For owners of a 2016 Ford Explorer, maintaining optimal vehicle performance is paramount. A crucial component often overlooked is the Battery Monitoring System (BMS). This system plays a vital role in managing your vehicle’s battery health and electrical system efficiency. Understanding the BMS, especially when it comes to battery replacements or electrical issues, is essential, and that’s where having the best scan tool for your 2016 Ford Explorer becomes invaluable.
The 2016 Ford Explorer, belonging to the Gen 2 Edge/MKX/Nautilus family, utilizes a sophisticated Electrical Management System. This system relies on algorithms within the Body Control Module (BCM), battery age calculations, and historical battery voltage data to optimize charging and manage electrical loads. The Battery Monitoring Sensor, typically located on the negative battery terminal, is the eye of this system, constantly measuring and relaying crucial data.
One critical procedure related to the BMS is the BMS reset. According to Ford’s workshop manuals, a BMS reset on a 2016 Ford Explorer (and similar Gen 2 vehicles) is specifically intended for use only when a new battery is installed. This reset serves a vital purpose: it essentially tells the BMS, “Hey, there’s a fresh battery here!” By initiating a reset, you clear the old battery’s time-in-service counter and erase the stored battery voltage history. This action provides the BCM with a clean slate of data, allowing its algorithms to accurately learn and manage the charging and load shedding strategies for the new battery.
However, issues can arise that might necessitate a BMS reset or, more accurately, highlight the need for proper diagnostics. Incorrect jump-starting or external battery charging procedures are common culprits. If the negative lead of a jump starter or charger is inadvertently connected to the negative battery post instead of a chassis ground, it can disrupt the Battery Monitoring Sensor’s readings, leading to inaccurate data being recorded by the BCM.
In such cases, the 2016 Ford Explorer’s BMS is designed to self-correct. If faulty data is detected, the system requires a period of undisturbed sleep – typically around 8 hours – to re-establish a valid historical voltage baseline. During this time, the vehicle should be locked, with all doors, hood, and liftgate securely closed, and no electrical draws exceeding 300mA. This allows the system to recalibrate without intervention.
If this 8-hour undisturbed period isn’t observed after such an incident, you might experience premature load shedding events in your 2016 Ford Explorer. Load shedding is the vehicle’s way of conserving battery power by temporarily disabling non-essential electrical functions. While it’s a protective measure, experiencing it unnecessarily can be inconvenient.
A preventative measure to avoid these data errors during jump-starts or charging is to always connect the negative lead to a designated body ground point, such as a shock tower bolt. This ensures the Battery Monitoring Sensor remains in the circuit and continues to provide accurate readings, negating the need for extended sleep periods and potential BMS confusion. When connected correctly, the system typically recalibrates during normal vehicle downtime within 4-6 hours of sleep mode during everyday use.
While the BMS in a 2016 Ford Explorer is quite sophisticated, it’s not infallible. When you encounter electrical issues, battery drain problems, or after replacing the battery, a scan tool becomes an indispensable asset. The best scan tool for your 2016 Ford Explorer will not only allow you to perform a necessary BMS reset after battery replacement but also provide crucial diagnostic information about the battery’s state of health, charging system performance, and potential parasitic drains.
Investing in a quality scan tool ensures you can:
- Perform BMS Resets: Essential after battery replacement to properly initialize the new battery within the system.
- Read Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): Identify any error codes related to the BMS, battery, or charging system, providing clues to underlying issues.
- Monitor Battery Voltage and Charging System Parameters: Real-time data monitoring helps assess the health and performance of your battery and charging system.
- Clear Codes: After addressing issues, clear DTCs to ensure accurate system readings going forward.
For a 2016 Ford Explorer, the best scan tool should ideally offer features beyond basic OBD-II diagnostics. Look for a tool that specifically supports BMS reset functions for Ford vehicles and offers advanced features like live data streaming and system tests. This level of capability empowers you to proactively maintain your vehicle’s electrical system, diagnose problems efficiently, and ensure your 2016 Ford Explorer remains reliable and performs at its best. By understanding the BMS and utilizing the right scan tool, you can take control of your vehicle’s battery health and avoid unnecessary electrical system headaches.
