Battery firmware lockout: Difference between revisions

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When the battery is outside its operating range, such as overcharged, overcharged, overheated, unbalanced(in multi-celled battery packs), the BMS prevents the battery from further usage, limiting damage. However, the BMS should resume normal operation when the battery is back within operating range. Instead, the BMS changes bytes in its memory, leading to a "Permanent Fail (PF)" state, preventing the use of said battery even after reconditioning or repairing.

Documentations from known BMS manufacturers such as Texas Instruments said the device can permanently disable the use of the battery pack in case of a "severe failure"<ref>[https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf? https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf?]</ref>. However users report the battery is "bricked" after scenarios like long-term storage, discharging laptop overnight or use a power tool in warm environment while charging it cool, indicating the manufacturers have abused the BMS program, exaggerating the nature of the failure as a from of [[self-destructive design]].

Documentations from known BMS manufacturers such as Texas Instruments said the device can permanently disable the use of the battery pack in case of a "severe failure"<ref>[https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf? https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf?] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250604023257/https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf Archived])</ref>. However users report the battery is "bricked" after scenarios like long-term storage, discharging laptop overnight or use a power tool in warm environment while charging it cool, indicating the manufacturers have abused the BMS program, exaggerating the nature of the failure as a from of [[self-destructive design]].

To make matters worse, many of the BMS needs "access code" to read and change it's parameters, including runtime ones like the "Permanent Fail" flag. The unlock or unseal code is kept secret by the battery's manufacturer, making user and third-parties very difficult, if not impossible, to repair said battery<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 Sep 2019 |title=Experiences with TI BQ management IC’s when re-building laptop batteries? |url=https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/experiences-with-ti-bq-management-ics-when-revelling-laptop-batteries/?all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926193741/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/experiences-with-ti-bq-management-ics-when-revelling-laptop-batteries/?all |archive-date=26 Sep 2024 |access-date=13 Sep 2025 |website=EEVblog Electronics Community Forum}}</ref>.

Alarmingly, the condition of "bricking" includes "Capacity Degradation Permanent Failure"<ref>[https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf? https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf?]</ref>, which means the manufacturers can artificially limit the battery pack's lifespan, making it unusable after a certain health (e.g 80%).

Alarmingly, the condition of "bricking" includes "Capacity Degradation Permanent Failure"<ref>[https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf? https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf?] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250826014752/https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf Archived])</ref>, which means the manufacturers can artificially limit the battery pack's lifespan, making it unusable after a certain health (e.g 80%).

==Why it is a problem==

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===Environmental impact===

Lithium-ion batteries are 95% recyclable, however, only about 5% of them are actually recycled<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 Sep 2022 |title=Lithium ion battery recycling |url=https://www.cas.org/resources/cas-insights/lithium-ion-battery-recycling?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live}}</ref>. BMS firmware lockout increases the number of battery packs end up in waste, increasing pollution. Some of the materials like cobalt, are hazardous.

Lithium-ion batteries are 95% recyclable, however, only about 5% of them are actually recycled<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 Sep 2022 |title=Lithium ion battery recycling |url=https://www.cas.org/resources/cas-insights/lithium-ion-battery-recycling?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260216013331/https://www.cas.org/resources/cas-insights/lithium-ion-battery-recycling?utm_source=chatgpt.com |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>. BMS firmware lockout increases the number of battery packs end up in waste, increasing pollution. Some of the materials like cobalt, are hazardous.

