Scanner cannot connect to 2003 F150
03-09-2014, 10:06 PM
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Scanner cannot connect to 2003 F150
Blew out a plug in the fall and hooked up my scanner to the diagnostic connector but scanner will not connect to the trucks system.
Checked and changed the 15 Amp fuse (#3) for the power port/cig lamp but still no joy. Anyone else had this happen?
Brent in Nampa.
Checked and changed the 15 Amp fuse (#3) for the power port/cig lamp but still no joy. Anyone else had this happen?
Brent in Nampa.
03-11-2014, 10:07 AM
#2
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Check to see if the cig. lighter works. I had the same issue and it turned out to be a short in the cig. lighter socket. Once I repaired it, all was good. Good luck
03-13-2014, 12:08 AM
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Scanner cannot connect to 2003 F150
I should clarify.
Blew out a plug in my '03 F-150 7700 SC in late October, tow truck skidded it off in front of my garage and it sat all winter. I just plugged the scanner into it a few days ago after a winter with extended -30C periods. Reason I'm looking for codes is that when the plug blew out, we were on the highway coming up out of the Smokey River valley. Made er up the hill and about 20 Kms farther down the road it just shut down. The CEL was going in groups of three flashes with about 3 seconds between sets. It would turn over the next day but no start. My elcheapo $29.00 scanner gave "Cannot Connect" message. Bought the $199.00 scanner on sale for $99.00 in November. Got the same thing then except had good battery voltage of 13.2V after sitting for 50 min. with the 4-ways on, waiting for a tow.
My Cig. Lighter works fine, no issues with it or the power port next to it. The scanner actually read system voltage, simply would not mate up to the PCM. The voltage was at 11.8 at first but after I had the key on for the scanner for a couple of tries, it dipped rapidly to 6.8 so I shut it off. The cig. lighter once probably took whatever reserve the battery had. I put the charger on it and locked it up again. I'm hoping the battery was just too dead from the winter for the PCM to gasp out an SOS. I'm surprised it had any life left at all. It was the largest AGM battery they had in the auto & farm store. It's been on the charger now for 72 hours on 2A setting. Tomorrow I'll try the scanner again. I am prepared that it might have gone dead enough for the PCM to lose its sh**.
Got my eye on a 2000 XLT with 170K Kms (105K Mi.), the lighter duty 4R70W transmission (which has 15K Kms on a rebuild), otherwise same 7700 GVW pkg. as my '03. PLUS the 2000 is an XLT with buckets and full console. AND it's got new tires (5K Kms).
The 2000 was T-Boned on the passenger side, right between the doors, or it'd be worth 3500 to 4500 in good running order. It was in nicer shape than my XL.
Any issues with installing the cab mounted seat belts from the 2000 into my 2003? Other than I have to swap cab-side plastics. Are the anchor points still there in the later cabs?
What about swapping in the lower Km. engine? Mine has 240K Kms. 216 of those were spent working on the farm. Both are 5.4. I spent some time on this site and others looking at removing the cylinder heads to repair/reline all eight plug holes with solid locking hard aluminum inserts. What a pain. When/If I fix it, it'll be just the one, through the top.
So what's on the "important to note" list for swapping a 2000 F150 5.4 into a 2003 F150 engine bay?
Thanks,
Brent in Nampa
Blew out a plug in my '03 F-150 7700 SC in late October, tow truck skidded it off in front of my garage and it sat all winter. I just plugged the scanner into it a few days ago after a winter with extended -30C periods. Reason I'm looking for codes is that when the plug blew out, we were on the highway coming up out of the Smokey River valley. Made er up the hill and about 20 Kms farther down the road it just shut down. The CEL was going in groups of three flashes with about 3 seconds between sets. It would turn over the next day but no start. My elcheapo $29.00 scanner gave "Cannot Connect" message. Bought the $199.00 scanner on sale for $99.00 in November. Got the same thing then except had good battery voltage of 13.2V after sitting for 50 min. with the 4-ways on, waiting for a tow.
