Ford Battery Management

System
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The Auto Start-Stop system on my 2017 Ford F-150 hadn't been working for a couple
months. At a full stop with foot rmly on the brake, I'd see an "Engine On due to
Vehicle Charging" message on the dashboard display.

This nagging message, some driveway troubleshooting, and a few visits to my

dealer's service department led me to discover Ford's Battery Management System
(BMS).

There are many conditions that can cause Auto Start-Stop to be disabled, listed on
page 173 of the Owner's Manual (PDF), and many of which with their own message
that I've seen during the course of normal operation.

Engine O
Engine On Normal Operation
 Engine On due to Engine Warming
Engine On due to Heating/Cooling
Engine On due to Low Temperature
Engine On due to Steering Wheel Maneuvering
Engine On due to Vehicle Charging
Engine On due to Vehicle Maneuvering
Engine On due to Accessory Usage
Engine On due to Outside Air Temp
Engine On due to Selected Gear
Engine On due to Steep Grade
Engine On due to Driver Door Opened
Engine On due to Driver Belt Unbuckled
Engine On due to Power Outlet in Use
Deactivated by Driver
Auto StartStop Not Available
Auto StartStop Manual Restart Required

The 2017 Fusion Owner's Manual has a thorough list with descriptions of each.

The three year old battery reported good voltage while the truck was running,
indicating that the alternator was providing power.

Problem was, even after driving a few hours on the highway -- more than enough time
for the alternator to charge the battery completely -- the condition would remain.

During a routine oil change while the vehicle was under warranty, I asked the techs to
check the battery. If the battery was bad and not holding a charge, it could explain the
message. They checked using a handheld tester and reported that the battery was
healthy. They advised that Ford wouldn't replace a battery under warranty unless it
failed "the Rotunda test" which would require 2-3 hours. They also advised that if I
didn't drive the vehicle every couple days, I should put it on a battery tender. They
started charging the battery using the Rotunda, but I wasn't able to wait for a
complete charge. The "Engine On due to Vehicle Charging" message remained.

I drove home and put the battery on a NOCO GENIUS5 tender for a few days; for more
information, read my practical review of the NOCO GENIUS line. The NOCO was
content with the state of the battery, reporting a full charge. SYNC was content with
the state of the battery and stayed on, but Auto Start-Stop was still not happy. The
message remained.

After a few trips to the Ford dealer, a couple overnights, here's what the service
department came up with:

healthy battery check using handheld tester

passing Rotunda test (full charge + test in ~28 minutes)
diagnosis that the electronic transmission uid pump was bad (somehow not
talking to the powertrain control module; this ended up being a red herring and
nothing ended up being replaced)
another vehicle was found on the lot exhibiting the same behavior (which was not a
reassuring assessment or solution)

The condition still remained until the shop foreman was consulted and asked whether
anyone had reset the BMS. The what? Turns out nobody had. Once they did
everything functioned properly, no replacement parts required. The message went
away. Auto Start-Stop functioned as if nothing had ever been wrong.

Why none of the techs assigned to my shop ticket know about BMS -- who
presumably replace batteries and troubleshoot other issues with the electrical
systems -- I'm not sure.

So what is BMS?

Battery Management System (BMS)

Ford Battery Management System (BMS) -- also referred to by Ford as the Battery
Control Module (BCM) -- connects to the negative terminal of the battery and
monitors current, voltage, and temperature.
On the 2017 Ford F-150 (pictured below), the BCM is clamped directly to the negative
battery post. Both negative and negative (to chassis) ground cables are bolted to the
BCM via ring terminals. The BCM has markings indicating hardware and software
versions/dates. A small two-wire harness exits the BCM (red/grey wires), presumably
providing power and data. The (positive) starter cable runs through a sensor assembly
(not visible) that appears to be similar to a magnetic induction clamp meter.
When battery voltage is low, BMS may disable certain sub-systems like Auto Start-
Stop, heated seats, or SYNC to conserve power. The BMS can also chat with the
Powertrain Control Module (PCM) to adjust behavior; for example when the battery is
fully charged, the alternator may be disabled to improve fuel mileage.

From page 333 of the Owner's Manual, emphasis mine:

Battery Management System (If Equipped)

The battery management system monitors battery conditions and takes

actions to extend battery life. If excessive battery drain is detected, the
system temporarily disables some electrical systems to protect the
battery. Systems included are:

Heated rear window.

Heated seats.
Climate control.
Heated steering wheel.
Audio unit.
Navigation system.

A message may appear in the information displays to alert you that battery
protection actions are active. These messages are only for noti cation that
an action is taking place, and not intended to indicate an electrical
problem or that the battery requires replacement.

After battery replacement, or in some cases after charging the battery

with an external charger, the battery management system requires eight
hours of vehicle sleep time to relearn the battery state of charge. During
this time your vehicle must remain fully locked with the ignition switched
o .

Note: Prior to relearning the battery state of charge, the battery

management system may temporarily disable some electrical systems.

So after tending the battery, you might not be able to disconnect the leads and go
without seeing an error message, instead you might need to let the vehicle sleep for 8
hours.

When the manual says "in some cases" it's might be referring to batteries charged
improperly by connecting to the battery negative post.
 Electrical Accessory Installation

To make sure the battery management system works correctly, do not

connect an electrical device ground connection directly to the battery
negative post. This can cause inaccurate measurements of the battery
condition and potential incorrect system operation.

