Truck does not start or even turn over. I was able to reboot the computer by disconnecting the battery a few times. But that no longer works.
Check both ends of your ground (at the battery and on the other end at the chassis) and make sure the connections are firm. I assume the battery charge is good?
Thank you for answering my questions. The truck got me from California to the southern tip of Texas with no problems. I have since also discovered an oil leak around the intake manifold and the oil level 1 quart low. I added the quart. I will soon change the oil altogether after I fix the current computer problem. The oil leak will require that I change the head cover gaskets I think. I haven’t looked into that completely yet.
The reason I’m suspicious of the grounds is based on this:
When you reconnected the battery you made the connections at the battery solid again. (and this is a far cheaper thing to look at and repair than a new computer would be if that’s what the problem is)
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I am taking the truck to the dealer today. The owner of the place is very rich. You can imagine why. But that is the only place in the area equipped to deal with the problem if it is indeed a faulty computer. They will tell me about the oil leak. I will repair it myself. They may tell me about the faulty computer or even about anything causing the problem. They will charge me well over $100. It is what it is.
I never disconnected the negative battery terminal. It is still shiny and uncorroded. The positive terminal has a new and unique tightening mechanism that I had never seen before in other vehicles I have owned. When I first replaced the battery, it was a learning experience. The terminal has a plastic cover. The computer looks good from the outside. I will try once again to start the truck. The dealer will not allow me to take the computer out of it and have them test it. They want the whole truck. There is a junkyard where I can get a replacement computer. It does not have the same two letters at the end of the part number, but it is the only part that is interchangeable with the one I have.
Thank you for your time.
Noe Rodriguez
this could be a computer issue, but it is much more likely to be something else- such as a bad or loose battery cable or something along those lines. You could even have blown a fuse or fusable link with the constant disconnecting of the battery cable. But you are dead set on it being the computer, so I highly recommend that you do not tell the dealer to replace the computer- but instead let them do the diagnoses on the starting system.
on Ford’s, I have seen a number of bad ign switches, ign wires, starter solenoids, and even starters that cause symptoms like you are describing.
Maybe the problem is in the neutral safety switch; or range selector switch as it is sometimes called.
Try shifting into neutral and see what happens; assuming you still have the vehicle in hand.
Another possibility is a starter security relay (if so equipped) which could prevent the starter from operating.
Personally, I think you are getting way ahead of yourself on this by blaming the computer. It’s more than likely something far simpler such as the things I mentioned.
I highly recommend that you do not tell the dealer to replace the computer- but instead let them do the diagnoses on the starting system.
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Agree on letting the shop do the diagnoses. I live on top of a hill, one day coming home I half way up I ran out of gas (my gauge does not always work right)
I walked up to the house and got my gas can that was full it hold’s 2 and a half gallon’s My driveway is fairly steep at that point so I thought the gas that was left in the tank went to the back of the tank beyound the pick up tube I put the full can in and it started right up drove up to the house and parked where I usually do where it is level went out the next day and it would not start I could not hear the fuel pump so had it towed to the shop told the man it had a bad fuel pump he did his own diagnoses and found the pump was good as he had just replaced it less than a year before found out it was the computer.
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Could you please post a picture of this mechanism which is unfamiliar to you? 