[photog13013]

My 2014 I replaced this last weekend with the Super Start Platinum AGM 94r. I thought, and read this thread a lot.
My battery was fine, but last winter it barely got me going several times.

My main reason for changing size, is the little battery is only available as a basic battery.

I took the handles off the battery, and the clamp fit fine.
I stopped by one of the major Ford dealers, to check on the BMS.
Service desk sent me back to another level person.
He told me they change lots of batteries every day, for years and years, and never reset, or looked for a BMS. It is not in their service manual. Said set it if you want, but it has nothing to do with charging. Just a marker, like a date reminder, as in other reminders.
Also they change, and customers drive away. No setting 8 hours.
He said if it was important to the life of the battery, it would be in the owners manual, and be in big letters on every battery that has a warranty.

 

[JSnow]

Maybe they should read the manual?

BMS = Battery Monitoring System, the suite of sensors, electronic modules and computer program that determine battery condition and provide data to other systems which manage the charging rate and load-shedding (battery saver) features in the '13+ Escape.

Hopefully the "diagnostic and labour" charge you incurred included the requisite BMS reset, IMHO very likely if your replacement was done by a (competent) Ford dealer.

Clipped from the workshop manual:

Battery Replacement

If the vehicle battery is replaced, it is very important to perform the battery monitoring system reset using the scan tool. If the battery monitoring system reset is not carried out, it holds the old battery parameters and time in service counter in memory. Additionally it tells the system the battery is in an aged state and the (sic) may limit the Electrical Energy Management system functions.

^^ In that context "scan tool" refers to the genuine Ford diagnostics device used by dealers. The BMS data is held in non-volatile memory (it is retained even when the battery is disconnected)...

 

[ralph7up]

My 2014 I replaced this last weekend with the Super Start Platinum AGM 94r. I thought, and read this thread a lot.
My battery was fine, but last winter it barely got me going several times.

My main reason for changing size, is the little battery is only available as a basic battery.

I took the handles off the battery, and the clamp fit fine.
I stopped by one of the major Ford dealers, to check on the BMS.
Service desk sent me back to another level person.
He told me they change lots of batteries every day, for years and years, and never reset, or looked for a BMS. It is not in their service manual. Said set it if you want, but it has nothing to do with charging. Just a marker, like a date reminder, as in other reminders.
Also they change, and customers drive away. No setting 8 hours.
He said if it was important to the life of the battery, it would be in the owners manual, and be in big letters on every battery that has a warranty.

You got horrible advice from a bad Ford dealer. As noted the Ford WSM specifically requires the BSM reset. Are you sure this was a Ford dealer? Having said that, back in 2016 I took my 2013 in for battery change to my local dealer. They did not know at that time either. Now they do. I took copies of the WSM identifying the requirement and left it with them. If you read the threads on this board dealing with batteries and changes, you will see that there is much confusion on this at many levels. Ford defintely dropped the ball. After the oil change, a battery change has to be the single most popular DIY. And yes, you are right, it is not in the owner's manual but it is in the WSM.

 

[eth0real]

Thanks for this thread, I found it very informative. I made video of myself changing the battery in my 2014 escape with a larger 94R battery. It shows some tips of things I learned when I did mine. I hope you guys find it useful: Ford Escape 2013-2019 Battery Change (Install Larger Battery)

 

[wiz043]

Thanks for this thread, I found it very informative. I made video of myself changing the battery in my 2014 escape with a larger 94R battery. It shows some tips of things I learned when I did mine. I hope you guys find it useful: Ford Escape 2013-2019 Battery Change (Install Larger Battery)

Thanks for taking the time and effort to do this video but to me it is a toss up between this method and the cowl removal method as to which is the biggest nightmare.
I think either method should only be attempted by someone skilled and with a lot of patience and most importantly with the correct tools including what is needed to reset the BMS.

Thank god this is only required once every 3 to 5 years normally and in my case it will be off to the Ford dealership regardless of cost... ?

I notice the latest Ford Escape battery is located in an accessible position. Why the heck could they not have done that in the first place with the same motor? I cannot think of any other vehicle that has the battery hidden under the windscreen cowl although I have no doubt someone here will enlighten me...

 

[Vader101]

I notice the latest Ford Escape battery is located in an accessible position. Why the heck could they not have done that in the first place with the same motor? I cannot think of any other vehicle that has the battery hidden under the windscreen cowl although I have no doubt someone here will enlighten me...

