Wrecked my car today - nobody injured

[EVA]

Our 2013 Ford Focus Electric was probably totalled today. This was a front end passenger side collision with a Saturn Vue SUV going about 30 MPH. The Focus was spun 180 degrees, the correct air bags all went off. And nobody was injured save a cut on a leg. It could have been much worse.

I posted this message to make sure you all know how to disconnect the high voltage battery. Firemen and tow truck drivers have absolutely no idea where the disconnect is on this car. I'm grateful to the person in this forum that posted the emergency responder PDF and that I read that thing a week ago. I never figured I would need to know that. Ford's literature was also confusing to me - there are two disconnects, one in the car and one in the rear wheel well on the passenger side (a black, impossible to find box). Apparently, pulling either disconnect unplugs both batteries.

The other reason I post this - none of the Ford safety things in My Ford Touch or My Ford Mobile worked. The system tried to dial 911, but never managed to connect. It never tried a second time. None of the alarms I configured in the mobile notifications worked either. Honestly, this is just too darn strange - the battery is disconnected on this car, but the My Ford Mobile car health tab is saying everything is fine. Not a single alert was thrown by this system.

One good thing did happen, we think the flashers were automatically turned on. No clue how that happened.

So please, please, please - go read how to disconnect your battery. Then go find the disconnects in your car.

A few very sad pictures:

The liquid on the ground is the coolant and windshield washer fluid. Something tells me the battery coolant pump ran a long time after the one of the lines was broken.

Ever wonder about the radiator behind that beautiful front clip - well there it is and a whole lot bigger than I imagined. Notice those beautiful side curtain air bags - they really work. And somehow the windshield wipers were pushed up.

By far the saddest picture of them all.

 

[charlestonleafer]

Wow, that looks a lot for a 30mph collision. Glad to hear everyone is safe!

 

[Susan]

Glad to read you and your family were not injured. Are you considering replacing your car with the same one? Would you mind pointing us to where you found the battery disconnect PDF? I am searching key words without success. Many thanks.

 

[unplugged]

Would you mind pointing us to where you found the battery disconnect PDF?

I second this request.

Also, have you contacted Ford directly? They would no doubt be interested in looking at how the FFE handled the collision. Also, you might bring to their attention the problem with the 911 Alert not working.

And how does the Saturn look? I have this theory that the substantial weight of the FFE would result in the FFE inflicting more damage on the other vehicle. Were both vehicles going 30 MPH?

 

[jmueller065]

That guide can be found in this thread:

http://www.myfocuselectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1166&p=4905

 

[JTCalif]

Thank you.

I just downloaded those 2 from the thread jmueller065 posted; shall read at least the parts about disconnect.

 

[robochimp]

Wow! Glad everyone is OK.

I'd be very surprised if an "inertial cutoff switch" wasn't part of
the design of the FFE - most cars have them to switch off the 12v current
to the fuel pump in an accident. In our car case the inertia switch
would cut current 12v to the "main contactor" which acts as the
disconnect to the High Voltage pack.

Thanks for the docs... Ill be reading up, too

 

[v_traveller]

Well would you look at that... the charge door stayed closed. The way it unexpectedly pops out on its own, I'd think it would fly off and hit something across the street.

Seriously, thanks so much for the comprehensive report, pictures, and advice. Glad to hear everyone inside was protected. If you could, please keep us posted on the aftermath; such experience is invaluable.

 

[WattsUp]

Wow, that looks a lot for a 30mph collision. Glad to hear everyone is safe!

If both cars were going 30mph, then the head-on collision was 60mph.

 

[EVA]

Oh, no they weren't both going 30 MPH, the FFE was creeping to turn and the Saturn was going straight into the intersection. The speed limit on that road is 35. There wouldn't be any skidmarks given ABS today. I suspect the person driving the Saturn was "distracted" and probably barely braked before the accident.

Yes, I am very happy nobody was hurt - my son only a minor injury.

You know I never thought of sharing this with Ford. That's probably a good idea.

The 12V did not cut off as somebody suspected. In fact I can still communicate with the car even now. I haven't tried to remote start it or lock the doors, but it still does updates on My Ford Mobile.

The Saturn was not driveable. It had a fair amount of damage, but not nearly as bad as the Ford. I would guess the stiffer parts of the Saturn hit softer parts of the Ford (high car versus lower car). The Saturn bounced off the Ford and hit a BMW X5, wrecking the driver side suspension on that car.

