Will start when jumped but dies when driven a few feet...
#1
09-16-2018
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Joined: Sep 2018
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From: San Angelo, TX
Will start when jumped but dies when driven a few feet...
I know you old guys hate repeat questions. I went thru about 30 pages of posts and didn't find anything like this....
My son has a 2002 Ranger Edge with the 3.0. It has been the perfect truck until about 3 days ago. The truck is a base model with rubber floor mats, manual door locks and windows. It has AC and cruise control. He drove it to school and back for 3.5 years at a 60 mile commute. It has about 175k miles on it. He started college a couple of weeks ago and last Friday drove it to school and parked it. I got a call that he left his lights on and his battery was dead. I went to the school and jumped him off and it wouldn't restart when we got it to my office. I put the battery on my charger at home and the next day the same thing.... dead. Jumped him off to get to school. HE called me at school and said with the key off the radio was making a weird noise. I had him pull the radio fuse. Long story short I replaced the battery last Thursday. He drove it to school and work Friday then parked it friday evening. When he got in it Sunday morning it was dead again.
Half asleep I went out to jump him off. We literally got the jumper cables crossed and thankfully he caught it after a few seconds. I should probably say we were jumping it off my 2002 f350 7.3 which was running at the time. After correcting my cable mistake, it jumped off and he made it to work. It was making a weird clicking noise from under the dash somewhere when he turned it off but he said it stopped and the truck wouldnt start again. I came in and jumped him off. The truck ran for about 100 yards then dies and wouldnt restart. I tried to jump it again and it wouldnt jump. I towed it to my office, where I jumped it off again. While sitting in his truck. I noticed the speedometer was jumping up and down slightly while running in park. It as never done that before. It wont rev but to about 3100 rpms.
This isnt the first time leaving the lights on has killed his battery. Bad GEM maybe?
Im usually pretty good with this stuff but am at a loss.
My son has a 2002 Ranger Edge with the 3.0. It has been the perfect truck until about 3 days ago. The truck is a base model with rubber floor mats, manual door locks and windows. It has AC and cruise control. He drove it to school and back for 3.5 years at a 60 mile commute. It has about 175k miles on it. He started college a couple of weeks ago and last Friday drove it to school and parked it. I got a call that he left his lights on and his battery was dead. I went to the school and jumped him off and it wouldn't restart when we got it to my office. I put the battery on my charger at home and the next day the same thing.... dead. Jumped him off to get to school. HE called me at school and said with the key off the radio was making a weird noise. I had him pull the radio fuse. Long story short I replaced the battery last Thursday. He drove it to school and work Friday then parked it friday evening. When he got in it Sunday morning it was dead again.
Half asleep I went out to jump him off. We literally got the jumper cables crossed and thankfully he caught it after a few seconds. I should probably say we were jumping it off my 2002 f350 7.3 which was running at the time. After correcting my cable mistake, it jumped off and he made it to work. It was making a weird clicking noise from under the dash somewhere when he turned it off but he said it stopped and the truck wouldnt start again. I came in and jumped him off. The truck ran for about 100 yards then dies and wouldnt restart. I tried to jump it again and it wouldnt jump. I towed it to my office, where I jumped it off again. While sitting in his truck. I noticed the speedometer was jumping up and down slightly while running in park. It as never done that before. It wont rev but to about 3100 rpms.
This isnt the first time leaving the lights on has killed his battery. Bad GEM maybe?
Im usually pretty good with this stuff but am at a loss.
#2
09-16-2018
Welcome to the forum
You need a Volt meter
Reversing the jumper cables can do a bit of damage on vehicles made after 1985
Get volt meter and test battery, after battery has been sitting a few hours is best, key off
12.8v is newer battery
12.5v is 3 years old
12.3v is 5/6 years old and done, shop for battery sale
12.2v or under is dead/shorted battery
If a car/truck type battery has been abused, drained repeatedly, it can not come back to full charge, so on borrowed time, if new take it back for warranty replacement
Engine running
Battery should have 14+ volts for a few minutes, alternator is in ReCharge mode
Then it should drop under 14v, 13.6v is normal, and stay at that voltage with heater fan on high and head lights on, engine idling
Just a heads up: If headlights, on any vehicle, dim at idle then alternator has 1 failed field, so time to shop for alternator sale, not an emergency, but if its a daily driver so needed, then replace alternator
Do the above tests first
The 2002 Ranger should have a Smart Charging system, which is more susceptible to the reverse polarity thing, you are also suppose to use a special battery with these, but not "required"
The computer is the voltage regulator with Smart Charging, and I think a Ford Dealer could turn off Smart Charging still in 2002, which was needed if you installed Dual Battery setup, but many also just wanted it disable because it was an extra layer of issues, it had problems, charging system works "normally" when Smart Charging is disabled.
Engine won't REV above 3,000 normally, so not a symptom, Computer limits RPMs if vehicle is in Park or Neutral or not moving.
In 2002 if engine cranks but doesn't start then it won't be a PATS issue, anti-theft system blocks starter motor activation and cuts off fuel to engine, Theft Light in dash also flashes rapidly if anti-theft is activated.
This can happen with low battery, under 12.2volts
You shouldn't jump newer vehicles from a running engine, in fact its best to disconnect one battery cable on Jump Vehicle before connecting it to vehicle being Jumped, you can fry Jump Vehicle charging system
The electronics in the newer vehicles make them way more reliable and way better than the older stuff, can't even argue that point, well some do but moot point, lol. the "good ol' days" sucked as far as reliability
But these parts do add extra layers of issues when there is a problem .
