On a car that is working properly, the Battery Rebalance function the manual way to run a function that is built into the Battery Control Module - it charges the HV battery pack to a high SoC and then gradually discharges it and rebalances the cells. This is a built-in Service Procedure that the BCM is supposed to run all by itself occasionally, without telling anyone. If you turn your ignition all the way to START and then push the gas pedal all the way to the floor, sometimes it will start the ICE engine and allow the idle to take the car through battery rebalance, UNLESS there is not enough charge/voltage in the HV battery to do so.

On my '10 FEH, it starts in EV mode all the time, it drops right into EV mode because even the air conditioning compressor is electric. You should turn off ALL the accessories including AC while running battery rebalance. To get BRB started on my car, I turned it on as usual, PUSHED AND HELD the throttle to the floor, and then started the procedure, which then maintained the idle all the way to the end of the procedure while I went back inside and drank a cup of coffee for about 23-25 minutes.

 

Yea - there definitely isn’t enough juice to get the car started in the HV battery. If I’m remembering correctly, the mechanic said he tested it at 243 volts so it isn’t going to start.

I’ll give it a shot but I think the 243 volts in the HV is going to stop it from working. Heading outside right now.

 

1) That's good.
2) Make sure the laptop has bluetooth enabled and it connects to the OBDLinkMX+. After that FORScan should run fine and connect right away. I use the tried and true OBDLink MX through a USB port, but the laptop should grab the Bluetooth of the MX+ also. Then you will be able to see almost everything including the HV battery voltage in real time. Kind of a pain but it's the best way, so borrow someone's laptop.

 

If it's that low I think you're going to have to charge it up. Look up SKeith's thread on building a charger and get to work.

 

I'm computer savvy and tech savvy in general but when it comes to electrical or auto work, I'm an absolute noob. I honest don't know if I have it in me to risk destroying the car or my life. Lol

I came across this. Thoughts?
https://www.maxx-volts.com/products/...harger-booster

 

I have to look at that, but SKeith's thread about it is not hard to follow, I'm a noob too, and I'm building one (even though I don't need one yet) this winter. It's really pretty simple, it's an off-the-shelf device and some wiring and diodes. It'll be fun to put it together and everyone here knows it works. Then you stash it in the car and have AC powered emergency charging available any time, all the time.

I'll look at your link later tonight.

 

It’s not building it that sounds intimidating - it’s charging it once it’s built that scares me. A local Ford’s service manager said to call him on Monday and if I don’t need diagnosis and agree I just need a charge that he may be willing to do it for $50ish, but that he would have to speak to his head mechanic on Monday and verify it will be that simple.

I actually reset all the codes and rescanned because I realized I used my old car key earlier and it was rejecting it since the shop only programmed two new ones to the new (pre-owned) PCM — now there are less codes popping up. Seems more manageable.

 

If you've got a Ford dealer that will do it for $50 that counts as a miracle so go ahead. From what I recall, they have a special, custom-made device that their techs. plug into the system and they were *rare* at Ford dealers. If you have one that will do it, God bless them.

 

Yeah but he’s also the guy that sounded very skeptical about allowing his shop work on hybrids because he doesn’t have a hybrid specialist and he also caught himself and wouldn’t schedule with me yet because he needs to speak to his head mechanic who wasn’t in at the time. That price very quickly could change and not only that - they don’t have availability for almost 4 weeks (I’m in NJ and shops are still playing catch up from all the flooding weeks ago.)

I really would like this **** HV push button to work and power the HV battery just enough to get it started. I’m not sure if the battery hits a certain threshold it disables the push button?

 

Once the battery has discharged to a certain point the NiMH chemistry changes and it can take a long time with the charger SKeith recommends to get it to bounce back and accept a normal charge again. This is from what I have read, not experienced directly since it has never happened to mine, but I see no reason to disbelieve it. That may be why you are having problems with the button. As far as I know there is no "disabling" of the button, but people DO recommend trying it several times with an *auxiliary* vehicle ALSO attached to the FEH battery via jumper cables. You might try that. Get another good car that is running, hook up jumper cables between that car and the 12V FEH and hit the button. Then wait. Then hit the button. Then wait. Then hit the button. Then wait. Then try to monitor the voltage and see what you have and see if it is improving.

That's the best advice I've got, otherwise you're looking at the guy you're talking about. I am sure SKeith is correct when he talks about the NiMH chemistry change that causes the battery pack to be "reluctant" to accept a baseline charge until that evens out, and that can take time and effort. Good luck!

Also make sure the "light" on the button lights up and how long it stays lit before it shuts off. Make sure it's actually working!