2016 XLT Lost All Electrical Power; Fuse Box Shorted to Ground
#1
2016 XLT Lost All Electrical Power; Fuse Box Shorted to Ground
This past Thursday, my F150 XLT lost all electrical power. During the day, the clock and calendar started displaying odd values--changing the hour in the display and reverting to the "power up" date display of 01-01-2000. In the early afternoon I was parked, idling, and I got an error message on the instrument panel, "Service Charging System Now," along with a Battery icon.
Within a minute or two, the truck went totally dead. Engine shut down. No power to anything in the truck. Gauges were stuck in the positions they were in while the engine had been running. Even the Tach showed 700 RPM. But everything was dead.
I called Roadside Assist. The tow truck driver had to drag the truck up onto the flatbed. (I guess he didn't think about disengaging the transmission linkage.)
Next day, at the shop (I work at the dealership, so I have access to the back shop), the truck powered up long enough for the tech to drive it into the bay. There was an electrical burn smell coming from the under-hood fuse/power distribution box. 12 Volts is at the input of the box. All the fuses in the box seem to have continuity to ground, not to +12V. The tech called Ford's Hotline, and long story short, they ended up determining that the truck was hit by lightning.
I remain unconvinced that lightning is the culprit. I was in the truck most of the day and, having live in Florida all 64 years of my life, I'm intimately familiar with our lightning storms and how lightning behaves. There were no strikes close by that day. I had parked in Wal-Mart parking lot and went into the store, but I would have heard the Ka-BOOM if lightning had struck in the parking lot!
I can't find any evidence of lightning hitting the truck. There likely would be some physical evidence: burn mark, blistered paint, or something. There is nothing. It's possible that lightning hit very close by and the truck received an EMP (electromagnetic pulse), but again, there were no close-by strikes.
My insurance company has agreed to cover the claim, so it's going to get fixed. However, now I'm wondering what else might go haywire, electrically. I'm not sure I can trust the truck anymore.
Has anyone else encountered anything similar? I just would like to know if Ford is pawning off a potential problem onto the insurance company so they don't have to pay for the damage.
Within a minute or two, the truck went totally dead. Engine shut down. No power to anything in the truck. Gauges were stuck in the positions they were in while the engine had been running. Even the Tach showed 700 RPM. But everything was dead.
I called Roadside Assist. The tow truck driver had to drag the truck up onto the flatbed. (I guess he didn't think about disengaging the transmission linkage.)
Next day, at the shop (I work at the dealership, so I have access to the back shop), the truck powered up long enough for the tech to drive it into the bay. There was an electrical burn smell coming from the under-hood fuse/power distribution box. 12 Volts is at the input of the box. All the fuses in the box seem to have continuity to ground, not to +12V. The tech called Ford's Hotline, and long story short, they ended up determining that the truck was hit by lightning.
I remain unconvinced that lightning is the culprit. I was in the truck most of the day and, having live in Florida all 64 years of my life, I'm intimately familiar with our lightning storms and how lightning behaves. There were no strikes close by that day. I had parked in Wal-Mart parking lot and went into the store, but I would have heard the Ka-BOOM if lightning had struck in the parking lot!
I can't find any evidence of lightning hitting the truck. There likely would be some physical evidence: burn mark, blistered paint, or something. There is nothing. It's possible that lightning hit very close by and the truck received an EMP (electromagnetic pulse), but again, there were no close-by strikes.
My insurance company has agreed to cover the claim, so it's going to get fixed. However, now I'm wondering what else might go haywire, electrically. I'm not sure I can trust the truck anymore.
Has anyone else encountered anything similar? I just would like to know if Ford is pawning off a potential problem onto the insurance company so they don't have to pay for the damage.
#5
Originally Posted by AI4GK
Not a bad idea, but I'm not sure they'll just show video footage to a private citizen. When I was in law enforcement it was a different story. Now, however.... ?
#7
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
Insurance might be willing to contact the store, or it could be enough to scare Ford (call the dealer and tell them your insurance is waiting to get the footage to decide if they will cover) If Ford is just throwing it over the fence it would seem they are committing some sort of insurance fraud by letting your insurance cover it and not theirs....
Trending Topics
#8
The dealership has ordered a new box and wiring harness. $2K-plus! I'll keep everyone posted. I can tell you that being a Sales Consultant at the dealership hasn't earned me any special perks. I have to wait in line just like any other customer. And, no loaner car, either. I'm not complaining (well, maybe a bit), just commenting.
#10
Senior Member
It is a moot point, but take a really close look at your radio antenna, look for any unusual marks on it. The antenna is by the fuse box, is it not?
Some years back, when you could ride in the back of a truck, LOL, we had a teenager killed when she was in the bed of the truck.
They were just going for a day at Lake Mead, and some freak static built up in the air, hit the radio antenna and then hit the girl in the head.
They were doing the 50 mph limit, and nothing else was damaged.
No BS, no urban myth. As you can imagine, it was a well publicized local story.
Lightning is notorious for doing strange things.
The insurance company would probably fight it, if they had not "seen it before". Do you have Farmer's?
Some years back, when you could ride in the back of a truck, LOL, we had a teenager killed when she was in the bed of the truck.
They were just going for a day at Lake Mead, and some freak static built up in the air, hit the radio antenna and then hit the girl in the head.
They were doing the 50 mph limit, and nothing else was damaged.
No BS, no urban myth. As you can imagine, it was a well publicized local story.
Lightning is notorious for doing strange things.
The insurance company would probably fight it, if they had not "seen it before". Do you have Farmer's?