Just FYI on the VW batteries, you can use a non OEM one, the serial numbers is only used by the computer to detect the battery has been changed. When you install a non-serialised battery, just take the serial number off the old battery, and increment it by one on the last digit, so if the original was XXXXXXXXXXXX5 put XXXXXXXXXXXX6 into the computer. All will be well. No other data is taken from the serial apart from recognizing a battery change has occurred, and for the battery health monitoring to reset to a fresh battery...
Having turned a wrench for over 30 years, I can say I never stop learning. If I think I can't learn anything new, I need to hang up my wrench. Eric's videos are my continuing education. I've been a fan since day 1. As always, my gratitude for taking us on the ride and helping us learn.
I can't believe you managed to make a battery change into 25 minutes of juicy content. That's either a testament to your skills as an entertainer or the level of psychotic Ford's engineers are.
@@DeeSea3 You need to get around more then. There are WAY crazier locations. Behind the fender in front of the driver's side front wheel is one good one. I think that was a Chrysler thing. In the trunk is pretty common these days though those at least are easy to replace, once you find them. Under a seat is a good one too.
@@John_Ridley, yep had a 99 and it was either Dodge or Chrysler don’t remember exactly. But had to pull the left front wheel off and pull back the finder liner to change the battery. I remember Eric doing one as well on the channel. A Avenger I think is the one he did it on. Difference between when I did this and Eric is. Outside in the cold on the ground to probably cold outside I think, but inside with a lift. 😅
@@RustyZipperYep. Not to mention all the other boneheaded decisions Ford engineers are making on these newer Ford/Lincoln vehicles. For example most of the car is put together with one time use fasteners, especially Nylock nuts. Ford loves their disposable nylock nuts, they use them for everything now. Doing a brake job, well you have to buy new nuts. Wheel bearing goes out, you have to buy new torque to yield bolts for them. I could go on, but I digress.
@@jtjones4727great point overall that also covers Fiat Chrysler, Chevy, and all the South Korean manufacturers, but I don’t think digress means what you think it means. You never once ‘strayed from the topic’ as you were talking about the same subject throughout the entire post, but I digress. Toyota and Mazda are about the only truly reliable vehicles made these days.
Back in 2000, when I was managing an Advance Auto, the hard to change batteries were just coming to replacement age, several had to remove either the back seat or a passenger side tire and fender liner. Made a few customers mad because I refused it due to the overly complicated process to replace a battery, and we were liable if something went wrong, engineering at it's finest, Buick, Cadillac, Saturn were the first ones we saw. I like my tundra, wife's highlander, kids rav4 and Camry, battery easy to change, almost all maintenance items easy to get to
Still easier than some others.... He didn't need to jack up the car, remove the tire, inner fender shield, then work in that hole to get the battery changed.
You most certainly can…load test when the seasons turn, replace every 5 years regardless and or when a battery starts to fail, the engine will turn over slightly slower. That’s a real tell tale right there.
This underhood engineering is the quintessential example of squeezing 10 lbs. of "stuff" into a 5 lb. bag, what a PITA! Nice work Eric, thanks for continuing to share your mechanical and electrical talents with the online masses.
a lot is to do with modern cars having a 180 degree front window, half way over the hood.. i have a ford focus 2.0 tdci. goes like a cut cat. cheap, reliable. 2008.. i take the cowl off. easier..
@@harrywalker968I had a 2007 c-max 1.6 tdci. I had to take out the ABS module which is behind the battery and send it off for repair. That was fun. Replaced the leaking injector seals at the same time.
Dude called me up about 2 months ago asking could I put a battery in his Escape. I'm like sure no problem. Then he showed up with this mess. It was my first time. But she liked it boys. ;)
Have a '17 Escape. I found doing it the way you showed was better than the recommended repair. They want you to remove the wipers, and cowl to lift the battery out. I didn't have a scan tool that could reset the BMS, but found that key on engine off if you flash the brights 5 times, then pump the brake 3 times, the battery light will go from solid to flashing, the BMS is then reset.
Yes I did mine with the wiper and cowl removal method. Lots of space to work that way and it doesn’t take to long, however it’s still ridiculous just to change the battery.
Just FYI on the VW batteries, you can use a non OEM one, the serial numbers is only used by the computer to detect the battery has been changed. When you install a non-serialised battery, just take the serial number off the old battery, and increment it by one on the last digit, so if the original was XXXXXXXXXXXX5 put XXXXXXXXXXXX6 into the computer. All will be well. No other data is taken from the serial apart from recognizing a battery change has occured, and for the battery health monitoring to reset to a fresh battery...
@@orinmangar2333Having bought a 2020 Jetta used last December (best value for the money I could find after hitting a cow in the road at 4 AM and totaling my previous car) I have surprisingly found VW's parts pricing to actually be very reasonable. The little sunglasses tray that locks up in the upper center console was broke when I bought it. You have to buy the whole piece that goes up there to get the drop down door. I figured they would want a couple hundred $$ for it. Nope, $47.64 for that part.
@jovangrbic97 I don’t remember having to do that on my ‘15 Golf when I replaced the battery 6 years ago. I bought it at the dealer but took it home and put it in myself. Can that be done in OBDEleven / VCDS?
