I have a 1997 F150 supercab 4x4. Recently it has developed a very odd electrical problem. The first time it happened, was immediately after I washed it ( guess dirt really does hold it together). It wouldnt start, when I turned the key, just click, click, when it dried out after the wash, it started fine....but that was the beginning of my poor trucks ailment. Now when I park it with front tire against a curb, or when steering wheel isnt quite straight......I get the same problem..click, click. Sometimes when trying to start it, the door locks go up and down, and things in the truck start to flash. I'm still considering the option that aliens have invaded my trucks wiring. If I put the truck in neutral and mess with turning steering wheel to and fro, usually it will start. It never has this problem if i'm parked on level ground with front wheels straight ahead. Any help would be greatly appreciated.....if this thing was a horse, i'd shoot it. The worst part of it all is if my wife is in the truck when it happens.."told you that you should have got a chevy" has recently become her favorite thing to utter as i'm begging my truck to fire back to life. So does any kind soul out there have an idea what could have my war pony so down in the mouth? Or better yet...take my wife!

 

Great question! I'm stumped butI will take some guesses. The wet click...click problem makes me think of an under hood problem. Remove, clean, and reinstall both battery cables at the battery. Remove, clean and reinstall the grounding battery cable that connects to the block of the engine (at the block) - even if looks clean. Do any of your battery cables or harness wires touch the steering column? If so, look for worn insulation where they touch.

The problem with keeping the steering wheel straight makes me suspect a switch inside the steering column. There is a switch that senses if the gear selector is in park or neutral (to allow you to start the car). But that switch should not allow the click...click. The ignition (key) switch might also be jostled when moving the steering wheel. Could you have a loose wire on either of those switches?

Do check that ground wire at the block. Shifting the weight of the truck with the steering wheel and a wash job could both effect that connection.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

justplain,

Check the ground connection at the starter for corrosion. It is prone to corrosion. A poor ground will cause GEM to click and start all kinds of weird stuff.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

I agree with the possibility of corrosion on the starter.
I would also suspect a possible water leak?
water + GEM module = PROBLEMS!!!!

Just my $0.02

Good Luck in finding the GREMLIN!!

FordMasterTech

 

I know a guy who had gremlins in his Expedition. Finally he and countless trips to the dealership revealed that he had a new front windshield installed that did not get sealed properly. This allowed water to drip onto the trucks computer after wet weather. This caused various electrical systems to short out and act as if it was possesed. The doorlocks would go up and down, the alarm would go off, lights would come on, etc. Hope this helps.

 

Go to the forum section and click on engines and find the post by Mrford no crank no start I think this will cure your problem

 

I just purchased a new 2003 SuperCrew (5.4) the other day, I left the dealer with it woke up the next morning and it did not start all I got was the Click sound you describe. I too figured it could be the battery or the starter, I tried the battery (ok) I checked the starter (ok).

After some poking, I finally found the problem. Where the wires from the starter enter the the truck there is a small black box. I gave mine a tap and it started. I then drove it to the dealer and it turned out there was a bulletin for the part, it becomes loose causing a misfire and no start, also if you get alot of humidity in it you will get the same problem, my dealer washed my truck the day i bought it, there was alot of humidity in the indoor wash bay, that night it got extremly cold, so either it was the humidity or the part was loose causing the problem. I had the part tightened as it was a little loose.

NOTE: I did not have any door lock problems as you described.

 

Fixed the prob. It was a faulty terminal end connection battery cable to the starter. Corrosion had taken advantage of the "less than adept" crimped factory terminal. After replacement, my ills were cured.......................................Now for the bad part.
About 4 months ago I wrecked the truck. Mega wreck. In arkansas a lady pulled out and hit me. The truck done a flip, then two more rolls before landed backwards down in a big ditch. The second roll threw me through the back window headfirst...FUN!!! ( most people have to pay for amusement park rides like that). I was in the bed of the truck on the last roll. It went down a large embankment and I ended up horizontally with my head and upper torso in bed of truck, my feet on the embankment, and the tailgate laying loose on my chest. The impact was so hard it shoved part of my reared through the bed of the truck. I came out with some injuries, but fortunate to be alive. On the bright side, I don't have to change the CV-Joints now! I've learned a few things from the accident - you never know just how dirty your headliner is until you're sitting on it and if you ever see a car with only a tuft of blue hair above the steering wheel...pull over immediately.
I'm now the proud owner of another Ford truck, ext cab, 4x4 lariat and I get a headache when my wife mentions going to visit family in arkansas.

 

Okay....I want to change the GEM's. What are they connected to behind the fuse box. I read that you have to undo the bolt in them, but what are all of the wires connected to?