Electrical oddities

[MuellerAndrewRay]

2015 Explorer Limited

Lately I've had some really strange things happen like:

• Won't start, but as I approach I hear clicking coming from under the hood
  • This has happened a few times and is pretty random. The last time I removed the post connectors to the battery, put them back on and the car started. There was plenty of power there.
  • The first time this happened several times and I eventually had to replace my battery, so worried there is something more to this (especially given the other issues below)
• Was riding the other day, the SYNC touchscreen would not move beyond the main screen. I could click, it would make the noise, appear to switch screens (blank for a fraction of a second) - but always stayed on the same main display.
• At minimum every other time I get in the vehicle and start the car, the seat will not auto-adjust. I hear some noise (sometimes) like it is trying to do something, but nothing actually happens.

The last time I had a vehicle looked at for electrical issues, the dealer has absolutely no clue and it ended up costing me $1500 for a $100 part and an hours labor... and that was after I made them pay for half the cost. It was brutal, so I have no faith in auto shops' "electrical experts" lol.

Any ideas what the heck is going on here?

 

[T2true]

2015 Explorer Limited

Lately I've had some really strange things happen like:

• Won't start, but as I approach I hear clicking coming from under the hood
  • This has happened a few times and is pretty random. The last time I removed the post connectors to the battery, put them back on and the car started. There was plenty of power there.
  • The first time this happened several times and I eventually had to replace my battery, so worried there is something more to this (especially given the other issues below)
• Was riding the other day, the SYNC touchscreen would not move beyond the main screen. I could click, it would make the noise, appear to switch screens (blank for a fraction of a second) - but always stayed on the same main display.
• At minimum every other time I get in the vehicle and start the car, the seat will not auto-adjust. I hear some noise (sometimes) like it is trying to do something, but nothing actually happens.

The last time I had a vehicle looked at for electrical issues, the dealer has absolutely no clue and it ended up costing me $1500 for a $100 part and an hours labor... and that was after I made them pay for half the cost. It was brutal, so I have no faith in auto shops' "electrical experts" lol.

Any ideas what the heck is going on here?

I have similar oddities going on in my 2012.

The clicking you hear is the starter relay trying to engage. Were you trying to turn over the engine when you heard it? I didn't when my relay was clicking. It was very strange. I have not figured it out.

The SYNC GPS in mine stopped working - it doesn't follow the vehicle. Occasionally, it will change to a different location, but not to where I am.

And, other times after starting the vehicle, it loses power steering.

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

The clicking you hear is the starter relay trying to engage. Were you trying to turn over the engine when you heard it? I didn't when my relay was clicking. It was very strange. I have not figured it out.

No - I was walking up to the vehicle and heard it. Sounded a lot like a small relay. Maybe that was it - but I have no idea why my vehicle would be trying to start itself while I was in the grocery store

And, other times after starting the vehicle, it loses power steering.

I forgot about that one! I had the same thing happen, but only one time. Scared the crap out of me. I was at a stop sign and couldn't turn easily. I had to shut off the vehicle and restart it to get it to work again

It is maddening and reminds me of my old Chrysler Sebring that I had, which had a long cable harness (basically the wires all grouped running from front to back of vehicle) that became corroded and was shorting out. Almost wondering if it is something similar. In that case I had some VERY odd things happen like:

1. The horn would all of the sudden honk (sometimes so low I couldn't tell it was even me honking, about every other second... sometimes would not stop honking)
2. The radio would all of the sudden turn off when I turned the defrost on
3. The lights would slowly dim, usually resulting in more honking

Anyway... I could go on for a while with those. But the 'fix' was completely replacing that long cable-group that ran from front-to-back. Maybe I look into something like that which would be at least a simple test as opposed to trying to find out where the short is - which is what I assume must be happening.

 

[runningonfords]

Get forscan or similar diagnostic scanning tool out and check for codes being thrown. Might be one that doesn't cause a dash error light to come on.

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

Get forscan or similar diagnostic scanning tool out and check for codes being thrown. Might be one that doesn't cause a dash error light to come on.

