Car battery question
04-11-2017, 12:04 AM
#21
Alright so I ended up taking the truck back into the dealership and they are currently trying to figure out what is going on with the truck. I've seen posts about the FPDM and I mentioned that to my service advisor but they are looking into the ECM being the culprit. The problem is I just had them replace that so I hope that isn't the issue. I bought a 1 year warranty so I should be able to return it and get another one.
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The last time I heard from her was early this afternoon and she said the technician couldn't recreate the no crank/no start. Rush hour traffic was coming up so they were going to look at it again tomorrow. The plan from what I understand is... the technician is going to drive my truck tomorrow and hopefully after coming back from the test drive it will have the no crank/no start issue. When they get the issue to happen then they are going to swap the ECM out with one of theirs that they know is good. If this fixes the problem then obviously my new ECM is not good and needs to be swapped. If it doesn't fix the problem, I think they might check out the voltage regulator and maybe the FPDM. Other than that I'm not sure what else is going to happen.
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Oh yeah she also mentioned something about contacting like a Ford support or customer service or something and they mentioned to check the ground for the ECM. I'm assuming that's another thing they will check. As far as the battery light at first it was coming on about halfway through a 30 mile drive and would stay on for about 30 seconds and then disappear. This happened multiple times but when it was at the dealership it was just sitting there idling and it came on and went off probably 3-4 times withing 3-5 minutes. I hope it is the voltage regulator and that kind of sounds like it could be that but wouldn't the technician check that first? Also would that cause a no crank/no start though? Only if the battery wasn't being charged right? Since the truck starts after sitting awhile I'm wondering if that is what it is. Isn't that easier to check than the ECM though lol? As far as the tensioner pulley I didn't check it but I'm assuming they will check it as part of the "charging system diagnostics". I don't think it is the starter because I replaced that already but I have read posts about heat sink from the exhaust causing the starter to act up but that sounds like an engineering flaw in the design of this vehicle. Who knows maybe all I needed was a heat shield lol. I don't have a drain but I did. The little kknnoobb (not sure why this site thinks **** is a bad word haha) anyway the thing that adjusts the brightness of the cluster lamp and if rolled all the way up the cargo lamp in the back of the truck comes on. I'm not sure what is wrong with it but I think there is a short or something because when I would open the doors my light wasn't coming on but when I adjusted that *** (I know how to spell ****) things were fixed. I didn't have the drain anymore and my lights were back to normal. I didn't mention that to her but I think I will call her tomorrow morning and tell her that. I also mentioned to her about the BMS (battery management system) but I don't think that would be it either because the truck starts without charging the battery. idk it's confusing.
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The last time I heard from her was early this afternoon and she said the technician couldn't recreate the no crank/no start. Rush hour traffic was coming up so they were going to look at it again tomorrow. The plan from what I understand is... the technician is going to drive my truck tomorrow and hopefully after coming back from the test drive it will have the no crank/no start issue. When they get the issue to happen then they are going to swap the ECM out with one of theirs that they know is good. If this fixes the problem then obviously my new ECM is not good and needs to be swapped. If it doesn't fix the problem, I think they might check out the voltage regulator and maybe the FPDM. Other than that I'm not sure what else is going to happen.
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Oh yeah she also mentioned something about contacting like a Ford support or customer service or something and they mentioned to check the ground for the ECM. I'm assuming that's another thing they will check. As far as the battery light at first it was coming on about halfway through a 30 mile drive and would stay on for about 30 seconds and then disappear. This happened multiple times but when it was at the dealership it was just sitting there idling and it came on and went off probably 3-4 times withing 3-5 minutes. I hope it is the voltage regulator and that kind of sounds like it could be that but wouldn't the technician check that first? Also would that cause a no crank/no start though? Only if the battery wasn't being charged right? Since the truck starts after sitting awhile I'm wondering if that is what it is. Isn't that easier to check than the ECM though lol? As far as the tensioner pulley I didn't check it but I'm assuming they will check it as part of the "charging system diagnostics". I don't think it is the starter because I replaced that already but I have read posts about heat sink from the exhaust causing the starter to act up but that sounds like an engineering flaw in the design of this vehicle. Who knows maybe all I needed was a heat shield lol. I don't have a drain but I did. The little kknnoobb (not sure why this site thinks **** is a bad word haha) anyway the thing that adjusts the brightness of the cluster lamp and if rolled all the way up the cargo lamp in the back of the truck comes on. I'm not sure what is wrong with it but I think there is a short or something because when I would open the doors my light wasn't coming on but when I adjusted that *** (I know how to spell ****) things were fixed. I didn't have the drain anymore and my lights were back to normal. I didn't mention that to her but I think I will call her tomorrow morning and tell her that. I also mentioned to her about the BMS (battery management system) but I don't think that would be it either because the truck starts without charging the battery. idk it's confusing.
