Powertrain, generic · Hybrid propulsion

P0DC1 Hybrid/EV Battery Cell Balancing Circuit F Stuck On

Check engine lightOn
EmissionsRelevant
Drive cycleRequired
Limp modePossible

P0DC1 says that the bleed path of cell group F appears to stay engaged. Ford lists it for the BECM of its full and plug-in hybrids in the OBD system summaries of model years 2014 to 2019. The battery there is split into fourteen balancing circuits, A to N, each looking after six cells. The check runs for 100 ms at every power-up while the main contactors are still open, so no load current blurs the readings: if any of the six cells in a circuit strays more than 75 mV from the mean of all cell voltages (in the 2019 summary for 0.1 s), the circuit is judged stuck. A group drained by a closed switch during standstill shows up exactly this way. Paragraph (e)(15.2.3) of the CARB regulation explicitly allows such switch-response monitoring. Opposite case: P0DC2.

Likely causes

Bleed transistor of group F shorted, so the resistor stays connected
Monitoring chip output keeps the switch of circuit F enabled
A cell of group F with high self-discharge mimicking a drained group

Symptoms

  • Check engine light with hybrid battery warning after a cold start
  • Cells of group F clearly below the pack average after standstill
  • Reduced electric range or assistance

Repair estimate

DifficultyShop_onlyWorkshop job
Parts and labour€300–4,500
Time1.5–8 h

Typical range across vehicles; the real cost depends on what the testing finds.

Parts involved

hv battery cell balancing circuit fbms

Related codes

P0DABP0DC0P0DC2P0DC3P0DBDP0DE6

References: law.cornell.edu, fordservicecontent.com.