I own two of these since new and I remove the wipers and cowl to get to the battery....eliminates the need to break the filter box as well. Take a lot less time and don't have all the restricted space issues. Never expexted a battery replacement video from you...but those non Escape owners dont know, until they know.👍
I'm still driving my 2001 escape. Nearly at 300,000 km. I love mine, but while looking for a replacement I don't think I'll touch any of these newer models.
When I replaced the battery in my 2015 - 2.0, I started angrily speaking in foreign tongues, in which I was not aware that I knew, about every engineer who had a hand in the placement of the battery in this vehicle! I feel your pain!
I'd like to say Eric, after years of watching your vids and being a subscriber for a few years, that I really appreciate your Super Troopers references. Most people probably dont, but I do. 😂
Love that you showed the battery reset! I've replaced too many 'new' batteries due to this not being done. The charging strategy for an old battery cooks the life out of new ones and before you know it you have a customer complaint of "I need a new battery every 2 years but the original lasted 6"
Actually, I just blame that on it being a POS battery. I experienced this phenomenon more times than I care to remember on older vehicles without any "smart" charging.
@@luvthesnow did you get the 2.0l ecoboost? It is peppy! Yeah, I tried a 1.0l ecoboost in 2016 Focus and learned my lesson. Another lesson learned on the Escape is to change automatic transmission fluid often, like every 15k metropolitan miles driven. My trans failed at 56k. Went to drain and fill 20k miles later and the fluid was pure black...
@@paulstandaert5709 it was a walmart battery so I thought it was just a bad battery too, but when the new battery failed in 3 months I did some research and found the reset procedure on a forum and realized my error.
Oh for the days when we all lived in a simple life when you could change a battery by just removing the hold down clamp. What were they thinking? 😅 Enjoyed the adventure.
I think you just troubleshooted the problem...They _weren't_ thinking! Maybe for an encore they will go back to using internal rubber timing belts on interference engines again. (I'm not sure they didn't!)
I had a 2013 and in 2017 had to replace the battery. Closet dealer was an hour away, and no auto parts had done one. So after removing the air cleaner, both wiper arms, the top cowling, I was able to access the battery and replace it. A year later I got rid of it.
That’s pretty much what I had to do to replace the rear bank spark plugs in our 06 Chrysler T&C van. You just about HAVE to do that to do anything at the rear of the engine. But I can’t imagine getting to anything back there if you couldn’t….
Ahhh yes those were a favorite of mine as a Ford tech. Whenever I would replace these batteries, I would remove the wipers and the cowl. Makes this job much easier 👌
Great tutorial! Seems simple but for the DYIers very helpful!! Thanks Eric for your content and sharing it entertainingly so young people can watch and learn. B
Followed your video for my 2017 escape. Very helpful that you pointed out all of the hidden 'Features'. Actually completed the battery change in about an hour (including tool gathering and cleanup). FYI, the owners manual states to leave the car locked for 8 hours, and the BCM will auto learn that the vehicle has a new battery. Thanks again for the very informative series of videos you produce. Love the humor, and you keep them interesting.
Fords are Okay. What you want to stay away from are those Moe-hick-en Ferds (& other models) that are made south of the border. 😉 ... It's a NAFTA thing -- Not Auto Friendly Technology you _American!_
This video brought back bad memories for me. I changed the battery in my 2013 Ford Escape. I removed the cowl because I didn't know what I was doing, and had all day to do it. I put in a NAPA Gold battery (Not a sponsor), and yes the plastic bits do break.
LoL, every time I tell my wife I'm going to the auto parts store, I tell her "I'm going to NAPA-not-a-sponsor." Some day, I'll explain the reference, but until then, I'll just enjoy the odd look she gives me.
Just in December i paid a small Ford shop 376,06€, to replace the battery on my '16 Escape with the 2.0 Diesel. Thing literally died during the xmas holidays. Quite a bit of money, but called them at 4pm and next day lunchtime the new battery was in the car. But this video reminds me.. Time to dig out Forscan and get rid of the start-stop crap :D
Oil change is not too bad... Taking the stupid 'splash shield' cover is a pain... Then it's easy. I left the stupid cover off, so now it's a breeze to change the oil.. :)
I bought a new 2022 Escape with the small engine(only car on the dealer's lot after our new car of another brand was totaled by an idiot rear-ending me) and the Escape's battery can be flaky if you don't keep a jump pack handy. The procedure you show is invaluable if you try to change the battery yourself. The car is smoother, quieter, easier and zippier to drive in city traffic than I would have believed, and, most importantly, my wife thinks it's the perfect size for smaller drivers, like her.
I'm a DIY:er. That's why I kept my old Toyota Camry for 24 years. It has a brilliant design. You can even change the heater core without ripping out the dashboard. Note I've never had any reason to do that because of the quality of old Toyotas! Changing the battery takes a couple of minutes!
I have two 2017 Ford Escapes. I found it is easier to just remove both wiper blade arms and remove the cowl. Doesn’t take that long. Battery comes straight out with out a struggle.
