What the * is goin’ on ...

[sethsport]

first, I get a chk light, the odb tells me emissions stuff, whatever.
Next, my front brakes are SHOT.replace both rotors and pads
Then, this crazy knocking sound that seems like it’s coming from the alternator, then I hear a familiar noise that sounds like a bearing getting crushed. Then that knocking sound stops and is replaced with what sounds like a belt that needs dressing.
And to top it all off the shrieking of the (what I think is the belt) gets louder as I park my truck at the house. Then when I go to start it... nothing. All this **** in the past couple weeks, what the funk.?!?
Thoughts, ideas?

 

[Mbrooks420]

What do you mean by ‘nothing?’ No start/turning over like a dead battery? If so I’d suspect the alternator. Pull the belt off and spin all pulleys and accessories by hand. Just a FYI no belt dressing on these, just in case you tried it.

 

[sr139fox]

Alternator bearing could be bad. No noise when cold, but when it warms up it let's you know.

 

[koda2000]

Pull the belt off (if you've already sprayed dressing on it, throw it away and buy a new one. Never use belt dressing on serpentine belts). While the belt is off spin ALL the pulley's (W/P, alt, A/C, P/S, tensioner and idlers) by hand. If any feel notchy, squeaky, dry or rattly replace them. Also pull and push on the W/P shaft, there should be little-to-no movement. When my '97 SOHC started making a horrible knocking noise it turned out to be the W/P bearing/shaft was shot.

 

[sethsport]

Ok I figured it was the alternator so I went up to advance and picked one up, installed it, then as I’m putting the belt back on i noticed my tensioner pulley bearing... was gone!! as in the black plastic part that the belt spins on was gone and all that was left was a bearing race that basically shred my belt. How it ran for a week like this is beyond me!!! So I take my original alternator back to be tested while I picked up a new tensioner pulley and belt. The alt was good. So I put that back in as well as the new pulley and belt. Then the car wouldn’t start. I jumped it and let it run for about 20 minutes. Turned it off and it wouldn’t turn on again. Jumped it again and let it run for about an hour. Turned it off then it wouldn’t turn on again.
I jumped it and drove to advance and pulled the battery for testing and it was bad. Put a new one in and it started. Went up to harbour freight for some stuff and when I got back to the truck it wouldn’t start.... realized my neg battery terminal no matter how hard I tightened it was still loose on the terminal. So I wedged it in and got the truck to start. Went home and put new terminals in and now, finally, we’re good!
But wait, there’s more... I was fiddling in the cab because I was gonna change out the female cigarette lighter socket because it’s intermittent and the terminals look bad then I decided “well, it does work for the most part” and decided not to mess with it. But then noticed my power seats weren’t working! The heated seat button works but the lumbar support button and the forward/reverse/up/down toggle wasn’t responsive. No noise or clicking, just nothing. ON BOTH FRONT SEATS?!?!?
Never had any issues with them ever. Any ideas? Is there a fuse? A reset I can do? I mean how and why the heck is this happening on both seats ???

 

[sethsport]

Pull the belt off (if you've already sprayed dressing on it, throw it away and buy a new one. Never use belt dressing on serpentine belts). While the belt is off spin ALL the pulley's (W/P, alt, A/C, P/S, tensioner and idlers) by hand. If any feel notchy, squeaky, dry or rattly replace them. Also pull and push on the W/P shaft, there should be little-to-no movement. When my '97 SOHC started making a horrible knocking noise it turned out to be the W/P bearing/shaft was shot.

Why no dressing on a serpentine?

 

[sethsport]

What do you mean by ‘nothing?’ No start/turning over like a dead battery? If so I’d suspect the alternator. Pull the belt off and spin all pulleys and accessories by hand. Just a FYI no belt dressing on these, just in case you tried it.

Ok it seems no belt dressing on a serpentine is a thing. Why is that?

 

[sethsport]

But basically what I can figure is the tensioner bearing went out then bound up or was slipping so bad it wasn’t turning the alt which drained my battery and I just so happened to make it home before it completely died. And because the battery probably reached a depth of discharge so bad it messed up the cells or did some kind of damage to it.

 

[swshawaii]

Why Belt Dressing Is Not a Solution To Quiet a Noisy Belt

 

[sethsport]

thanks swshawaii! Any thoughts on the power seat problem I’m having?!?

 

[koda2000]

Why Belt Dressing Is Not a Solution To Quiet a Noisy Belt

Yep.

 

[swshawaii]

FUSES AND RELAYS (Seats #30 25A) Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel

Pages 139 & 141
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/03p27og4e.pdf

 

[swshawaii]

Seat heaters use a different fuse #21 20A in passenger compartment panel.

 

[sethsport]

FUSES AND RELAYS (Seats #30 25A) Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel

Pages 139 & 141
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/03p27og4e.pdf

I found this link very helpful
2000-2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Fuse Box Diagram » Fuse Diagram

 

[sethsport]

FUSES AND RELAYS (Seats #30 25A) Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel

Pages 139 & 141
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/03p27og4e.pdf

I found this link very helpful, has years, models and descriptions
2000-2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Fuse Box Diagram » Fuse Diagram