I will try that again, but didn't see anything last time. Of course - I'm not real good at using that thing.

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

The only things I see under Errors in Forscan:

ABS - Antilock braking system
U3003:16-AB: Battery Voltage

ACM - Audio Control Module
U3003:16-08: Battery Voltage

BdyCM - Body Control Module
U3003:16-08 Battery Voltage

 

[runningonfords]

The only things I see under Errors in Forscan:

ABS - Antilock braking system
U3003:16-AB: Battery Voltage

ACM - Audio Control Module
U3003:16-08: Battery Voltage

BdyCM - Body Control Module
U3003:16-08 Battery Voltage

Your battery or charging system are messed up. Put a multi meter on the battery terminals and read the voltage, report back.

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

Your battery or charging system are messed up. Put a multi meter on the battery terminals and read the voltage, report back.

10.35V

 

[runningonfords]

10.35V

Boom! That's a battery with no charge. Charging system or battery problem. Alternator, wires, battery, connections corroded. Check em all out.

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

Boom! That's a battery with no charge. Charging system or battery problem. Alternator, wires, battery, connections corroded. Check em all out.

It should not be a battery issue, since it is only a couple months old. Charging seems to be ok otherwise I wouldn't be able to drive it very far before it drained (I would think). Sounds like a long process Would be nice to have a complete electrical guide to this thing!

thank you, time to get to work.

 

[runningonfords]

It should not be a battery issue, since it is only a couple months old. Charging seems to be ok otherwise I wouldn't be able to drive it very far before it drained (I would think). Sounds like a long process Would be nice to have a complete electrical guide to this thing!

thank you, time to get to work.

Batteries are all made in shady countries to sometimes questionable standards. Bad cells occur on new batteries too. Take it in for a test, anyone will do it. As well, sometimes the positive connection under the red flap thing can be corroded, look there first, it's easy. Could be as simple as battery terminal clean up. Tighten the 10mm nuts gutentite.

 

[peterk9]

It should not be a battery issue, since it is only a couple months old. Charging seems to be ok otherwise I wouldn't be able to drive it very far before it drained (I would think). Sounds like a long process Would be nice to have a complete electrical guide to this thing!

thank you, time to get to work.

Have the battery checked. There are posts here where batteries a month or two old have had to be replaced. Check it and then go from there. It seems that all those codes reference a low voltage condition.

Peter

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

Have the battery checked. There are posts here where batteries a month or two old have had to be replaced. Check it and then go from there. It seems that all those codes reference a low voltage condition.

Peter

I have a nice battery charger, so I have that thing on it now. If it doesn't charge up any higher I will know it is bad. I will also clean up the terminals. The ground terminal was pretty loose, so I'm sure that wasn't helpful.

 

[Nibroc99]

I have similar issues with my 2013 PIU (base, 3.7) with my remote start. It sometimes turns over for a half-second or less, or doesn't try to start at all but I hear relays click (not the starter trying to engage), but doesn't start. Sometimes it starts without a problem. It almost never honks, but if it does, it's either a long time after trying to remote start, or it's when I put the key in the ignition it'll honk - whenever it honks it only honks once.
Hood switch is making good contact with the hood. Brand new switch that I added, I programmed remote start using FORScan. I have a brand new battery as of under a month ago, as well. Reads good voltage (12.6-12.8 volts (I have a voltage meter phone charger) even after sitting for a couple of days).
Very weird, and I haven't found anybody with the motivation to help diagnose my problem yet! Following this thread to see what people come up with.

 

[runningonfords]

I have similar issues with my 2013 PIU (base, 3.7) with my remote start. It sometimes turns over for a half-second or less, or doesn't try to start at all but I hear relays click (not the starter trying to engage), but doesn't start. Sometimes it starts without a problem. It almost never honks, but if it does, it's either a long time after trying to remote start, or it's when I put the key in the ignition it'll honk - whenever it honks it only honks once.
Hood switch is making good contact with the hood. Brand new switch that I added, I programmed remote start using FORScan. I have a brand new battery as of under a month ago, as well. Reads good voltage (12.6-12.8 volts (I have a voltage meter phone charger) even after sitting for a couple of days).
Very weird, and I haven't found anybody with the motivation to help diagnose my problem yet! Following this thread to see what people come up with.