Relay clicking in the cab could have been battery saver relay, because of low battery voltage
An older battery can take out alternator, and failing alternator can reduce battery's life, so good to check these once a year, first thing in the morning after battery sits over night is best
You need a Volt meter
Reversing the jumper cables can do a bit of damage on vehicles made after 1985
Get volt meter and test battery, after battery has been sitting a few hours is best, key off
12.8v is newer battery
12.5v is 3 years old
12.3v is 5/6 years old and done, shop for battery sale
12.2v or under is dead/shorted battery
If a car/truck type battery has been abused, drained repeatedly, it can not come back to full charge, so on borrowed time, if new take it back for warranty replacement
Engine running
Battery should have 14+ volts for a few minutes, alternator is in ReCharge mode
Then it should drop under 14v, 13.6v is normal, and stay at that voltage with heater fan on high and head lights on, engine idling
Just a heads up: If headlights, on any vehicle, dim at idle then alternator has 1 failed field, so time to shop for alternator sale, not an emergency, but if its a daily driver so needed, then replace alternator
Do the above tests first
The 2002 Ranger should have a Smart Charging system, which is more susceptible to the reverse polarity thing, you are also suppose to use a special battery with these, but not "required"
The computer is the voltage regulator with Smart Charging, and I think a Ford Dealer could turn off Smart Charging still in 2002, which was needed if you installed Dual Battery setup, but many also just wanted it disable because it was an extra layer of issues, it had problems, charging system works "normally" when Smart Charging is disabled.
Engine won't REV above 3,000 normally, so not a symptom, Computer limits RPMs if vehicle is in Park or Neutral or not moving.
In 2002 if engine cranks but doesn't start then it won't be a PATS issue, anti-theft system blocks starter motor activation and cuts off fuel to engine, Theft Light in dash also flashes rapidly if anti-theft is activated.
This can happen with low battery, under 12.2volts
You shouldn't jump newer vehicles from a running engine, in fact its best to disconnect one battery cable on Jump Vehicle before connecting it to vehicle being Jumped, you can fry Jump Vehicle charging system
The electronics in the newer vehicles make them way more reliable and way better than the older stuff, can't even argue that point, well some do but moot point, lol. the "good ol' days" sucked as far as reliability
But these parts do add extra layers of issues when there is a problem .
Relay clicking in the cab could have been battery saver relay, because of low battery voltage
An older battery can take out alternator, and failing alternator can reduce battery's life, so good to check these once a year, first thing in the morning after battery sits over night is best
Last edited by RonD; 09-16-2018 at 03:15 PM.
#3
09-17-2018
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Member
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 2
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From: San Angelo, TX
Thank you for the info. Battey is new... purchased last Thursday. He drove it to class last wednesday and when he went to leave three hours later it was dead. He had left his headlights on. Does it not have a gem unit to prevent this? That's the second time in three years he has left his lights on and it has killed the battery.
I jumped him off Wedensday and he drove it home, which is a 25 mile drive. I put the battery on my charger. It started fine Thursday morning but same story at schol... it was dead. His radio was making a funny noise with the key off. The battery was 3 years old so I replaced it. He drove it the remainder of Thursday and Friday with no issues. He parked it Friday evening and it was dead Sunday morning. That's when the crossed wire jump start happened. It starts when jumped but does when driving it a short distance.
After trailering it home Sunday evening I disconnected the battery and charged it until 7am this morning. At 10am, my volt meter shows 13 volts connected or not. Idling with heater and headlights on 14V. My meter is older and doesn't read decimals. After charging it started right up on it's own. I drove and it seems ok. I am going to leave it hooked up sitting and keep checking the battery. I'm thinking maybe his cheap car stereo fried and drained the battery.
who knows. I will keep this updated. Thanks again
I jumped him off Wedensday and he drove it home, which is a 25 mile drive. I put the battery on my charger. It started fine Thursday morning but same story at schol... it was dead. His radio was making a funny noise with the key off. The battery was 3 years old so I replaced it. He drove it the remainder of Thursday and Friday with no issues. He parked it Friday evening and it was dead Sunday morning. That's when the crossed wire jump start happened. It starts when jumped but does when driving it a short distance.
After trailering it home Sunday evening I disconnected the battery and charged it until 7am this morning. At 10am, my volt meter shows 13 volts connected or not. Idling with heater and headlights on 14V. My meter is older and doesn't read decimals. After charging it started right up on it's own. I drove and it seems ok. I am going to leave it hooked up sitting and keep checking the battery. I'm thinking maybe his cheap car stereo fried and drained the battery.
who knows. I will keep this updated. Thanks again
#4
10-12-2020
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Muskogee, Oklahoma
My 99 Ranger 3.0 v6 Sport was fine before I insisted on a "new" battery...
After trading batts for a "newer" batt over my 1-1/2yr old Ever Start batt, within days, she won't start w/out a jump&then wouldn't even stay running after I'm already in route to eventually shutting down on me in the McD's drive-thru.Battery Light appeared for the 1st time ever&guage was completely tapped.So,I put another "newer" batt in that showed a full charge til it met my truck & that too drained.So naturally we replaced the Altenator&S Belt...New Alt, Belt&a col other things while I'm at it, first she wouldn't start, no lights, no life...Then after changing batt cables& terminals(which were stretched to reach the other batt that started all this...I believe my husband wired in a new ground along with the cables, etc.She fired up beautifully after not hearing her for a week...but batt gauge still down&batt light on...Checked fuses under the hood in the box&in the driver panel&altenator connections...everything reads fine...Returned the new alternator today & picking up another tomorrow... Any ideas for troubleshooting
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