New Battery

[ctrcbob]

While out having my normal morning coffee at one of the local coffee shops, I got a call from my wife who told me that the battery in her MKZ was dead. Drove home, and sure enough, it was dead. Had enough power for the headlights, but not enough to spin the engine over.

Put it on my charger for ten minutes. Brought the battery up enough to start the car. Drove to my Lincoln Dealer, and they installed a new Motorcraft battery. Car only has 10,000 miles on it.

(My SHO also had the battery go a couple months ago, with about 34,000 miles on it).

Service Advisor says that batteries go because of our HOT Florida summers. Yes, I believe it. The engine compartment in both cars get HOT and cooks the battery.

Both were replaced under warranty.

BTW, I like my Lincoln Dealer Service Department. I have my SHO serviced there also.

 

Edit --- Update on dealer.... I now HATE them since they cheated my wife and me when we had tire problems. Now I find their service department and service writer(s) are thieves. I will no longer go to them again. When the time comes to trade my present MKZ, probably for a 2014 MKZ, it will not be at Plaza Lincoln in Leesburg. I posted about this in another thread so I won't go into to it here, but believe me, their service writer(s) is a scumbag.

Edited October 10, 2013 by ctrcbob

[robertlane]

While out having my normal morning coffee at one of the local coffee shops, I got a call from my wife who told me that the battery in her MKZ was dead. Drove home, and sure enough, it was dead. Had enough power for the headlights, but not enough to spin the engine over.

 

Put it on my charger for ten minutes. Brought the battery up enough to start the car. Drove to my Lincoln Dealer, and they installed a new Motorcraft battery. Car only has 10,000 miles on it.

 

(My SHO also had the battery go a couple months ago, with about 34,000 miles on it).

 

Service Advisor says that batteries go because of our HOT Florida summers. Yes, I believe it. The engine compartment in both cars get HOT and cooks the battery.

 

Both were replaced under warranty.

 

BTW, I like my Lincoln Dealer Service Department. I have my SHO serviced there also.

 

I grew up in Florida and the humidity is brutal. I'd take our 110-degree heat here in Nevada over the 90-degree Florida heat any day. My E350 lost it's battery last year; although, it's a 2006.

[ctrcbob]

I've been in Phoenix when the temp was 110 and 5% RH. My wife thought it was hot until I showed her how to cool off in the desert.

 

Many many years ago, I was stationed in the middle east, and an old British RAF Sergeant told me the trick of staying cool in that climate. "Drink a hot cup of tea" is what he said. (In my case, it would be a hot cup of coffee). Sounds crazy, but it works, because something hot, like coffee or tea would tend to make you sweat, however the air out there is so dry, the sweat evaporates immediatly. The process of evaporation cools, so you cool down. (Swampcoolers out in the American SouthWest work on the same principle, water in the cooler evaporates, evaporation cools, and the cooled air is blown into your house).

 

90/90 is normal in my part of Florida. The good thing about high humidity is that it keeps your skin moist and as you get older, we don't get the "crows feet" around our eyes and mouth, like those who live out there where it is dry.

 

As for the batteries in both my SHO and my MKZ, they are both in the engine compartment, and inside the compartment, it is HOT.

[Rusty Boltz]

My battery died a few months ago. I bought the car used, and it turns out that the battery was a Motorcraft, but not the original. It was 35 months old, and warranteed for 36 month free replacement. I took it to my local Ford dealer where I get the car serviced, and got a free replacement.

[robertlane]

My battery died a few months ago. I bought the car used, and it turns out that the battery was a Motorcraft, but not the original. It was 35 months old, and warranteed for 36 month free replacement. I took it to my local Ford dealer where I get the car serviced, and got a free replacement.

 

Wow - with one month to go to qualify for the FREE replacement  :rockon:

[John M Young]

While out having my normal morning coffee at one of the local coffee shops, I got a call from my wife who told me that the battery in her MKZ was dead. Drove home, and sure enough, it was dead. Had enough power for the headlights, but not enough to spin the engine over.

 

Put it on my charger for ten minutes. Brought the battery up enough to start the car. Drove to my Lincoln Dealer, and they installed a new Motorcraft battery. Car only has 10,000 miles on it.

 

(My SHO also had the battery go a couple months ago, with about 34,000 miles on it).

 

Service Advisor says that batteries go because of our HOT Florida summers. Yes, I believe it. The engine compartment in both cars get HOT and cooks the battery.

 

Both were replaced under warranty.

 

BTW, I like my Lincoln Dealer Service Department. I have my SHO serviced there also.

 

Edit --- Update on dealer.... I now HATE them since they cheated my wife and me when we had tire problems. Now I find their service department and service writer(s) are thieves. I will no longer go to them again. When the time comes to trade my present MKZ, probably for a 2014 MKZ, it will not be at Plaza Lincoln in Leesburg. I posted about this in another thread so I won't go into to it here, but believe me, their service writer(s) is a scumbag.

Unless they changed it for 2014...I don't understand how the engine compartment getting hot could cook the 12 volt battery. The 12volt  battery in my 2014 MKZ is in the trunk.