My Cig. Lighter works fine, no issues with it or the power port next to it. The scanner actually read system voltage, simply would not mate up to the PCM. The voltage was at 11.8 at first but after I had the key on for the scanner for a couple of tries, it dipped rapidly to 6.8 so I shut it off. The cig. lighter once probably took whatever reserve the battery had. I put the charger on it and locked it up again. I'm hoping the battery was just too dead from the winter for the PCM to gasp out an SOS. I'm surprised it had any life left at all. It was the largest AGM battery they had in the auto & farm store. It's been on the charger now for 72 hours on 2A setting. Tomorrow I'll try the scanner again. I am prepared that it might have gone dead enough for the PCM to lose its sh**.
Got my eye on a 2000 XLT with 170K Kms (105K Mi.), the lighter duty 4R70W transmission (which has 15K Kms on a rebuild), otherwise same 7700 GVW pkg. as my '03. PLUS the 2000 is an XLT with buckets and full console. AND it's got new tires (5K Kms).
The 2000 was T-Boned on the passenger side, right between the doors, or it'd be worth 3500 to 4500 in good running order. It was in nicer shape than my XL.
Any issues with installing the cab mounted seat belts from the 2000 into my 2003? Other than I have to swap cab-side plastics. Are the anchor points still there in the later cabs?
What about swapping in the lower Km. engine? Mine has 240K Kms. 216 of those were spent working on the farm. Both are 5.4. I spent some time on this site and others looking at removing the cylinder heads to repair/reline all eight plug holes with solid locking hard aluminum inserts. What a pain. When/If I fix it, it'll be just the one, through the top.
So what's on the "important to note" list for swapping a 2000 F150 5.4 into a 2003 F150 engine bay?
Thanks,
Brent in Nampa
03-15-2014, 12:05 AM
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UPDATE: Scanner cannot connect to 2003 F150
So, freshly charged battery and tried connecting again today. Still no joy. So far I have:
1. Determined that the DLC has power. It turns the scanner on when you turn on the key.
2. Scanner is unable to communicate with ECM/PCM, whatever the term. It can't link to the trucks computer. Gives battery voltage (12.8V today), but no diagnostic link.
NEW CLUE!
From discussion in these forums, I know the digital odometer display is erratic in many of these trucks. mine is no different, until today that is. Today it lit up the second time I turned on the key to try linking the scanner. BUT, instead of lighting up with the Odometer reading, all it showed was a row of dashes. IS MY ECM/PCM POOCHED?
Tomorrow, I will look for fuses/relays for the ECM and see if I get lucky.
Brent in Nampa.
1. Determined that the DLC has power. It turns the scanner on when you turn on the key.
2. Scanner is unable to communicate with ECM/PCM, whatever the term. It can't link to the trucks computer. Gives battery voltage (12.8V today), but no diagnostic link.
NEW CLUE!
From discussion in these forums, I know the digital odometer display is erratic in many of these trucks. mine is no different, until today that is. Today it lit up the second time I turned on the key to try linking the scanner. BUT, instead of lighting up with the Odometer reading, all it showed was a row of dashes. IS MY ECM/PCM POOCHED?
Tomorrow, I will look for fuses/relays for the ECM and see if I get lucky.
Brent in Nampa.
03-15-2014, 11:20 AM
#5
Plug the scanner into another vehicle and see if it communicates, if it does then your PCM is toast. Provided that there is no wiring damage. Rats, squirrels, etc love to munch on wiring.
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03-17-2014, 08:52 PM
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Scanner cannot connect to 2003 F150
UPDATE
This evening after work, I plugged my scanner, an Innova 3150d, into both my '03 Jeep liberty and my '04 Pontiac GA sedan and it worked great.
Went back to troubleshooting the F-150.
Reading through this and the FordF150.net site, I found several other leads to explore.
1. The electrical connector on the drivers side of the throttle body runs near the hot exhaust tube coming from the drivers side exhaust manifold. Guess what? That wire bundle was laying against the steel tube and is crispy with exposed wires. I will sort these out and repair as required. Trip to the bone yard coming I think.