Thanks so much for posting the link to that emergency response document. Glad you all got a chance to look at it.

Oh - yes I am going to replace the car with the same thing. Well same thing - I'm probably going to buy a 2014. There's one available in the area, same color, same options, just a 2014. Yeah, we loved the car way too much. Everybody in the family argued over driving it.

 

[EVA]

Well would you look at that... the charge door stayed closed. The way it unexpectedly pops out on its own, I'd think it would fly off and hit something across the street.
quote]
That's just way too funny to pass up. You are absolutely correct - it should have popped off and hurt somebody standing at the intersection!

I was surprised by the windshield wipers ending up where they did - straight up and down.

 

[unplugged]

I was surprised by the windshield wipers ending up where they did - straight up and down.

The wipers do weird things after an accident. I remember looking at the video of Dick Van Dyke's Jag catching fire recently. One of the last things it did as it was lit up in flames is that the wipers started wiping. Sad, really, it was like the car was taking its last gasp of life before it turned to ashes.

At the 1:45 mark:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPiG3gFRjHE

 

[WattsUp]

No, it's a Jag... that's the first time the wipers worked!

 

[EVA]

The shop hasn't completed the estimate yet. I would really like them to total the car - I can go buy a new one quickly. If they repair it I'm looking at 3-4 weeks in the shop. The damage is getting close to the gray zone for total or repair. They have to tear down more of the car to see if there is hidden mechanical damage than they thought.

I can't believe how much that car became a part of our family, we all miss it. I also can't believe how much I hate filling up a gas tank now. And how expensive gas is.

Figured I would pass along this phone number, it is supposed to be the Ford Electric Support hot line. Or at least that's what the Ford customer service person told me:
800-782-4356
Never tried the number, so your mileage may vary.

 

[EVA]

The car was totaled today.

It was interesting to see all the front end components removed - radiator, bumper, etc. Funny, when I opened the car door the cooling fan started up (it's a big honking electric motor below the engine). The 12V battery is still connected. The electric motor housing appeared to be cracked.

The car hasn't run since Sept. 1, 2 weeks. The battery is still fine. I'm thinking those people reporting 12V batteries dead after a few days of non-use, there is something wrong.

I'm shopping for a replacement. It will be the same car, just a 2014.

 

[v_traveller]

Only time I had a car totaled it took more than two weeks to get paid off - for some reason the insurance company was dragging their feet, that is until I mentioned that I'm finally going to see a doctor about a stiff neck... got the check in the mail a few days after that.

Good to hear that after only two weeks of waiting, you are allowed to move forward... don't forget to show us what you get!

 

[EVA]

The story ends very well. State Farm was more than generous with the settlement. They paid off my loan completely. Everything in the world about this was a pleasure with State Farm. Everybody was nice, helpful, gave me the answers I wanted to hear, and helped me get through the mess of things you have to do. Great big kudos to them.

I just picked up the replacement car. The original's name was EVA. The replacement will be Wally. Yeah, for some reason we liked that idea and the movie. He might get named Wall-E I'm not sure yet.

My dealer did a great job getting the new car and giving us a great deal on the replacement. Well, it is the third car in one year we've bought from them.

2014 Platinum white with leather. Whoever is keeping track, nothing really changed with the 2014. The visor still does not have Homelink in it (so that had to be changed back out) and the interior lamps are all still incandescent. Honestly, I don't think there is one thing different. It looks like Ford just one day said, hey guys that one is a 2013, the next one through is a 2014. Keep working.

 

[EVA]

On the original car, I can no longer update the car through MFM. The 12V battery has either died or has been disconnected. And in Ford's infinite wisdom, the car status is now Green Check good for everything. On the other hand, the locate this car still works. I have no idea how or why, but I can still see the car location.

 

[v_traveller]

On the original car, I can no longer update the car through MFM. The 12V battery has either died or has been disconnected. And in Ford's infinite wisdom, the car status is now Green Check good for everything. On the other hand, the locate this car still works. I have no idea how or why, but I can still see the car location.

Whoa, that's wierd... Dead to us, yet all is well... So where is it... heaven?


Congrats on the new ride! Love the color.

 

[bev_la]

Our FFE was in a rear end collision yesterday. Drive hit the car while stopped for a pedestrian. Every one is OK. Damage is not quite as bad. Can I ask what State Farm used for the value. KBB does not have the FFE for 2013? If the repair is ~15k, and the value is $30k, I would be close to 50%...