Something odd...

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This is regarding my wife's 2012 Fusion with the 3.0 liter engine. The car has 21,000 miles on it. This morning my wife went to go to the store and when she turned the key all she got was a solenoid click. Not even a slow crank, just the clicking. I went check on things, and the eye on the stock Motorcraft battery is green, voltage was reading 10.33 volts, which is just a bit low. I jumped it and let it run for 10 minutes or so, then shut it down and tried to restart and it slow cranked and began clicking.

Now then, after sitting all day with plans to take it to the Ford house in the morning, just to see I tried it again. It slow cranked and started. After running 20 minutes it now starts and runs normally. Voltage running is 14.90, which to me also seems kind of low.

What would have caused a failure like this one? Nothing was plugged in lighter sockets nor USB sockets. Lights were off as well, nothing on that would have drained the battery overnight (if cars even allow this to happen anymore). I am unsure whether to take it to the Ford house tomorrow or just drive it, but I also don't want it stranding her either.
 
Voltage running is usually ~ 14.4 to 14.6 or so. If nothing was left on overnight, then you may have a shorted cell. In any case the battery should be checked. Ed
 
Ford ranger bought new, the the eye was reddish orange from day one, never turned green, stayed that way for the seven years i owned the truck.

10.3 volts, my guess bad cell.
 
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Eye is for a cell, not all cells.
Just seems fishy, enough that I'd get a new battery and eliminate that part.
 
Were you being sarcastic about the voltage being a bit low? Sorry, I can be slow at times :p
 
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Originally Posted By: hypervish
Kind of early for a battery, only 2 maybe 3 years old. Whatever, warranty for the win!
He lives in Louisiana, and the constant hot weather can wear out a battery in 3 years.

Engine bays with high heat can make the problem worse. I remember my mom's 1985 Nissan Maxima wouldn't even get 2 years from a battery. In that car, the fitted a V6 engine where a 4-cylinder belonged, and there weren't many places that dissipated heat.
 
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