Very wierd prob; truck won't start now, HELP!

[Forder]

I started my truck with my remote starter before I went out to get in it (because it's cold as balls out). It ran fine for about 5 mins before I got to it. When I got out to it, I got in, then accidentally hit the brake pedal which sets off the "theft deterrent" on the remote starter and shuts off the truck (I do this a lot). I hear a lot of clicking on the remote starter relay under the wheel and there's suddenly no power to anything on the truck. It wont crank or click whatsoever.. nothing. This baffled me. I checked the battery terminals, they're fine.. a tad of corrosion, the battery's two years old, it should be good. I tried jumping it with my '05 Altima (3.5 V6), when I connect the jumper cables, all electrical stuff comes on fine and normal, but the truck won't crank. It wouldn't at all at first, it just clicked. Then after 10 mins of charging it only makes like one revolution and dies out. Even after letting the car charge it for 20 min it still only cranks like once. WTF?! How does the truck start and run PERFECTLY, then after I kill it, it's totally dead?! I checked all fuses under the dash and hood. If the car restored all power, then it's not the cables, right? If the starter died, it wouldn't just instantly die, it would be a gradual thing normally, right? If it's the battery, same theory as the starter (gradual death)? It's snowing, roads are nasty and are going to stay that way for a while now, so I NEED this Ex for work. ANY help is VERY appreciative!! THANKS in advance!

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

hmm, Im stumped as well.

 

[Tbars4]

...I'm not familiar with your remote start but I would venture to say battery if this was the first start of the day...Pull the battery and if you are up to it, have them bench tested for free...I would do the battery first though and make sure you can rule it out...

 

[Michiganbear]

battery or cables.. the cables corrode UNDER the insulation where you cant see it and cause all sorts of problems

 

[fixxxer]

Just an FYI but non-paying members should not be creating threads in this forum. It is reserved for Elite members, although anyone can add to a thread once created. Please read and stick to the forum rules please.

 

[Forder]

Just an FYI but non-paying members should not be creating threads in this forum. It is reserved for Elite members, although anyone can add to a thread once created. Please read and stick to the forum rules please.

..? I see nothing about this in the stickys in the 1991-1994 forum section. I've posted here before without issues.

If it's the battery though, how would it work fine when I started the first time, then after killing it, not so much as power the dome lights inside?? I'm still guessing the battery cables or starter, but is there any way to single them out and make sure?

 

[Tbars4]

Just an FYI but non-paying members should not be creating threads in this forum. It is reserved for Elite members, although anyone can add to a thread once created. Please read and stick to the forum rules please.

...:scratch: it appears to be in the correct forum...Did I miss something???

...If it was the battery it is low on CCA's and spent them on the first crank up..

 

[Forder]

Alrighty, thanks a lot guys. I'm gonna pull the battery tomorrow and take it to the Napa store nearby to get it tested. Everywhere's closed right now for New Years eve, hopefully somewhere will be open tomorrow. If anyone else has any ideas, I'd be very appreciative!

 

[MrShorty]

Bad battery sounds like a possibility here. Previously, I had a battery that would sometimes have enough to start the truck, then randomly not have enough. Eventually got bad enough that the battery tested bad, and it got replaced.

Another possibility, that I seem to have more trouble with than most is the clamps on the end of the battery cables. For example, with one set with the OEM style clamp, the metal stretched or something and it wouldn't tighten down on the battery post enough to make a good connection. Maybe before taking the battery out for testing, I might make absolutely certain I was getting a good connection at the battery post.

 

[Tbars4]

...I would call today and see who will be open and at what time they open...Thay may be closed tomorrow...

 

[boggs1227]

the only thing i can think of that fixxer was refering to is the 911 forum ..thats for elite members ,anyways.......

if you got a battery charger ( big type or a small trickle type ) take the battery out and put it in the house chargeing over night in a warm temp
enviroment ,may help it in a spot but if got a bad cell then getting it tested like the others said would be the only way to find out .

