2006 Ford F-150 ELECTRICAL ISSUES

FWRIGHT9

MEMBER
2006 FORD F-150
5.4L
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
158,000 MILES

HAD NOTICED MY TRUCK WAS STARTING FUNNY, LIKE THE BATTERY WAS WEAK. TOOK IT TO SEARS AND THEY SAID IT WAS BAD, IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND AWAY I WENT. THE NEXT DAY WOULDN'T
START. CHARGED THE BATTERY AND IT WOULD START BUT THE AMP GAUGE DROPPED AND KEPT GOING DOWN AND THEN THE TRUCK WOULD DIE. THE ALTERNATOR IS NEW, BATTERY IS NEW AND WOULD THE STARTER BE THE ISSUE. WITH A FULL CHARGE MY TRUCK STILL ACTS AS THOUGH THE BATTERY IS DEAD. WOULD THE STARTER BE GOING TO GROUND AND DRAIN MY BATTERY? I DO HAVE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM COULD THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM BE CONNECTED WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS? I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVISE.

THANK YOU,

FRED WRIGHT

1 Reply

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,005 POSTS

WEAK START SOUNDS LIKE A COUPLE OF POSIBILITIES.

IF IT WERE THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH OR OTHER STUFF THAT ACTIVATES THE STARTER IT WOULD EITHER WORK OR NOT (EVEN IF THESE WERE INTERMITTENT, THE STARTER WOULD NOT GIVE CONTINUOUS CRANKING ).

A "SLOW" TURNING STARTER COULD BE

BAD STARTER

LOW BATTERY- BAD/ NOT BEING CHARGED/ PARASITIC DRAW WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SOMEWHERE

LET'S RULE OUT THE CHARGING POSSIBILITY (IF YOU CAN GET IT FIRED UP)

YOU CAN USE A CHEAP VOLTMETER (HARBOR FREIGHT $5) SET IT ON THE "20 VOLT DC SCALE", TEST THE BATTERY, SHOULD BE 12.5 VOLTS, MAYBE A HAIR MORE.

NOW FIRE IT UP- TEST THE BATTERY AGAIN! THIS TIME YOU SHOULD BE READING 13.8 VOLTS, MAYBE A HAIR MORE.

IF THIS IS THE CASE, IT IS BEING CHARGED (A POPULAR AUTO PARTS STORE CAN MORE THOROUGHLY TEST AMPS AND SUCH OF THE BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR, THIS IS USUALLY A FREE SERVICE)

LET'S ALSO REMEMBER PARTS OF ANY TYPE CAN GO BAD THE NEXT DAY OR EVEN BE BAD RIGHT OFF OF THE SHELF!

THIS IS MODERN COMPUTER TIMES, NOT THE '70s, *****DO NOT***** FIRE UP YOUR RIG AND REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLES TO "TEST MR. ALTERNATOR", THIS COULD RUIN SOME EXPENSIVE STUFF!!!

NOW FOR THE LAST POSSIBILITY, I'M BANKING ON THIS ONE!

THIS LINK IS LONG AND BORING, IT GETS BETTER AT THE END, I EVEN MADE SOME PICS! PLEASE CHECK THIS LINK OUT.

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1996-chevrolet-tahoe-wont-start-sounds-dead-battery-jumpbox-get-same-reults

RETURN WITH NEWS!

THE MEDIC

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