2016 Explorer starting issues

[Napalm]

We have a 2016 Explorer XLT with the 3.5 TiVCT engine. It has, get this, 35700 miles on it as of this morning.

Now it's been trouble free since June of 15 when we bought it. and yes - that's right significant driving over 18K in the first year. So just got back from a trip up north to St Louis. car seems fine - needs new tires - different rant for another thread.

But tuesday afternoon wife calls in a panic because it won't start and just clicks. it seems she got some gas (but didn't fill it up for some reason) and then went to start. lights/screens on, and warning for stability assistance off - clicking noises no start. she then proceeds to do it a few more times before calling me apparently. when my first thought is weak battery issue - some glitch up etc. Get the jumper cables thinking it might need a light jump. she calls before I get there - well it finally started. She kept trying even though I told her not to and started it anyway. I have no idea what it did.

Next morning - wednesday - well the beeps sound funny. She's thinking the beeps for the part assist sound different. I discount this for a number of reasons namely because it's played over the stereo speakers which she had on while she was calling me over BT anyway. But - Real issue - it hard started that afternoon after sitting still outside for about 6 hours.

This morning - in the garage - similar issue hard started. no clicking no chimes. no warnings on the screen just a slower than normal crank over.

Is it my imagination or are the batteries in the 2016's smaller and weaker than normal? I find it odd that it's rating says 500CCA and group 65 but so far every other group 65 I look at is 700+ and I swear they look thicker.

Anyway other than putting in a new battery does anyone have any other potential issues I might have missed. OH I did do my normal multi-meter test - DC Volts at the terminals, then at the cable ends. And then start the car and do DC Volts again and then flip to AC volts to make sure it's not getting AC current out of the alternator. I don't have a deep load tester.

 

[Odrapnew]

Check the cables at the battery and also the grounds. I think someone on here had an issue recently where a ground strap(or negative battery cable) was not secure or not a good metal/metal contact causing odd issues. The surface was cleaned and the issue was resolved.

 

[613GT500]

According to Ford's website, 2016 Explorers are fitted with a 760CCA AGM battery.

 

[peterk9]

It seems the 65 group has different CCA numbers. Mine is 650. I would tend to go with Odrapnew's suggestion and check for a poor ground.
You may want to check out this thread; http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/no-start-no-power-battery-ok.454407/

Peter

 

[peterk9]

According to Ford's website, 2016 Explorers are fitted with a 760CCA AGM battery.

Have you checked yours?

 

[Napalm]

Check the cables at the battery and also the grounds. I think someone on here had an issue recently where a ground strap(or negative battery cable) was not secure or not a good metal/metal contact causing odd issues. The surface was cleaned and the issue was resolved.

so I checked the battery cables and they look and feel good - also checked them with the meter. IE the reason I check DC volts at the battery nubs -and then check at the cables. If it's not the same - then something else is amis.

Didn't check for ground straps - but I don't know where all of them are on the explorer. If someone has a map that would be really nice. I guess I need to goahead with an all data subscription.

According to Ford's website, 2016 Explorers are fitted with a 760CCA AGM battery.

Not what I read - seems to be a 500 or so CCA unit - now I could see the sport/platnium having a different battery than the others. but it sure seems smaller. More specifically without a tape measure - the one in the car looks smaller than the 2 group 65's I looked into at Advance Auto.

But thanks I'll check more into it. I might actually have the wrong battery in the car - which I have seen happen before.

 

[peterk9]

so I checked the battery cables and they look and feel good - also checked them with the meter. IE the reason I check DC volts at the battery nubs -and then check at the cables. If it's not the same - then something else is amis.

Didn't check for ground straps - but I don't know where all of them are on the explorer. If someone has a map that would be really nice. I guess I need to goahead with an all data subscription..........

The link I provided mentions some places to check. Note post 9 in particular.

Peter

 

[Napalm]

I was hoping someone had a schematic that showed all the group loops on the car. But not an issue.

tested the battery - again not deep test just multi-meter. This morning it got down to 20 over night - car in the garage for some 8+hours.

DC volts at the terminals - 10.1 so I think it's dropped a cell in the midst of all the other happenings. and Monday was the first indication that the charge depth was compromised. SO new battery it will be.

Theory 2 - My wife despite most of my efforts leaves per purse in the car, with the key in it - when parked in the garage. I wonder if that is leaving some systems active in the car causing it to not fully powerdown over night. Thereby instead of pulling some 300mA over night the car might be moving closer to 1000mA

Now I have to pick a battery flavor - and decide if I want to smurf with trying to get a dealer replacement.

 

[peterk9]

..........Theory 2 - My wife despite most of my efforts leaves per purse in the car, with the key in it - when parked in the garage. I wonder if that is leaving some systems active in the car causing it to not fully powerdown over night. Thereby instead of pulling some 300mA over night the car might be moving closer to 1000mA
Now I have to pick a battery flavor - and decide if I want to smurf with trying to get a dealer replacement.

I am sure that there is some sort of communications going on if you leave the keys in the vehicle. I believe the only way to prevent that, at least in older models, is to use the Securicode to lock the key inside. That will cause the key to go inactive after a set period of time. I believe it is 5 or 10 minutes but can't recall for sure.
Get the wife to buy you a battery for Christmas.

Peter

 

[Napalm]

So - went to the dealer to end out my warranty - 35842 when I rolled in. they did check the car over and replaced the battery, hopefully correctly. they used another weak motorcraft unit with a 650 CCA rating - I can get a 750 from just about anywhere else. But it didn't cost me anything - this satisfied my wallet. still has another 3 years warranty and the car supposedly checked out fine.

not to retrain the wifey to get the key out of the car when she parks in the garage.