 

[Forder]

the only thing i can think of that fixxer was refering to is the 911 forum ..thats for elite members ,anyways.......

if you got a battery charger ( big type or a small trickle type ) take the battery out and put it in the house chargeing over night in a warm temp
enviroment ,may help it in a spot but if got a bad cell then getting it tested like the others said would be the only way to find out .

Yeah, I was calling around to try to get it tested today, but everywhere's closed now due to weather and New Years Eve, and prolly will be closed tomorrow too. I don't have one of those home chargers or a voltage meter, so I can't test the battery myself right now or in the next day or so either, heh. I'll post back as soon as I test it and find out. Thanks a lot for all the suggestions!

 

[fixxxer]

Sorry, I thought I saw this posted in the 911! forum

 

[fixxxer]

I doubt it is the starter, the symptoms sound more like battery or battery cable issues. a volt meter will help you pinpoint a charging issue but won't help much if your battery is going or gone (unless you have an internal cell shorted) Have them perform a load test on the battery.

 

[dogfriend]

. When I got out to it, I got in, then accidentally hit the brake pedal which sets off the "theft deterrent" on the remote starter and shuts off the truck (I do this a lot).

I think its got something to do with the "theft deterrent". Is there a way of disabling your remote starter temporarily to check?

 

[LBarr2002]

If you haven't already, I would start by removing and cleaning the battery terminals. Mine got corroded to the point that it would try to start, then click and everything went dead. You get out and twist, hit, whatever the battery terminals and power would come back. This was when my brother had my truck and he'd just twist the cables back and forth a few time and away it went.

 

[tagtifftj]

maybe you need to reset your keyless entry, i found this in another forum, hope helps

#1
Xan
Master-Debater
Lincoln, NE
01, mountaneer

Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 802

All you need to know about keyless entry
How to find the Security Keyless Keypad Code on the 1995-2001 Ford Explorer or Mountaineer and how to use the Keypad functions.

When your vehicle was newly purchased from the dealer it came with a card in the owner’s manual packet that had the keypad code on it. The packet is often lost and/or discarded over time and as the vehicle trades owners the code to the Keyless Entry is lost. Ford Dealers wants some big money to get the code for you by plugging in their computer to retrieve the code or using the following method. Luckily there is a much easier and cheaper way for you to get the code and you do not need any tools or automotive knowledge. I’ll show you how and where to find the code and how to reset the Keyless Entry back to the factory code or your personal code number.

