Dead battery...2 times...

[poorboy08]

Was driving around the blue bomber about 3 weeks ago and noticed it was hard starting. After running a few errands it finally died. Lights would come on, but the engine would not turn over. I got a jump and went directly to the auto parts store. They replaced the battery, and the guy that did it told my wife the Ford batteries are junk. Anyway, everything has been great for the past 3 weeks, until this morning. The wife jumps into the blue bomber and nothing, no lights, no nothing. I put a meter on the new battery and it read nothing but zeros.

Has anyone else had any issues like this? This is starting to make me nervous, we bought it used with about 45000 and the only other issue we've had was the rear limited slip clutch packs had to be replaced.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Was driving around the blue bomber about 3 weeks ago and noticed it was hard starting. After running a few errands it finally died. Lights would come on, but the engine would not turn over. I got a jump and went directly to the auto parts store. They replaced the battery, and the guy that did it told my wife the Ford batteries are junk. Anyway, everything has been great for the past 3 weeks, until this morning. The wife jumps into the blue bomber and nothing, no lights, no nothing. I put a meter on the new battery and it read nothing but zeros.

Has anyone else had any issues like this? This is starting to make me nervous, we bought it used with about 45000 and the only other issue we've had was the rear limited slip clutch packs had to be replaced.

Year of vehicle?

Perhaps return the new battery to the store and speak with the employee that sold you the battery, to obtain a new one. Sound like you received a defective battery.

You might ask him how he determined that Ford batteries are junk?

 

[richs fishes]

Anyway, everything has been great for the past 3 weeks, until this morning. The wife jumps into the blue bomber and nothing, no lights, no nothing. I put a meter on the new battery and it read nothing but zeros.

You've been using it daily for the past 3 weeks, or did it sit unused that whole time?

When you first went to the parts store did you walk in carrying the battery? Did they test it and/or did they try to test the vehicle itself?

 

[TC16XLT]

Alternator tested?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[poorboy08]

Year of vehicle?

Perhaps return the new battery to the store and speak with the employee that sold you the battery, to obtain a new one. Sound like you received a defective battery.

You might ask him how he determined that Ford batteries are junk?

2017 Limited EL

Unfortunately I was not at the store when the battery was replaced.

 

[poorboy08]

You've been using it daily for the past 3 weeks, or did it sit unused that whole time?

When you first went to the parts store did you walk in carrying the battery? Did they test it and/or did they try to test the vehicle itself?

No I was not present when the battery was replaced. My wife drove it to the autoparts store and they replaced the battery. Long story short I had to drive my truck towing a trailer and be somewhere, thus I did not have the time to do it myself. To my knowledge they did no testing, just replaced the battery.

 

[Trainmaster]

Obviously, the alternator and battery should be tested by someone who knows what he's doing. Asking an auto parts store to test a battery is like asking a barber if you need a haircut. The cables should be carefully inspected along with their terminals at both ends. Lastly, the current draw of the starter should be checked.

The car should also be checked for any parasitic drain. In older models, for example, a back wiper that fails to park sometimes drains the batteries.

Without going through the proper diagnosis, you'll just be throwing more parts at the problem. I really doubt your problem is the battery.

 

[poorboy08]

Obviously, the alternator and battery should be tested by someone who knows what he's doing. Asking an auto parts store to test a battery is like asking a barber if you need a haircut. The cables should be carefully inspected along with their terminals at both ends. Lastly, the current draw of the starter should be checked.

The car should also be checked for any parasitic drain. In older models, for example, a back wiper that fails to park sometimes drains the batteries.

Without going through the proper diagnosis, you'll just be throwing more parts at the problem. I really doubt your problem is the battery.

Agreed, I'll have it into the dealership Wed morning. I pulled the terminals off this morning and they look great. Got it slow charging now, when I get it started I will check the voltage. I would assume on start I should be reading about 14.7vdc. Now I understand that might drop off depending on load on the battery due to the way these new charging systems work.

 

[poorboy08]

Got home last night...pulled the charger off and measured 12.5vdc. Grabbed the key opened the door, waited until the dash lights and radio lit up, then she fired right up. Checked voltage while running and was getting 14.36vdc. Interestingly enough I did not see any fluctuation in voltage while the engine was running. I let it run for about 10 to 15 min, enough to warm up, but voltage stayed at 14.36vdc every time I checked it. I was under the impression that the newer models have current sensing modules that are supposed to regulate the voltage based on actual stats from the battery, like voltage vs draw/load vs temp vs state of charge and or how charged the battery actually is?

Anyway I drove it to work today and the wife is using the F250. We'll see how it behaves and I will drop it off at the dealer this evening so they can look it over tomorrow.

