warning tone, SES light, but no codes

[psu x]

04 Eddie Bauer 4.6:

I am having increasingly frequent electrical issues. I am getting the impression that the electronics on this vehicle are 'extremely unreliable' at best. Seems like a flood vehicle, or it has fremlins (ford+gremlins). Here are the old issues first:

-4WD engaged light illuminated randomly on dry pavement. (dealer replaced entire PCM under warranty around 30K mi)

-entire electrical system shuts down when using cruise control and slowing below 40mph. engine, dash, lights, everything turns off as if you disconnected the battery. (problem not solved, but can be avoided and/or engine restarted)

-excessive throttle lag (temporarily, and only partially solved during alternator replacement and lengthy battery disconnect. it is back now)

-oil change reset works, then "change oil soon" comes back on randomly (not that important)

-clicking noise heard when starting engine with new(er) battery and new alternator (cleaned and tightened battery and starter motor terminals -- seems to be OK now.)

-reverse sensing system defaults to "off" and does not work at all

-blower motor stuck on "max" with auto/electronic climate control (I will try the resistor today. dealer claims it is not the blower motor control module...we'll see about that after I waste $30)


New issues that i am looking for assistance on:
1) after stopping at a stop sign (where you only pause for a second) and switch from brake to gas, the warning tone beeps briefly (as if something is wrong (such as low fuel, washer fluid, etc.) but no message displays and no fluids are low. It happens mostly going up hill. Possibly a fuel level sensor? Other ideas?

2) service engine soon light came on, but no OBD codes.

With all of these issues, sounds like I may need to go to the stealership and check the PCM.

 

[BigRondo]

Welcome aboard!!

I can't help you with all your issues, but I can help with a few:

-entire electrical system shuts down when using cruise control and slowing below 40mph. engine, dash, lights, everything turns off as if you disconnected the battery. (problem not solved, but can be avoided and/or engine restarted)

This is a normal function of the cruise control. There are several threads on this topic.

-excessive throttle lag (temporarily, and only partially solved during alternator replacement and lengthy battery disconnect. it is back now)

The '04 has "throttle by wire" and the lag is normal. If it is excessive, then your MAF may need to be cleaned and/or air filter changed.

-blower motor stuck on "max" with auto/electronic climate control (I will try the resistor today. dealer claims it is not the blower motor control module...we'll see about that after I waste $30)

Could also be the fan switch. Mine wouldn't work on #3. I got a used switch dirt cheap on eBay and now all speeds work correctly.

1) after stopping at a stop sign (where you only pause for a second) and switch from brake to gas, the warning tone beeps briefly (as if something is wrong (such as low fuel, washer fluid, etc.) but no message displays and no fluids are low. It happens mostly going up hill. Possibly a fuel level sensor? Other ideas?

I know you said no fluids are low, but did you check the brake fluid?

2) service engine soon light came on, but no OBD codes.

How did you read the codes? Local parts stores will usually do this for free and make recommendations. If you went this route, try going to a different place. They may have faulty equipment.

Hopefully this will help you out a little. I sense that you are frustrated at this point. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me will chime in.

Please keep us posted as feedback helps others reading this post, looking for a fix to the same or similar issue!

 

[psu x]

Welcome aboard!!

I can't help you with all your issues, but I can help with a few:



This is a normal function of the cruise control. There are several threads on this topic.



The '04 has "throttle by wire" and the lag is normal. If it is excessive, then your MAF may need to be cleaned and/or air filter changed.



Could also be the fan switch. Mine wouldn't work on #3. I got a used switch dirt cheap on eBay and now all speeds work correctly.



I know you said no fluids are low, but did you check the brake fluid?



How did you read the codes? Local parts stores will usually do this for free and make recommendations. If you went this route, try going to a different place. They may have faulty equipment.

Hopefully this will help you out a little. I sense that you are frustrated at this point. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me will chime in.

Please keep us posted as feedback helps others reading this post, looking for a fix to the same or similar issue!

Here is where I stand so far:

A complete engine and electrical shutdown is "normal" cruise control operation. Shouldn't it just turn off the cruise as if you tapped the brake? Anyway, like I siad, it can be avoided, so I am not intending to fix.

For the "blower motor stuck on high" issue...I called the parts department at the dealership and told him the part i needed and gave my VIN. The guy told me that I needed a blower resistor. I told him I have dual automatic temp control and there was no knob, and that I read online that i needed a blower control module, etc. etc. He assured me I had the right part. (Did I mention that I gave him my VIN?) Well, wouldn't you know it that the blower resistor is nowhere to befound on my vehicle! So I am back to getting a used part from ebay or paying $? to the dealer. I will get a price on monday.

For the warning tone issue...I added some brake fluid. Wonlt know if it helps until my wife drives it a while.

For the throttle delay...I cleaned the MAF sensor. Didn't notice a big difference, but it certainly is not worse. (Maybe I used too much K&N oil.)


SES light...It is still on after adding brake fluid. Maybe it needs to be driven through a cycle before turing off. I read the code wit my own scanner. I will take to AutoZone or Advance next weekendand see if they get a different result.

Thanks for the help so far. I will keep you posted.

 

[Javadog123]

I know this will sound stupid, but you should clean your battery ground where it grounds to frame/engine. That many electrical issues to me seems ground related.

 

[scottfab]

I know this will sound stupid, but you should clean your battery ground where it grounds to frame/engine. That many electrical issues to me seems ground related.

Not stupid at all. With all the symptoms he listed I'd definitely check not only the ground at the chassis but at the battery too. Then if many symptoms persist look for other grounding wire problems like say to the dash.
When troubleshooting grounding issues don't be hesitant to run (as a test) a separate ground wire to the battery and/or chassis. If symptoms go away your on to the problem.

 

[High_Order1]

Absolutely.

Look in the crimps of the ground connectors. You see a hint of green or 'ash', cut them off and start over.

The vehicle completely shutting off with a MPH drop while in cruise is common, but NOT correct behavior.

Also,
CHECK THE BATTERY. Even a slight discharge will make *ALL* kinds of weird, unreproduceable stuff happen in an expy. I regularly put mine on a float charger (it's permanently attached). It solves a lot of stuff. Seriously.

Shawn

 

[psu x]

Thanks again for the help. Sorry for the delay in posting, but here is where I stand:

Even though the brake fluid was not "officially" low, adding fluid seems to have cleared the SES light after a day or so.

Cleaning the mass air sensor seems to have helped the throttle lag a bit. I think i need to give it one or two more cleanings because it has a tiny bit of hesitation right after starting the engine. It probably has some K&N oil on it, so it could need another shot of cleaner to get it all off. But overall the first cleaning helped.

For my "blower stuck on high" issue, I returned the misordered part to one dealer and ordered the correct part from another dealer. Yeah the part that I would have ordered in the first place if I listened to this group instead of the dealer. Plugged it in -- Problem solved.

I agree with what @High_Order1 said about the battery/electrical/ground. Even with all "good" connections, when my original battery was getting old and weak, I had a bunch of little beeps, blinks, odd dash displays, etc. Simply replacing the battery solved a lot of that.

I cleaned the battery terminals and the starter motor terminals already. I think I will take your advice and clean up the ground connection. It make s a lot of sense and I probably should have checked that before I crawled under to get at the starter!