Electrical Problem

[Crane]

Hi everyone, I'm new here.

Yesterday, while I was on the road, my turn signals both went out, by the hazard lights still worked. I figured it was just a blown fuse or something.

A while later, it weird stuff really began to happen. The ABS light stayed on, and when I would turn on the headlights or high beams, the engine would drop a few RPMs before recovering. The automatic locks would go in and out of working. The clock would reset itself at 12:00 each time I turned it on.

Are most of these signs of a dieing battery, or is there something really wrong with the electrical system?

 

[dogfriend]

Welcome to the forum.

I would say that the most likely cause is the battery unless you have seen some of these symptoms before. You probably have a cell (or two) that are going bad and not contributing any voltage (e.g. with one bad cell the voltage will drop to ~10V).

If possible, find a parts store or garage that can load test the battery for you, that way you will know for sure it is the battery and not some other problem (corroded battery cables, weak alternator, etc.)

BTW, corroded battery cables are common on older Explorers, so you should inspect them as well.

Good luck.

 

[fixxxer]

It really does sound like a bad battery and/or battery cables

 

[mikeinri]

Ditto on the cables. They corrode from the inside out, so they are usually worse than they look. Bad cables can also kill a perfectly good battery over time.

Having the system tested (including alternator) is definitely a good idea, but if the cables are bad (and the mechanic doesn't notice), the test may not give accurate results.

BTW, the cable going to the starter is a major PITA...

Hope this helps.

Mike