 

[Plati]

Lots going on here but the zero volts and the 12.5V readings both sound "odd".

When I have battery issues, I charge the battery up FULLY and I think a good battery ought to go to like 13.5 volts then work back to 12.5 after a few hours (vehicle sitting turned off). The voltage can drop while starting to 10.8V or something like that and when running should go to 14.5V or something like that. Drive it around and test it again and it should stay over 12V if its good. Should be over 12V next morning also.Test it multiple times over a few days and see how its performing. I'm not sure if I have the numbers exactly right but that's the neighborhood.

I've also learned recently that if a battery discharges deeply, you just injured it. cant do that more then a couple times and its compromised. When batteries go bad they go bad fast. Date code on the battery should be checked when buying and should be very recent build.
Batteries typically only last 5 years these days, unless yo've discharged it couple times

Also, the Ford batteries … especially the higher priced ones are good batteries
as far as I know and have heard (and I have one)

 

[poorboy08]

Checked voltage before I left the house this morning, and it was 12.3vdc. Although when I got to work I did not check it. I will check it again though before I try and fire it up before I leave work.

 

[stamp11127]

12.2 volts is 50% state of charge on the battery. You have a draw on it that is higher than normal. Hopefully the dealer will do a parasitic draw test and find what is staying on.

 

[Plati]

I have 2 Expys with less than 1 year old BIG good batteries and good charging systems.
- the 2003 is driven every day in last week = 12.4V
- the 2014 not driven in a week = 12.3V

 

[Neights Templar]

Obviously, the alternator and battery should be tested by someone who knows what he's doing. Asking an auto parts store to test a battery is like asking a barber if you need a haircut. The cables should be carefully inspected along with their terminals at both ends. Lastly, the current draw of the starter should be checked.

The car should also be checked for any parasitic drain. In older models, for example, a back wiper that fails to park sometimes drains the batteries.

Without going through the proper diagnosis, you'll just be throwing more parts at the problem. I really doubt your problem is the battery.

I was going to mention the back wiper. I had tht happen to me. Something is drawing the battery down when it is not charging (parasitic draw).

 

[rjdelp7]

Check for a stuck CD, they keep trying to eject with key off. All automotive batteries are made by either, Johnson Control, East Penn or Exide. The only difference is the warranty. The newer Ford Expeditions come with AGM(absorbed glass mat) batteries. These are top of the line and around $150+. I had dealer replace my group 65. It came with a 84 month warranty for $80/with 20% coupon I got in the mail. Part store guys, are low paid cashiers/order clerks.

 

[jimz]

Some extra draw somewhere. My 08 radio that usually turned off with the key, didn't. I sat in car listening, after replacing battery twice, and heard CD drive running. It ran until battery died. I removed all CDs and no more problems. I did try another CD and it played as it should. Then added another, same thing. Just keep two CD in radio now. …. Should have checked for extra drain after key removed before that first battery replacement.

 

[Calidad]

If her trips are really short like 6-10 minute trips? Add cold weather and maybe it sitting with lights on after she gets out its very possible it’s simply not running long enough for the battery to charge up.

 

[JerrySLC]

My battery problems ended with a stress test on the alternator. The thing would test OK with the normal checks, but put under stress the alternator would heat up and cut out. Driving around with the A/C on was enough to make the alternator cut out. Replaced alternator, problem solved. Parasitic draw is another possibility, but the charging system would be my first guess. My 1997 Expy does not get used much, and I have to disconnect the battery when it is not used because the battery will drain with just the normal draw over a period of two weeks. One part of it is the air suspension, which draws a lot when the compressor runs. I may have a little leak in the system somewhere. Anyway, the draw can be low but when the compressor kicks in the draw is really high, as you can imagine!

 

[lbv150]

Was driving around the blue bomber about 3 weeks ago and noticed it was hard starting. After running a few errands it finally died. Lights would come on, but the engine would not turn over. I got a jump and went directly to the auto parts store. They replaced the battery, and the guy that did it told my wife the Ford batteries are junk. Anyway, everything has been great for the past 3 weeks, until this morning. The wife jumps into the blue bomber and nothing, no lights, no nothing. I put a meter on the new battery and it read nothing but zeros.

Has anyone else had any issues like this? This is starting to make me nervous, we bought it used with about 45000 and the only other issue we've had was the rear limited slip clutch packs had to be replaced.

Ford batteries junk? Bahahaha! I'm an Interstate Battery dealer and I prefer Ford/Motorcraft batteries!

 

[Chris Mellas]

I had a similar problem. After several batteries and alternators, I discovered a wire from the alternator to the battery that was bare. It was rubbing on a plastic wire protector, of all things. I soldered a new wire tin place of the damaged one. No problems since.