Fiesta Display Screen Cause Battery Drain

[Carm]

The battery on my 2017 Fiesta was dead after 4 days I left it parked. I replaced the battery first only to find this happened again. Put an ammeter in series with the battery and found that there was a continuous drain of about 1A, this would definitely cause the battery to completely drain in 4 days. The drain stopped when I pulled the Sync Module fuse, but that fuse also powers the display screen, so I tried disconnecting the sync module and then the screen in turn. So the drain is caused by the display screen. To be clear, the screen does dim and turn off with ignition off and doors closed, but "something" is staying on. Replaced the display screen, but the problem persisted, I'm assuming some other control module is telling the display screen to stay on. Since I have no idea which module is causing this I ended up cutting pin 1 of the display screen connector and wiring it to the fuse that powers the rear wiper. Now when I turn the ignition off, the power to the screen is turned off. This resolved the battery drain issue. Other than the fact the screen just goes off when ignition is turned off instead of dimming, everything else seems to work fine. Date/Time/station presets are remembered.

Anyone else have this problem?

 

[econoboxrocks]

I haven't.
I'm really bad at electronical issues. Maybe someone else has a clue.

 

[Handy Andy]

Anyone else have this problem?

Not at the moment, but this is a good workaround for such an issue.

The "display" they call it APIM Accessory Protocol Interface Module.

With having display issues, was the dealership notified (if you bought the car not using the dealership - understandable so this wouldn't apply) because a defective APIM is a known issue amongst the vehicles that have them (pretty much all FORD's) but due to its different sizes and trims, makes the APIM specific to the vehicle and type of chassis it can be installed in.

This affects the radio and is pretty much a stand-alone display that uses the CAM system to communicate issues to the driver - SYNC only provides a backup infotainment device for radio and the other electrical entertainment systems like satellite and USB/MP3.

So, for you to provide a solution - the issue of power drains and battery life now seem to come full circle.

Not sure if this will help, but the link provides some insight as to how Ford approaches this problem

To be fair, this is only the Customers side of the stories they tell.
https://www.vehiclehistory.com/articles/ford-apim-recalls-you-need-to-know-about

 

[Carm]

Thanks for that. I did check your link, NHTSA and Ford for recalls, but there are none for my car. Yes I did call my dealership, but no help...just bring it in, they say...for I'm sure it would have been a $1000 bill...no thanks!

The whole sound/sync/display system is kludgy at best, it's like the ford engineers were making it up as they went along. I've already replaced the SYNC module (it completely stopped working), and now a complete battery drain caused by a display? I mean, how does that happen? Worse, the dealership play dumb, like I'm the only person reporting these problems. I'm afraid of what's going to happen next.

 

[wzzbzz]

The battery on my 2017 Fiesta was dead after 4 days I left it parked. I replaced the battery first only to find this happened again. Put an ammeter in series with the battery and found that there was a continuous drain of about 1A, this would definitely cause the battery to completely drain in 4 days. The drain stopped when I pulled the Sync Module fuse, but that fuse also powers the display screen, so I tried disconnecting the sync module and then the screen in turn. So the drain is caused by the display screen. To be clear, the screen does dim and turn off with ignition off and doors closed, but "something" is staying on. Replaced the display screen, but the problem persisted, I'm assuming some other control module is telling the display screen to stay on. Since I have no idea which module is causing this I ended up cutting pin 1 of the display screen connector and wiring it to the fuse that powers the rear wiper. Now when I turn the ignition off, the power to the screen is turned off. This resolved the battery drain issue. Other than the fact the screen just goes off when ignition is turned off instead of dimming, everything else seems to work fine. Date/Time/station presets are remembered.

Anyone else have this problem?

My recently purchased 2017 fiesta has the exact same issue, and that screen was my prime suspect. There is also an alarm light which is hidden behind the screen which is always on when you leave and lock the car, which I also suspected.


I am making an appointment to have it serviced this week. Did you have any luck fixing this?

 

[Carm]

Yes, I fixed it by making a modification to how the screen is powered, as mentioned below. I haven't had any problems since.

"I ended up cutting pin 1 of the display screen connector and wiring it to the fuse that powers the rear wiper. Now when I turn the ignition off, the power to the screen is turned off. This resolved the battery drain issue. Other than the fact the screen just goes off when ignition is turned off instead of dimming, everything else seems to work fine. Date/Time/station presets are remembered. "

 

[scotman]

I really don’t understand why the engineers decided to not allow the screens to power down at key off. I suspect that they were told that it was taking too long to “wake up” at key on.
The solution just added to the list of future problems that owners will have. With the power signal now changed, how long does it take to make the screen wake up?

 

[Carm]

Other than the screen going off right away instead of dimming, I haven't noticed any other differences. Screen wakes up right away, same as before.

 

[scotman]

I have Sync3 in my 2016 Fiesta ST. The last two updates took an enormous amount of time to complete. It is also much more picky about what phone brand it is compatible with. My last company owned cellular phone was not accepted by the Sync3.

 

[Handy Andy]

As far as I have researched this, the Pin 1 power issue - it is supposed to be hot at all times. So if you have Sync - it looks to pin 3 - that is a signal that tells the system, being powered down - to wake up.

It's that signal which is from the Starter system - also makes the CAN HS/LS system "boot" and the PCM enable the Starter.. So when you open the door, the BCM sees the entry - but also being passive - "wakes up" the system - so the BCM sends a logic wakeup to the APIM and Front Panel Control Module (your keypad) and PCM so the Serial (CAN HS and LS) being their "talk". So if the Body Control Module is healthy and PCM sees activity from the RFA - Pin 3 should be the "wakeup call" so it should have power. So if the APIM is OEM - it has a power down monitor - but needs information from Pin 3 to go quiet - so that again is part of the BCM saying it's ok - they (user) are legit so continue. But if things go wrong - it will power down the APIM.

So the BCM sees activity, so does Remote Function Actuator Module, the RFA tells the PCM to wake up - the SCMS signal then (Starter) then tells the APIM to wake up and BCM allows or disallows as communicated by the RFAM.

If that makes sense...

 

[ankichandu]

Yes, I fixed it by making a modification to how the screen is powered, as mentioned below. I haven't had any problems since.

"I ended up cutting pin 1 of the display screen connector and wiring it to the fuse that powers the rear wiper. Now when I turn the ignition off, the power to the screen is turned off. This resolved the battery drain issue. Other than the fact the screen just goes off when ignition is turned off instead of dimming, everything else seems to work fine. Date/Time/station presets are remembered. "

I Am facing same issue in my ford fiesta 2014 model car