Further evidence on page 298 of the Owner's Manual (jump starting) solidi es this
point:

Make the nal connection of the negative (-) cable to an exposed metal
part of the stalled vehicle's engine, away from the battery and the fuel
injection system, or connect the negative (-) cable to a ground connection
point if available.

In short, NEVER ATTACH ANYTHING DIRECLY TO THE BATTERY NEGATIVE

TERMINAL besides a multimeter. Not a jump starter pack, not a battery charger,
nothing. While you probably won't damage anything with a modern battery
charger/tender, you might cause the Battery Management Systems to complain to
the point where it needs a hard reset.

The correct(ish) way to charge a Ford F-150 with BMS (video), although I'd prefer a
di erent ground point.

Recharge a Ford F150 Battery The Right Way!

Symptoms
With Auto Start-Stop not dis-engaged (via dash button) and foot on the brake, you will
see the grey "A" Auto Start-Stop icon with a slash through it and an "Engine On due to
Vehicle Charging" message on the dashboard console.
Phantom loads are a plague of modern vehicles. "Drive more," says my service writer,
"we've got cars on the lot whose batteries are dead after a few days." I hope that's an
exaggeration, but during the 2020 pandemic shutdowns it wasn't uncommon for
vehicles to sit unused for longer periods; when vehicles were driven, they tended to
be used for shorter trips to collect essential supplies during which the alternator
wouldn't have had much time to recharge the battery.

If you've taken a reading using a multimeter and nd the battery to have proper
voltage both at rest (>= 12.6 volts) and when being charged by the alternator (>= 13.5
volts) and you STILL see the "Engine On due to Vehicle Charging" message, BMS
might need to be reset. Particularly after an improper charge, jump start, or
particularly low battery state.

Seeing a "System O to Save Battery" message on SYNC when unlocking the vehicle
or opening the door is a clear indicator that your battery voltage is low. Once the
battery is charged (veri ed by multimeter), the message should go away. But if the
"Engine On due to Vehicle Charging" message remains, BMS might need a reset.

Resetting Ford BMS

According to a service writer at Ford, the Battery Management System was not
designed to be user serviceable.

Ford Service
From the workshop manual on Battery Replacement, referenced by a kind Ford
technician on the Internet:

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.

Under warranty, this should be a simple one. Assuming that your battery is holding a
charge and you've veri ed this using a multimeter, ask that the battery be checked,
alternator output be checked, and if both are good then to reset the BMS. It's useful to
stress that the "engine on due to vehicle charging" message remains even after a full
charge or driving for an extended period.
Out of warranty, I've read reports of Ford owners being charged 45 minutes labor to
reset BMS; pricey for a reset procedure that takes less than one minute to perform
with the scan tool. Your mileage may vary, depending on the shop.

Independent Shop
Snap-on diagnostic tools can be used (video) to reset the Battery Monitor System.

After the vehicle is loaded:

1. Scanner
2. Body Control Module
3. Functional Tests
4. Battery Monitor System (BMS) Reset

Follow the instructions.

Self (using diagnostics)

FORScan can be downloaded and used with an OBDLinkEX USB ($49) or OBDLink
MX+ Bluetooth ($99) adapter to reset BMS (video), similar to Snap-on.

2020-06-17 F-150 BMS Reset

And a video of the results.

The OBDLink adapters aren't inexpensive, but could quickly pay for themselves if
you're doing any sort of routine diagnostics.
Self (using Konami codes)
Many vehicles have reset procedures that can be taken by consumers without
diagnostic tools. These two methods have been mentioned on several Ford owner's
forums and YouTube videos with reported success.

Method #1 involves the use of rear foglight button, which is not standard on US
models.

1. Turn on ignition (within 10 seconds)

2. Press rear fog lamp switch 5 times
3. Press hazard switch 3 times
4. Battery symbols on dashboard should ash 3 times

According to YouTube comments at time of writing, this process has been con rmed
to work on 2010 Everest, 2012 Focus 1.6 TDI, 2013 Galaxy MK2, and 2016 Focus Diesel.

Method #2 is for those in US markets or without a rear fog lamp switch.

1. Get in vehicle, close doors

2. Turn on ignition (but don't start)
3. Wait for battery light to come up
4. Flash brights 5 times
5. Press and release brake 3 times
6. Battery symbol on dashboard should ash after 5-10 seconds

The same YouTube commenters con rm this process works for the 2011 Edge, 2013
Fusion, 2014 Escape, 2016 Ford F-150, 2016 Edge, and 2017 Explorer.

I haven't yet had the opportunity to test the e cacy of either method, but I'd consider
trying them if the 8 hour sleep period after charging/tending weren't successful.

🆕 Update 10/06/20: I've tested and con rmed that Method #2 works on my 2017
Ford F-150!

References
There's a lot of information out there. While it's always best to start with the Owner's
Manual, owner forums can often highlight passages that went unread.

2017 F-150 Owner’s Manual (PDF)

Ford Escape Forum: DIY Battery Monitor System Reset
Ford F150 Forum: Replacing a battery - the new way
Ford F150 Forum: New Battery - Reset the BMS or No
National Oil and Lube News: Battery Management: The Challenges of a Smart
System
Snap-on: QUICK TIP: FORD® BATTERY MONITOR SYSTEM

Last Modi ed: 2020-10-06

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