Help! Ford Can't...

[pj8847]

Not a very nice attitude to take with people who you are asking for help, regardless...

You said the truck just died and you were able to jump start it... on top of that you said the interior lights flash when you open the door...

Do what the several people already suggested, check ALL of the connections from the battery to the starter, grounds included, that means visually inspecting them AND testing them for proper continuity, etc... ALSO pull the battery out and put it on a charger, the interior lights are probably flashing due to a DEAD BATTERY (as you said it was "acting like", you may have already answered your own question...) and it was already suggested:

Try a different battery.

Have you tried that? You never mentioned even testing the battery or checking it's voltage... you say it's "no simple fix" but you have done none of the "simple" diagnostics...

If you have another battery handy, drop it in and see what happens, and have a little more respect for those who are trying to help you, remember, none of us are there with you and your truck, and none of us have to take OUR time to try and help. There is no need or excuse to insult anyone who is trying to help you with a problem you came HERE to fix... Time to "Man Up" and make the appropriate apologies, and move on to fixing the problem...

Just to explain my EXPERIENCE with this "problem", since I have had it before, read the following:

I am an avid RC truck driver, and on the weekends, I'm always out driving them, I use battery chargers for them that I hook up to my truck battery, and occasionally, I run them for so long without starting the truck, I kill the battery, and what happens is the INTERIOR LIGHTS start to flash when a door is opened, but the battery is pretty much useless without a jump... what causes it you ask? the battery saver circuit is turning the lights on and off simply because when they go off, voltage rises enough for the circuit to "think" it's OK to restore power, and when the lights come on, the circuit sees there isn't enough power and turns them right back off. Not hard to figure out, and if the ford techs you took it to didn't know this, find a new place to go...

So check your battery, cables, and anything that could possibly kill the battery overnight, and since it didn't charge while you drove it after the jump-start, get your charging system checked as well, all part of "simple" diagnostics which seem to have already been suggested in multiple ways... the truck started with a jump, that means it's either battery, or cables, and possibly a charging problem (a battery CAN go bad in the blink of an eye.)

 

[ZBlackBeast]

Remember, the FORD TECHS said this was an aftermarket motor.........

And in another spot

i could go all day with this...

please go over your electrical system and use a volt meter

 

[CDW6212R]

I do hope that you showed him those labels.

 

[ZBlackBeast]

Yea...we did.. he didnt know what to say..

 

[CDW6212R]

That's funny, I'll try to remember that and tell my favorite Ford tech.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

no power no diagnostics?

there either complete and totally useless as techs,
or they've labeled your vehicle as not worth the effort and are looking to dump you on some other poor soul

 

[Alaskanredneck]

Quite often when a newer model ford alternator fails lights will flash inside the vehicle including dash lights at random and when its almost totally gone just the interior lights will blink similar to a cel light showing codes, you may also hear what sounds like a relay ticking as the lights flash. I would recommend taking out your alternator and taking it to a local auto parts store like napa and have them test it, techs can be lazy at times but not usally when its such gravy work but definatly when the customer is an ass. Remember if the alternator is bad you need to change the battery at the same time or you may be in the same boat again soon. Also fords are notorius for coroding inside the wires meaning under the plastic so unless you checked for continuty or stripped the wires that may still be the problem.
BTW if you need a new alternator the motorcraft # is GL496RM for 95 amp and GL607 for 130 amp and battery cables WC 8806-AA for neg and WC9451CA
for a pos, neg kit if you have a mesg center

 

[mawrazen]

Have you tried a different (Good battery) from another vehicle?

I bet the voltage on your exsisting battery is <10 volts. What is the voltage?

Please keep it civil.

 

[Cobraguy]

I would recommend taking out your alternator and taking it to a local auto parts store like napa and have them test it,

I much prefer a charging system test with everything on the car as it operates. That way you test the entire system including wires, cables, and battery.

Also, testing for voltage drop is a wonderful thing. It should be a test in everyone's arsenal.

 

[ZBlackBeast]

i killed the battery on the SHO last night (on accident) and my interior lights flashed with the relay lightly clicking every time they went off. when off it tricked the relay into thinking it had power and then shut it down when it realized "****, maby not" as described. Sooo, check your battery.. if you charge it, and it doesn't last long your alt is out... or your batt wont hold a charge..

 

[karstenboy]

Don, Ford knows what the problem is... they just wanted the customer off the lot. And if they told him to come here, and he's ripping at other members, and NO apology to Cobraguy?? That was just mean spirited... If the poster's car isn't running, so be it.

I have three techs at 2 dealerships with over 40 years combined experience. And since I have purchased 7 vehicles from one of them, why in the world would they run off a valued customer? I don't know how many Ford vehicles you guys have owned, but speaking for myself, I have owned 24 Fords, from a 64 1/2 Mustang to F-150's, 6 Escorts, 3 Thunderbirds, 2 Taurus and others over the last 34 years. As far as apologizing to Cobraguy, I say I am sorry. Looking at the posts from another point of view, some may not have read that in the first 2 responses, I thought I had made it clear that I had checked all of the "simple" stuff. This problem has frustrated many people. Yesterday I replaced the computer, a part of the harness, battery and several fuses. In August '07, I replaced the original 4.0, with 183,000 miles and all of the battery-related wiring with all new. So to say that this vehicles has been well cared for is an understatement. I know what to look for in the beginning stages of electrical problems.
The truck is now running as it should. There was a dead short that could not be seen, and for some reason did not show on the multi-tester, right at the computer, that shorted it out. Apparently, 2 wires had abraided each other and were no longer touching, so maybe that is why the multi-tester did not "see" it.
And by the way, I am in the car business. I know cars. I buy from the Ford guys because they have what I like. And I usually get great deals.

 

[CDW6212R]

Well we are glad to have you here, but you need to learn that you are communicating with hundreds of people at a time here. Easily most of them may be in the same situation as you. Therefore you need to learn to communicate here like you are dealing with a lot of novices, which you are.

Make clear statements, which include the complete answer if that is the point. Without that complete answer(I checked those cables, the ends and terminals), most readers will assume that you did not. If you continue on, as you did, and get mad at people for repeating the question, things will not go well. Regards,

 

[Donner]

ha! That's more like it! Well, good, and I hope your vehicles keep running smoothly, and you know that (except me) these guys here are top notch... they know vehicles very well. I just take a lot of pics

 

[caveman55]

I've seen similar problems on different cars and found poor grounds at the chasis or engine block. Check more than just the battery connections.