[ctrcbob]

Unless they changed it for 2014...I don't understand how the engine compartment getting hot could cook the 12 volt battery. The 12volt battery in my 2014 MKZ is in the trunk.

Prior to the 2013's (2006-2012) the battery is under the hood, and it gets HOT under there. Heat kills these batteries.

Edited October 18, 2013 by ctrcbob

[Rusty Boltz]

The battery in my '08 has an insulation blanket on it.

[ctrcbob]

Prior to the 2013's (2006-2012) the battery is under the hood, and it gets HOT under there. Heat kills these batteries.

[John P]

Was the insulation blanket original equipment?

[Rusty Boltz]

Was the insulation blanket original equipment?

I don't know. I bought the car used.

[Grey_Reserve]

My CPO15 had the battery slowly die. Took it to The dealer and got a free replacement under the bumper-to-bumper remaining warranty. Have to say I was impressed.

The concierge arraigned a quick jump too. Good thing as we just bought groceries when it died.

Nice to see Lincoln standing behind the MKZ!

[R2D2]

Ok....started to notice that the car was "shutting down to save battery power" message on the screen immediately after turning off the vehicle but not yet opening the door.

 

Took a quick measurement of the battery and found it at 10.35 volts when idle, nobody local stocks this battery. Dealer closed its parts counter a few hours ago. Autozone says they can have on tomorrow (sunday). I guess I will put my jump box in the trunk to make sure I don't get stuck.

[FunktasticLucky]

If you're looking for a quick and cheap battery Autozone has been pretty good for me.  I swapped them into 2 vehicles I plan on selling soon.  One magically developed an electrical issue and is drawing power somewhere.  I came out 3 days later and it was dead.  I took it in to test to see if we could charge the battery and the guy told me to look at him and tell me I want a new battery.  The bitch was at 0 volts LOL.  We replaced the battery.  That's the convenience of the auto zone.  Just take it in there and they will replace it usually no questions asked.

[drolds1]

 Is the 2nd-generation Hybrid 12v battery only available from Ford dealers, as was the case with the 1st-gen?

[R2D2]

 Is the 2nd-generation Hybrid 12v battery only available from Ford dealers, as was the case with the 1st-gen?

 

Not sure what you mean by that, please enlighten me.

 

My owner's manual lists the battery as BTX-96R-500 or a BTX-96R-590 (not sure why there would be 2) but looking at the original battery in the car it is a BTX-99R-390.

 

Checking on-line I get some other conflicting information but the Autozone replacement is a Duralast 67R-DL (400 Cold Cranking Amps) with a 2-year warranty.

 

Finding hards specs on both brands seems to be impossible.

 

Picture of original battery label attached.

Edited June 10, 2018 by R2D2

[Dino]

I replace the battery in my 2014 a couple months ago, I went to advanced Auto Parts.

 

The first one I got was for my year model car and it did not have the mounting foot on the bottom for the clamp to hold it in place, it was a 400 CCA battery.

After loosing power a couple of times due to the battery moving around and the negative post clamp coming loose I went back and had them replace it with a 2015 model year battery that had the foot and was rated at 600 CCA.

 

The 96R class battery from your local parts store will fit, just make sure it has the mounting foot on it, and get a good one, these cars draw a lot of power even after you shut it off.

[R2D2]

I replace the battery in my 2014 a couple months ago, I went to advanced Auto Parts.

 

The first one I got was for my year model car and it did not have the mounting foot on the bottom for the clamp to hold it in place, it was a 400 CCA battery.

After loosing power a couple of times due to the battery moving around and the negative post clamp coming loose I went back and had them replace it with a 2015 model year battery that had the foot and was rated at 600 CCA.

 

The 96R class battery from your local parts store will fit, just make sure it has the mounting foot on it, and get a good one, these cars draw a lot of power even after you shut it off.

 

Thanks for the heads up Dino, great information. I just finished removing all the panels in the trunk to get to the battery easier later, I understand what you are say after seeing how it mounted.

[drolds1]

Not sure what you mean by that, please enlighten me.

 

My owner's manual lists the battery as BTX-96R-500 or a BTX-96R-590 (not sure why there would be 2) but looking at the original battery in the car it is a BTX-99R-390.

 

Checking on-line I get some other conflicting information but the Autozone replacement is a Duralast 67R-DL (400 Cold Cranking Amps) with a 2-year warranty.

 

Finding hards specs on both brands seems to be impossible.

 

Picture of original battery label attached.

The 1-st gen Hybrids had an unusual 12V battery that was only available from Ford dealers.  Some owners made modifications to get  conventional batteries to fit.

 

You don't need to watch this whole video, but it describes the problem in getting a replacement 12V battery at the beginning.

 

This is, apparently, not an issue with the 2nd-gen.

[Smokestone10]

That's one thing I like about my 2010- the battery is right there in the open where I can get to it. Yes, engine bay heat will kill it... but so will all of the electronic doodads on the car depending on how you have things set up. I'm not expecting this battery to last 7 or 8 years like in other vehicles I've owned. I'd rather have the battery in a place where it's accessible rather than buried under the seat, or even behind a front wheel well like on some cars. If I have proper hood clearance mine will end up with an Optima, or some other type of gel-cell battery.