I Bought a Cheap Ford C-Max - with a DEAD Hybrid battery

Working on Hybrid High Voltage systems is very DANGEROUS and could result in DEATH or INJURY. Do not attempt to repair Hybrid HV Batteries. Only qualified personnel should perform Hybrid repairs!
This vehicle came to my dealership with the "Red Triangle" And "Stop Safely Now" message. Found DTC P0AA6 and diagnosed as a bad hybrid battery. The customer did not want to repair the vehicle so I bought it from them. Once I got it home, I removed the battery to find out how the battery failed. In this video I demonstrate how to diagnose the battery isolation fault and pin point where the leakage occurred.
Due to the extent of the damage, I do not plan to repair this battery. My concern is putting time/money in to it only to have some leakage still present after the repair. I am going to install a replacement battery. I may part the battery out on eBay.
00:00 Intro
00:45 Water Intrusion?
01:16 Testing for Leakage
02:03 Out of Vehicle Diagnostics
03:50 Failure Revealed
06:55 Plans to Repair the Car
08:04 Upgrade???

[@TruFire710]

“Let’s try to do this without killing myself” very true, I’ve personally seen what these batteries can do to people.A lot of techs I see on KZbin don’t take this seriously. Glad to see your cautious.

[@AA-tt5ok]

Good job 👍 Thanks for sharing!

[@fordtechchris]

Thanks for the huge interest in my Hybrid Battery Repair! Your support is helping me continue to produce more DIY car repair content. Make sure you SUBSCRIBE and support my growing channel!

[@charleshof6394]

First thanks for your U-Tube video. Very educational, and informative about FORD and their support of there products. I know I should not be surprised. I have 2013 and Love it. On relative terms few miles at 56K. But enjoy it and find it a nice car with enough elements to satisfy you needs. At this point I am am looking at the possibility of issues with the High Voltage battery. Just good to know that there are fix its possible. I see a number of shops getting into "fixing" hybrids and doing well in that major manufacturing is basically unwilling to support there products.

[@fordtechchris]

Yes! There are cheaper repair options outside if the dealer. As a EV tech, I'm always trying to help the customer out, but lots of times my hands are tied because of parts department policy or shop policy. If they can't make a buck it's not worth helping the customer unfortunately. But look around, hopefully you can find a mechanic who enjoys EV like I do. But they are great cars, my pervious C-Max has 200k with no issues now.

[@ArtOfHealth]

I have a 2013 Energi and love it too. $6,000 to replace the battery. I get 11 to 18 miles on a charge depending on the temperature outside. I have the SEL. It was in 4 accidents and I have no idea what was done. Gee whiz. Good luck.

[@hollywitzel7302]

This was very interesting!!

[@MrBanex25]

Great, thank you for video. I did replace successfully battery cell on 2008 Prius and 2010 Prius and for super cheap but now because Im driving C-Max Im looking forward to learn how to do it on this car as well. Thank you

[@fordtechchris]

I wish I had more footage explaining it better. Good luck!

[@FixItYerself]

thanks for showing this

[@goropeza101]

I own a C-max, excellent car and worth fixing! You can find a used low mileage battery pack online for under $1300(est).

[@fordtechchris]

I did find a good battery pack, cheap. This is my second C-Max. I think they are a very highly underrated car. Fantastic vehicles!! Thank you for the comment!

[@rebeccaacierno4697]

Considering a 2016 cmax energi. Please advise where you found source for battery replacement?

[@almagomez686]

Where can I find the battery pacck

[@phillybrc]

How do you know the battery is still good?

[@randywatson9450]

The batteries are very easy to work on. I have completely disassembled 6 of them, the only issue is compressing the individual battery stacks for disassembly and reassembly. It's very easy when using a JawHorse.

[@russellkasen1920]

I dont mean to be so off topic but does any of you know a tool to get back into an instagram account? I was stupid forgot the account password. I would love any tips you can give me.

[@deshawntyson8370]

@Russell Kasen Instablaster :)

[@russellkasen1920]

@Deshawn Tyson thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@russellkasen1920]

@Deshawn Tyson It worked and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out :D

[@deshawntyson8370]

@Russell Kasen Happy to help =)

[@teds4165]

Thnx for the post .

[@tonebonebgky2]

More of these please!

[@fordtechchris]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've always thought about uploading more car repair videos, we'll see what I can come up with.