04-11-2017, 08:28 AM
#23
Senior Member
$1 says it needs an alternator.
04-11-2017, 08:52 AM
#24
Moderator
HAHA only $1? Where's your confidence?
04-11-2017, 09:19 AM
#25
Senior Member
It's not confidence I lack, it's money!!
In my personal experience, I've never seen a charge light or charging system message that didn't stem from a dying alternator.
In my personal experience, I've never seen a charge light or charging system message that didn't stem from a dying alternator.
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techrep (04-13-2017)
04-11-2017, 10:52 AM
#26
I have to agree it could be the alternator as well, has it been pulled off and checked? I had a bad alt once, changed it all was good....for awhile, then one day went to work all was good....went to lunch at 11 started and ran fine got off work and battery was so dead it was liked it was unhooked, charged the battery it held, pulled the alt off had it checked and had a bad diode bridge, which let the alt actually suck the battery dry of juice but also would show its charging.
So maybe make sure the battery is fully charged and unhook the alternator connections and watch it to see if it goes dead or low. One other thing if I missed it sorry, but is the battery going so low it wont light the dash or dome lights or is it just allowing not to crank?
So maybe make sure the battery is fully charged and unhook the alternator connections and watch it to see if it goes dead or low. One other thing if I missed it sorry, but is the battery going so low it wont light the dash or dome lights or is it just allowing not to crank?
04-12-2017, 11:57 AM
#27
Yeah I suppose it could be the alternator but I'm thinking the light comes on because of some electrical issue. I just received a call from my service advisor and they are tracing wires and the shop foreman is helping out. It sounds like my truck is a difficult one to diagnose lol. I'm sure all the guys are like wtf is up with this truck. Anyway she said they are looking into the wiring associated with the NSS/Transmission range sensor. I thought it was a battery/alternator issue but I don't think that is the problem.
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My reasons why I don't think it is the problem:
1. The car wouldn't start the other morning and I didn't do anything different and then it started. I didn't charge the battery or anything.
2. The lights and everything on my truck work fine it just won't start.
3. It seems to me like the computer is interrupting the start signal but idk.
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My reasons why I don't think it is the problem:
1. The car wouldn't start the other morning and I didn't do anything different and then it started. I didn't charge the battery or anything.
2. The lights and everything on my truck work fine it just won't start.
3. It seems to me like the computer is interrupting the start signal but idk.
04-14-2017, 02:56 PM
#28
I just got my truck back from the dealership this morning and she is looking pretty sexy. Apparently the battery light and "check charging system" message is coming on because of my alternator cable/harness. She gave me the part number 6L3Z-14300-BA because it's something simple that I can fix myself. I looked it up and I think she gave me the wrong part number because it looks like that part is for the battery/starter cables (which I replaced) and not the alternator harness. I believe part number 14305 is the correct part that I need. Either way I have a fix for the problem which is nice. As far as the no start/no crank she said the technician overlay-ed a wire associate with the NSS. I'm not 100% sure which wire or what he did but apparently that fixed the issue. I drove the truck for about 30 miles and parked it for about an hour. After coming back I was nervous but the truck started no problem, the only issue is the battery light. I drove another 30 miles or so back home and the truck sat for maybe an hour. I just went out there to check and it started. I'm really hoping my issue is fixed because I'm planning on going camping/riding this weekend.
04-14-2017, 04:40 PM
#29
I didn't realize it would be such a hassle to find this part. Apparently no Ford dealership in the entire state of Arizona has the part number 6L3Z-14305-BA. Soonest I could get it here would be Monday... Bummer.
