  would   Tab drain battery while driving ? 
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,497
    If the 3 way frig is on battery under tow, it draws 11 amps/hr.  If your alternator is limited and your charge wire is small, you will not be able to recharge your battery.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
    No I have the frig OFF  when driving there.  but good  advice anyway 
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    Rolltide82Rolltide82 Member Posts: 89
    Get you a volt meter and look up parasistic current draw on YouTube.  It easy to do by pulling fuses and such.  Harbor freight usually gives the meters away for free with a coupon.  Ford dealership outta be able to test the same thing.
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    Rolltide82Rolltide82 Member Posts: 89
    Also check to see what the output of alternator is while car is running.... should be 13.5-14
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    treefrogtreefrog Member Posts: 95
    We had the same problem on a Ford Expedition.
    I had the same problem with a 2015 Ford Transit work van, it needed a new battery after 18 months.  The service manager told me the van electronics stayed on up to 40 minutes every time I opened the door. I think this is a Ford issue.

    Our newer 4Runner goes into battery saver mode when we open the doors a few times without starting the vehicle. Kinda freaked us out when the dome lights quit working but when we found out why, I was very happy.
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    Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    edited October 2018
    Were you boondocking?  If not, maybe you need to install a quick disconnect plug-in harness on your battery and use a battery tender at the campground pedestal?  
    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
    No I have the frig OFF  when driving there.  but good  advice anyway.
     Also was not plugged in to anything ( so boon docking) 
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    falcon1970falcon1970 Member Posts: 755
    @sbhtennis
    I have two oddball, and maybe insulting, questions.
    1.  Do you leave the trailer umbilical connected to the TV when boon docking?  If so, it is possible that the TV battery is trying to equalize the voltage between the two batteries.
    2.  Does the battery also run down when the vehicle is parked in your driveway over a couple of days?  If it does there is probably a short somewhere in the vehicle electrical system.  As a first step, go out at night and look closely at the exterior lights.  If there is just a very slight drain they may be on very very dimly--not even noticeable unless you look closely.  Also, if so equipped, remove the bulb in the under-hood courtesy light and run the check.  That light is operated by a mercury switch and is supposed to come on when the hood is raised and go off when the hood is closed.  If the wire running to the switch has come loose from its hangars it may keep the light on all the time. 
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    treefrogtreefrog Member Posts: 95
    edited October 2018
    sbhtennis I wonder if you could install a battery disconnect on your Escape?


    Edit: Oops looks like Michigan_Mike already suggested this
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    EstancioEstancio Member Posts: 243
    I've never experience what you have described for your tow vehicle battery drain. In fact, I routinely leave my vehicle (FJ Cruiser) parked for months at a time and never have an issue. The longest I have ever parked it is 9 months, and cranked right up instantly. My guess is that the Ford has power drain issues that must be part of an original faulty design of the electrical system. If I were you, I'd contact Ford Motor Co directly to discuss the problem. 
    Stancil Campbell
    2011 T@B
    Rockingham, NC

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    CbusguyCbusguy Member Posts: 771
    Probably a combo if things.......first a very border line capabale alternator,  second a very border line capable battery.    Third beyond the ordinary usage.

    The trailers do/can charge the battery while being towed.   So a minimum alternator might not be able to handle the extra load.    
    2009 GMC Canyon,   3.7 liter 
    2020 320s Boondock lite, With Lots of mods
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    sbhtennissbhtennis Member Posts: 67
     I don't leave it connected to TV when we are parked. Car can sit for weeks without any problems starting  as long as no one is opening and closing doors. Ford  here i come 
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    Rolltide82Rolltide82 Member Posts: 89
    Trade it for a 4 runner.  Just love Toyotas...lol
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    treefrogtreefrog Member Posts: 95
    sbhtennis
    I know I'm repeating myself, sorry. I don't think anything is wrong with your Escape or that Ford can do anything for you.
    I had the exact same problems with two Fords. Both left me stranded.
    The work van would not start after a busy day (just one day) of door opening.
    I think this is a Ford design issue, sorry to say.
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