[@AustinRides7264]

Theyre pretty good cars. I have a 2013 cmax sel and 2013 fusion hybrid se. The fusion is the better car but my cmax has the Sony system, the fancy power tailgate with the foot sensor to open, rain sensing wipers, push to start, navigation, and so on. My fusion is bare bones 😂 but at least i can do a u-turn easy in the fusion unlike the max lmao

[@heythatsprettygood6492]

my 2013 is throwing that code and I got the red triangle. After clearing its back to the "minor" state of p0aa6 with no red triangle just the wrench

[@sparks2429]

I wonder how long the powerboost F150's will be holding up

[@carlwilson1483]

Thanks for the tips. My hybrid battery in my Ford Focus Electric just died after 3 years and Ford is not going to warranty. They are now asking 22k to replace the battery and I still owe 6k on this car. I don't have much electrical knowledge but I am going to attempt to drop the batteries and open them up like you did, I don't have any other choice in my situation, but I have to try, wish me luck.

[@fordtechchris]

Are you sure Ford won't fix it? Those have warranty for 7 years and 100,000 miles on the batteries.

[@carlwilson1483]

@@fordtechchris Yeah, unfortunately they said I am 5 months out of warranty. This is my second hybrid battery. They replaced the first one after 5 years under warranty now this new one died 3 years later with only 26,000 miles registered on it.

[@fordtechchris]

@@carlwilson1483 that is a bummer. Unfortunately parts replaced under warranty do not get any extended warranty. Good luck and be safe!

[@carlwilson1483]

@@fordtechchris thank you!

[@cliffeck6104]

Carl, there is a used parts dealer in Florida called LKQ - they are HUGE and have several locations. They sell Cmax battery packs with listed use hours on them for 4 - 500. They will also install them for you. They have incredible expert Ford mechanics. I've used them several times and know they are HONEST, affordable and reliable.

[@skimowhite586]

I got a question for you I just put a new battery on my car and the old battery had no problems except I thought it wasn't charging right but it was fine I put in the new battery and then other putting it in I noticed the 12 volt system wasn't charging on it and it showed the triangle light on and I was wondering what's going on please let me know if you have any information thank you

[@fordtechchris]

I have only come across that when the customer jump started the 12v battery backwards and blew the fuse for the charger. The DC-DC converter is part of the hybrid "battery", however there are a bunch of other systems that can affect the operation. I highly recommend taking it to the Ford dealer to get an accurate diagnosis because they can plug in the IDS and find the fault the car sees. I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you, but it's very difficult to diagnose cars remotely, especially because I'm a Diesel Power Stroke Specialist. Cheers.

[@johnathanstevens8436]

Is the first C-MAX I've heard of with a dead HV battery.

[@fordtechchris]

Me too and I was in a dealer since they came out

[@hitachi42inchtvsarepowerco79]

Hey what size engine does that thing have? Just wondering because here in the uk they have either a 1.6litre, 1.8litre or 2litre engine both available in gasoline or diesel

[@fordtechchris]

2.0l atkinson cycle engine. Completely neutered from what you guys have. It's funny how ford introduced the C-Max as a "new" car for the hybrid when you've had then for years as diesels!!! American logic I suppose!

[@hitachi42inchtvsarepowerco79]

Chris W lol that’s what I thought as well

[@matthewreed1078]

@@hitachi42inchtvsarepowerco79 wish ford would bring a 4 banger diesel to the USA but they won't do it

[@knaebels]

Is it difficult to get to and pull out? My son is considering buying a 2013 but he is concerned about the life of the battery.

[@fordtechchris]

I'm sorry I missed your question last year. There is quite a bit of interior trim and seats that need to be removed, and it's heavy and requires two people to remove and install. You also need to be safe and disarm the high voltage system and handle orange cables with care. But overall it's not a very difficult repair.

[@jeremyboard3336]

I really want to get a c max. but would battery replacements or other repairs make it more expensive than a normal car?

[@fordtechchris]

Actually they are a little cheaper as far as maintainance. The brakes almost never need to be replaced, they don't have belts. I get 40+mpg. Having the break downs are the worst part. If something gives out in the transmission, it is a very expensive unit and could total the car, unless a used unit is sourced. That's how I got the battery replaced cheap enough that I would only consider it a moderately expensive breakdown. But you can still have your normal failures that go with any car. And the transmission/hybrid battery failures are rare.