Good job, Eric! I was enjoying all the way, as I had to replace the battery on my Grand C-Max, a couple of weeks ago, and it's the exact same crammed setup. You can, however, reset the BMS by clicking 5 times on the fog light button, followed by 3 times on the hazard button, and the battery light on the dash will happily blink 3 times at you :-)
Hey Eric I have a 2016 Ford escape and I've always had to remove the wipers and the upper drip p an to get my battery out. I never thought about just removing the air box that's interesting
Unfortunately most newer cars are designed for building on the assembly line not repair afterwards! So sad. Eric, thank you for using the old intro!! Have a great week
I have a 2014 Ford escape. it's much easier to remove the wiper arms (two nuts) and the cowl (eight clips and four bolts) and then the battery is wide open for access. You really made this more complicated than it is.
I just changed the battery in my wife's 2020 VW GTI, and it had all that stuff you mentioned at the end of your video here. Remember when swapping out a battery took 2 minutes and no computer communication was necessary? They do this on purpose, so you have to go to the dealer and pay FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS rather than swapping it out yourself. (Yes, the local VW dealer quoted me $475 to replace the battery!) Luckily, I had the scan tool I needed, but your average person isn't going to have that, so they're just screwed.
I've found on those escapes it's less stressful to pull the wiper cowl cover and frame it takes a few minutes more but pretty efficient but Mr O you have given me great knowledge with many many things just my experience on this vehicle
I had an Escape in that I had to check powers to the wiper motors, if you remove the wiper arms the Cowell comes of pretty easy and the battery is right there. There is a relearn procedure for the wiper blades which was in my scan tool.
I have a 2017 Escape that needed a battery. The dealer gave me a quote for a new one, and $10 to install it. After it was done, he stated he would never do it again for that price.
If you think the battery is difficult, my 2019 ford transit connect is similar to the Escape and my ABS module went bad and would apply the brakes whenever it wanted with only 15k miles on the clock but I was out of Warranty and they had no parts available and wanted $2600 to replace it but after 4 months of sitting in my driveway still no parts. I went on Ebay and found one for $100 and low and behold I found out the ABS Module and Pump was behind the battery! That was fun times! Not! I did have to buy a scan tool to do the PMI (Forscan was useless for the PMI) but now I'm the neighborhood free mechanic now when someone gets a check engine light. lol
I had never bought any auto part from Ebay tbh but there were no parts available from Ford new which honestly I wanted. But the one I bought I found the Vin and researched it and it was from a wreck in Cali and it only had 7k miles on it and I even found pics online of the Van and it was hit on the passenger side and I said for $100 if it didn't work I was only out $100. It worked and it's been over a year now. So I got lucky. lol @@robdusher357
Would have been easier to, Remove air bag, Steering Column, Instrument cluster and then cut a hole in the fire wall with the torch. From then on just pull out the battery from inside.
You made this much harder than it has to be. I've done this 4 times. Take off the wiper blades, then take off water shroud and then screw off brake reservoir. Battery is right there and you just lift it out. A 15min job Easy-
My glory days consisted of changing a battery on my 1977 Ford LTDII. I miss that old boat - those cars never had any problems - except the nylon timing gears on the 302 V8. Thank you for the video Eric, now we see the effort required to change a battery on later model vehicles.
What a timely video! I literally replaced the battery in my wife's Fusion yesterday and had no idea it needed to be reset. Luckily, nothing out of the ordinary happened....Good lesson, Mr. O!
I've done these the way the book says to, but found it easier and quicker to remove the wipers and cowl. About 7 or 8 clips, to remove the vented section, then 4 bolts to remove the rest of the cowl. The battery is then wide open.
Most drivers should have the foresight to realize their battery is getting weak well before it leaves them stranded. If not they’ll learn to pay attention.
Eric, Your repair knowledge is only overshadowed by your humor😂😂😂. Love your little feller comments. Had an AGM battery installed in my '17 Silverado a couple of years ago. That sucker must weigh 52.65 lbs😮😮 Damn thing was solid lead😮😮 Battery shop I've gone to since before I was born didnt completely tighten the cables and I had computer codes coming out my butt the next day, all due to their lack of detail to installation. Ended up taking it to the local Chevy dealer where they screwed around for 3+ hours erasing and resetting every code thrown. I believe the service manager told me there was like 150+ codes found that needed attention?? Is that even possible?? Anyhow, they charged me 1 hr for labor at $125 hr 2 years ago. Went back to the battery shop and gave them a piece of my mind, for what little good that did. When asked why I didn't bring it back, I asked when they became a regular garage?? Told them the next time I need an engine rebuild done I'd bring it in😮😮.
Appreciate the Ford Escape battery tips. Remind me never to own a Escape. However that does stop someone I know who actually does and can't find the battery but knows it's bad by the light on the cluster. Now I'm wiser to it.
Same. I have a '14 Ess Cop Ay, and I just do the wipers and cowl trick. The wipers are easy to realign, and kind of do it themselves too. Only car I've seen where the wipers can be moved/rotated when the car is off.
The best and most entertaining person on YT. The Mr. and Mrs. O family. Should have 5 million Subs. Thank you. Keep doing what you are doing, never change.
