Battery Saver Relay Problem?
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Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
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Battery Saver Relay Problem?
I'm not sure if this is actually a larger problem then just what I suspect so please tell me if this is beyond my grasp.
Last night I tried to start my 1997 F150 V8 2WD and all that happened was a clicking sound and then a repetitive clicking. The truck didn't start so I pulled out my key and tried again. Again it wouldn't start. (I had just been driving it moments earlier, I was only running an errand.)
Once I pulled my key out the second time I checked for where the repetitive clicking was coming from. I found that it was coming from the under dash fuse box from the #2 slot (Battery Saver Relay). I could touch the relay and could feel something mechanical inside twitching. I removed the relay and the clicking stopped.
I recently had $1,750 put into the truck getting things here and there fixed but nothing about the Battery Saver Relay. They did work on the engine to get the check engine light off though.
Does this sound like I need a need Battery Saver Relay or is it a bigger problem? Should I have it brought back to the same garage I had do all the work on it a couple weeks ago or just have it fixed for what's wrong with it now?
Last night I tried to start my 1997 F150 V8 2WD and all that happened was a clicking sound and then a repetitive clicking. The truck didn't start so I pulled out my key and tried again. Again it wouldn't start. (I had just been driving it moments earlier, I was only running an errand.)
Once I pulled my key out the second time I checked for where the repetitive clicking was coming from. I found that it was coming from the under dash fuse box from the #2 slot (Battery Saver Relay). I could touch the relay and could feel something mechanical inside twitching. I removed the relay and the clicking stopped.
I recently had $1,750 put into the truck getting things here and there fixed but nothing about the Battery Saver Relay. They did work on the engine to get the check engine light off though.
Does this sound like I need a need Battery Saver Relay or is it a bigger problem? Should I have it brought back to the same garage I had do all the work on it a couple weeks ago or just have it fixed for what's wrong with it now?
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 10,511
Likes: 10
From: Under the flightpath of old ORD 22R
Start with checking your battery.
Here is a thread, where it is a similar problem ( did not specify which relay was the clicking ) and it was a dead battery.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=242976
Remember heat will kill a marginal battery, more so then cold ( oppisite of what the repair centers will say in the prep for winter list ).
Here is a thread, where it is a similar problem ( did not specify which relay was the clicking ) and it was a dead battery.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=242976
Remember heat will kill a marginal battery, more so then cold ( oppisite of what the repair centers will say in the prep for winter list ).
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1
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Battery draw, battery saver circuit, battery drain
Thought I’d pass some information along that might help someone else with the same problem. Be sure to read the entire post, as it might save you some time.
I recently had an electrical issue with a 1997 F150. This particular truck has a 4.6 V8 with an automatic transmission (although this should apply regardless of the engine or trans.) With the engine shut off, all accessories turned off and key out of the ignition, the vehicle seemed to have a voltage draw which would cause the battery to die after a day or so of sitting without use. The battery was fairly new, so naturally we ruled it out. We performed the typical voltage draw test by disconnecting the positive battery cable and connecting a volt meter between the disconnected cable end and the battery terminal, which appeared to confirm a voltage draw was present. We then proceeded to the engine compartment main fuse block at the driver side fender well and removed one fuse at a time until the voltage draw disappeared. The 50 amp fuse in question powered the fuse block in the cab under the dash, so we reinstalled the 50 amp fuse and redirected our focus to the under dash fuse panel. After removing the fuse for the “Battery Saver” circuit, the voltage draw seemed to disappear. Since the battery saver circuit is designed to stay on for awhile after the ignition key is shut off (which would naturally cause a short term draw), we decided to go back to the beginning and check the battery. With the battery removed from the vehicle and fully charged, we performed a load test. Although the battery seemed to do o.k. on the short term load test, it would very slowly lose voltage over an extended period of time and drop well below 12 volts when it was not connected to anything. Although the battery was only a couple of months old and didn’t initially seem to be the problem, it was in fact defective. We replaced the battery with another new one, and the problem was solved! Lesson learned: When you have an electrical issue, ALWAYS fully check the battery first before suspecting other components. NEVER assume the battery is good unless you can prove it.
Good Luck...LONG LIVE THE F150!
I recently had an electrical issue with a 1997 F150. This particular truck has a 4.6 V8 with an automatic transmission (although this should apply regardless of the engine or trans.) With the engine shut off, all accessories turned off and key out of the ignition, the vehicle seemed to have a voltage draw which would cause the battery to die after a day or so of sitting without use. The battery was fairly new, so naturally we ruled it out. We performed the typical voltage draw test by disconnecting the positive battery cable and connecting a volt meter between the disconnected cable end and the battery terminal, which appeared to confirm a voltage draw was present. We then proceeded to the engine compartment main fuse block at the driver side fender well and removed one fuse at a time until the voltage draw disappeared. The 50 amp fuse in question powered the fuse block in the cab under the dash, so we reinstalled the 50 amp fuse and redirected our focus to the under dash fuse panel. After removing the fuse for the “Battery Saver” circuit, the voltage draw seemed to disappear. Since the battery saver circuit is designed to stay on for awhile after the ignition key is shut off (which would naturally cause a short term draw), we decided to go back to the beginning and check the battery. With the battery removed from the vehicle and fully charged, we performed a load test. Although the battery seemed to do o.k. on the short term load test, it would very slowly lose voltage over an extended period of time and drop well below 12 volts when it was not connected to anything. Although the battery was only a couple of months old and didn’t initially seem to be the problem, it was in fact defective. We replaced the battery with another new one, and the problem was solved! Lesson learned: When you have an electrical issue, ALWAYS fully check the battery first before suspecting other components. NEVER assume the battery is good unless you can prove it.
Good Luck...LONG LIVE THE F150!
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,636
Likes: 264
From: Vernon, NY
Yup, good advice. That's why I went out and bought a battery load tester. I've used it a lot over the years. It's one of the tools you get, that might sit on the shelf for a while, but at least once or twice a year I need to check a battery. Very handy and has paid for itself over the years.