2. I downloaded diagrams off the web of the underdash and underhood fuse/relay boxes. Today I obtained a factory owners manual. The diagram of the underhood setup that I downloaded does not match the one in my truck. The one in the owners manual does. the underdash diagram in both matches my truck.
I am thinking that yes, a trip to the local automotive bone yard is indeed in order. I will buy $10.00 worth of mini-fuses, maxi-fuses, regular fuses, and relays. Should be able to noodle this out. I will also see what he charges fore a used PCM. Will any PCM work as long as it is from a 5.4 truck of same or close years with 4R100 trans?
This evening after work, I plugged my scanner, an Innova 3150d, into both my '03 Jeep liberty and my '04 Pontiac GA sedan and it worked great.
Went back to troubleshooting the F-150.
Reading through this and the FordF150.net site, I found several other leads to explore.
1. The electrical connector on the drivers side of the throttle body runs near the hot exhaust tube coming from the drivers side exhaust manifold. Guess what? That wire bundle was laying against the steel tube and is crispy with exposed wires. I will sort these out and repair as required. Trip to the bone yard coming I think.
2. I downloaded diagrams off the web of the underdash and underhood fuse/relay boxes. Today I obtained a factory owners manual. The diagram of the underhood setup that I downloaded does not match the one in my truck. The one in the owners manual does. the underdash diagram in both matches my truck.
I am thinking that yes, a trip to the local automotive bone yard is indeed in order. I will buy $10.00 worth of mini-fuses, maxi-fuses, regular fuses, and relays. Should be able to noodle this out. I will also see what he charges fore a used PCM. Will any PCM work as long as it is from a 5.4 truck of same or close years with 4R100 trans?
03-17-2014, 09:05 PM
#7
There may be some programming required in order for a new or used PCM to operate properly.
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03-18-2014, 01:19 AM
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Reprogramming the PCM
Rnlcomp,
Thanks for your input. So, can my local dealership reprogram the PCM based on my VIN # for info? I'm hoping it's just a PCM power feed issue and that the box itself suffered no damage. Reviewing the fuses and relays, it looks like I need to check no less than 17 different mini fuses, fuses, maxi fuses, half and full relays and a diode that are related to the PCM and or fuel system. Then to top it off, today I pulled out my circuit trouble light and when I unwrapped the cord, it pulled out of the handle. Closed hood, slippers on, feet up, rye and coke in hand. Sigh...
I remember using a paper match book striker strip to file the points clean in my buddies '68 Fairlane 302. Then we set the points to the thickness of the match book cover and Voila! Fired up and made er home!
Brent in Nampa.
Thanks for your input. So, can my local dealership reprogram the PCM based on my VIN # for info? I'm hoping it's just a PCM power feed issue and that the box itself suffered no damage. Reviewing the fuses and relays, it looks like I need to check no less than 17 different mini fuses, fuses, maxi fuses, half and full relays and a diode that are related to the PCM and or fuel system. Then to top it off, today I pulled out my circuit trouble light and when I unwrapped the cord, it pulled out of the handle. Closed hood, slippers on, feet up, rye and coke in hand. Sigh...
I remember using a paper match book striker strip to file the points clean in my buddies '68 Fairlane 302. Then we set the points to the thickness of the match book cover and Voila! Fired up and made er home!
Brent in Nampa.
03-18-2014, 05:30 AM
#9
06-13-2014, 12:47 AM
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Well, been back after the No Start 03 F150 7700 SC again.
Picked up fuses and relays and a fuse tester and a new test light and have spent the past few evenings between the Google search, the manuals and the truck testing circuits, checking functionality, etc.
Finally got warm dry weather and made the time as fifth wheel pulling time is near at hand. Also made a wonderful discovery (maybe). It appears I did NOT blow out a plug after all. I got under the hood and rooted out all the crap in the way and discovered that the #6 COP had a bunch of grit in the hold-down bolt hole when the PO changed the plugs and the bolt had worked loose. I stopped at the wreckers and relieved another truck of one and blew out the hole with compressed air, WD-40 and air again. The replacement bolt was a bit gritty going in but is fine now.