Ugh. Makes me glad i drive old stuff I can still work on. Everytime I think about getting a newer car or truck I watch these videos and I decide to stick with what I have...
5-Piece Battery Maintenance Kit - amzn.to/3IFola3
Just FYI on the VW batteries, you can use a non OEM one, the serial numbers is only used by the computer to detect the battery has been changed. When you install a non-serialised battery, just take the serial number off the old battery, and increment it by one on the last digit, so if the original was XXXXXXXXXXXX5 put XXXXXXXXXXXX6 into the computer. All will be well. No other data is taken from the serial apart from recognizing a battery change has occurred, and for the battery health monitoring to reset to a fresh battery...
I LOVE THE CLASSIC INTRO "Welcome Back Viewers, To South Main Auto"
"Its Got The Big 2 point 0"
@@jovangrbic97" Hey there viewers, welcome back to the South Main Auto Channel. " You gotta love it!
Here you go folks .Get your own battery speculum. SouthMain approved!
Having turned a wrench for over 30 years, I can say I never stop learning. If I think I can't learn anything new, I need to hang up my wrench. Eric's videos are my continuing education. I've been a fan since day 1. As always, my gratitude for taking us on the ride and helping us learn.
Great comment, he's one of the us good guys! Happy wrenching gentlemen
I can't believe you managed to make a battery change into 25 minutes of juicy content. That's either a testament to your skills as an entertainer or the level of psychotic Ford's engineers are.
That battery is probably in the most deranged/unhinged pysco location I've ever seen😂
@@DeeSea3 You need to get around more then. There are WAY crazier locations. Behind the fender in front of the driver's side front wheel is one good one. I think that was a Chrysler thing. In the trunk is pretty common these days though those at least are easy to replace, once you find them. Under a seat is a good one too.
It’s probably both with Eric. 😂
@@John_Ridley, yep had a 99 and it was either Dodge or Chrysler don’t remember exactly. But had to pull the left front wheel off and pull back the finder liner to change the battery. I remember Eric doing one as well on the channel. A Avenger I think is the one he did it on.
Difference between when I did this and Eric is. Outside in the cold on the ground to probably cold outside I think, but inside with a lift. 😅
its proof that the guy who graduated dead last from his engineering class gets the same exact diploma as the guy who graduated first!
There we have it, the art of modern car design. Well done Ford.
You ever changed the battery in a Chrysler D platform? You have to take the wheel and inner fender well out
Your videos remind me why I repair my old junk rather than go buy new junk.
They probably figure the car is ready for the junk yard by the time the battery dies....it's the only logical thing that makes sense.
Why have I dedicated 22 minutes of my life watching Eric changing a battery on a Ford Escape. I don’t own one, I never will. 😂
But now when someone asks if they should buy one you can give a firm answer of: “Absolutely no!”
@@RustyZipperYep. Not to mention all the other boneheaded decisions Ford engineers are making on these newer Ford/Lincoln vehicles. For example most of the car is put together with one time use fasteners, especially Nylock nuts. Ford loves their disposable nylock nuts, they use them for everything now. Doing a brake job, well you have to buy new nuts. Wheel bearing goes out, you have to buy new torque to yield bolts for them. I could go on, but I digress.
Its Ford Euro. Explains why its so different
I didn’t. I skipped ahead because I thought there had to be a twist… but not so much.
@@jtjones4727great point overall that also covers Fiat Chrysler, Chevy, and all the South Korean manufacturers, but I don’t think digress means what you think it means. You never once ‘strayed from the topic’ as you were talking about the same subject throughout the entire post, but I digress. Toyota and Mazda are about the only truly reliable vehicles made these days.
Great video. Imagine the kid at Auto Zone installing this battery for free. Great engineering FORD. Thanks Eric.
They'll punt.
Back in 2000, when I was managing an Advance Auto, the hard to change batteries were just coming to replacement age, several had to remove either the back seat or a passenger side tire and fender liner. Made a few customers mad because I refused it due to the overly complicated process to replace a battery, and we were liable if something went wrong, engineering at it's finest, Buick, Cadillac, Saturn were the first ones we saw. I like my tundra, wife's highlander, kids rav4 and Camry, battery easy to change, almost all maintenance items easy to get to
What a Major Production just to change a Battery
Crazy, real pain to do it in a Walmart or AutoZone parking lot too.
Still easier than some others.... He didn't need to jack up the car, remove the tire, inner fender shield, then work in that hole to get the battery changed.
German Engineering.
The Ford Way. 😅
My dad bought one of these piles back in August of 2014. He passed in 2016 and the first thing I did was sell that thing. GREAT VIDEO!
Wow, I'm reminded of the fact that here, you're usually doing this outside in the cold. This alone would keep me from buying this.
Preventive maintenance
@@joedurso5192 no , preventative purchase .......
@@joedurso5192 you cant prevent a battery wearing out and needing replacing!
In a Walmart or AutoZone parking lot, lol
You most certainly can…load test when the seasons turn, replace every 5 years regardless and or when a battery starts to fail, the engine will turn over slightly slower. That’s a real tell tale right there.
