OEM battery warranty?

[inmanlanier]

Howdy, all. My OEM battery had died - just over 30 months old. This is a start battery; I'm not a hybrid. It's a size 94 AGM.

In the past, new car manufacturers warrantied batteries to far less than the OEM warranty (I remember 12 months). Internet artificial ignorance suggests 24 months (which I'm beyond); I could not ratify that. The Warranty guide is worthless - silent on the start battery. There is no discussion of anything covered or NOT covered related to the battery or electrical systems for that matter.

I just called the Concierge - they were not helpful - they said get it to the dealer - if they determine the battery is 'defective' - then it's covered for the entire 4/50K period. I asked what defective means - she could not answer. I, of course, purport that failure to deliver sufficient battery voltage and current necessary to start a car is a defect. Silence when I suggested that.

I don't want to waste my time with the charade at the dealership if it's not covered. Does anyone know (note that word is not guess)? More importantly, has anyone with more than, say 2 years on their vehicle gotten the battery replaced by Lincoln at no cost?

thanks.

 

[bbf2530]

Howdy, all. My OEM battery had died - just over 30 months old. This is a start battery; I'm not a hybrid. It's a size 94 AGM.

In the past, new car manufacturers warrantied batteries to far less than the OEM warranty (I remember 12 months). Internet artificial ignorance suggests 24 months (which I'm beyond); I could not ratify that. The Warranty guide is worthless - silent on the start battery. There is no discussion of anything covered or NOT covered related to the battery or electrical systems for that matter.

I just called the Concierge - they were not helpful - they said get it to the dealer - if they determine the battery is 'defective' - then it's covered for the entire 4/50K period. I asked what defective means - she could not answer. I, of course, purport that failure to deliver sufficient battery voltage and current necessary to start a car is a defect. Silence when I suggested that.

I don't want to waste my time with the charade at the dealership if it's not covered. Does anyone know (note that word is not guess)? More importantly, has anyone with more than, say 2 years on their vehicle gotten the battery replaced by Lincoln at no cost?

thanks.

Hi inmanlanier. The batteries are covered under the 4year/50,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty.

The only exceptions, no matter how rare, would be battery failure due to some sort of owner neglect/negligence, accident/collision damage etc.

Those exceptions are a reason why Lincoln Concierge, Dealer Service Departments etc. can not offer blanket answers on warranty coverages. The battery must first be examined, load tested etc. Then assuming no unusual circumstances, it will be replaced under warranty.

And yes, in addition to the correct knowledge of the warranty coverages, I have had batteries replaced under the 4 year/50,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty after 2 years. In fact, between 3 and 4 years.

Keep us updated and good luck.

 

[inmanlanier]

Super! I'm in shock!

Maybe that little bit of extra coverage is 1 little payback for the lincoln premium pricing!

 

[Melman]

My battery was replaced for free earlier this year, just before my 4/50 warranty ended. I reported that the Auto Start/Stop was not working - which is not a bad thing, however the dash was saying it was because "Auto Start/Stop disabled due to vehicle charging". The dealer's diagnostic report said that 75% state of charge was required for auto start/stop, and they could only get 59%. So, new battery, fully covered under warranty.

However now, only a few months later, the same thing is happening. Normal driving will not charge the battery sufficiently for Auto Start/Stop. Only after a 100-mile freeway drive, did it work for a couple of days. It's going in for oil change this week and I will ask about the battery and/or charging system.

OP - please explain the line in your signature "Auto start/stop feature permanently disabled". I find it a useless feature, except that it will warn you of battery problems as I've noted.

______________________________

 

[moose66]

I simply bought a battery on my own and wanted the dealer to install it because it is a pain in the rear to install a battery. They asked my why I wanted to change it. I told them I just wanted a newer, fresher battery. After they did some tests, they told me they would install a new battery under warranty. I said thanks and didn't ask any questions. I took the Interstate battery back to Costco and got my money back. Certainly worth asking for a new one if you are experiencing any issues.