How to find the Security Keyless Keypad Code on the 1995-2001 Ford Explorer or Mountaineer and how to use the Keypad functions. The factory code is also printed on a label which is installed on the Remote Anti-theft Personality (RAP) Module. This is the module that controls the keyless entry system. It is located in the left rear quarter behind the removable panel (see photo). You will need to turn the two thumb screws counter clockwise and take the plastic panel off to be able to see the unit. A flashlight may be helpful in seeing the code. You are looking for the module and the 5 digit code on it like the one shown below.
Name: rap.JPG Views: 7108 Size: 30.5 KB
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Now that you’ve got the code I’ll tell you how to use the Keyless entry and set-up your own code.Make sure when pressing the controls on the keyless entry keypad you press the middle of the buttons to ensure good contact with the controls.
Programming your own personal entry code
1. Enter the factory-set code (keypad will illuminate when first digit is pressed).
2. Press the 1/2 control within five seconds of step 1.
3. Enter your personal 5-digit code. Enter each digit within five seconds of the previous one.
Your personal code does not replace the factory-set code. You can use either code to unlock your vehicle. Each time you set a new personal code the module will erase the previous one in favor of the new code. The factory-set code can not be erased.
Erasing your own personal code or a prior owners code and leaving only the factory-set code
1. Enter the factory-set code.
2. Press the 1/2 control within five seconds of step one 1.
3. Press the 7/8 and 9/0 controls at the same time within five seconds of step two.
The system will now only respond to the factory-set code.
Unlocking the doors with the Keyless Entry System
1. Enter either the factory-set code or the personal code (Each digit must be pressed within five seconds of the prior digit). The interior lights will illuminate as soon as the first valid digit is pressed.
2. To unlock all the doors, enter the factory set code or a personal code and press the 3/4 control within five seconds of the drivers door unlocking.
Locking the doors wit the Keyless Entry System
1. Press 7/8 and 9/0 controls at the same time. The 5-digit code does not have to be entered to lock the doors.
Deactivating/Activating Auto-lock
1. Enter the five 5-digit code.
2. Press and hold 7/8 control.
3. Press and release 3/4 control while holding 7/8 control.
4. Release 7/8 control.
The horn will chirp once if auto-lock was deactivated or twice if auto-lock was activated.
To program the hand held remotes:
Unlock all doors using the power door lock/unlock control. Insert a key and turn the ignition from the 1 (OFF/LOCK) to the 3 (ON) position and cycle between 1 (OFF/LOCK) and 3 (ON) eight times in rapid succession (within 10 seconds) with the eighth turn ending in the 3 (ON) position. The locks will cycle to confirm that the programming mode has been entered. Within 20 seconds, program a remote transmitter by pressing any button on a transmitter. The locks will cycle once to confirm that the remote transmitter has been programmed. (If more than 20 seconds pass before pressing a remote transmitter button, the programming mode will exit and the procedure will have to be repeated.) Repeat the previous step to program additional remote transmitters. NOTE: All fobs must be programmed on the same time for all fobs to work. The locks will cycle once to confirm that each remote transmitter has been programmed. When you have completed programming the remote transmitters, turn the ignition to the 1 (OFF/LOCK) position or wait 20 seconds. Again the doors will lock/unlock to confirm programming has been completed.
Last edited by Xan; 10-15-2007 at 04:16 PM.

 

[Tbars4]

...You could have just posted a link to that thread...

 

[Forder]

I think its got something to do with the "theft deterrent". Is there a way of disabling your remote starter temporarily to check?

I thought about that too, but there's no easy way that I know of to do that. The module is under my steering column and it's all spliced into my factory wiring. It's a Bulldog remote starter system, btw.

I played with my negative battery terminal because it looked a little loose and still is, but I played with it for a min while constantly trying to unlock my doors and it never got any juice. The positive battery terminal looks pretty secure and not much corrosion so I didn't mess with it, but at this point it's worth a shot.

Thanks a lot for the post, tagtifftj, but that's for a '95-'01 Ex with a keypad and mine's a '94 without any factory keyless entry. It's an aftermarket Bulldog keyless entry/remote starter system. But I really appreciate the effort.

I think there's definitely something wrong with the battery, but I think there's something more going on here too, here's why:

1. If my battery started my truck with no prob at first and my truck ran fine for 5 mins, wouldn't you think there'd at least be enough juice in it to power the dome lights or something after my truck shut off?? It was as if there was no battery at all in my truck after it died. I just replaced the alternator 3 weeks ago with a re-built one so I know it's good.

2. If it was just my battery, then why couldn't I jump my truck with my car? I know my car's got enough power to do it, it's engine and alternator are more powerful than the trucks, heh. And as soon as I hook up the jumper cables, all my lights come on fine and are nice and bright, then when I try to start the truck, ALL lights turn off like the starter is sucking everything it can to turn the engine over, but the most it can do is like 2 cranks, even after 20+ mins of charging from the car and my wife revving the car to 6 grand while I try to start it (I told her to keep it at 2000 RPM, lol, she didn't even know how to read a tach or that the car had one).

 

[Shaggy433]

have you tried to restart it with the remote start? It happened to me once on a 00 f250 and the only way it would restart was with the keyfob after the theft deterrent was activated to reset it