98ExplorerGuy
Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2007
- Messages
- 44
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- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1998 Explorer XLT
Lately my 98 Explorer has been exhibiting random, weird, electrical issues.
a) battery appears to be totally dead - no dome light, no remote door unlock, no starter. Several minutes later it is completely normal.
b) electric windows stop working; then start working again
c) sometimes, but not always, theft light on dashboard flashes (slow constant flash; not a code) while engine running
d) remote door lock/unlock doesn't work; then does
There may be others, I don't know - my wife drives the car more than I do.
A while back (year? two years?) when the vehicle was in the dealer for other service, they said my battery cable terminals were shot beyond use and strongly suggested I allow them to replace them. I said sure, go ahead. What they did was cut off the old terminals and install ones sort of like this:
but not quite; the ones they installed had a less-beefy clamping plate, more like stamped sheet metal.
Last week, during one of the "dead battery" episodes, my son noticed that the vehicle came to life after I wiggled the negative battery cable (I wanted to see if the post clamp was tight). Upon further examination, it was obvious that the screw-down cable clamp was not tightly holding the cable, so we tightened it up and everything seemed fine for a few days.
So, I mention all of this (random electrical probs; loose cable) to a mechanic friend and he remarked that if the dealer didn't load up that cable clamp with conductive grease, the cable might have corroded not only at the exposed end but all the way down the length of the cable. Yikes!
I can tell you with certainty that there is no grease there and never was. What are the odds that this is related to the problems above?
PS: there is no obvious sign of severe corrosion other than slight discoloring of the exposed wire. No green or white powder corrosion, for example.
a) battery appears to be totally dead - no dome light, no remote door unlock, no starter. Several minutes later it is completely normal.
b) electric windows stop working; then start working again
c) sometimes, but not always, theft light on dashboard flashes (slow constant flash; not a code) while engine running
d) remote door lock/unlock doesn't work; then does
There may be others, I don't know - my wife drives the car more than I do.
A while back (year? two years?) when the vehicle was in the dealer for other service, they said my battery cable terminals were shot beyond use and strongly suggested I allow them to replace them. I said sure, go ahead. What they did was cut off the old terminals and install ones sort of like this:
but not quite; the ones they installed had a less-beefy clamping plate, more like stamped sheet metal.
Last week, during one of the "dead battery" episodes, my son noticed that the vehicle came to life after I wiggled the negative battery cable (I wanted to see if the post clamp was tight). Upon further examination, it was obvious that the screw-down cable clamp was not tightly holding the cable, so we tightened it up and everything seemed fine for a few days.
So, I mention all of this (random electrical probs; loose cable) to a mechanic friend and he remarked that if the dealer didn't load up that cable clamp with conductive grease, the cable might have corroded not only at the exposed end but all the way down the length of the cable. Yikes!
I can tell you with certainty that there is no grease there and never was. What are the odds that this is related to the problems above?
PS: there is no obvious sign of severe corrosion other than slight discoloring of the exposed wire. No green or white powder corrosion, for example.
