Buying a hybrid often comes with promises of efficiency and lower running costs. What many buyers don’t expect to learn three years later is that replacing a basic battery might involve removing interior panels and rear-seat trim. That disconnect between expectation and reality is at the heart of a video now making the rounds online.
A viral TikTok from Ford Maverick Hybrid owner Marissa (@marissafuel) shows us the substantial disassembly required to replace the battery in her 2022 hybrid. You get the idea that little detail might have given her second thoughts when she bought the vehicle.
“Weird way to make it,” is her understated comment in the caption of the clip, which has been viewed more than 235,000 times.
One of the first points of confusion in the comment section is which battery Marissa is replacing. This is not the high-voltage hybrid battery pack that powers the Maverick’s electric motor. Instead, it’s the 12-volt auxiliary battery, the same type of low-voltage battery found in gasoline vehicles, responsible for running electronics, accessories, and control modules.
Hybrid and EV traction batteries are designed to last many years and are covered by long-term warranties, while 12-volt batteries are consumable components. Most automakers consider three to five years a typical lifespan, depending on climate, usage patterns, and electrical load. Ford makes this distinction clear in the Maverick Hybrid owner’s manual, which lists the 12-volt battery as routine maintenance rather than a hybrid-system component.
Why The Battery Lives Behind The Seat
In the Maverick Hybrid, the 12-volt battery is mounted behind the rear passenger seat, rather than under the hood as it is in the gasoline-only Maverick. Space constraints and safety considerations common across hybrids drive that packaging choice.
The Maverick’s engine bay already houses a gasoline engine, electric motor, power electronics, and cooling systems. Moving the auxiliary battery to the rear helps free up space, improves weight distribution, and keeps the battery away from frontal crumple zones in a collision, an approach used by many automakers across hybrid and EV platforms.
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Toyota, Hyundai, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have all placed 12-volt batteries under rear seats, in trunks, or beneath interior panels on various hybrid and EV models.
This is where Marissa’s video collides with a wave of pushback from mechanics, dealership technicians, and Maverick owners who say the job can be done with far less interior removal than what the TikTok shows.
Multiple commenters, including users who identified themselves as former Ford dealership employees, said the battery can be removed without taking out large trim panels, noting that all mounting bolts are accessible with extensions and careful positioning. Others countered that while it may be possible, it’s far from intuitive for a first-time DIYer and still requires working in a confined space with limited visibility.
That disagreement reflects a broader truth about modern vehicles: Service procedures that are straightforward for trained technicians don’t always translate cleanly to owners following intuition alone. Ford’s official service procedures, which are not publicly accessible in full, assume specialized tools and experience, something YouTube tutorials often fill in for consumers.
A Known Issue With Early Maverick Hybrids
Several commenters also pointed to a known issue affecting early Maverick Hybrids involving parasitic battery drain while parked. In 2022, Ford issued a software update to address excessive draw caused by control modules staying awake longer than intended.
Before the fix was widely deployed, some dealers reported prematurely replacing 12-volt batteries, sometimes more than once, before identifying the root cause.
For many drivers, the frustration is about how much modern vehicles ask of owners for tasks that once felt simple. As cars become more electronically complex, with start-stop systems, advanced driver-assistance features, and always-on connectivity, the humble 12-volt battery is under more strain than ever. At the same time, tighter packaging and safety standards mean fewer components are easily accessible without partial disassembly.
That combination has made even routine maintenance feel opaque, especially for owners transitioning from older vehicles or shopping for hybrids for the first time. It’s a trend affecting the entire industry, not just Ford.
For current and prospective Maverick Hybrid owners, the takeaway isn’t that the truck is defective or uniquely poorly designed. It’s that hybrid ownership comes with different service realities, and those realities are worth understanding before something goes wrong.
A three-year 12-volt battery replacement isn’t alarming on its own. What catches owners off guard is learning about access challenges after the fact.
InsideEVs reached out to Marissa via direct message and comment on the clip. We’ll update this if they respond.
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