Erratic Battery after Covid-19 lapse in driving

[garth2112]

Hello all.  I purchased a 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid in May 2019.  It had 72K on it and was pristine.  I think it used to be a dealer's "chase car" so no one ever sat in the back or passenger's seat.  Got it for $11k.  My favorite car I have ever owned.  But here's the thing.  I'm a teacher.  I used to have a round trip of about 28 miles.  I could get 47-55 mpg on the way to work, and about 38--40 on the way back (elevation differences account for the mpg differences I think).  So I was averaging, for the first year (including driving for Uber in the suburbs of Philadelphia) around 42mpg.  I was beaming.  

But when the Covid Quarantine hit, the car sat, mostly.  I drove it maybe 2 times per week for April and May, and then maybe a bit more in June.  Now, I drive it most everyday, but it's all local.  And here's the thing.  The MPG is going down.  From 42 average (over the course of about 6 months that I was tracking it on one of the trip odometer settings) I'm down to 40.2.  The ICE comes on far more frequently, and the battery rarely gets above 1/2...though sometimes it does go up to about 3/4 (I know there's a setting that forces that).  

My questions are:  1) could the long sitting time during the quarantine have caused an issue in calibration?   2) or Am I perhaps witnessing the battery dying?  The car has but 88K on it right now.  Given the outlook for the fall and schooling, I don't see it getting a lot more on it this fall.  

Any suggestions on what I might do?  Thanks.

[bbf2530]

1 hour ago, garth2112 said:

Hello all.  I purchased a 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid in May 2019.  It had 72K on it and was pristine.  I think it used to be a dealer's "chase car" so no one ever sat in the back or passenger's seat.  Got it for $11k.  My favorite car I have ever owned.  But here's the thing.  I'm a teacher.  I used to have a round trip of about 28 miles.  I could get 47-55 mpg on the way to work, and about 38--40 on the way back (elevation differences account for the mpg differences I think).  So I was averaging, for the first year (including driving for Uber in the suburbs of Philadelphia) around 42mpg.  I was beaming.  

But when the Covid Quarantine hit, the car sat, mostly.  I drove it maybe 2 times per week for April and May, and then maybe a bit more in June.  Now, I drive it most everyday, but it's all local.  And here's the thing.  The MPG is going down.  From 42 average (over the course of about 6 months that I was tracking it on one of the trip odometer settings) I'm down to 40.2.  The ICE comes on far more frequently, and the battery rarely gets above 1/2...though sometimes it does go up to about 3/4 (I know there's a setting that forces that).  

My questions are:  1) could the long sitting time during the quarantine have caused an issue in calibration?   2) or Am I perhaps witnessing the battery dying?  The car has but 88K on it right now.  Given the outlook for the fall and schooling, I don't see it getting a lot more on it this fall.  

Any suggestions on what I might do?  Thanks.

 

Hi garth. While Internet diagnosis has its severe limitations, here goes: What you are seeing is most likely normal. The hybrid battery is not being regularly charged, and will lose charge as it sits unused, like any battery will. You are not driving regularly. Therefore, when you do drive, the ICE will run more to recharge the Hybrid battery.

 

It is similar to why we are seeing many more posts about non-starting cars, dead/failing 12V batteries etc. Less driving/shorter trips during these times often means drained batteries. It affects Hybrids too.

 

Perhaps one of our tech members with hybrid expertise will jump in with more specific advice.

 

Keep us updated and good luck.

Edited August 11, 2020 by bbf2530

[VonoreTn]

I agree with BBF.  40 mpg is still quite decent for an FFH.  My average for 10 years (100% record of all gasoline that has gone into the car, 149K miles now) is a hair under 40 mpg.  I can get high 40's on local runs at speeds in the 50's, but the worst mileage for me is the short runs up to the tennis courts and back, where the engine barely gets up to temp.  Side note, I checked yesterday, my original brake pads on the front have 8 mm of thickness left, I call that almost like new.  The back ones have worn from 7 mm down to 4 to 5 mm, not enough to justify new pads.   My FFH has been a very low maintenance vehicle, my favorite also.

 

[Multitask]

The 12V battery can be affected by siting, just like any non-hybrid (ICE), but that is used for lights (etc) not the drivetrain.  Typical life of the 12V is 3 years, but they can fail at 2 or go as long as 4-5... having worked for Excide I delt with them a lot.

The Hybrid battery can loose charge (as has been mentioned), and it will have to cycle

40-42 is good... 

 

 

[VonoreTn]

I got 4.7 years and 112,000 miles on my first battery, the second one that I got from the dealer is just over 5 years now, with no problems.  The first one I added distilled water to several times, and charged it just before I took it to the dealer for a new one, $146 installed.  I'm at 149K miles now.  It's our second car now, getting fewer hours per year.  

[Multitask]

Distilled water is not needed anymore... does not hurt, just not needed...

That was something from the pre-50s to do.  ? (maybe even 60s)

The lead cells don't shed as much as they used to...

[bbf2530]

On 9/20/2020 at 7:48 PM, VonoreTn said:

I got 4.7 years and 112,000 miles on my first battery, the second one that I got from the dealer is just over 5 years now, with no problems.  The first one I added distilled water to several times, and charged it just before I took it to the dealer for a new one, $146 installed.  I'm at 149K miles now.  It's our second car now, getting fewer hours per year.  

 

Hi Vonore. Although most modern automotive batteries are considered to be "maintenance free", some vehicle owners still like to pop the caps and check the water level. For those who do, and for others wondering whether to use tap water or distilled water: If you want maximum life from your battery, the expert advice is still to use de-ionized/distilled water when refilling battery cells. The minerals in the tap water of most regions will shorten battery life.

 

This information can be verified on any professional sourced, expert battery/battery maintenance website.

 

For example, you can check this link from Exide battery:  https://www.exide.com/us/sites/default/files/2020-03/GB5108 Battery Maintenance How-To Poster 03-10.pdf

 

We can all also verify this information by simply Googling "Automotive battery maintenance". Of course, as with anything on the internet, look to make sure the links you check are expert battery sources, not simply opinions posted by Internet strangers.

 

As some of us often like to remind fellow forum members, always double check the information that any forum member offers (including me), since we all can make mistakes.

 

Hope this information helps others. Good luck.