jsteele1820

Hello All,

I don't know where to start or how to organize this but I will give it a shot.

I was on my way to work yesterday and it was freezing rain and sleeting, I pulled up to a stoplight and the dash lights went out, the heater fan turned off. My high beam indicator on the dash was on as well. High beans were off. Verified by turning high beams on and off again. Also noticed that the hazards indicators were on but not flashing. Turn signals would not indicate as well. Did not have time to investigate as I had to go to work.

I climbed in the truck to go home. Started the truck and same indicators as before, high beam indicator, no fan and no turn signals. As I tried to put the truck into drive, the gear shift would not move. It was locked. After trying several options, meaning lights switches in different positions, heat in different positions I found that if i turned the heater off the shift selector would move from park to drive. Also with the heater off and temp control in the medium position the turn signal would work.

Thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

dnlow

Does the battery seem okay? I have had crazy things happen when the battery was bad.

Feathermerchant

Sounds like low battery or bad connection. There is a solenoid that unlocks the shifter when you press the brake. If voltage is too low, it won't unlock. When you turned off heater, probably raised voltage enough to unlock shifter.

BadFish523

Start with the battery, and all connections at battery. Then maybe clean the connections on the PCM. Since it was raining I would pop the hood and look at the fuse boxes, and PCM to look for water, puddles, or signs of water. Clean all connections that look like they got wet. These trucks are picky about a good electrical connection. That where I'd start if I was you.

jsteele1820

Thank you all for your help. I went to Auto Zone today and they tested the battery. Battery tested bad. The battery was a little over a year old. It was a motorcraft. Talked to ford and they said bring it in. So I take them the battery then they say we cannot do anything if we do not have the truck. He asked if I could have it towed to them. My response, Really? It's a battery! He said we need to run full diagnostics on the trucks electrical system before approving the replacement. I asked what that would cost and he stated 225.00 for the diagnostic test. They battery is 119.00 battery. He then asked his manager. They are going to put the battery on the testing device. I was told it d take 6 hours to run the test. left the battery with them. They are gonna call. I believe they will want me to tow the truck in so they can get more money from me. Do F150's tear up batteries quickly? I looked back at the records and the previous owners seem to have one replaced one every 2 years.

Martian

Then maybe that electrical diagnostic isn't a bad idea. You should be able to pull at LEAST 3 years out of a battery, more if you've got a desulfator on it every night. I've had the same one for three years and no telling how long the person before me had it.

BadFish523

LOL that's such crap! I don't disagree that with the known history maybe the diagnostic test isn't a bad idea. I do disagree with their BS battery warranty for 3 years but we have to charge you more (to make sure it is the batteries fault and not the trucks fault) than a new battery is worth. Go to Wally World and get one of their batteries. They have a warranty and don't ask questions if the battery is bad. Always have used Wally World batteries and get 3-5 years out of most of them.

Martian

I'm still worried about the alternator, though... the truck shouldn't be killing batteries like that


edit: and +1 for the Dumb & Dumber quote in the sig

jsteele1820

I just heard back from the dealer and they say the battery is good. It needed a deep charge. That makes me think my Alternator is not working. Although it did sit for 8 months before I bought the truck.

jsteele1820

New battery. Still have same issues. Time to dig out the vohm meter and get hot!