[@renaystanley8825]

Hello, Sir I was looking at a 2013 cMax to purchase for really cheap first off the check engine light is blinking an a really loud noise coming from engine while in idle he says he don't know what noise is said maybe belts,? I drove car it had a slight vibration to it when I got it up to 70mph on interstate it was a little squirly should I pass on this car does it sound like a easy fix?

[@fordtechchris]

These cars don't have belts. So if there is a noise it might be inside the engine. The check engine light is flashing because there is a misfire. It sounds like this car has not been taken care of and needs a lot of work. I would pass.

[@renaystanley8825]

@@fordtechchris Thank you so much Sir for helping me dodge a bullet have a pleasant day.

[@chrisedmonson4496]

Did you disassemble the battery completely after this video? Did you do a video on the disassembly

[@fordtechchris]

I didn't. It's still sitting in the garage. If I do, I'll film it.

[@chrisedmonson4496]

Ok thanks. I am considering using 1 for off grid backup battery

[@fordtechchris]

@@chrisedmonson4496 I've heard that's a popular use.

[@MikeHewitt]

Is this the C-MAX energy plug-in or the standard hybrid non-plug-in?

[@fordtechchris]

This one is a standard hybrid non plug in. I used to own a plug in model... The battery is twice as tall in dimensions. I loved that car. The plug in feature is fun to try to maximize the distance and recharge on down hills, etc.

[@rayzen235]

What would be the cost to repair trans fluid leaking? Thanks for your video!

[@fordtechchris]

Oh man. It's a bummer. The entire engine and trans and subframe have to be lowered out and then the trans gets lifted away from the engine to a bench where the case gets resealed. If that's your leak (there are other spots) you could be looking at $3000-$4000. It's mostly all labor and hopefully you could find someone to do it cheaper. Honestly I'd just clean it at every oil change and check the trans fluid level once a year. At least that's what I'm doing with this red one. My white plug in, I was lucky enough it was still under warranty so Ford payed me to fix my leak 😁. Good luck!

[@rayzen235]

@@fordtechchris Thanks for your quick response.

[@therandomrobert1842]

These are an easy fix if you’re hands on I’ve got a set of these c max turned out 2 were bad swapped them and recompressed them with two ratchet straps and a extra set of hands

[@fordtechchris]

That's awesome! I did get a replacement battery and have been driving it for over a year now! Great car!

[@therandomrobert1842]

@@fordtechchris true great buy it’s a nice car

[@teucer4]

I have read on another forum where Ford refused to warranty out a battery on a C-Max because they believed it was sitting for too long.

[@fordtechchris]

This is the first battery I've seen go bad. But if it was at all possible to get it warrantied for the customer, I would have made it happen.

[@vzombie]

How did you get the trunk open, with no power? We were going to buy a battery but cannot open the trunk

[@fordtechchris]

I still had 12v power, only the high voltage battery was bad. But, you can manually open the door and pop the hood. On the driver's side there should be a red tab sticking up. This is the jumper location to connect jumper cables or a jump box. The ground can be attached to a grounding bolt near that area as well. This will give you enough 12v to open the trunk. I hope this helps.

[@vzombie]

@@fordtechchris thanks, the jumper worked but the car still won’t start, no power… not sure what is going on with the cmax?

[@fordtechchris]

@@vzombie oh no. It should probably be looked at with a scan tool to see what fault codes have set. That should guide you in the direction of the repair

[@bluedarkness7125]

My car’s battery dead after 9 years so yer. I am not sure if I should sell it or replace battery as I like this car. It works wonderfully except that dying battery.

[@fordtechchris]

If you can find as used battery on eBay or similar wrecking yard it's definitely worth fixing in my opinion.

[@tonymendoza]

Is the c max a good car I'm currently looking at getting one are the engines usually good on these?

[@fordtechchris]

The engines are good. I've never seen problems. The hybrid components are pretty good too, but every now and then a battery or hybrid motor goes bad and can be expensive repairs if you can't do it yourself, but this goes for just about every car on the road, there's always the exception of there. This is my second one and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them as great cars.

