Preserving Settings With Battery Disconnected

[luca1290]

Supposedly, the 8-hour wait is in lieu of resetting the BMS (which a dealer would do to get the car out of their shop).

No, it's not. You can reset it with Forscan or by using this procedure, no tools required.
Don't perform this procedure just for fun, only when you install a new battery.
Again, if you have Forscan you can also monitor it.

BMS reset - no tools required | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

The 8 hour wait is just what the BMS does every time you don't use the car for... 8 hours... to fine tune it's registered State Of Charge. The BMS reset procedure zeroes the age of the battery for the charging algorithm.
It won't explode if you don't do it, it will just slightly overcharge the new battery.

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[Bullitt0819]

No, it's not. You can reset it with Forscan or by using this procedure, no tools required.
Don't perform this procedure just for fun, only when you install a new battery.
Again, if you have Forscan you can also monitor it.

BMS reset - no tools required | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

The 8 hour wait is just what the BMS does every time you don't use the car for... 8 hours... to fine tune it's registered State Of Charge. The BMS reset procedure zeroes the age of the battery for the charging algorithm.
It won't explode if you don't do it, it will just slightly overcharge the new battery.

Good info, thanks.

" If successful the battery light will flash 3 times within the next 15 seconds "

Dumb question: Where is the 'battery light' on a Mustang? All mine has is soft gauges.

 

[KingKona]

Good info, thanks.

" If successful the battery light will flash 3 times within the next 15 seconds "

Dumb question: Where is the 'battery light' on a Mustang? All mine has is soft gauges.

Bottom of the speedo. Above the gas gauge.

 

[Bullitt0819]

Thanks. Never noticed it, must go off after startup?

 

[Farkel]

No, it's not. You can reset it with Forscan or by using this procedure, no tools required.
Don't perform this procedure just for fun, only when you install a new battery.
Again, if you have Forscan you can also monitor it.

BMS reset - no tools required | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

The 8 hour wait is just what the BMS does every time you don't use the car for... 8 hours... to fine tune it's registered State Of Charge. The BMS reset procedure zeroes the age of the battery for the charging algorithm.
It won't explode if you don't do it, it will just slightly overcharge the new battery.

This^^. I don't undersfand why so many people can't seem to grasp that state-of-charge and battery age are two different things.

 

[luca1290]

Thanks. Never noticed it, must go off after startup?

Yes, it behaves as any other car. When the engine is off the light is on because the alternator does not produce electricity.

 

[Bullitt0819]

I've settled this, in my own mind anyway. For starters, for those wondering why I'm replacing my battery (I've cleaned it off before, and it's going on 5yrs anyway):

As for the BMS, I'm convinced my car, at least, doesn't have it (note 'if equipped'). There's obviously no sensor mounted on the battery and, unlike loaded-up F-150s, I have good ol' vacuum-assist braking and, presumably, the electrically-assisted steering will still work albeit with more effort (unlike, apparently, on an F-150). Also, the 150 draws 16A! in ACC:

https://fordauthority.com/2022/11/ford-battery-monitoring-system-explained-in-depth-by-technician/

As for the original topic, given all the equipment I have to maintain I'm all for a beneficial shortcut but, in this case I'll just swap it and reset what needs to be reset (I may try the 'restore settings' procedure but maybe not).

As for the battery idiot light, thanks for the info. Truth be told, I never pay any attention to the idiot lights unless they stay on after startup. This is an idiot light I DO watch (sheesh, looks like I've got some chrome polishing to do):

Now, for another question (I don't think it's worth starting another thread; maybe there's one already?). It seems, just like for my '08 Bullitt, Ford uses a bespoke battery size (for the S550, 96R) and there isn't a lot of choices. NAPA batteries are supposedly made by Deka, which I consider the best (made in USA), but I'd consider an AGM. According to one seller, Odyssey is the only brand with a 96R but, from the pic, it looks like the terminals are on the wrong side. Anybody have an issue with install?

https://www.napaonline.com/en/search?text=96r battery&referer=v2

 