===Undermining ownership===

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===Commercial UAVs===

DJI, a well known commercial UAV manufacturer, locks out the battery after long-term storage, claiming over-discharging damages the battery, even if the chemistry is still recoverable. Users who successfully "revives" the battery packs by charging their cells using a bench power supply and clearing the failure code, reports restored functionality<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-21 |title=Reviving dead batteries - a heads up |url=https://mavicpilots.com/threads/reviving-dead-batteries-a-heads-up.146169/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250618000130/https://mavicpilots.com/threads/reviving-dead-batteries-a-heads-up.146169/ |archive-date=2025-06-18 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=MavicPilots}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-02 |title=DJI Battery Killer repairing tool |url=https://greyarro.ws/t/dji-battery-killer-repairing-tool/68863 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Grey Arrows Drone Club |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210084910/https://greyarro.ws/t/dji-battery-killer-repairing-tool/68863 |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McLoughlin |first=Liam |date=2023-10-01 |title=Repairing the DJI Spark Drone Battery with DJI Battery Killer, CP2112, & 9V battery |url=https://leelum.com/projects/repairing-the-dji-spark-drone-battery-with-dji-battery-killer-cp2112-9v-battery/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211065622/https://leelum.com/projects/repairing-the-dji-spark-drone-battery-with-dji-battery-killer-cp2112-9v-battery/ |archive-date=2024-12-11 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Leelum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DJI Battery Killer: Reviving Bricked DJI Drone Batteries with CP2112 & BMS Reset |url=https://www.elektroda.com/qa,dji-battery-killer-cp2112-bms-reset.html |url-status=live |website=elektroda}}</ref>. However some users reported "authentication failed"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-23 |title=Mavic pro battery authentication failed after clear pf |url=https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-pro-battery-authentication-failed-after-clear-pf.144987/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=MavicPilots |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250517190808/https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-pro-battery-authentication-failed-after-clear-pf.144987/ |archive-date=17 May 2025}}</ref> suggesting the possibility of parts serialization<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenlee |first=Lauren |date=2023-01-17 |title=How Parts Pairing Kills Independent Repair |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/69320/how-parts-pairing-kills-independent-repair |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250811033531/https://www.ifixit.com/News/69320/how-parts-pairing-kills-independent-repair |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=iFixit}}</ref>.

DJI, a well known commercial UAV manufacturer, locks out the battery after long-term storage, claiming over-discharging damages the battery, even if the chemistry is still recoverable. Users who successfully "revives" the battery packs by charging their cells using a bench power supply and clearing the failure code, reports restored functionality<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-21 |title=Reviving dead batteries - a heads up |url=https://mavicpilots.com/threads/reviving-dead-batteries-a-heads-up.146169/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250618000130/https://mavicpilots.com/threads/reviving-dead-batteries-a-heads-up.146169/ |archive-date=2025-06-18 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=MavicPilots}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-02 |title=DJI Battery Killer repairing tool |url=https://greyarro.ws/t/dji-battery-killer-repairing-tool/68863 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Grey Arrows Drone Club |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210084910/https://greyarro.ws/t/dji-battery-killer-repairing-tool/68863 |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McLoughlin |first=Liam |date=2023-10-01 |title=Repairing the DJI Spark Drone Battery with DJI Battery Killer, CP2112, & 9V battery |url=https://leelum.com/projects/repairing-the-dji-spark-drone-battery-with-dji-battery-killer-cp2112-9v-battery/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211065622/https://leelum.com/projects/repairing-the-dji-spark-drone-battery-with-dji-battery-killer-cp2112-9v-battery/ |archive-date=2024-12-11 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Leelum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DJI Battery Killer: Reviving Bricked DJI Drone Batteries with CP2112 & BMS Reset |url=https://www.elektroda.com/qa,dji-battery-killer-cp2112-bms-reset.html |url-status=live |website=elektroda |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260216013455/https://www.elektroda.com/qa,dji-battery-killer-cp2112-bms-reset.html |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>. However some users reported "authentication failed"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-23 |title=Mavic pro battery authentication failed after clear pf |url=https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-pro-battery-authentication-failed-after-clear-pf.144987/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=MavicPilots |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250517190808/https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-pro-battery-authentication-failed-after-clear-pf.144987/ |archive-date=17 May 2025}}</ref> suggesting the possibility of parts serialization<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenlee |first=Lauren |date=2023-01-17 |title=How Parts Pairing Kills Independent Repair |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/69320/how-parts-pairing-kills-independent-repair |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250811033531/https://www.ifixit.com/News/69320/how-parts-pairing-kills-independent-repair |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=iFixit}}</ref>.