I love my morning coffee with Matt’s off road recovery, Fabrats, Ray Rainman but when I have my coffee with SMA, that’s the best thing in the world
This underhood engineering is the quintessential example of squeezing 10 lbs. of "stuff" into a 5 lb. bag, what a PITA! Nice work Eric, thanks for continuing to share your mechanical and electrical talents with the online masses.
a lot is to do with modern cars having a 180 degree front window, half way over the hood.. i have a ford focus 2.0 tdci. goes like a cut cat. cheap, reliable. 2008.. i take the cowl off. easier..
ANother case of building the vehicle around a main part.
@@harrywalker968I had a 2007 c-max 1.6 tdci. I had to take out the ABS module which is behind the battery and send it off for repair. That was fun. Replaced the leaking injector seals at the same time.
The people of your community are lucky to have a true honest mechanic and most people they dont even realize it.
Dude called me up about 2 months ago asking could I put a battery in his Escape. I'm like sure no problem. Then he showed up with this mess. It was my first time. But she liked it boys. ;)
"It was my first time." My late Father-in-Law would have said, "I've now done that TWICE, my FIRST and LAST time!" 🤣
Ha!...I'm gonna remember that!
my dad would have traded the car. He had many cool cars but always managed to find something wrong with them. Personally I think he wanted a new car😅
Have a '17 Escape. I found doing it the way you showed was better than the recommended repair. They want you to remove the wipers, and cowl to lift the battery out. I didn't have a scan tool that could reset the BMS, but found that key on engine off if you flash the brights 5 times, then pump the brake 3 times, the battery light will go from solid to flashing, the BMS is then reset.
That’s killer. How did you find that secret key/pedal combo?
Wipers off and cowl would be faster IMO.
@@johnt.848Done many both ways. Wiper & cowl is our perfered method and yes we find it is faster.
Yes I did mine with the wiper and cowl removal method. Lots of space to work that way and it doesn’t take to long, however it’s still ridiculous just to change the battery.
Wiper and cowel removal takes 5 minutes.
Battery spreader speculum. Nice!
I'm still ROTFLMAO! Yep! He said it alright!
... He ain't wrong either!
Just FYI on the VW batteries, you can use a non OEM one, the serial numbers is only used by the computer to detect the battery has been changed. When you install a non-serialised battery, just take the serial number off the old battery, and increment it by one on the last digit, so if the original was XXXXXXXXXXXX5 put XXXXXXXXXXXX6 into the computer. All will be well. No other data is taken from the serial apart from recognizing a battery change has occured, and for the battery health monitoring to reset to a fresh battery...
Don't own a VW, but good to know. However he said that the VW battery is cheaper than non oem battery. That is also good to know for VW owners.
@@orinmangar2333Having bought a 2020 Jetta used last December (best value for the money I could find after hitting a cow in the road at 4 AM and totaling my previous car) I have surprisingly found VW's parts pricing to actually be very reasonable. The little sunglasses tray that locks up in the upper center console was broke when I bought it. You have to buy the whole piece that goes up there to get the drop down door. I figured they would want a couple hundred $$ for it. Nope, $47.64 for that part.
Yep just change the number by one and done. Always good to know
@@orinmangar2333Unless the VW battery sucks and has Low CCA compared to Napa..
@jovangrbic97 I don’t remember having to do that on my ‘15 Golf when I replaced the battery 6 years ago. I bought it at the dealer but took it home and put it in myself.
Can that be done in OBDEleven / VCDS?
Coffee with Mr.O. Perfect start to the day.
I own two of these since new and I remove the wipers and cowl to get to the battery....eliminates the need to break the filter box as well. Take a lot less time and don't have all the restricted space issues. Never expexted a battery replacement video from you...but those non Escape owners dont know, until they know.👍
That’s what I did on my 2013.
Same here.
I'm still driving my 2001 escape. Nearly at 300,000 km. I love mine, but while looking for a replacement I don't think I'll touch any of these newer models.
When I replaced the battery in my 2015 - 2.0, I started angrily speaking in foreign tongues, in which I was not aware that I knew, about every engineer who had a hand in the placement of the battery in this vehicle! I feel your pain!
That was both hilarious and well said.
Best play by play commentary on the internet. Great way to start the day. Thanks Eric!
I'd like to say Eric, after years of watching your vids and being a subscriber for a few years, that I really appreciate your Super Troopers references. Most people probably dont, but I do. 😂
Ursula
@@RustyZipper "Hey there, Pretty Lady..."
Love that you showed the battery reset! I've replaced too many 'new' batteries due to this not being done. The charging strategy for an old battery cooks the life out of new ones and before you know it you have a customer complaint of "I need a new battery every 2 years but the original lasted 6"
Happened to me when I changed out my battery on my 2.5l 2018 escape. Retailer warrantied battery though
Actually, I just blame that on it being a POS battery. I experienced this phenomenon more times than I care to remember on older vehicles without any "smart" charging.
@@timcees The big plus for you is the 2.5l My bride insisted on the "cute orange one" with an ecoboost.
