Was this a feasable fix?

Maintenance/Repairs
1

08 F-150 working fine, stopped for gas then no start. Voltmeter good power acc. worked. Tried jump box then jumper cables, not even a crank just a ticking noise from the starter area every second in time with the door chime. Towed to dealer. They said battery cables were loose. I think I would have noticed when I tried to jump. Also, with jumper cables clamped to battery cables, wouldn’t loose cables be irrelevant? Don’t want to get stranded again. Was this a feesable cause?

2

yes

3

Yes. On today’s vehicles with all the electronics involved, you’ld be surprised what can happen when there’s poor connection at the battery.

Tester

4

Were they loose at the battery, or to the starter and engine block? There are two ends to each.

5

Techs had gone by the time I picked up veh. Repair invoice just says two loose battery terminals, cleaned and tightened. I assumed it was at the battery since I had crawled under and checked the other end before the tow arrived. Thanks.

6

Loose battery terminals are usually never irrelevant. Most of the time, they matter. It would not be the first time they kept a car from being jump started. Clicking in time with the door chime is a great indicator that points directly to the terminals.

7

No, you would have noticed when you put the jump on,also should have been noticed at PDI,cear it up and ask them where and how the cables got loose

8

Some info I remembered about the origin; the day I took delivery, the salesman advised that the battery was dead and wouldn’t take a charge so they replaced it. I guess whoever they assigned to that task didn’t tighten properly.

9

There are two ends to each.

And sometimes more. :slight_smile:

10

It seems to me that even tho the cables were loose at the battery, it should work with jumper cables.

11

The current actually reaching your car’s starter will be less depending upon the current carrying ability of the jumper cables and clamp connections. Most set-ups won’t carry enough current when the vehicle’s own battery isn’t adding any (or, little) of its current to the effort. Your battery couldn’t add its current because of its low charge, and the corrosion on the terminals.