 

[bbf2530]

Super! I'm in shock!

Maybe that little bit of extra coverage is 1 little payback for the lincoln premium pricing!

Hi inmanlanier. Not sure of the circumstances of your past battery warranty issues.
However, the battery has been covered under the respective Lincoln/Ford/Mercury New Vehicle Warranty periods for many years now.

I’m not sure of exact dates, but through personal experience, I can verify that warranty coverage existed at least as far back as the early 2000’s.

Good luck.

 

[Black Label]

My battery was replaced for free earlier this year, just before my 4/50 warranty ended. I reported that the Auto Start/Stop was not working - which is not a bad thing, however the dash was saying it was because "Auto Start/Stop disabled due to vehicle charging". The dealer's diagnostic report said that 75% state of charge was required for auto start/stop, and they could only get 59%. So, new battery, fully covered under warranty.

However now, only a few months later, the same thing is happening. Normal driving will not charge the battery sufficiently for Auto Start/Stop. Only after a 100-mile freeway drive, did it work for a couple of days. It's going in for oil change this week and I will ask about the battery and/or charging system.

OP - please explain the line in your signature "Auto start/stop feature permanently disabled". I find it a useless feature, except that it will warn you of battery problems as I've noted.

Did they clear all codes and reprogram the BCM? That could cause these issues again.

 

[inmanlanier]

OP - please explain the line in your signature "Auto start/stop feature permanently disabled". I find it a useless feature, except that it will warn you of battery problems as I've noted.

I used Forscan set the instruction that it does not automatically start the car in the mode where it's in autostart. It's as if the switch is permanently set to autostart off.

See Turned off Auto start/stop and now get error post #8

______________________________

 

[inmanlanier]

bbf2530 - I've never owned a new Lincoln, however new Fords, Chevy's Kia's and Hyundai's. My bud a few years ago with his newly purchased Dodge Ram experienced the same as I recalled - Dodge would not honor ANY warranty for the main start battery. My recollection may have been with a Chevy Astro Van in the past - and as a result I remember checking other OMs in the day when I would buy new cars - sure enough the same kind of short warranty on the batteries. This is the first new car I've purchased since 2006 (I like other people paying the depreciation cost ). I thought my 2012 Expedition had the same short warranty (just searched that manual) - however it's no different than this warranty guide - silent.

Thanks, all for posting your experience. I ordered a Walmart replacement battery for pickup that I've since cancelled. I'll give Lincoln a go tomorrow. I'm charging it now so we can at least let them drive it there if they so desire. We'll see how it works out.

 

[bbf2530]

bbf2530 - I've never owned a new Lincoln, however new Fords, Chevy's Kia's and Hyundai's. My bud a few years ago with his newly purchased Dodge Ram experienced the same as I recalled - Dodge would not honor ANY warranty for the main start battery. My recollection may have been with a Chevy Astro Van in the past - and as a result I remember checking other OMs in the day when I would buy new cars - sure enough the same kind of short warranty on the batteries. This is the first new car I've purchased since 2006 (I like other people paying the depreciation cost ). I thought my 2012 Expedition had the same short warranty (just searched that manual) - however it's no different than this warranty guide - silent.

Thanks, all for posting your experience. I ordered a Walmart replacement battery for pickup that I've since cancelled. I'll give Lincoln a go tomorrow. I'm charging it now so we can at least let them drive it there if they so desire. We'll see how it works out.

Hi inmanlanier. While I can’t speak for the experiences of others with other brands, and we don’t know all extenuating circumstances (i.e. warranty denials due to electrical/audio system modifications, negligence, collision damage, lack of Dealer honesty etc.), I can state that the battery in Lincoln/Ford/Mercury vehicles has been covered for the full duration of the New Vehicle Bumper to Bumper Warranty for decades now.
It is a relatively simple process. The Service Department will load test the battery. If it fails, it is replaced.

