[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