wierd turn of events

[dannyb420]

I hope someone can help explain this one because nothing seems to make sense. My wife borrowed my ex to run an errand...i know bad mistake...lol. about 2 hours later I went out to start the ex and all I heard was a clicking noise from under the dash and it wouldnt turn over, so knowing I had the original battery and that it was 20 degrees, I pulled the battery and started charging it. It wouldnt hold a charge so I took it to auto parts store and they tested and confirmed it was dead. I got a new battery and installed it. The ex turned over and started but the throttle would not work, it would just sit at idle. so I turned it off and tried to start again and nothing. Thinking to myself maybe its the fuel pump, I turned the ignition to on but not start to see if I could hear the pump but all I heard again was the clicking under the dash. Out of a last ditch effort I clicked the fuel cutoff switch, after three tries it started up and no clicking noise. so I let the car run for a few minutes and jumped out to find my brake lights were still on. So I put two and two together and thought maybe my break lights were let on (more then likely due to a bad switch) and thats what drained my battery. But whats the deal with the fuel not getting to my engine? whats with the clicking? does it do that when the fuel cutoff switch is hit? sorry for the lengthy email but I am stumped because nothing seems to be related except the brake lights and the battery. I am worried it may not start in the morning, although my brake lights arent on now. Just want to know if there is something obvous I overlooked that may save me in the morning

 

[eXcali]

The clicking noise is simply the battery not having enuff juice to turn it over. I fixed my wife's brake light switch as it seems it got cold enuff to break the plastic retainer. I currently have a temp fix on it with a zip tie holding it flush.

I don't know what would have caused the fuel cutoff to activate, but the clicking is deffinately your battery. The time between trying to start it and letting it sit could have allowed the battery to build a little charge. Strange, I know, you'd imagine a dead battery would stay dead, but sometimes you get lucky and a little bit of time lets the juice build back up. I chalk it up to one of those things we may never understand in this life!

 

[dannyb420]

Thanks for the heads up, It may have just been the perfect storm, brake light switch killed battery and maybe there is something that stops the gas from pumping when its getting cranked. Well I think when the battery was drained it finally killed it so I needed it replaced anyway it was the original. I am going to run some codes tomorrow because the check engine light is now on.

 

[eXcali]

Hopefully those codes just have to do with the battery being disconnected within the last 100 key cycles. Don't remember if Fords do that error code, Dodge does though.

 

[Cobraguy]

Not really a code saying the battery has been disconnected. It's a code saying the ECM needs to complete a OBDII Diagnostic Cycle. That can take a day...or weeks to complete. It's a code P1000 and it does not turn on the CEL.

Was your clicking under the dash or under the hood? Under the hood could be the solenoid from a low battery. Under the dash could be something entirely different. So if it was under the dash, do not dismiss it as a low battery as was suggested. I'm almost certain that isn't the clicking your hearing from what you are saying. After all, you were getting it with a new battery and without even turning the engine to the crank position.

Of all this, it's the vehicle not being able to move off idle once running that is the most confusing condition and one that I would definitely want to know more about.

 

[blkhwkns]

Now idk if you know this but your has no throttle cable, 2004 and up ex's are "Drive by wire" meaning on you accelerator peadle there is an electronic box. ectronic throttle control (ETC) replaces the cable with the etc, etc module and pcm input to controll your throttle... why? Electronic throttle control (ETC) is one of several new technologies Ford introduced in 2004 to help increase its fuel economy by about 5 percent while also reducing emissions. your problem is in either the electronic controlled throttle body or the pedal assembly, i'm not shure if the dead battery upset it enough to go inop though. Is the wrench light on?

 

[dannyb420]

Thanks for your help. The wrench light was on. I think what happened is the brake light switch stayed on killing the battery. when I put then new battery in I think the ETC, or something associated with it got messed up while it was trying to crank with the dead battery which caused the problems. I was able to finally fix it by trading it in for a new car . Hopefully this helps anyone else though with teh same or similiar problem.