And again, this all assumes no extenuating circumstances, owner abuse/negligence, collision damage, etc. etc.

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

 

[LegalBrief]

AGM batteries (starter) are fickle once they completely discharge, they don’t recover.

The battery could easily be discharged on the lot, then a bozo, jumps the car, doesn’t tell anyone and it gets delivered to end consumer with what is basically a bad battery.

Now a days the battery has to be load tested before they give you a new one it’s a 4 hour test (zero idea why it takes so long).

Some vehicles especially with the 48v are a different breed, they have capacitors to help them have enough juice, it’s a big job. @inmanlanier your description of auto start being off line implies the battery issue is on the 48v side… not the starter battery side, a bad 48v pack will drain the 12v.

 

[inmanlanier]

Some vehicles especially with the 48v are a different breed, they have capacitors to help them have enough juice, it’s a big job. @inmanlanier your description of auto start being off line implies the battery issue is on the 48v side… not the starter battery side, a bad 48v pack will drain the 12v.

Did you see my car is NOT a hybrid? I'm simply a conventional ICE vehicle as depicted in my signature. I have no autostart feature problem. Like many, I hate the feature so I simply disabled it using Forscan. It has worked fine since I disabled it quite some time ago. Are you confusing the title of the linked post (for which I am NOT the OP) with my clarification of how I successfully disabled the feature?

The autostart feature is simply controlled by software. If you're not familiar with the myriad of controls that are configured by software settings for multicontinental vehicle deliveries simply search on the internet for Forscan and that will lead you into the types of settings and parameters you may set as desired with the right modem for Ford vehicles.

If you're saying that features of the car that canbus drives are 48V - that's new to me. It makes no sense at all that an autostart feature in this car needs to be 48V, since the entire start system in cars 12V in cars for decades. All the autostart feature needs (at least in some cars) is a hydraulic accumulator in the transmissions that keeps the pressure side of the clutches pressurized, and 12V to the solenoids in the tranny that they stay energized while the engine charging system is off (because the motor is not rotating). My Jag's AutoStart is 12V - to disable that system you simply need to unplug the small ancillary 12V battery nestled in the same recess of the trunk where the start battery is. Their software design (perhaps Denso since they design/program the ECU, or ZF since they supply the AWD transmission and its controls) is such that if that small battery fails, their failsafe software permissives realize they can't keep the solenoids in the transmission energized, so they disable the feature with software (like the 'switch' we toggle in our dash). That's exactly what Forscan does - disable the software side of the autostart feature.

If you have knowledge I don't have, so be it... it just sounds odd to me. This is the first I've heard of any 48V system in a non hybrid Lincoln car.

______________________________

 

[ColonelColt]

AGM batteries (starter) are fickle once they completely discharge, they don’t recover.

True dat! Unless the AGM battery is a special deep cycle design they suffer much reduced lifespan if completely discharged and recharged. While AGM batteries have a lot to offer performance-wise…that is not one of them.

If a car with an AGM starting battery sits for long periods at a time then a battery tender made for them is called for.

 

[Melman]

Did they clear all codes and reprogram the BCM? That could cause these issues again.

The work order said there were no codes. That's all it says, along with the comment that 75% state of charge was needed for the auto s/s and it only tested at 59%. The battery was replaced on 11/8/2023, and the auto s/s worked properly through the winter and spring, however during the summer I didn't have many opportunities to try it (I generally avoid pressing the brake pedal hard enough to activate it) since it disables when the outdoor temp is over 95. It's just cooled off here in the last 2-3 weeks and that's when I noticed that auto s/s was "disabled due to vehicle charging" again.

 

[inmanlanier]

UPDATE - the service writer at the local dealership said they were all booked with loaners, but if I called Roadside and it was towed in before too long they would likely get to it today. She assured me there'd be no charge (including a battery replacement). The tow truck was at my house no more than 15 minutes after I called Lincoln Roadside service.

 

[inmanlanier]

The good news is that the car was done mid-afternoon. We drove home, parked it - all seemed well.

