My boyfriend came home last night with a 2003 Ford F150 Qton Pick-up He bought at a local dealer ( He was sent out for groceries- came home with this) He drove it an hour home- made two stop on the way home- and then parked it at the pub. After a few hours he went out, started the pick-up and let it run for a while- because it is 30below today and he should have been home hours ago… A couple hours later he went to start the new pick-up to drive home.And it wouldn’t start. Put the key in, turn-it, all lights, windows, radio,etc work great-but when you try to turn the key all it does is click. We tried to jump it right away then came back an hour later to try. Need less to say we walked home in 30below wind chill… Ignition problem?Starter?
If That Truck’s Got An Old (2003) Battery In It Then Replacing It Is A Good “Starting” Point (No Pun Intended)
An old battery, especially one living out its final years at a used car lot, can be eaten alive by winter weather.
This truck needs a battery / charging / starting system check. Some auto parts stores do this for nothing.
It is possible to have a cell drop dead in a battery (one out of six) , have the lights still work, but not enough giddy-up to crank the engine.
By the way, “30 below” wind chill is not 30 below in actual temperature. Trucks don’t feel wind chill and neither do passengers inside with doors and windows closed.
CSA
If the truck wouldn’t start with a jump, the problem might be that the connections of the battery cables at the ends away from the battery need to be cleaned. These connections may let enugh current pass to operate the lights and radio, but won’t pass the high current necessary to turn the starter motor. I suppose that the battery may be so far gone that it absorbs all the power from the attempted jump start, but I don’t think that the lights or windows would operate normally.
I find it interesting that your boy friend was sent out to buy groceries and bought a pickup truck instead. I hope the truck isn’t a lemon. A couple of years ago, I went to a local farm supply store to get parts for my lawnmower. An adoption agency was there with three puppies–the mother dog was killed on the highway (and the father of the pups was noplace to be found). Needless to say, I came home with a puppy instead of parts for the mower. I’m not sure whether or not the puppy was a lemon from the beginning, but he is spoiled rotten now.
It’s the battery or at least the battery connections. In 30 below weather replace both unless the battery is new but the terminals are old. The battery should have an age stamp on it.
The also may be a problem with the starter solenoid contacts. If the clicking you hear is coming from it and the battery/battery connections are ok then the solenoid or starter motor windings may be at fault.
Next time, you should go buy the groceries at the store, and not your boyfriend.
Or at least give him a list that says exactly what to buy. Don’t put Used Pickup on the list this time.
Also, tell your bf not to start the truck and let it idle anymore, either.
Most charging systems need to be spinning faster than idle speed, especially in the cold you have, to recharge the battery after cranking the engine over at 30 degrees below 0F.
BC.