Stop Safely Now warning

[avincent]

Has anyone encountered the "Stop Safely Now" warning when doing the dashboard's System Check in a 2011 MKZ Hybrid?  I got the message at item 2 on the system check list at Electric Drive which reports back in red letters "Stop Safely Now."  The system warning does not appear on the Instrument Cluster, but just when going through the System Check.  According to the Owner's Manual (at page 47), the message is "displayed when the stop safely hazard warning lamp is illuminated" and "indicates a hybrid component fault/failure that will cause the vehicle to shut down, fail to start or enter into limited operating mode."  Further, it says that if the vehicle is still running, "it may soon shut down without further warning and should be stopped safely," and to contact the authorized dealer asap. 

 

The odd thing is that a lamp never illuminated on the dash itself, just the red text when doing the system check.  The other important fact is that the battery recently needed a jump after the car sat for a week in my garage during the single digit temps (degrees F) last week.  When the 12volt regular battery has "died" in the past, the electrical system behaves weird (static on radio even though it is turned off, some dash lights and chimes upon doors opening), but it has no power to start engine or "green light" indicating HEV is ready.  A battery jump and recharge previously had gotten things back to normal; however, I don't recall getting this warning. 

 

The prospect of shutting down at a moments notice is unsettling, so I am taking it in, and hoping to make it to the dealer tomorrow.

 

Any thoughts or insights in the meantime would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Alex

[robertlane]

Alex,

 

Let us know what the dealer says about this.  As a side note, you might also want to search on the http://www.FordFusionHybridForum.com to this problem and see what you can find.  I'm interested into seeing what you learn.

[avincent]

All interested:

 

I forgot to post an update with the resolution.  It was only a dead battery (12 volt ignition etc, not hybrid power).  Simply replacing the battery fixed the problem.  I can't advise on the exact details of what resetting may have been necessary because the battery was still under warranty and the dealer did the work.

 

I was not surprised that this was the ultimate answer as I have often found on newer cars that a dead or low battery causes a few poltergeists in the system.  For example, my battery recently drained down on a 2005 Acura MDX.  Upon jumpstarting it, the anti-theft alarm (loud honking) sounded and could not be turned off.  So, one could get the car running, but had to listen to the alarm while trying to figure out how to reset it.  I also noticed, that while the battery was dead, there was a repeated clunking sound from the grill/engine area, which turned out to be the anti-theft system trying to sound the horn.  Therefore, the point is, with all the electronic gadgets associated with modern day cars, don't be surprised if your MKZ does similar things. 

-Alex

[Tucker]

What is with the green underling?

[avincent]

Tucker,

I suspect you have green underlining on your end (tablet or phone perhaps) because I clicked the box "Mark Solved" on my post.  On my computer screen, the background of my post is a light green.    

-Alex