The bad news is that it was totally dead again this morning. Understanding that in South Fl, there's a reasonable chance the battery is end of life at 30 months, however clearly now the cause of the prior battery's demise is something electrical. We'll see how that goes.

We've jumped it and moved it out of the garage. It is odd in that from behind the vehicle, 80' we can observe the parking lamps going on periodically and off.

Now comes the rabbit hole of the tech staff trying to figure out what glitch/device/firm wear is bad or needs to be reset. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

______________________________

 

[peterk9]

My battery was replaced for free earlier this year, just before my 4/50 warranty ended. I reported that the Auto Start/Stop was not working - which is not a bad thing, however the dash was saying it was because "Auto Start/Stop disabled due to vehicle charging". The dealer's diagnostic report said that 75% state of charge was required for auto start/stop, and they could only get 59%. So, new battery, fully covered under warranty.

However now, only a few months later, the same thing is happening. Normal driving will not charge the battery sufficiently for Auto Start/Stop. Only after a 100-mile freeway drive, did it work for a couple of days. It's going in for oil change this week and I will ask about the battery and/or charging system.

OP - please explain the line in your signature "Auto start/stop feature permanently disabled". I find it a useless feature, except that it will warn you of battery problems as I've noted.

As I've reported several times, my Auto Start/Stop only activates perhaps 10% of the time, if that. The reason is that I don't drive much and do mostly short trips when I do.
The first sign that the battery requires charging is the symphonic chimes revert to the standard Ford chimes and also the lock button symbol on the door panel won't work. I just put my charger on it and recharge the battery and all is well for another few months. I have had my 2023 for 13 months (2,200 mi.) and have probably charged the battery 2 or 3 times. I went through the same procedure with my previous vehicles. Never had the battery replaced as it would eventually do the same.

Peter

 

[bbf2530]

The good news is that the car was done mid-afternoon. We drove home, parked it - all seemed well.

The bad news is that it was totally dead again this morning. Understanding that in South Fl, there's a reasonable chance the battery is end of life at 30 months, however clearly now the cause of the prior battery's demise is something electrical. We'll see how that goes.

We've jumped it and moved it out of the garage. It is odd in that from behind the vehicle, 80' we can observe the parking lamps going on periodically and off.

Now comes the rabbit hole of the tech staff trying to figure out the glitch/device/firm wear is bad or needs to be reset. Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Hi inmanlanier. Jeez, sorry to hear the issue goes deeper than the battery.

Hope they can get to the bottom of it quickly.

Keep us updated and good luck.

 

[inmanlanier]

Unfortunately no change in status - they are not done with the car. They're trying to find out what's draining the battery. Of course there are a myriad of modules than can be the culprit.

I learned a bit today regarding the loaner process (finally just got one for this repair). I posted here with the details of our experience and the actual loaner process as relayed to us by both the dealer and affirmed by the Concierge desk (that called us out of the blue today) => Excellent Roadside Assistance

 

[bbf2530]

Hi gang. Just to add some personal experience information to inmanlanier’s experience:
It seems rental reimbursement in lieu of available loaners is not a one-size-fits-all situation or answer.

In the case of my Lincoln-Ford Dealership, they do not have a relationship with a rental car company.
So when my vehicle needed relatively quick service which would take several days with no loaners available, they told me to contact Lincoln Concierge where I could arrange for rental reimbursement.

The process was then for me to obtain a rental vehicle on my own, and submit the final bill to Lincoln Concierge when my vehicle service was complete. There was a reimbursement ceiling of $45 at the time, determined by vehicle model. In my case, an MKZ. There was no stipulation that the vehicle needed to be a Lincoln or Ford.

So I called around, obtained a rental for $45 a day (final price), submitted the final bill to Lincoln Concierge, and was reimbursed the full amount.

As I said, it seems the rental reimbursement question may not have a one-size-fits-all answer. Which is unfortunately confusing.

Good luck.