@@luvthesnow did you get the 2.0l ecoboost? It is peppy! Yeah, I tried a 1.0l ecoboost in 2016 Focus and learned my lesson. Another lesson learned on the Escape is to change automatic transmission fluid often, like every 15k metropolitan miles driven. My trans failed at 56k. Went to drain and fill 20k miles later and the fluid was pure black...
@@paulstandaert5709 it was a walmart battery so I thought it was just a bad battery too, but when the new battery failed in 3 months I did some research and found the reset procedure on a forum and realized my error.
Miss the glory days. These cars are so compact and tight. Eric to the rescue again 👍
Who is the genius who designed this aspect of the engine compartment? Way to go Ford.
Amazing how much an auto technician has to do to get it done right.
Thanks for the video, and now I know why I need to pay for repairs.
Oh for the days when we all lived in a simple life when you could change a battery by just removing the hold down clamp. What were they thinking? 😅 Enjoyed the adventure.
I think you just troubleshooted the problem...They _weren't_ thinking!
Maybe for an encore they will go back to using internal rubber timing belts on interference engines again. (I'm not sure they didn't!)
Boy, howdy. We have a 2017 Ford Edge which needed a new battery. I had no idea batteries had increased in price to such a degree. Nice job, Mr. O.
I wish I learned this a year ago working on an uncles ford escape. You live and you learn.
So, what did they do: Put the battery on a table and design the car around it?
I had a 2013 and in 2017 had to replace the battery. Closet dealer was an hour away, and no auto parts had done one. So after removing the air cleaner, both wiper arms, the top cowling, I was able to access the battery and replace it. A year later I got rid of it.
That’s pretty much what I had to do to replace the rear bank spark plugs in our 06 Chrysler T&C van. You just about HAVE to do that to do anything at the rear of the engine. But I can’t imagine getting to anything back there if you couldn’t….
A Ford engineer got a bonus for making battery replacement so difficult.
Ahhh yes those were a favorite of mine as a Ford tech. Whenever I would replace these batteries, I would remove the wipers and the cowl. Makes this job much easier 👌
Love that precision torque tool! I want one of those. 😊
Great tutorial! Seems simple but for the DYIers very helpful!! Thanks Eric for your content and sharing it entertainingly so young people can watch and learn. B
Followed your video for my 2017 escape. Very helpful that you pointed out all of the hidden 'Features'. Actually completed the battery change in about an hour (including tool gathering and cleanup). FYI, the owners manual states to leave the car locked for 8 hours, and the BCM will auto learn that the vehicle has a new battery. Thanks again for the very informative series of videos you produce. Love the humor, and you keep them interesting.
Now I understand why some mechanics hate working on Fords
Fords are Okay. What you want to stay away from are those Moe-hick-en Ferds (& other models) that are made south of the border. 😉
... It's a NAFTA thing -- Not Auto Friendly Technology you _American!_
I do these at work all the time. The transit connect is the same process. It leaves you cursing Ford the whole time you’re doing it.
I can't believe I saw this the first thing in the morning. I usually don't come across these videos until, well, later.
Thanks Eric for the entertainment, special thanks to Ford engineering! Wut a comedy.
This video brought back bad memories for me. I changed the battery in my 2013 Ford Escape. I removed the cowl because I didn't know what I was doing, and had all day to do it. I put in a NAPA Gold battery (Not a sponsor), and yes the plastic bits do break.
LoL, every time I tell my wife I'm going to the auto parts store, I tell her "I'm going to NAPA-not-a-sponsor." Some day, I'll explain the reference, but until then, I'll just enjoy the odd look she gives me.
dirties battery replacement I ever watched. excellent torque wrench action. great video as always.
Dodge Avenger. Pull left front tire and wheel housing. Then hope the hold down bolt doesn’t snap off. BTDT.
Just in December i paid a small Ford shop 376,06€, to replace the battery on my '16 Escape with the 2.0 Diesel. Thing literally died during the xmas holidays. Quite a bit of money, but called them at 4pm and next day lunchtime the new battery was in the car. But this video reminds me.. Time to dig out Forscan and get rid of the start-stop crap :D
Changing the oil is probably an engine out procedure on that one 😂
He showed one a year or 2 ago, on a Cadillac if not mistaken. Book time was like 1-2 hours, you had to tear apart the truck to replace the battery.
Nah, no need to replace the oil.
If other things on Fords are anything to go by, the engine oil is probably good for the life of the vehicle🤣👍
Oil change is not too bad... Taking the stupid 'splash shield' cover is a pain... Then it's easy. I left the stupid cover off, so now it's a breeze to change the oil.. :)
@@simonilett998 ain't that the truth. especially for those cars that have the powersh@t transmissions!
Mr Eric O and SMA channel on a Monday morning a beautiful “Double Tap” one-two punch! Ty Sir!
I would watch this man and miss 0 make coffee for 25 minutes.
I bought a new 2022 Escape with the small engine(only car on the dealer's lot after our new car of another brand was totaled by an idiot rear-ending me) and the Escape's battery can be flaky if you don't keep a jump pack handy. The procedure you show is invaluable if you try to change the battery yourself. The car is smoother, quieter, easier and zippier to drive in city traffic than I would have believed, and, most importantly, my wife thinks it's the perfect size for smaller drivers, like her.
