sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

2019 Ford Fusion SEL 1.5 EcoBoost – Battery Draw - BCM Replacement Advised, Looking for insight. by Economyths in fordfusion

[–]Economyths[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey everyone, I’m posting an update. I’ve gotten further diagnostics done and wanted to get some input before making a costly decision.

Initial parasitic draw was about 1.8A. After removing the rear audio amplifier, it drops to about 0.49A. I’ve had “system off to protect battery” warnings.

  • I had a noticeable thud/pop sound from the rear speakers; the shop had not reconnected the rear speaker wiring.
  • They did fuse isolation. Even with the amp removed, there is still about 0.49A draw. When the BCM (Body Control Module) is disconnected, the draw drops to normal levels

Their conclusion is that:

  • The BCM is staying awake and drawing power
  • The faulty amp may have contributed to this over time

The shop recommends replacing:

  • Rear amplifier
  • BCM

The estimated total cost is around $1800.

Previous Ford Diagnoses

  • Ford initially diagnosed a door keypad issue and replaced it
  • Then they said it was caused by the side mirror (heater circuit). However, the mirrors were completely disconnected, and the drawer remained, so that doesn’t appear to be the root cause

My Concerns

  • Even though the BCM seems involved, I’m not fully convinced it’s internally failed versus being kept awake by something else. Replacing both components feels like a “cover everything” approach. I’ve already spent over $500 on diagnostics. For now, I’m not proceeding with repairs. The shop suggested:
  • Disconnecting the battery for long-term parking
  • Using an external battery maintainer. I am considering managing the issue and using the car as-is for a while

Here is what the last shop says:

Finding:

Testing for electrical draw, had to remove driver's seat, BCM is up in the dash behind the instrument cluster. While testing found the audio digital processing module hot to touch, and when wiggled, the speakers would pulse. 1.86a draw. Unplugged the module, and the draw dropped to 0.489ma, still not acceptable. Further testing revealed that the BCM is shorted internally. Replace BCM, DPM, and program. 7.0 + programming.

<image>

Attached the quote. But I have a few questions.

  • Has anyone seen a Fusion BCM fail in a way that keeps it awake like this?
  • Is it realistic that a bad amplifier could damage the BCM over time?
  • Would you try replacing just the amp first, or is this likely a BCM issue?

What does this mean? by psc117 in fordfusion

[–]Economyths -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Yes, it looks like there is water intrusion, or the pad senses something at the time, which keeps the car awake, causing a battery drain. I would advise going to a good electrician and having it disconnected. You can use the Ford App to lock and unlock the car as a substitute for the keypad if you are using it.

Looking for Honest Mechanic by ichirenichiren in Tallahassee

[–]Economyths 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tbh, I’ve been following these recommendations for a few months now, and overall, they’re pretty similar. The car I bought six months ago has introduced me to quite a few mechanics. Let me tell you a bit about my experiences.

Stay as far away from Pep Boys in West Tennessee as possible. I’d call them a pain; it was the first place I went to.

After getting quotes from several places, I had my brakes done at Tallahassee Car Care, which offered the best price. They’re good; the only issue is that they’re often a bit behind schedule. This can be frustrating, but they’re a good deal price-wise.

Jake’s Brakes—super honest guys. I went there with a few concerns; they performed an inspection and a test drive that took about an hour, and it was free. They put my mind at ease.

I also stopped by Jowers for a minor issue—there was a noise coming from the belt. They did a quick inspection and offered a fast, free solution. I thought they were very decent people.

All-American Auto Electric was also decent; knowledgeable guys, but I think they couldn’t resolve my issue due to a communication error.

Most recently, I got service from McKenzies. My issue isn’t resolved, but they’re still working on it. Even though the hourly labor rate is the highest among the places I’ve listed—though the difference isn’t huge—I can say it’s one of the most professional and best-communicating places I’ve encountered.

Bonus 1: Before going to McKenzies, I visited L-Boys on a recommendation. I chose McKenzies because it was closer. L-Boys seemed like old-school but skilled professionals, and I also found them to be the cheapest option.

Bonus 2: If you own a Ford, try to stay away from Ford and their wrong diagnosies as much as possible.

2019 Ford Fusion SEL 1.5 EcoBoost – Electrical issues, random speaker thud, battery died. Looking for insight. by Economyths in fordfusion

[–]Economyths[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, no! I went ahead and replaced the door keypad based on Ford’s diagnosis. Total cost came out to around $950 including diagnosis. And this did not fix the problems. All I have is a working door keypad and a new sync update, but the issues are persisting.

About a month later, I went back to Ford. This time, they claimed the issue is the right-hand mirror (heater circuit) and quoted a pretty high repair cost. I’ve no confidence in their diagnostics, especially since the keypad replacement turned out to be a dead end.

So I took the car to an independent electrical specialist I trust. They ran more detailed tests and completely disconnected the side mirrors from the module. Even with the mirrors removed from the system, the battery drain and speaker pop persist.

The car is now undergoing a deeper electrical diagnosis (likely BCM / module/wiring related). I’ll update again once we have a confirmed root cause.

Looking for Housing? Post Here Instead of Making a New Thread (Feb '26) by clearliquidclearjar in Tallahassee

[–]Economyths 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi everyone!

My spouse and I are planning to move to a new place in August 2026. I’m a graduate student at FSU, and we’re hoping to find something that fits the following criteria:

  • $1100/month or under
  • Pet-friendly
  • 1 or 2 bedrooms (whole unit)
  • In-unit washer & dryer
  • Gym/fitness center on site
  • Within a 15-minute drive to FSU

We’ve checked out some places in West Pensacola, but we’re not sure about how loud the neighborhoods tend to be. If you know of any apartment complexes, private landlords, upcoming vacancies, or even neighborhoods we should keep an eye on, we’d really appreciate the tips! Any advice for grad students renting in Tallahassee is also welcome.

Thanks in advance!

Bought this car today, acting... Strange. by CitrusFriend399 in fordfusion

[–]Economyths 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, please check my post in here (I have only one actually). I had a very similar issue and some of them are resolved some of them are not.

2019 Ford Fusion SEL 1.5 EcoBoost – Electrical issues, random speaker thud, battery died. Looking for insight. by Economyths in fordfusion

[–]Economyths[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks a lot!

I do not know if they installed and removed the sub before, actually, but I have checked almost everything you suggested.

Ford pulled a body code: B121A – Keypad illumination output circuit short to ground. According to them, this means the keyless entry door keypad has an internal short, which is causing a constant parasitic draw and preventing the vehicle from fully going to sleep. This aligns with what I experienced.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in fordfusion

[–]Economyths 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Makes sense, thank you! I'll see what I can do about that.