There are other threads that discuss the inaccessible battery location. Let’s leave this thread to the topic at hand.

Thanks.

 

[centex]

He told me they change lots of batteries every day, for years and years, and never reset, or looked for a BMS. It is not in their service manual.

A bit late but if your dealer needs a tip, the BMS reset requirement and explanation of why it is important / how it relates to actual charging system performance is stated in the following section of the 2014 Escape Workshop Manual:

• 414-00 Charging System - General Information - System Operation and Component Description (see subheading "Battery Monitoring Sensor")

The basic requirement for BMS reset upon battery replacement is restated in this section of the WSM:

• 414-01 Battery, Mounting and Cables - Removal and Installation - Battery (See final step, "If installing a new battery …..")

There will always be techs and dealerships who fail to actually read model-specific Service Procedures to keep themselves apprised of the always evolving requirements of modern vehicles, especially for things they assume are wrote procedures, like battery replacement. Their customers suffer as a consequence.

Doing something the same way "for years and years" doesn't make it right. I can assure you that the above mentioned dealer who "never … looked for a BMS" also didn't see, on many vehicles they serviced over the years, the obvious small negative terminal module with 2-wire connector that's found on the Escape. Their failure to seek understanding about the 'why and wherefore' of that 'new and obvious' module speaks volumes about their laziness, complacency, and incompetence. IMO

 

[alan_mac]

I agree is section 414-00 of the 2013 workshop manual there is a "Battery Replacement" Paragraph that states the BMS must be reset using the diagnostic scan tool. Unfortunately the workshop manual doesn't have this statement at the end of the battery removal / installation procedure. In simple terms an overlook (not performing) of the BMS reset will likely shorten the life of the battery.

 

[escape05xls]

I used forscan to reset the BMS. it was a easy option to do aka not having to know the hex etc values. I could post a screen cap once I get home in a day or 2. Also since it is not module change I think this can be done with the free forscan version.

 

[Vader101]

There is a lot of existing information here on how to reset the BMS. No need to post it again in this thread

 

[liamtoh1]

I was not even aware of BMS or reset process. I replaced batteries on my 2013 Escape (in 2018) and 2014 Focus (in 2019). I don't know what the long term consequences will be without performing this BMS reset. Though, I will remember to do this procedure in future.

 

[escape05xls]

There is a lot of existing information here on how to reset the BMS. No need to post it again in this thread

Idk, unless it was entered into post 1. These long threads get really convoluted and you’d have to read the entire thing. I don’t even know if I saw the forscan bms reset procedure in this thread. I think it was in the forscan one. There needs to be a document with forscan commands like other vehicle forums have. Otherwise the answer is 1 random post in 1 random thread and is not helpful or Easy to find :/

 

[Vader101]

Idk, unless it was entered into post 1. These long threads get really convoluted and you’d have to read the entire thing. I don’t even know if I saw the forscan bms reset procedure in this thread. I think it was in the forscan one. There needs to be a document with forscan commands like other vehicle forums have. Otherwise the answer is 1 random post in 1 random thread and is not helpful or Easy to find :/

There are specific threads to do with BMS Reset. I would post a link but there seems to be an issue with the search function of the forum, at least for me. I’ll keep trying to search. I know in the past that these threads where easy to find and you did not have to dig around a long thread to find the information needed.

 

[escape05xls]

There are specific threads to do with BMS Reset. I would post a link but there seems to be an issue with the search function of the forum, at least for me. I’ll keep trying to search. I know in the past that these threads where easy to find and you did not have to dig around a long thread to find the information needed.

I could not find any "how to" actually reset, only random people mentioning forscan or dealer visit. Until I asked in a different thread and someone actually laid out a few steps. If you can find a link that shows the actual BMS reset Please sticky that or something as this is something many people ask but can not be found.

 

[ralph7up]

I could not find any "how to" actually reset, only random people mentioning forscan or dealer visit. Until I asked in a different thread and someone actually laid out a few steps. If you can find a link that shows the actual BMS reset Please sticky that or something as this is something many people ask but can not be found.

As far as I know, you are correct. One of the issues from Ford is that there is a significant lack of communication in the owner's manual for the need, a clear mention in the WSM saying it is required and to use their "propietary" tool, or mentions of Forscan which is backdoor. I have never seen any detailed description of a step by step in how to get it done in Forscan. I tried Forscan but got a little intimidated and I also am a bit older and unwilling to go their the remove and replace of the battery myself. Besides, the dealer has good prices for batteries.