"Sweep Gauges" now engine won't start

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Old 09-06-2011, 09:04 PM
bbowers's Avatar
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Thumbs down "Sweep Gauges" now engine won't start

I have no problem with my F150 but my 2005 Explorer has a problem.

When my wife started her 2005 Explorer 4x4 the gauges lit up and blinked off and on...and as she said "went crazy". She drove it 15 miles home, turned it off, started it 5 minutes later with no problem, drove to the store, and then it wouldn't start after she shopped.

It sounds like the clicking sound when a battery is dead, but the "sweep gauges" display made me think it might not be the battery.

I guess I'll take the battery to Autozone in the morning unless somebody here can offer their wisdom.

Thanks!
 
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Old 09-06-2011, 09:42 PM
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The gauge sweep is usually a sign of a battery that is low enough for the cluter to reset.

Couple this with the battery clicking, and I would say dead battery.

Best to have a reputable shop load test the battery ( like Napa ) to make sure the battery is dead. If the battery is dead, could be from an alternator problem, but horses not zebras indicates that the battery is shot.
 
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Old 09-07-2011, 01:53 AM
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Originally Posted by bbowers
I have no problem with my F150 but my 2005 Explorer has a problem.

When my wife started her 2005 Explorer 4x4 the gauges lit up and blinked off and on...and as she said "went crazy". She drove it 15 miles home, turned it off, started it 5 minutes later with no problem, drove to the store, and then it wouldn't start after she shopped.

It sounds like the clicking sound when a battery is dead, but the "sweep gauges" display made me think it might not be the battery.

I guess I'll take the battery to Autozone in the morning unless somebody here can offer their wisdom.

Thanks!
It probably is the battery, but rest assured, I've seen the same thing a number of times with bad battery connections and have even seen it in a brand new vehicle (several times) when the battery cable wasn't sufficiently tightened. I did code 3 outfitting and we always had to disconnect the cable when outfitting.
 
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Old 09-07-2011, 02:21 AM
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mine did the same thing, it was my starter solenoid
 
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Old 09-07-2011, 02:10 PM
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It was the battery!!!!!!!!!

It was the battery!

Thanks for your help!
 



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