2016 XLT, 3.5NA, 35K miles, conventional key (not a start/stop button), basic message center.

Drove about 10 miles 10 days ago, all OK and normal. Last week, went to start up and... dead silence. No cranking, a few random error messages. OK, obvious battery issue, still on original, so 70 mile round trip in the car to get a new NAPA battery. (Yes, rural living). Installed yesterday, 12.6 V. from the store. Still no cranking. Then, truck locked, sat for 20 hours, hopefully so that the new “state of charge” would register and happiness would ensue.

Just now, still dead silence. I have tried moving the shift lever (column) while holding the key in the “crank” position. Tried neutral. Also turned the steering wheel, and oddly the power steering was active at one point, and the wheel turned easily. This happened only once. I tried both keys in case there was some immobilizer issue.

It seems that a module has sensed the low voltage or capacity of the old battery, and is now not coming back online with the new one installed. Lights, windows, locks, radio, etc seem fine.

With wet sleet and snow coming down at the moment, I am not inclined to try to get under the truck (68 yrs. old) to check or meter starter connections yet – I am hoping for a “reset” solution or similar. I did not touch the battery connectors together when the battery was out.

Does anyone have any advice to offer, or experience with a similar issue? I am hoping to avoid having the truck towed 35 miles to the dubious “local” dealer. I can't think of much more to add. Truck has been excellent to this point, bought new, no accidents, low mileage and well cared-for. I will appreciate any help.

Thanks and cheers,

 

Well, this is all a lack of knowledge on these late model truck.
Going backwards from the starter to the Ignition might help you understand.
A. At starter, the heavy cable has battery on it full time.
B. The small lead gets Battery >applied< from the start control circuit to internally close the start motor to Battery Power.
This ain't happening or the starter is faulty. and won't run >as a possible trouble.
C. Your start request has to arrive at the Body Control Module to operate a Relay to apply Battery on the small lead to the starter, to make all this happen.
If you hear nothing, it's not the Battery. May be a fuse in the engine Bay box or some other failure in the circuit chain.
Best I can explain it. The chain of control is Faulty to operate the starter.
I looked at your Owner Manual page 306 fuse assignments.
Check fuse #59 for being blown or not seated well, no power on one side etc. It's a 30 amp.
Good luck.

 

Thanks - I had that fuse out yesterday, and looked at it through a magnifying glass to check it - weather permitting, tomorrow I will swap it with another of the same amperage rating. I also tried changing the starter relay in the box for a different one, nothing, so changed it back.

 

Have a helper try to crank the engine and check if the relay operates.
If yes the starter or connection might be the issue.
If no, it's not getting the signal to operates.
This is a mid point of the operation and determines which direction the fault is at.
Be sure to check if the shifter position has any effect.
The engine should crank in either Park or Neutral. It may be a problem with the Neutral start switch sensor. A Trans code may be present if so.
Good luck.

 

Thanks. I am wondering - does disconnecting the battery and touching or "shorting" the battery leads ever reset anything? I am still hoping to reset something and gain starter function.
Thanks.

 

There is no reset for a hard failure.
All resets do is zero stored information,, not actually fix any trouble but allow it or codes to return again when the system >finds it again<, or may act 'differently', in some cases.
Good luck.

r

 

Solved!!! The problem was the relay for the PCM. I bench tested both starter relay and PCM relay. Swapping in the wiper relay brought everything back to life, except the wipers, obviously. Luckily, my XLT has 2 spare relays in the box, (5 pin instead of 4, but who's counting?) intended for use with power mirrors, which my truck does not have, so wipers OK now too.
This video covers it -
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Cheers, Alan in BC