2004 F-150. Engine will not start or try to turn over.
03-13-2015, 04:43 PM
#1
2004 F-150. Engine will not start or try to turn over.
Over the past couple weeks I would attempt to start my truck and nothing would happen. I would turn the key a few times and then finally it would turn over. The happened intermittently during the week. This morning it happened and now this afternoon it doesn't start at all.
I hear no clicking when I turn the key but all the lights are coming on. The battery is brand new.
When I turn the key the anti theft light is blinking very fast. I tried to look this up but there were so many different replies to what it was I got confused. I am not sure if these things are even related or did I just notice the blinking. When I checked my fuse panel, the ground wire was rusted right off. I thought this might be the problem so I cut off the rusty screw and polished the ends and drilled a new ground hole in a good part of the metal. But it did not fix it. I am not convinced it is the starter because I don't even hear the clicking of the soliend.
The battery indicator on the instrument panel doesn't stay still either. It stops at 1/4 then rises to over 1/2 then back down.
I am thinking there is a short somewhere. Has anyone had any experience in this?
I hear no clicking when I turn the key but all the lights are coming on. The battery is brand new.
When I turn the key the anti theft light is blinking very fast. I tried to look this up but there were so many different replies to what it was I got confused. I am not sure if these things are even related or did I just notice the blinking. When I checked my fuse panel, the ground wire was rusted right off. I thought this might be the problem so I cut off the rusty screw and polished the ends and drilled a new ground hole in a good part of the metal. But it did not fix it. I am not convinced it is the starter because I don't even hear the clicking of the soliend.
The battery indicator on the instrument panel doesn't stay still either. It stops at 1/4 then rises to over 1/2 then back down.
I am thinking there is a short somewhere. Has anyone had any experience in this?
03-13-2015, 06:11 PM
#2
Senior Member
Start with checking all of your connections, battery terminals and ground for starters. If all checks out to be good, have your battery tested.
03-14-2015, 11:20 AM
#3
Senior Member
^ x2, check connections, look at wiring, etc. I had a similar incident on my mustang after getting a new battery, the guy at the parts store installed it and actually broke one of the cable clamps to the battery and didn't tell me.
03-16-2015, 09:38 AM
#4
Not sure what to do at this point. Might be in need for a trip to the dealer service center... :/ I've checked all the grounds and connections that I know of. I checked the grounds on the firewall, the one on the control arm mount, and the one at the solenoid/starter. All look good and tight. Battery was tested and is good.
It defiantly seems like a short of some sort.. I turn the ignition to the "on" position and all the dashboard lights come on, then every thing in the dash shuts off and all the gauges go to zero, then in a couple seconds, everything comes back on again. My radio seems to stay on while the dash goes on and off. It even does that thing where the speedometer pointer shakes. That has only happened to me when the battery was dead.
Anything else be thought off before I go hand my wallet to Ford?
It defiantly seems like a short of some sort.. I turn the ignition to the "on" position and all the dashboard lights come on, then every thing in the dash shuts off and all the gauges go to zero, then in a couple seconds, everything comes back on again. My radio seems to stay on while the dash goes on and off. It even does that thing where the speedometer pointer shakes. That has only happened to me when the battery was dead.
Anything else be thought off before I go hand my wallet to Ford?