2018 Ford Explorer Platinum VIN: 1FM5K8HT3JGA33205
Date today: September 11th, 2022
Timeline:
Around the middle of May 2022 –
Took vehicle to Safelite to have front windshield changed due to crack.
Upon bringing the vehicle home and the days following, I noticed that the display screen lit up for no reason and the house lights blinked for 10 -20 seconds intermittently when vehicle is turned off and key fob is more than 40 feet away (in the house). The instrument cluster and display screen will also go blank when driving intermittently (vehicle will not shut off) – with or without my phone being connected via USB cable.
The vehicle also will not start unless it is jump started. Car would constantly go into deep sleep mode even though I use the vehicle every day – including weekends, and battery will drain.
June 2nd, 2022
Went to O’Reilly’s and bought a new battery.
Still experiencing the same problems. Jump starting every day or every other day. Started having my wife drop me to work leaving the vehicle home.
June 15th, 2022
Could not get an appointment at any Ford dealer so took vehicle to APEX Auto in South Hill. They ran a diagnostic, and it showed many faults within the system. They asked what was done to the vehicle and I told them the windshield was changed. They said that the technician at Safelite did NOT put a battery pack on the vehicle to maintain the integrity of the needed electrical systems when disconnecting the battery to change the windshield and recalibration of the lane-assist, etc., systems. and everything went into fault – and cleared all the codes and said that the alternator was indeed charging properly.
From June 16th onwards
Vehicle instrument cluster and console display screen goes blank when driving more often, but still at random and sometimes with Phone connected via USB and sometimes not. Cabin lights blink intermittently for 10-20 seconds and when parked, no matter how often the vehicle is used, the vehicle goes into deep sleep mode and the battery drains. Must jump start the vehicle almost every day, sometimes every day to go to and from the office – and starting the vehicle during the day several times to ensure that I can get home safely.
September 10th, 2022
Again – unable to get any response from Ford dealerships in a 10–15-mile radius – took vehicle again to Apex Auto and asked for a diagnostic test and to test the alternator. Battery was charged and alternator tested and shown to be working properly. They were unable to determine why the vehicle is going into deep sleep with a battery drain and flickering instrument cluster and cabin lights.
I shared that I did extensive research that show other people with same issues and was thought to be BCM module being problematic, but do not have the capacity to re-create the scenario to prove the theory.
WHAT DO I DO HERE?
Go back to Safelite, point out the error of their ways and demand that they fix it at their expense.