Truck still wont start though. Everything else seems to be working but I'm wondering if I'm getting fuel. My next steps will be to test for no fuel (using a shot of starting fluid), and to test for spark or at least power to the COP's.
New questions come to mind:
1. With key on, I can hear what sounds like a small 12V fan running. It is definitely louder under the hood, slightly to PS of center and back. It's quieter back by the fuel tank. It stops when you pull the fuel pump relay. It does not stop like it should when the fuel rails charge up with pressure. Is this indeed my fuel pump? Is there some other of Fords better ideas whirring away under the hood?
2. The fuel pressure regulator is up on the firewall below the DS wiper correct? With the green cap on the Schrader valve? If my fuel system is pressuring up, I should get a shot of fuel if I remove the green cap and depress the pin in the valve right? I do not get fuel there whether key is ON or just turned off.
3. Would a plugged fuel filter cause these conditions?
4. Does the fuel pump have some sort of internal or external bypass that would let it run on (perhaps quieter than normal) if the fuel filter was plugged?
5. Could the loose COP (boot was loose, COP was lifted right up against the fuel rail but the plug was tight) cause the engine to misfire with a fairly loud report each time that COP tried to fire? Keep in mind that the incident last October began with a really loud kerbang on DS of engine compartment, truck ran with reduced power and that lesser explosive noise (every time the suspected cylinder fired???). We got 10 or 15 miles down the highway and it quit just like I'd turned off the key.
6. Is this the sort of catastrophic misfire that could take out a PCM?
Like I said, all fuses and relays are good. Only thing I've not looked into was the fusible links taped to the battery cables. I also still get only a row of dashes on my odometer display. CEL stays ON. Scanner still will NOT achieve one-ness with PCM.
Brent.
Picked up fuses and relays and a fuse tester and a new test light and have spent the past few evenings between the Google search, the manuals and the truck testing circuits, checking functionality, etc.
Finally got warm dry weather and made the time as fifth wheel pulling time is near at hand. Also made a wonderful discovery (maybe). It appears I did NOT blow out a plug after all. I got under the hood and rooted out all the crap in the way and discovered that the #6 COP had a bunch of grit in the hold-down bolt hole when the PO changed the plugs and the bolt had worked loose. I stopped at the wreckers and relieved another truck of one and blew out the hole with compressed air, WD-40 and air again. The replacement bolt was a bit gritty going in but is fine now.
Truck still wont start though. Everything else seems to be working but I'm wondering if I'm getting fuel. My next steps will be to test for no fuel (using a shot of starting fluid), and to test for spark or at least power to the COP's.
New questions come to mind:
1. With key on, I can hear what sounds like a small 12V fan running. It is definitely louder under the hood, slightly to PS of center and back. It's quieter back by the fuel tank. It stops when you pull the fuel pump relay. It does not stop like it should when the fuel rails charge up with pressure. Is this indeed my fuel pump? Is there some other of Fords better ideas whirring away under the hood?
2. The fuel pressure regulator is up on the firewall below the DS wiper correct? With the green cap on the Schrader valve? If my fuel system is pressuring up, I should get a shot of fuel if I remove the green cap and depress the pin in the valve right? I do not get fuel there whether key is ON or just turned off.
3. Would a plugged fuel filter cause these conditions?
4. Does the fuel pump have some sort of internal or external bypass that would let it run on (perhaps quieter than normal) if the fuel filter was plugged?
5. Could the loose COP (boot was loose, COP was lifted right up against the fuel rail but the plug was tight) cause the engine to misfire with a fairly loud report each time that COP tried to fire? Keep in mind that the incident last October began with a really loud kerbang on DS of engine compartment, truck ran with reduced power and that lesser explosive noise (every time the suspected cylinder fired???). We got 10 or 15 miles down the highway and it quit just like I'd turned off the key.
6. Is this the sort of catastrophic misfire that could take out a PCM?
Like I said, all fuses and relays are good. Only thing I've not looked into was the fusible links taped to the battery cables. I also still get only a row of dashes on my odometer display. CEL stays ON. Scanner still will NOT achieve one-ness with PCM.
Brent.