[@ArtOfHealth]

@@fordtechchris I just bought a 2013 plugin sel. 118,000 miles. 40.2 fuel mpg. Rattling front end. Brakes need work. Clicking in the steering wheel, possibly signal switch assembly. Air conditioning not putting out very cold air. Not too peppy but ok. It is near 4,000 lbs. I just charged up overnite. 18 miles range available. It’s better than the $430 a month payments on my other vehicle. Thanks.

[@fordtechchris]

@@ArtOfHealth heck yeah!! I hate car payments.

[@rorythompson6527]

I have a 13 sel no issues at all I just did a video on how to do the brakes , but I’m currently working on replacing the front splash tray ( common issue) and strengthening it to prevent the issue from reoccurring

[@mzischkau]

Ford had a recall on the chargers because they would over heat the out let and burn the house down. We took ours in and they gave us an inferior one and it didn't hardly last a year. They said we have to buy another one because the recall one is not covered, about $300. Thanks Ford

[@fordtechchris]

That's a bummer. Honestly the one that wires in to your house is the best. The 110v one that plugs in just maxes out a 15 amp circuit. You need to make sure your outlet and wiring are in good condition. Use a 20 amp outlet if possible.

[@nickaloadedgun]

Chris would i be able to chat with you about my Cmax ? I'm having power issues. I live in Michigan. Would love to have a chat on the phone if possible.

[@sgoodhew]

Threw you a like and subscribe for your effort. Thanks for sharing. As a Ford Tech, would you recommend purchasing a used C-Max Hybrid? Are there any common items I should look for when purchasing? Thanks! Keep up the good work!

[@fordtechchris]

I would. They are one of the more reliable Fords. But don't be disappointed when the Sync Bluetooth, voice activated radio has issues. It's about the worst of the car. Check for trans fluid leaking from the case halfs. That's an expensive problem to repair and it is somewhat common in the early models. Otherwise just make sure the maintenance has been performed and you should be able to find a reliable car I think you'll love.

[@heythatsprettygood6492]

I’m back and the ford techs say it’s the main battery. It’s a energi so they quoted 11k for a new battery. How viable do you think a cell swapped battery would be or do you think it makes more sense to get a new car? Edit: just brought it home from the dealership and looks like its over. Stop safely now...

[@fordtechchris]

I found my battery on eBay. It was very cheap, less than $500 but that was 4 years ago. I wouldn't buy a brand new one. There is probably a smaller auto shop around you that works on hybrids and EVs also. You can probably get all of this done for less than $2k it's definitely worth fixing, otherwise it's not worth more than a flower pot.

[@fordtechchris]

I just looked and there are several in that $1500 - $2500. You might even have a shop check the local scrap yards nearby. The batteries don't fail often enough that I would be worried about a used one to save so much money. Good luck!!

[@heythatsprettygood6492]

@@fordtechchris thank you for the respond sir. What seller did you get the battery from? I see some that are in that price range and I’m not too sure if they are legit.

[@fordtechchris]

@@heythatsprettygood6492 it was 4 years ago, so I'm not sure who it was from. I don't think I have a receipt loading around anymore

[@jaypee7632]

What did you do with the battery and cells?

[@fordtechchris]

I've been turning them into power wheels batteries 🤣 I have another video about how to do that

[@jaypee7632]

@@fordtechchris do you believe you could repair these batteries by testing each cell and replacing the ones that are borderline or bad?

[@fordtechchris]

@@jaypee7632 I absolutely think you can. I just didn't want to gamble on the acid contamination. I think there's still a higher chance it becomes a problem a second time and no body wants to get stranded in their car. So at some point i had to write off the loss of the battery and just replace it.

[@larryleehenry7033]

That's what I got I got a 2013 Ford C-Max hybrid se

[@fordtechchris]

Great cars!

[@jaypee7632]

Can you refurbish a c-max battery in an energi?

[@fordtechchris]

It's the same process, just two more banks of cells, so you should be able to repair it!

[@SuperMejohnson]

Im pretty sure same thing happened to mine.

[@dantejimenez2679]

what did you end up doing with the bad hybrid battery???

[@fordtechchris]

It's sitting in the garage. I haven't had time to do anything with it

[@dantejimenez2679]

@@fordtechchris I would buy it from you lol

[@fordtechchris]

@@dantejimenez2679 I'd give it to you, but I don't really want to hassle with shipping.

[@dantejimenez2679]

@@fordtechchris I hear you. Best way to ship them is to break them down. I just need the cells lol.

