Electrical issues in Winter?

[KinnamonC20]

I own a 2012 Ford Explorer XLT 4WD that has around 160k miles.. The vehicle has trouble starting in 30 degree weather, the radio will randomly black out and not come on for days, and the tire pressure sensor starts to go off.. The battery has been tested and wasn’t bad, the alternator was recently replaced, and the connections have all been cleaned off.. I don’t have much of an idea of what could be causing it and I don’t want to pay for a new starter if it’s just a simple electrical fix.. (I woulda like to note that none of these things are a problem in warm weather)

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum.
How long have you had these issues? Did you have them before replacing the alternator? What exactly is the trouble with starting it? Does the engine turn over and start or just crank for a while before firing up?
When you say "the radio will randomly blackout" do the other MFT functions work? Given the age of the vehicle, I'm wondering if the APIM may be going bad.

Peter

 

[KinnamonC20]

Welcome to the Forum.
How long have you had these issues? Did you have them before replacing the alternator? What exactly is the trouble with starting it? Does the engine turn over and start or just crank for a while before firing up?
When you say "the radio will randomly blackout" do the other MFT functions work? Given the age of the vehicle, I'm wondering if the APIM may be going bad.

Peter

Thank you for your response Peter!
To answer your questions, the alternator was bad when I purchased the car in July of 2020 (Everything else on the car was in good condition and previous owner never mentioned any issues with the vehicle starting), I had to replace it before we could even drive it.. The car behaved normally with no issues throughout the fall, but issues began to persist when temperatures got down into the 30's.. The car will usually turn over for a bit before it stops, followed by a rapid clicking sound. The few times it does start in the cold, it usually turns over for 3-4 seconds before starting but then the MFT interface will go black and be unresponsive for days. The physical buttons for the climate control will usually still work, but all MFT functions will stop once the screen goes black. I just find it strange that all of these issues seem to be connected and only happen during the winter months when I rely on the car most.

 

[peterk9]

Not being a mechanic by any means, I think that clicking when attempting to start the engine is usually a sign of a starter beginning to fail. The reason I asked about the alternator is that several members had issues after installing a non OEM unit. Since yours seems to be working I doubt that is the issue here. I don't know if there is a way to test the APIM but I believe temperature changes could affect some electronic components if they are beginning to weaken. The APIM (Accessory Protocol Interface Module) is the so-called 'brains' of the MFT.

Peter

 

[KinnamonC20]

Not being a mechanic by any means, I think that clicking when attempting to start the engine is usually a sign of a starter beginning to fail. The reason I asked about the alternator is that several members had issues after installing a non OEM unit. Since yours seems to be working I doubt that is the issue here. I don't know if there is a way to test the APIM but I believe temperature changes could affect some electronic components if they are beginning to weaken. The APIM (Accessory Protocol Interface Module) is the so-called 'brains' of the MFT.

Peter

That sounds about right, I was curious to see if they were the both result of an electrical issue but I think you may be right! The backup camera is usually off and on no matter the temperature so I'm sure I'm just another victim of a bad APIM.. I'll have to see about getting that starter checked out as well and do some research on it! Thanks again for your assistance Peter, I've greatly appreciated it!

 

[peterk9]

The issue with the camera is likely a separate one given the vehicle's age. Many have had to replace them. Usually a warning message will pop up to see the dealer.

Peter