guitartom

So I get to the parking lot at 1AM after working overtime. The 2012 F150 is dead. No remote start,no lights, no click when turning the key, no cool running boards lowering. I call roadside service. 2:40 AM he shows :Jump starting does nothing. I go home and make an appointment with the dealer, for 5 days hence. I call back roadside assistance and they send a flatbed. The guy again trys to jump start it: nothing. He asks if the first guy tried disconnecting and reconnecting the battery terminals. I said no, so he does it. The truck starts right up. I call back the dealer and they tell me there's no point bringining it in. They will find nothing wrong. I made an appointment anyway. My question here is, has this happened to any one else? If so, was anything found to be the cause/solution? I hate to go into the winter with reliability being a question mark.

stagalv

I have never heard of reconnecting like that. I guess it wasn't a battery problem but just needed a system reset?
My 2011 has the original battery but I'm starting to think about changing it before it leaves me dead out in BFE. It has had 3 summers already.

imp

My guess on this one, and I think it's a pretty good bet: Battery terminal(s). I have seen time and again, cases where corrosion within the connection caused high enough resistance that no current would flow from the battery.

Given such a scenario, and stuck in the boonies to boot, manually twist each battery terminal around it's post, if possible, using the fingers. If not twistable, rap downwards soundly on them both, to drive them more tightly onto the battery post (assuming no tools are available. imp

techrep

iTrader: (1)

My 08 still has the original Battery...

guitartom

Exactly...The problem has nothing to do with the battery. The horn still functioned: nothing else. There is "0" corrosion on the terminals. This problem is due to the whole system shutting down and needing a re set. My big question is "Why", and will it happen again?

papa tiger

Look on UR battery cable up by the battery for a black ring. It is the battery management system. Disconnected full charged battery, hook up and do not use anything on the truck overnight. The next morning UR problem may go away.

Floored150

Look up the thread called replacing the battery-the new way.... Lots of good info on this whole issue.

papa tiger

I would also unplug GPS and DVD players. They would pull the GM product down also. If U have Navigation in UR F150 I would read the manual. These trucks have at least 4 extra relays to handle all the pull of these electronic features. Mirrors, seats, pedal memory etc. U may need a back up voltage source when dealing with UR battery, unhooking it and charging it up. The trucks memory of the body control module can be a PITA.