[@fordtechchris]

@@dantejimenez2679 how many cells? I believe there is only one bad

[@lawrenceewing]

Do you still have this car? If so, would you sell it so I can fix my CMax?

[@fordtechchris]

Ha ha, sorry, it's my commuter! I'm hoping to get many years of service out if it!

[@donnieflame]

@@fordtechchris im looking at a 2013 cmax hybrid sel tomorow with 100,000km. Is there any issues that i should look out for? Have you had any trans issues?

[@fordtechchris]

@@donnieflame I think I've seen one bad transmission in the 8 years of C-Max. Very reliable. Sometimes the trans case leaks at the bottom and it's a big job to fix. But it always stays as a small drop, not really worth fixing outside of warranty. Otherwise they're pretty great cars and not many common failures. Good luck!

[@boronin10]

Will this cause it to not want to start.?

[@fordtechchris]

Yes it will

[@boronin10]

@@fordtechchris it will act like it wants to then immediately turns off.

[@fordtechchris]

@@boronin10 hybrids can have different symptoms than normal gas cars. For instance, they crank over at 800 rpm, which sounds like they're running, but just cranking. It Could be something like a bad fuel pump. With hybrids, you really need to get the computer scanned to see what faults it has detected.

[@boronin10]

@fordtechchris ok, my hybrid battery meter is all the way down. I put a fresh 12 v battery in it. It tries to start, but just shut back off. So I didn't know if that hybrid battery being all the way dead was causing the issue of it not wanting to start, too.idk it might have dead cells in it.

[@fordtechchris]

@@boronin10 if the engine is spinning over the battery is ok. The red triangle warning will flash if the hybrid battery is bad.

[@Thissandthat]

Wow this is the only c-max battery failure I’ve seen or heard of. How many miles? I’ve seen hybrid batteries for sale as low as $200. Also, lithium ion should be able to sit for hypothetically years without damaging the cells. Unlike in a older Prius with NiMH, even a few months can cause damage.

[@fordtechchris]

I think it came to me with 136k. And yes, it's the only battery failure I've seen as well. I'd say lithium being able to sit is only hypothetical. I've lost plenty of LiPo RC batteries that way, a Palm Pilot battery the same way, and some laptop batteries. In my experience, Lithium is temperamental.

[@Thissandthat]

@@fordtechchris wow that’s not that high of miles. I think it really depends on the lithium quality, as to how well they hold up. My 2013 c-max has 180k and has been rock solid! I do have a old wireless speaker that sat for 4 years with no use, finally found the charger 🔌 cord and it will works like new. I was pretty shocked. I know there is some data saying lithium-ion can last up to 10 years without any damage, but like you said, it’s hard to tell with real world use, or lack of use. Anyway! Thank you for making this video, pretty neat

[@fordtechchris]

@@Thissandthat my first C-Max was a plug in and I got 185k. Only issue was the transmission/traction motor case leaked but I fixed it under warranty at 95k. They truly are pretty great cars. I think you're right about quality of battery. It always pays to spend a little more. Thank you for watching and commenting! Cheers!

[@chrisw443]

Just be careful and use insulated everything when working. Treat it as on, even if its disconnected and you'll be fine. EV's are here so the fact you figured this out and now can work on cars with batteries, cause there is a version of this car thats a PHEV, means you'll be able to work on alotta cars others wont.

[@bigdnelyria]

Actually DC voltage is more dangerous then AC.

[@fordtechchris]

Yes, it certainly is, you're correct

[@SouthPhxMexi]

You could’ve fixed it for him? But you instead hustled him out of his car ! Nice job

[@fordtechchris]

The customer had already spent hundreds of dollars at another dealer. When we told him the hybrid battery was dead, he asked, what are my options to get rid of it? I said I was interested, and paid him exactly what he asked. It was a completely fair deal for him.

[@SouthPhxMexi]

I’m just messing with you bro ! Lol . Have a good day .

[@teucer4]

Customer leaves the plug-in hybrid sitting for months while RV-ing. HAhahahaha

[@rickmeadows686]

Keyword for failure: Ford

[@fordtechchris]

Ha ha. But it keeps me in business!

[@styleauto1025]

Have you find how to replacing the cells? Im having same issues i purchased the cells on ebay any help is welcome thanks

[@fordtechchris]

In another video I showed the battery disassembly