I'm a DIY:er. That's why I kept my old Toyota Camry for 24 years. It has a brilliant design. You can even change the heater core without ripping out the dashboard. Note I've never had any reason to do that because of the quality of old Toyotas!
Changing the battery takes a couple of minutes!
2005ish Camry with low miles, gold.
I have two 2017 Ford Escapes. I found it is easier to just remove both wiper blade arms and remove the cowl. Doesn’t take that long. Battery comes straight out with out a struggle.
Yes to all.
Eric you are the man and I'm glad I retired a few years back on working on cars and trucks because they're making it almost impossible for us now
Good job, Eric! I was enjoying all the way, as I had to replace the battery on my Grand C-Max, a couple of weeks ago, and it's the exact same crammed setup. You can, however, reset the BMS by clicking 5 times on the fog light button, followed by 3 times on the hazard button, and the battery light on the dash will happily blink 3 times at you :-)
Hey Eric I have a 2016 Ford escape and I've always had to remove the wipers and the upper drip p an to get my battery out.
I never thought about just removing the air box that's interesting
Same, done a battery on the gen of escape 3 times and each time I just took the wiper cowl out. Much more room to work imo
That’s how I’ve done it as well. Seems like it might be easier. But, this is probably how Ford wants you to do it…
It sure beats going in through the tailpipe .................
Before I replaced my battery in my Escape, I watched a few u-tube videos and showed both ways. Like you, I chose to remove windshield wipers.
It's way easier to take the air filter off and slide the battery out.
What a wonderful design!
Unfortunately most newer cars are designed for building on the assembly line not repair afterwards! So sad.
Eric, thank you for using the old intro!! Have a great week
When labour costs more than the battery!!! Nice job Ford!! 🙂
On my Escape I took the wipers and cowl off. Quick and easy.
I have a 2014 Ford escape. it's much easier to remove the wiper arms (two nuts) and the cowl (eight clips and four bolts) and then the battery is wide open for access. You really made this more complicated than it is.
When it's easier to do an engine bay job on a VW New Beetle you know you have a real winner of a design.
Morning coffee and a little Mr.O who could ask for more.
10/10 for the sound effects. ❤
I just changed the battery in my wife's 2020 VW GTI, and it had all that stuff you mentioned at the end of your video here.
Remember when swapping out a battery took 2 minutes and no computer communication was necessary? They do this on purpose, so you have to go to the dealer and pay FOUR HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLARS rather than swapping it out yourself. (Yes, the local VW dealer quoted me $475 to replace the battery!)
Luckily, I had the scan tool I needed, but your average person isn't going to have that, so they're just screwed.
I've found on those escapes it's less stressful to pull the wiper cowl cover and frame it takes a few minutes more but pretty efficient but Mr O you have given me great knowledge with many many things just my experience on this vehicle
Is it just me or does he sound like he's saying, "Welcome back to the Self Made Auto Channel"?
When I first started watching him, I thought the same thing 😂😂😂
It’s the his New York / Canadian accent lol
It's just the accent I have the same sound lol.
Turn on the Closed Captions!! That's exactly how it interprets it too!! 😂
@@johnpereira822Canadian?? 🤣
I had an Escape in that I had to check powers to the wiper motors, if you remove the wiper arms the Cowell comes of pretty easy and the battery is right there. There is a relearn procedure for the wiper blades which was in my scan tool.
There are some days I am just here for the sound affects! Love this guy!
Great diagnosis as always Eric!
Atleast no one will steal your battery !!
I have a 2017 Escape that needed a battery. The dealer gave me a quote for a new one, and $10 to install it. After it was done, he stated he would never do it again for that price.
A dealer should know better.
You sure it was a dealer, not a sideshow clown?🤣👍
Hi, Mr. O. Thanks for the head's up. I will never buy a Ford Escape. Probably save what grey hairs I have left. Thanks for sharing! Stay Healthy!
You make the simplest of fixes absolutely hilarious.... Great job
If you think the battery is difficult, my 2019 ford transit connect is similar to the Escape and my ABS module went bad and would apply the brakes whenever it wanted with only 15k miles on the clock but I was out of Warranty and they had no parts available and wanted $2600 to replace it but after 4 months of sitting in my driveway still no parts. I went on Ebay and found one for $100 and low and behold I found out the ABS Module and Pump was behind the battery! That was fun times! Not! I did have to buy a scan tool to do the PMI (Forscan was useless for the PMI) but now I'm the neighborhood free mechanic now when someone gets a check engine light. lol
Never admit to buying parts in Ebay! We all do it. We just don't talk about it!
I had never bought any auto part from Ebay tbh but there were no parts available from Ford new which honestly I wanted. But the one I bought I found the Vin and researched it and it was from a wreck in Cali and it only had 7k miles on it and I even found pics online of the Van and it was hit on the passenger side and I said for $100 if it didn't work I was only out $100. It worked and it's been over a year now. So I got lucky. lol @@robdusher357
Would have been easier to, Remove air bag, Steering Column, Instrument cluster and then cut a hole in the fire wall with the torch. From then on just pull out the battery from inside.
