Odd "Test" Message on a Cold Start Up!

[Exproblems]

I know this is an old post in another part of the forum, but today when I went to start up my 2005 Explorer V-6 this morning, with temps at 11 degrees F, I received a single "Test" message on my message screen after the engine fired up. It took 3-4 seconds to start the engine. This is the first time I ever saw a "test" message on my screen. I noticed the engine seemed to turn over slower than usual, but the truck hadn't run in 24 hrs, sitting in low teen temps all day and night. My engine and starter are 1 year old and the battery is 4 years old and my battery cables all look good, clean and tight. Once the engine was running and the "test" message was on the message screen, I didn't know what would happen next. I expected the PCU to go through a test on it's own but it did nothing, so after waiting 2 minutes or so, I decided to try and clear the message screen myself and I hit the "reset button" and all it did was go to the next step in the test procedure. I kept tapping the rest button and it went thru numerous test and read out screens, only to go back to the beginning of the test all over again. I did notice during the tapping thru the test screens, my Alternator was putting out 14.4-14.6 volts with the engine running. So I feel good about the Alternator. To finally clear the message screen of the test diagnostic, I shut the engine off for 30 seconds or so then re-started the engine and the Test screen was gone, back to normal mode with the odometer reading, compass and outside air temp showing. I then drove to the gym and re-started it with no issues 2 1/2 hrs later. Once I got home, I hooked up my battery charger to the battery and battery charge meter showed battery power between the 3-4 mark, or 70% charged. I am currently charging the battery, set to a 12 amp quick charge and will let it charge up for a few hours and see where it is at. As noted in my forum search of this problem, I figure I might need a new battery (search showed most likely a battery issue causing the Test message to appear) and the next few nights will be extremely cold, -10 below zero wind chills and I'll see if it happens again. If it does, I'll go to Advance Auto Parts and pick up a new 850 CCA battery. My current battery is an 850 CCA battery that came with the truck when I bought it 4 years ago. I'll post up any new findings in the next few days. If anyone can add anything to this, please let me know, thanks.

Update ON Battery Charging: After a 2 hour, 2 amp charge the battery meter showed that the battery did take the charge and the battery meter now registered a charge between the 0 and 2, but closer to the 2, or a little over 80% charged. In all my years, I don't think I ever saw a battery hold or take a charge right down to 0 zero, so I'll see how this goes over the next few days.

 

[pet575]

I've had that happen a few times to me in my 9 years with mine. Each time it has been the result of either a bad battery or a corroded connection. Either way it was the result of not enough voltage. Always went away after a shutoff/restart.......until the next time I had a failure to start due to low voltage.

Sounds like your battery is iffy. I'd replace it and also have the alternator checked. Last time I had a batter go bad it was because the alternator went bad and cooked the battery.

 

[Exproblems]

I've had that happen a few times to me in my 9 years with mine. Each time it has been the result of either a bad battery or a corroded connection. Either way it was the result of not enough voltage. Always went away after a shutoff/restart.......until the next time I had a failure to start due to low voltage.

Sounds like your battery is iffy. I'd replace it and also have the alternator checked. Last time I had a batter go bad it was because the alternator went bad and cooked the battery.

Thanks for the info. That's pretty much what I found through the forum search. I'll stop by the parts store later today and have them both checked out. During the "test" that came up, the reading for the Alternator output did read 14.4-14.6 volts so I figure the Alternator is good, but the battery may be on it's way out. Started no problem this morning with temps around 21 degrees, but windy. If the Alternator is bad, I figure the headlights would not be as bright at night, especially with the heater/defroster and fan speed on 2 or 3, rear defroster on, front and rear wipers working occasionally and the radio on as well. I haven't seen a change in the dash Volt gauge or any dash warning indicators.

Update: I went to Advance Auto Parts today and had them test my Battery and Alternator. They hook up a computer controlled test meter to the battery which can also read the voltage output from the Alternator. They tested the battery output with the engine off and then had me start the engine and turn on a few electronic devices like, the heater and fan set to high, the headlights on with high beams on, and they had me rev the engine as high as I could safely go for a few seconds and then turn it off. The guy then printed out all my readings from his computerized test meter. The test meter said the Alternator was charging "normal' but the "battery needed to be charged". The battery CCA output was only 426 CCA's and it is a 850CCA battery. They said the battery was low on charge. They gave me the print out from the test and I went home and connected my battery charger to the battery. I set the charger to a 12 volt, 10 amp charge and left it on for 2 /12 hrs. I noticed the battery charge meter on the charger said the battery charge was between the 4 and the 6, closer to the 6, which means about half charged up. This coincides with the 426 CCA reading from the test. After 2 1/2 hrs on the charger, the needle on the charger meter had not moved down towards the low end or zero and was still pretty much where it was when I connected it to the charger. This tells me something is wrong with my battery because it wouldn't take and hold the charge. So I went online and purchased a new battery (Group 65 850CCA) from Advance Auto parts and I used a $40 off coupon from www.couponcabin.com I picked it up at one of their stores and installed it myself in their lot, saving a $18 core charge by giving them my old battery after I swapped them out. Outside air temp was 5 degrees and windy, brrrr! Total cost with the tax and coupon discount was $129.40 and the battery has a full, 3 year replacement warranty. Note: They don't pro-rate their batteries by months at Advance, just a 3 full year warranty.