Electrical Trouble

[Mark Clapp]

Hi Guys, I have a 2001 V6 with 174,000 miles. When I start the car after sitting overnight, the head and signal lights flicker like when the car is locked and the final door gets shut. Also my radio pre-set stations are all lost, etc. The car starts and runs fine with no battery light on so I think the alternator is working. The lights do not flicker after being run and shut down for a little while. Do these cars have an electrical memory battery or something similar that may have gone bad? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks so much,
Mark Clapp

 

[1LoudLS]

do these cars have an electrical memory battery or something similar that may have gone bad?

only the big one in the trunk...

 

[Mark Clapp]

Thanks, but I've replaced that one. Anything else I can check?

Mark C.

 

[LS4me]

Thanks, but I've replaced that one. Anything else I can check?

Mark C.

If the alternator is factory I would suspect that it is failing. If so, you'll be purchasing another battery soon.

 

[craigh]

Personally, I would be checking the grounds for corrosion if I were you.

 

[joegr]

Thanks, but I've replaced that one. Anything else I can check?

Mark C.

Did you replace it with the correct battery, with the vent tube connected?

If not, there could be a lot of corrosion in the fuse box in the trunk (and other things too).

A good (Ford specific) scan tool can tell you which modules are losing power. Then you can look for common circuits in the wiring diagrams.

 

[FDR]

I work at a car dealership and have numerous vehicles on the lot with dead batteries. When some of the more recent models (particularly 2007ish+ Fords) are not run long enough after a jump to charge the battery, they can do some whacky things. It's pretty common to see flickering lights with the gauges bouncing off the low end needle when the car is run for less than five minutes and turned off. The LS seems to have very similar systems to 5-year-newer Fords, such as the AC control face being identical to a 2010 Explorer (if your LS only has heated, not cooled, seats).

Obviously, these cars won't even be able to crank once due to the battery still being dead, but your symptoms sound similar and it's the only direction I can offer. Check around for loose and corroded connections as Craig and Joe suggested, since connections with high resistance can mimic a low battery.

 

[jrand]

I work at a car dealership and have numerous vehicles on the lot with dead batteries. When some of the more recent models (particularly 2007ish+ Fords) are not run long enough after a jump to charge the battery, they can do some whacky things. It's pretty common to see flickering lights with the gauges bouncing off the low end needle when the car is run for less than five minutes and turned off. The LS seems to have very similar systems to 5-year-newer Fords, such as the AC control face being identical to a 2010 Explorer (if your LS only has heated, not cooled, seats).

Obviously, these cars won't even be able to crank once due to the battery still being dead, but your symptoms sound similar and it's the only direction I can offer. Check around for loose and corroded connections as Craig and Joe suggested, since connections with high resistance can mimic a low battery.

there are procedures in the owners manual and shop manuals to prevent that. owners manual will tell you what to do after battery disconnect; depending on strength of battery, the status of the evap drive cycle and trannys adaptive tech, parasite drains, yadda, the battery could get kill over after the first few drives as well. if its your car and all needed maintenance is complete its best to run it thru the procedures and drive cycle right away to get the highly adaptive tranny set to shift the way you want it to

 

[Mark Clapp]

Thanks so much guys. I had the electrical system checked and the battery was almost dead, which makes me wonder how it started and ran so well. The alternator is fine. I definitely saw some whacky things with the gauges and lights but all is fine now.

Thanks again,
Mark C.

 

[joegr]

Thanks, but I've replaced that one. Anything else I can check?

Mark C.

Thanks so much guys. I had the electrical system checked and the battery was almost dead, which makes me wonder how it started and ran so well. The alternator is fine. I definitely saw some whacky things with the gauges and lights but all is fine now.

Thanks again,
Mark C.

So the replacement battery that you just put in was bad?

 

[1LoudLS]

apparently he didn't do his drive cycles and it drained his battery...


old battery failed>replaced battery>new battery drained>completed drive cycles, all is right in the world. maybe something like that?

 

[joegr]

apparently he didn't do his drive cycles and it drained his battery...


old battery failed>replaced battery>new battery drained>completed drive cycles, all is right in the world. maybe something like that?

Yeah, let's start all that up again.