Is it just the battery?

My wife’s 2003 Ford Explorer (V6, Automatic, 2WD, 125,000 miles, owned since new, clean history) broke down today.

When she tries to start it, she only gets that fast passed tick-tick-tick sound and the dashboard lights do come on.

So, it sounds like she does have continuity but the battery is just too low to turn over the engine. By the way, the battery is around four years old and the alternator was replaced about eight months ago.

The problem sounds straight forward but here’s the thing…

She recalled that when she first starting the Explorer yesterday, all of the instruments were flat lined for the first few seconds, then they all shot up to maximum values, and then they settled down to normal values.

This is making me wonder if she may have a ground fault or some other electrical issue beyond a failing battery.

If anyone has any insights I’d appreciate it if you’d share them.

Thank you, Brett

My Samurai did the "sewing machine noise from the starter" thing when the battery failed recently...it's caused when there's enough current to engage the solenoid but then when the starter motor tries to draw power it's too much, so the solenoid retracts because it's not getting enough current anymore, and then there's enough current to engage the solenoid again and the cycle starts over.

It's either the battery and/or the connections at the battery. Clean all the connections; battery +, battery -, and the main grounds. There is one main ground cable on the engine block (cable goes from the block to the chassis) and one on the battery (where the - cable goes from the battery to the body). Clean all of these with a file, sandpaper, or something similar.

Being a Ford.... it's likely to catch on fire at a moments notice!

Just kidding... but seriously, is this part of the froup of millions that had the ignition switch/cruise switch issues? If not, get a battery nd start there. 4 years for a battery is a decent life.

GameboyRMH wrote: My Samurai did the "sewing machine noise from the starter" thing when the battery failed recently...it's caused when there's enough current to engage the solenoid but then when the starter motor tries to draw power it's too much, so the solenoid retracts because it's not getting enough current anymore, and then there's enough current to engage the solenoid again and the cycle starts over.

Hi GameboyRMH,

Yep, ordinarily, the sewing machine tick-tick-tick sound would satisfy my diagnostic interests for the exact reason you mentioned. However, yesterday’s demonic behavior from the instrument cluster makes me suspect there could be more trouble like an interrupted ground wire of something like that.

If it was my car, I’d just replace the battery, check the alternator, and take no further action unless something else happened but this is the car my two little daughters get shagged around in so I want to have a high level of confidence that it’s right.

DrBoost wrote: It's either the battery and/or the connections at the battery. Clean all the connections; battery +, battery -, and the main grounds. There is one main ground cable on the engine block (cable goes from the block to the chassis) and one on the battery (where the - cable goes from the battery to the body). Clean all of these with a file, sandpaper, or something similar.

Thank you very much for the prescription doctor.

Clean and tighten connections. Also clean the top of the battery. Put a battery charger on it overnight.

Every Ford I've dealt with up to my dad's current 05 Taurus has had a problem with battery corrosion. About every 6 months or so we have to clean the terminals and the ends of the cables. Then they start right up again.

Load test the battery, test alternator output, clean and tighten the battery terminals, check grounds. Good, fully charged battery with no load should show 12.5 V+- The alternator should show 14.3 V+- at 1500 engine rpm.

Dirty, corroded, loose battery terminals are one of the largest causes of electrical failure.

My old 98 Ex used to do weird things with the CD Player / Radio.

I never worried about it. I owned it over 10 years and the total cost of repairs was less than $2800. Front end work. That was it. That and consumables.

the tick-tick-tick …. sounds like a starter solenoid to me … can you hook up jumper cables and start it ? that would say battery … but the sounds you're hearing would make me want to jump across the starter and see if it starts

but regardless, it never hurts to pull the battery cables and clean with baking soda/water mix

most likely a worn out battery. I will add, if its a sealed or AGM battery, they can do all kinds of weird things before they fail for good.

The gauge to min then max is Fords signal that there is a problem with the battery. Has it been doing it for a while? If so then the battery is shot. If the gauge swing just started, then it could be a bad connection somewhere.

My Mustang started swinging needles this winter so the battery is dying, but so far it still starts. I know I will have to change it this year.

i know on my crown vic when the battery was at the end of its life my electrics did some weird stuff. When i would try to start it it would just click, when i let off of the key my headlights would be on... they werent on before and the switch was off but everytime after a failed start the headlights would come on, changed the battery and it was all back to normal.

I vote for new battery and cleaning grounds cant hurt

pjbgravely wrote: The gauge to min then max is Fords signal that there is a problem with the battery. Has it been doing it for a while? If so then the battery is shot. If the gauge swing just started, then it could be a bad connection somewhere. My Mustang started swinging needles this winter so the battery is dying, but so far it still starts. I know I will have to change it this year.

Cool! Learn something new everyday.

…thank you for the guidance everyone.

I swapped out her battery and everything is hunky dory now.

I’ll check both grounds and clean up the terminals this weekend.

I couldn’t attend to those things yesterday while changing the battery as my wife broke down right in front of my kid’s school and they had a big science fair that ran until after dark.

I don’t fully understand this but apparently, in the budding mind of a ten year old young lady, wrenching on a car is an unmentionable act.

The best I could surmise is that wrenching is analogous to pooing…you know everyone does it but you’re not supposed to talk about it or do it in public.

RX Reven' wrote: I don’t fully understand this but apparently, in the budding mind of a ten year old young lady, wrenching on a car is an unmentionable act.

I've seen that mindset before...it's hard to understand, but apparently the classy thing to do is treat your car like a glued-together smartphone, because fixing your own car means you're not rich. I think it's sort of like how the ancient Chinese saw pale skin as a status symbol because it looked like you didn't work outside at all.

GameboyRMH wrote:

RX Reven' wrote: I don’t fully understand this but apparently, in the budding mind of a ten year old young lady, wrenching on a car is an unmentionable act.

I've seen that mindset before...it's hard to understand, but apparently the classy thing to do is treat your car like a glued-together smartphone, because fixing your own car means you're not rich. I think it's sort of like how the ancient Chinese saw pale skin as a status symbol because it looked like you didn't work outside at all.

Well, my wire harness mod’s are indistinguishable from the practice Chinese foot binding so…

I’ve come up with a few phrases in my life and this one seems pretty relevant to your point:

“The best way to be poor is to worry about looking rich”

I live in a very upscale community but I don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses.

I’m competing in my own game and at mid-way in the third quarter (I’m fifty) I’ve got two great kids, own my cars outright, carry zero balance on my cards, taxes, insurance, blah, blah, blah are all completely current, and I’ve got ¾ equity in a very nice home.

So the fancy pants types can kiss my Chinese aristocratically white a$$ as I clean my pool, wrench on my car, and do whatever else I can to acquire knowledge, get exercise, and save money.

In reply to RX Reven':

You know you can pay money to get you azz tanned? Its a status thing.