There is a easier method than this video shows.
Only Eric O could make changing an Escape battery Must-See-TV! Thanks, sir!
You made this much harder than it has to be. I've done this 4 times. Take off the wiper blades, then take off water shroud and then screw off brake reservoir. Battery is right there and you just lift it out. A 15min job Easy-
always reminds me of those tv commercials from many years ago that 'FORD HAS BETTER IDEAS'.
..and while you're working on one you can say "ford and their better fkn ideas!" 😂😂
remember, "quality is job1"!@@mdotguy
Ford’s mindset: Doesn’t matter if the car’s battery is inaccessible to change out, the car is not designed to last that long!
My glory days consisted of changing a battery on my 1977 Ford LTDII. I miss that old boat - those cars never had any problems - except the nylon timing gears on the 302 V8.
Thank you for the video Eric, now we see the effort required to change a battery on later model vehicles.
1979 Ford LTD II here. Two tone blue, 302, what a beauty of a car.
What a timely video! I literally replaced the battery in my wife's Fusion yesterday and had no idea it needed to be reset. Luckily, nothing out of the ordinary happened....Good lesson, Mr. O!
I figure there is no way that Advance Auto installs these for free. Absolutely ridiculous engineering and design!
Good morning
I've done these the way the book says to, but found it easier and quicker to remove the wipers and cowl. About 7 or 8 clips, to remove the vented section, then 4 bolts to remove the rest of the cowl. The battery is then wide open.
The funniest Eric O video I've seen... and I've been watching and enjoying a long time. Cheers and happy day!
Imagine having to do this at 2:00A.M. in a Walmart parking lot in the middle of Nowhere in a Snowstorm. GOOD JOB FORD! KEEP IT UP!😂
Most drivers should have the foresight to realize their battery is getting weak well before it leaves them stranded. If not they’ll learn to pay attention.
Nice Design FORD --- KEEP IT - A HOLES
Thanks Eric O..... now i have SMA Tourettes...... I now make the torque wrench sound every time i use any wrench or ratchet..... LOL.....
Good guy and family business
Tha KS for sharing even the most simple projects
And even difficuot ones you make look simple
I have to ask .why not remove the cowel instead.and lift the battery up.
A big 👍 for those great geniuses that are the FORD engineers for making it so easy to remove and replace a effing battery.
What's the official book time on that disaster?
Eric, Your repair knowledge is only overshadowed by your humor😂😂😂. Love your little feller comments. Had an AGM battery installed in my '17 Silverado a couple of years ago. That sucker must weigh 52.65 lbs😮😮 Damn thing was solid lead😮😮 Battery shop I've gone to since before I was born didnt completely tighten the cables and I had computer codes coming out my butt the next day, all due to their lack of detail to installation. Ended up taking it to the local Chevy dealer where they screwed around for 3+ hours erasing and resetting every code thrown. I believe the service manager told me there was like 150+ codes found that needed attention?? Is that even possible?? Anyhow, they charged me 1 hr for labor at $125 hr 2 years ago. Went back to the battery shop and gave them a piece of my mind, for what little good that did. When asked why I didn't bring it back, I asked when they became a regular garage?? Told them the next time I need an engine rebuild done I'd bring it in😮😮.
Thanks engineering for making mechanics jobs easy. God blessed you.
Thanks for making this videos.
like eric said in a previous video, it will get to the point where it will exceed the stupid level
Appreciate the Ford Escape battery tips. Remind me never to own a Escape. However that does stop someone I know who actually does and can't find the battery but knows it's bad by the light on the cluster. Now I'm wiser to it.
That makes changing the under seat battery in my 2014 Dodge Durango look like a fun Friday evening project.
Does service data say to remove the cowl? That’s how I’ve always done them
Agreed. It seems like from the camera angle that you could just pull up and out if the cowl was removed. That being said, wtf?
Same. I have a '14 Ess Cop Ay, and I just do the wipers and cowl trick. The wipers are easy to realign, and kind of do it themselves too. Only car I've seen where the wipers can be moved/rotated when the car is off.
"Sorry I can't give you a jump without removing the wipers and cowl first."
Eric, this is probably a dumb question and no doubt you've explored the possibility, but wouldn't it be easier to remove the cowl above the battery?
Does advance auto change these for free ? LOL
If I recall correctly it doesn't really buy you much. I did this job as a DIY in my driveway a few years back. Did not enjoy it lol.
The less you need to touch, the less chance something important breaks I guess.
The best and most entertaining person on YT. The Mr. and Mrs. O family. Should have 5 million Subs. Thank you. Keep doing what you are doing, never change.
Geez, what a cluster! Definitely need to drag a Ford designer down there & make him replace the battery! He'd have an epiphany!
Ugh. Makes me glad i drive old stuff I can still work on. Everytime I think about getting a newer car or truck I watch these videos and I decide to stick with what I have...
Looking at buying a diesel pickup and have narrowed it down to 2001-2003 Dodge Ram 2500 w/the 6 speed manual for this very reason.
I thought the battery placement in my Mother's Chrysler Intrepid was bad.