WTH is going on with my car here? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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WTH is going on with my car here?

jnb0111

Active Member
Joined
June 9, 2011
Messages
61
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City, State
Ohio
Year, Model & Trim Level
2003 Explorer XLT sport
My girlfriend and I went out to go to the store tonight, and got in my truck, and it was dead. No click, nothing. I got my jumper cables out, and used her Cobalt to jump start mine. It took a couple minutes, but it finally started. Once it was running, I noticed that the ABS light was on, and the speedo said we were going 10mph, even though we were going 0 mph. Once we started driving, the speedo got right, but the ABS light stayed on intermittently. Mostly on, though. After about 15 minutes, the theft light also came on, and the truck acted like it hit a wall, but just for a half a second, then the light went off, and it acted normally. This happened three times. It stayed running the whole time, though.
When we got back home, I parked, and shut it off. 2 seconds later, it won't restart. This is a new one for me. I don't even have a guess.
The battery was tested yesterday, and it tests fine, and I don't have any accessories on that would have drained it.
 



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check your alternator, mine acted very similar to that when it died.

I had thought of that, because I used to have a Probe that had the alternator quit, but it had the brake and battery light come on, whereas my Explorer didn't, so I dismissed that thought. Wouldn't it be nice if it were something so simple? :)
 






Alright, I'll get the alternator off, and will get it tested this morning. If it does test bad, finances say I'll be going with a junkyard alternator for the time being, since I can get one for $15, versus $130 for reman. If I have 14 Explorers t ochoose from, from model year 1995 to 2003, will any alternator out of a 4.0 work, or will it have to be a 4.0 SOHC from a 2003 like mine? I just don't want to go pull the wrong part.
 






I went out to pull the alternator, and the car is clicking. I'm not sure, but it sounds like it's the sound the door locks make if you click the unlock button when they're already unlocked. Of course, still no power to start the car.
It's clicking quickly, and if I turn the key to the ON position, it stops, but I still don't get any lights, chimes or anything. I'm starting to worry that I may have bought a car with a lot of problems. I thought it might be the starter, but the clicking sounds concerns me that it may be an electrical problem, since it's obviously getting power, just not to the point that it will work anything. The locks don't work, windows, etc. I may just have to become elite so I can get answers quickly. :)
 






OK. It's not the alternator. Any other thoughts? I really don't want to have to take it to the dealer. :(
 






If the car is clicking and the key is not in the ignition, you probably have a bad relay somewhere. When a relay closes, it uses power and can kill your battery. A weak battery can cause the electrical gremlins you have.
Check all of your ground cables also.
 






If the car is clicking and the key is not in the ignition, you probably have a bad relay somewhere. When a relay closes, it uses power and can kill your battery. A weak battery can cause the electrical gremlins you have.
Check all of your ground cables also.

Well, I'll test the battery personally, then. Any idea what relay could be the bad one?
 






Unfortunately, these cars have many relays. If you still can hear it clicking, follow your ears.
 






Good place to start. This is where it gets interesting. I remember it sounding like it was clicking in the door, like I mentioned, it sounded like the locks were unlocking repeatedly, so I just went outside to get it to do it again. I reconnected the battery, which I had disconnected to get the clicking to stop, and listened for the clicking. It didn't click, and I turned the key and the truck started right up like normal.
Keep in mind, I havent done anything except for disconnect the battery for a little bit. On the one hand, it started, so I should be happy, but on the other hand, I want to figure out the problem was so that it doesn't happen again at a place that is far more inconvenient than at home.:banghead:
 






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