I'd be checking the voltage with an actual multimeter. Not sure what a volt meter phone charger is. Accuracy is important here.

When my battery is low, the remote start has problems.

Double check the batterry model's amperage rating. You've got the biggest engine. Might ensure you got the right size battery, I always go biggest available that'll fit.

Once, I seemed to have problems with my forscan enabled remote start. I went into forscan, disabled it, on/off the car a couple times. Then re-enabled it. Seemed to fix things.

Might wanna look at that hood switch. You just swapped it out, or installed it because the car didn't have one?

 

[Nibroc99]

I'd be checking the voltage with an actual multimeter. Not sure what a volt meter phone charger is. Accuracy is important here.
- The voltage meter that I'm talking about is a phone charger that plugs into the 12V outlet in the cabin and has a digital display of the voltage it's receiving. It's been accurate the multiple times I cross-checked it with an actual multimeter (I was concerned about accuracy when buying the charger; reviews said it was accurate and my testing confirmed that it is accurate). I got it since the explorers and PIUs don't have a battery gauge, and I like having a more accurate reading than a traditional dash needle anyway since those are never too accurate and it's hard to read exactly the voltage based on the needle anyway.

When my battery is low, the remote start has problems.

Double check the batterry model's amperage rating. You've got the biggest engine. Might ensure you got the right size battery, I always go biggest available that'll fit.
- the battery is better than the Motorcraft one it replaced in every rating - 850CCA's, group 65, can't remember the other specs like continuous output rating etc. but if you're curious I can go out and look at the battery sticker. I am in the same mindset as you; I'd rather drop the money on a better-than-needed battery, and I got the best one I could find. I actually went to Walmart, AutoZone, and Interstate to see their selections, and did research based on that, then went back to AutoZone as the Duralast Gold was the best option out of them all.

Once, I seemed to have problems with my forscan enabled remote start. I went into forscan, disabled it, on/off the car a couple times. Then re-enabled it. Seemed to fix things.
- Might have to try this! Interesting.

Might wanna look at that hood switch. You just swapped it out, or installed it because the car didn't have one?
- The interceptor didn't have one installed, it just had the blank plastic piece with the plug. I swapped out the blank for the hood switch, pretty common upgrade for police interceptor utilities. The hood makes good contact with the switch, as is evident by the small imprint it leaves on the hood paint.

Thank you so much for all of your input! It is for sure not a battery-related problem. Terminal posts are clean (inside the terminal wire ends are clean too) and they're making good contact. It's so weird. And every time I go to start the car after a remote start fail, it starts right up without a problem at all. Doesn't struggle or try to crank for longer than usual either. C'est très bizarre !

 

[runningonfords]

Hoooooooooold that remote start second click for several seconds. Don't just pulse the second click. Hold it till it starts. So lock, start, hold start. About as fast as you say 1, 2, 3 and hold it. This also helped for me.

 

[Nibroc99]

Hoooooooooold that remote start second click for several seconds. Don't just pulse the second click. Hold it till it starts. So lock, start, hold start. About as fast as you say 1, 2, 3 and hold it. This also helped for me.

I'll have to remember to do that from now on! Every little tidbit like this helps haha! Thank you!!

 

[runningonfords]

I'll have to remember to do that from now on! Every little tidbit like this helps haha! Thank you!!

I know. It's obnoxious, but I read it somewhere too and this discussion jogged my memories when I had the no start and honk problem.

 

[MuellerAndrewRay]

Update: Battery is fine, took a charge no problem. I'm doing some more testing because after going for a long drive yesterday and testing the battery when I got home - it was back to 10.5V. Something is obviously wrong. Today I will charge the battery back up, leave the battery alone (i.e., not connect it to the car, and see how long the voltage remains at ~13VDC). Then I will connect to the vehicle and see what happens over time.