===Home appliances===

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 When the battery is outside its operating range, such as overcharged, overcharged, overheated, unbalanced(in multi-celled battery packs), the BMS prevents the battery from further usage, limiting damage. However, the BMS should resume normal operation when the battery is back within operating range. Instead, the BMS changes bytes in its memory, leading to a "Permanent Fail (PF)" state, preventing the use of said battery even after reconditioning or repairing.
-Documentations from known BMS manufacturers such as Texas Instruments said the device can permanently disable the use of the battery pack in case of a "severe failure"<ref>[https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf? https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf?]</ref>. However users report the battery is "bricked" after scenarios like long-term storage, discharging laptop overnight or use a power tool in warm environment while charging it cool, indicating the manufacturers have abused the BMS program, exaggerating the nature of the failure as a from of [[self-destructive design]].
+Documentations from known BMS manufacturers such as Texas Instruments said the device can permanently disable the use of the battery pack in case of a "severe failure"<ref>[https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf? https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf?] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250604023257/https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/sluua43a/sluua43a.pdf Archived])</ref>. However users report the battery is "bricked" after scenarios like long-term storage, discharging laptop overnight or use a power tool in warm environment while charging it cool, indicating the manufacturers have abused the BMS program, exaggerating the nature of the failure as a from of [[self-destructive design]].
 To make matters worse, many of the BMS needs "access code" to read and change it's parameters, including runtime ones like the "Permanent Fail" flag. The unlock or unseal code is kept secret by the battery's manufacturer, making user and third-parties very difficult, if not impossible, to repair said battery<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 Sep 2019 |title=Experiences with TI BQ management IC’s when re-building laptop batteries? |url=https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/experiences-with-ti-bq-management-ics-when-revelling-laptop-batteries/?all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926193741/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/experiences-with-ti-bq-management-ics-when-revelling-laptop-batteries/?all |archive-date=26 Sep 2024 |access-date=13 Sep 2025 |website=EEVblog Electronics Community Forum}}</ref>.
-Alarmingly, the condition of "bricking" includes "Capacity Degradation Permanent Failure"<ref>[https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf? https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf?]</ref>, which means the manufacturers can artificially limit the battery pack's lifespan, making it unusable after a certain health (e.g 80%).
+Alarmingly, the condition of "bricking" includes "Capacity Degradation Permanent Failure"<ref>[https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf? https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf?] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250826014752/https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/bq40z50.pdf Archived])</ref>, which means the manufacturers can artificially limit the battery pack's lifespan, making it unusable after a certain health (e.g 80%).
 ==Why it is a problem==
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 ===Environmental impact===
-Lithium-ion batteries are 95% recyclable, however, only about 5% of them are actually recycled<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 Sep 2022 |title=Lithium ion battery recycling |url=https://www.cas.org/resources/cas-insights/lithium-ion-battery-recycling?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live}}</ref>. BMS firmware lockout increases the number of battery packs end up in waste, increasing pollution. Some of the materials like cobalt, are hazardous.
+Lithium-ion batteries are 95% recyclable, however, only about 5% of them are actually recycled<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 Sep 2022 |title=Lithium ion battery recycling |url=https://www.cas.org/resources/cas-insights/lithium-ion-battery-recycling?utm_source=chatgpt.com |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260216013331/https://www.cas.org/resources/cas-insights/lithium-ion-battery-recycling?utm_source=chatgpt.com |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>. BMS firmware lockout increases the number of battery packs end up in waste, increasing pollution. Some of the materials like cobalt, are hazardous.
 ===Undermining ownership===
@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 ===Commercial UAVs===
 {{Main|DJI}}
