2011 Explorer won't start

[Cmapohm]

Hello,

Just bought this car on Thursday. Ran great for a couple days.

Sunday when I was waiting for a train it popped up with a fault in the all terrain, I lost awd. Then the gauges started bouncing all over, the heat blasted fully and I couldn't turn that off and then the car died. It started again after a couple tries. AWD didn't come back until later. That night when I tried to go home it wouldn't start and the headlights turned on, those wouldn't turn off again until we disconnected the battery. We managed to get it started by jumping it and I got it home.

We replaced the battery and it started right up. Then today on the highway it did the same thing, popped up with faults regarding the AWD, gauges went crazy and heat blew on high. We got it to my parent's house but can't get it to start to bring it home or to a shop. When we turn the key it doesn't turn over but it clicks. The headlights wouldn't turn off again so we left it there with the battery disconnected.

My dad suggested a fuse or relay, possibly a bad ground wire. Any idea how to narrow it down more or what it is?

Thanks!

 

[Turdle]

Those are the symptoms of loosing an alternator.

 

[FordGuy78]

If you put in a known good battery then throw that battery on a charger. If the car starts after the battery has been charged then as @Turdle said you're most likely dealing with a voltage problem because the battery isn't charging. This is usually a bad alternator. The less likely culprit would be the Battery Management System (BMS).

And no, the battery light may not have come on. Over the years I've had batteries go bad and I've had alternators go bad on a number of cars. Not once has the battery light come in advance other than as part of a Christmas light display when all the gauges go nuts like yours did.

 

[KayGee]

Did the Carfax or service history provide any insight on past problems? Accident/flood damage/title wash from another state/etc...

You should be able to have your alternator/charging system tested at most chain auto stores to verify it, or rule it out, as a/the cause.

I've never had any vehicles go crazy like you describe and have it turn out to be an alternator or battery. But, those are my experiences and ymmv. Best of luck.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Cmapohm.

Peter

 

[Adrian Gitch]

Bad ground somewhere?

 

[Cmapohm]

Thanks for all input, haven't had a chance to get back to it, it's stuck an hour away. The Carfax report came back with no prior issues. We checked the voltage on Sunday after replacing the battery and it was fine then, would the new battery have affected that? Could it still be the alternator?

 

[Mountinheer]

See first response... might want to change alternator before trying to make that trip. Or at least leave everything off to give poor battery a fighting chance.

 

[Cmapohm]

Quick update

I had it towed to the local Ford dealership. After a week of the mechanics there having no idea, they've narrowed it down to a fuse box issue. Still not 100% sure on the exact issue.