Arrow

Yesterday while riding home, my voltage meter went to zero, and soon after the computer when off, stereo off, no window controls, etc. Engine was running okay, but idling at 1k RPM.

Some of you might remember I was having stalling problems one day. I wonder if this is related.

Anywho, the car barely starts, and when it fires up, the voltage meter goes back to center, but as soon as I shift to R or D, it goes to zero and everything shuts off (electronic).

When I turn the car off, a few seconds later the stereo pops on, in the AM mode blasting.

All I can figure is either the alternator or the regulator is futzed (and my battery is probably dead because of it).

Fortunately I already had an appointment for tomorrow to have the car in for it's 20k mile tune-up. I'm hoping it will start tomorrow so I can run it down to the dealership, then let them figure it out.

I'm so ticked off, tho. I had a xmas party today, and I wanted to come in my 'Stang (especially since one of the dudes there has a classic '67). Instead I had to borrow my Dad's jeep. Sucked royal.

I had my TB replaced in August. Now something else is gone wacky. It's a good thing the folks at my dealership are so nice, otherwise I'd rip into them....even though I know it's not their fault Flatrock gave me crappy parts. Grrrrrr.....

Everyone wish me luck. I gotta start it up and drive 25 miles tomorrow morning. I hope I make it.

turbo05gt

Did it rain alot where you are?

Arrow

We just had a bit of snow. About 3 inches, ice, sleet...

You know, that's the second time I've posted about a problem and someone's asked if it has rained....

Are our cars THAT susceptible to rain? Yikes...

theedge67

My prediction is bad alternator.

JRay05stang

$10 Bucks says its the alternator! Had it happen to me a few weeks ago! Total pain in the butt! Had the alternator fixed and then the battery was bad too! More than likely you are going to need a new Alternator and a new battery. Also I am afraid to say if your alternator is dead you will not make it 25 miles. My dealership was 4 minutes away and I had charged my battery until fully charged, I coasted into the dealership with my car not running. Good Luck!

Arrow

Well, it's all a fking moot point, because the bytch wouldn't turn over this morning!

So I was down to an 1/8th of a tank the day the problem started, so instead of going to a station and risking dying there, I drove home. So that meant that today, in order to avoid potentially running out of gas, I drove the jeep to a station, filled up a 5-gallon can, came back, poured it in, got in...click click click...

I'm so friggin ticked off right now. This was the last thing I needed today. Fortunately my folks were able to change their plans so that I could keep the jeep for another day. I'd take the day off to get things done, but I had an important meeting today that I couldn't skip.

So I'm hoping that when I get home, I can jump the car and give it enough juice to drive down to the dealership.

I may just go ahead and buy a new battery, drop that in, and hope it will be enough. It's easier than trying to jump the car, especially from where i'm parked.

UGGGGHHH!!! <sings> All I want for Christmas is a car that runs!!! </sings>

Five Oh Brian

About a month ago, my 07 GT suffered a dead alternator. Called Ford Roadside Assistance and they sent a flatbed out to get me to the dealership (where I work, no less). Like you, things started turning off after the voltmeter dropped off. Warning lights started coming on as systems lost power until I had to pull over when the windshield wipers stopped (it was dumping down rain).

Ever since my car was new, there was a small whining noise from under the hood. With the new alternator, the noise is completely gone. Our tech thinks the armature brushes were causing the noise (wrong length, or something, and wearing prematurely) and the alternator was destined to fail.

As bad alternators are not a known (or widespread) problem on our cars, we didn't have one in stock. My car sat 5 days while one was shipped from another Ford dealership out of state. Luckily, my battery survived (it all happened quickly, so no long term drain on the battery). Car has been perfect since.

Arrow

Hey! Whining noise! I have that too, but always thought it was related to the intake. Guess that makes sense with the alternator.

Sucks. I hope they have one in stock.

I guess I could use the roadside assistance. Do you think dropping in a new battery will give me enough to get to the dealership? The car runs once it starts up, but I'm not sure how LONG it will run.

What's my best course of action here, folks? If ya'll think it will go with a new battery or a jump, I'll try it and hope it makes it to the dealership. If you think it would be better to call roadside and not risk it, I'll try that. Truth be told, I'm interested to see how they'll tow it out of my spot. there's not much room behind me, and I'm in a covered slot. Might have to push it out (up a small slope, heh heh).

theedge67

I think I would charge up the battery as best you can with a battery charger, not a jump start. Get it started and make your way to the dealer using zero accessories (heater, headlights, radio, etc.) A good battery should get you 20 miles at with no alternator.

Sounds like your alternator is working a little bit, just not enough. It works enough to keep the warning lights off when at idle, just not enough when the idle drops when it goes into gear. If you have any stoplights on the way, shift into neutral while waiting to keep the rpm's up. If it dies on the way, have Ford's roadside assistance number handy. They'll send a tow truck. That's what I would do.

Arrow

Wow, that totally sucked.