-DJI, a well known commercial UAV manufacturer, locks out the battery after long-term storage, claiming over-discharging damages the battery, even if the chemistry is still recoverable. Users who successfully "revives" the battery packs by charging their cells using a bench power supply and clearing the failure code, reports restored functionality<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-21 |title=Reviving dead batteries - a heads up |url=https://mavicpilots.com/threads/reviving-dead-batteries-a-heads-up.146169/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250618000130/https://mavicpilots.com/threads/reviving-dead-batteries-a-heads-up.146169/ |archive-date=2025-06-18 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=MavicPilots}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-02 |title=DJI Battery Killer repairing tool |url=https://greyarro.ws/t/dji-battery-killer-repairing-tool/68863 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Grey Arrows Drone Club |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210084910/https://greyarro.ws/t/dji-battery-killer-repairing-tool/68863 |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McLoughlin |first=Liam |date=2023-10-01 |title=Repairing the DJI Spark Drone Battery with DJI Battery Killer, CP2112, & 9V battery |url=https://leelum.com/projects/repairing-the-dji-spark-drone-battery-with-dji-battery-killer-cp2112-9v-battery/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211065622/https://leelum.com/projects/repairing-the-dji-spark-drone-battery-with-dji-battery-killer-cp2112-9v-battery/ |archive-date=2024-12-11 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Leelum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DJI Battery Killer: Reviving Bricked DJI Drone Batteries with CP2112 & BMS Reset |url=https://www.elektroda.com/qa,dji-battery-killer-cp2112-bms-reset.html |url-status=live |website=elektroda}}</ref>. However some users reported "authentication failed"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-23 |title=Mavic pro battery authentication failed after clear pf |url=https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-pro-battery-authentication-failed-after-clear-pf.144987/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=MavicPilots |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250517190808/https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-pro-battery-authentication-failed-after-clear-pf.144987/ |archive-date=17 May 2025}}</ref> suggesting the possibility of parts serialization<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenlee |first=Lauren |date=2023-01-17 |title=How Parts Pairing Kills Independent Repair |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/69320/how-parts-pairing-kills-independent-repair |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250811033531/https://www.ifixit.com/News/69320/how-parts-pairing-kills-independent-repair |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=iFixit}}</ref>.
+DJI, a well known commercial UAV manufacturer, locks out the battery after long-term storage, claiming over-discharging damages the battery, even if the chemistry is still recoverable. Users who successfully "revives" the battery packs by charging their cells using a bench power supply and clearing the failure code, reports restored functionality<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-21 |title=Reviving dead batteries - a heads up |url=https://mavicpilots.com/threads/reviving-dead-batteries-a-heads-up.146169/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250618000130/https://mavicpilots.com/threads/reviving-dead-batteries-a-heads-up.146169/ |archive-date=2025-06-18 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=MavicPilots}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-02 |title=DJI Battery Killer repairing tool |url=https://greyarro.ws/t/dji-battery-killer-repairing-tool/68863 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Grey Arrows Drone Club |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210084910/https://greyarro.ws/t/dji-battery-killer-repairing-tool/68863 |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McLoughlin |first=Liam |date=2023-10-01 |title=Repairing the DJI Spark Drone Battery with DJI Battery Killer, CP2112, & 9V battery |url=https://leelum.com/projects/repairing-the-dji-spark-drone-battery-with-dji-battery-killer-cp2112-9v-battery/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211065622/https://leelum.com/projects/repairing-the-dji-spark-drone-battery-with-dji-battery-killer-cp2112-9v-battery/ |archive-date=2024-12-11 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=Leelum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=DJI Battery Killer: Reviving Bricked DJI Drone Batteries with CP2112 & BMS Reset |url=https://www.elektroda.com/qa,dji-battery-killer-cp2112-bms-reset.html |url-status=live |website=elektroda |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260216013455/https://www.elektroda.com/qa,dji-battery-killer-cp2112-bms-reset.html |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>. However some users reported "authentication failed"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-23 |title=Mavic pro battery authentication failed after clear pf |url=https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-pro-battery-authentication-failed-after-clear-pf.144987/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=MavicPilots |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250517190808/https://mavicpilots.com/threads/mavic-pro-battery-authentication-failed-after-clear-pf.144987/ |archive-date=17 May 2025}}</ref> suggesting the possibility of parts serialization<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenlee |first=Lauren |date=2023-01-17 |title=How Parts Pairing Kills Independent Repair |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/69320/how-parts-pairing-kills-independent-repair |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250811033531/https://www.ifixit.com/News/69320/how-parts-pairing-kills-independent-repair |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2025-09-13 |website=iFixit}}</ref>.
 ===Home appliances===