[Farkel]

I've settled this, in my own mind anyway. For starters, for those wondering why I'm replacing my battery (I've cleaned it off before, and it's going on 5yrs anyway):

As for the BMS, I'm convinced my car, at least, doesn't have it (note 'if equipped'). There's obviously no sensor mounted on the battery and, unlike loaded-up F-150s, I have good ol' vacuum-assist braking and, presumably, the electrically-assisted steering will still work albeit with more effort (unlike, apparently, on an F-150). Also, the 150 draws 16A! in ACC:

https://fordauthority.com/2022/11/ford-battery-monitoring-system-explained-in-depth-by-technician/

As for the original topic, given all the equipment I have to maintain I'm all for a beneficial shortcut but, in this case I'll just swap it and reset what needs to be reset (I may try the 'restore settings' procedure but maybe not).

As for the battery idiot light, thanks for the info. Truth be told, I never pay any attention to the idiot lights unless they stay on after startup. This is an idiot light I DO watch (sheesh, looks like I've got some chrome polishing to do):

Now, for another question (I don't think it's worth starting another thread; maybe there's one already?). It seems, just like for my '08 Bullitt, Ford uses a bespoke battery size (for the S550, 96R) and there isn't a lot of choices. NAPA batteries are supposedly made by Deka, which I consider the best (made in USA), but I'd consider an AGM. According to one seller, Odyssey is the only brand with a 96R but, from the pic, it looks like the terminals are on the wrong side. Anybody have an issue with install?

https://www.napaonline.com/en/search?text=96r battery&referer=v2

If your car is an S550, it has the BMS. After installing the new battery, do the reset procedure and you will see the battery icon flash. Odyssey is not the only 96R AGM (google it), but it's a good one. All 96R batteries have the positive terminal on the right side.

 

[Spydrbutt]

I just changed my battery 2 days ago and had to setup "my mode" again. Not a big deal, just throwing it out there.

 

[Finally21]

People change batteries alllll the time. They get it done at AutoZone by pimple faced adolescents, while on their lunch-break. It's not going to hurt anything, and other than maybe needing to reset some radio presets, nothing bad is going to happen.

There is no need to let the car sit for 8 hours, or do anything. Stop fussing like a teenage girl, there's nothing to worry about.



With your current Bullit Mustang? You previously changed the battery and all the nannies went TU? And the car had to "to sit in the sun for a few hours" to fix it? And you think there was a TSB that got fixed???

Yes, having to scroll to a drive mode is nothing but a nuisance.



I don't see how this is germane to the topic.

Wow even a bigger dick today than most days.

 

[David Schmidt]

I just changed my battery 2 days ago and had to setup "my mode" again. Not a big deal, just throwing it out there.

I just did exactly the same thing. Had the battery out for several hours and lost the MyMode, nothing else that I'm aware of.

 

[Bullitt0819]

I just did exactly the same thing. Had the battery out for several hours and lost the MyMode, nothing else that I'm aware of.

Yep, my result as well. However ... I have a really trivial observation: What is the purpose of this plastic spacer? Apparently, it's to ensure the two-piece ground cable assembly is canted just a few degrees clockwise--the notch in the battery compartment insures the cable goes straight in--but ... why? I noticed it when I pulled the battery for replacement and assumed it came with the clamp, but it fell off on my gravel driveway and I didn't notice it until I'd already compacted the driveway. It's gotta have a purpose--though I can't see it--else Ford's beancounters wouldn't have allowed the $0.03 and 15 seconds it would take to install it, and I've not seen anything like it on other cars.

Edit: Just came across this. Makes sense, I guess, but I've not seen a terminal 'rotate' unless it wasn't torqued down sufficiently. Also just noticed the slightly different one on the pos. terminal, which didn't fall off when I replaced the battery.

 

[David Schmidt]

I definitely had that same blue fuzz on the negative terminal, and the connector was definitely not salvageable. I bodged something else together, but getting an OEM terminal back on the negative side is on my to-do list.

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