Okay, so 4pm I get home. Jump the car off the jeep. Car starts up, great, let it run for a bit to charge a bit, disconnect, working okay...find I can't shift the shifter out of park...then the engine and computer start whacking out (lights on dash, car lights, windows, everything just going nuts...plus the engine starts wigging out, so I kill it.


Shoot.

So I call Ford roadside to bring a tow to get me down to the dealership. The guy seems to think it's just a combination of dead battery and security system. So he gets out the big cables, sups the car, it's running, great. The shifter moved for him, but his truck is in the way so he puts it back into park and while he's moving the truck I try to pull out.

He moves off, I go to pull out to try and get it down to the dealership...shoot, the shifter won't move. Then the car starts wigging out again. So I kill it again.

He jumps it again.

He just gets the truck out of the way when the car dies.


He jumps it again.

I slam it into R and floor it out of the slot and around the turn to a clear patch, with just enough time for the car to die and coast around onto the straightway. Really some impressive driving, if I may say so. Narrow car port, posts, little bit of space, and about 5 seconds to move. That I didn't hit something was a miracle.


Had to winch it up onto his flatbed (and fortunately he got it on without putting a single scratch on the front bumper or anything!).

Cruise down, get into the dealership at 6:30 (fuggin A, really) drop it off, got a rental (shiny new 2008 Focus...actually a pretty **** nice little car) and I'm off.

I'm flipn' done! With this morning, then my meetings today, then this shyt at after work! I'm...I'm going to bed!

I'll keep you guys posted on what happens with my baby...

Arrow

Got my ride back! Woot!



Turns out it was just a dead alternator, and a bad battery...


Unfortunately, while driving home, I noticed that the driver-side window button won't auto-up. It will raise, lower, and auto-down, but not auto-up. The passenger side works fine.

Also, the TPMS doesn't seem to be working. It's not showing in the info or the system check.

I wonder if something happened with those components when the car was freaking out?

Would that be fuse related? Or should I just drive it back down to the dealership and have them figure it out?

GTMark052

Yes, its from the low battery.

To restore your auto up do this: with the doors closed, hold the power window button up until it closes and keep holding it for 2 seconds. Then push the window button down and open the window completely. This should restore that function. BTW, this is in the owners manual just in case you need it again.

There was a post on this forum a while ago about re-training the wheel sensors but I think a special tool is needed for the procedure. You could try a search to see what you come up with. If not, have the dealer take care of it.

Arrow

Cool beans. Thanks for the info! I'll give it a try!

I noticed that the driver's side window was also bottoming pretty hard. Normally the top edge is visible when all the way down, but now it goes all the way down and thunks to the bottom.

I'll try the "trick" and see what happens.

Arrow

Great. The window trick worked.

Still can't find anything on getting the TPMS to work. All I could find when searching was posts with people wondering if they had to put the sensors on their new rims if they got new rims...

Five Oh Brian

Sorry to hear about your alternator, but now I'm not the only one who's had a bad one! Did the whining noise go away now that you have a new alternator???

JRay05stang

Its funny how I posed on here about my experience with the dead alternator, and its like my post was never even seen. I knew you were not going to make it to the dealership going 20 miles if I couldnt make it 4 without the car dying. I knew the alternator was bad on mine before I took it in. I used a volt meter thing to read how much charge was actually being created and diagnosed it when the charge wasnt even reading. I had charged my batter for the whole night before I took my car in that morning. It takes alot from our battery to just start the car, much less run it 20 miles. Glad you got it worked out thought.

Arrow

I have a good bit of electrical knowledge, and my father started life as an electrical engineer. There's not much that I can't ultimately figure out...but that doesn't mean I'm not timid about some things.

For some reason, electrical systems in cars freak me out. I'm not sure why it is, but whenever I'm doing something in a modern car, it always feels like I'm defusing a bomb rather than simply playing with wiring. And with the quirky nature of the computer system and all its finiky sensors and monitors, I'm usually found just putting my hands up, rather than futzing with something. Especially with it being under warrenty.

That all said, in hind-sight, yeah, I guess I could have whipped out the meter and tested the alternator myself. But once I found it was messed up, I'd have to replace it, which I'm not doing if it's under warrenty. Also, who knows what else could have been wrong? Say I spent all the time and effort (not to mention money) crawling around replacing the alternator and battery...and the car still acted up?

Until this car comes out of warrenty, and until I get a second car so I'm not stranded, I don't think I'll be doing much without quadruple-checking everything I do.

I guess I'll have to drive down to the dealership one of these days and have them check out the TPMS. From what I could find out, the sensors might be "off" and need to be re-activated. Or, something could actually be wrong. Who knows, and I don't think I have the tools or knowledge needed to test for myself.

I did hear a rumor that the S197's are becoming notorious for "eating batteries and alternators." If that's true, I hope Ford does something about it. I plan on having this car for at least a year or two longer (if not MUCH longer).