Ford Aerostar :: Alternator Failure / Blinking Battery Symbol And Periodic Beep
Nov 23, 2016
My van with the digital dash just started to flash the battery voltage display, with the blinking battery symbol, periodic beep, and showing a message that the battery voltage is low. I took it home immediately, and measured the battery voltage at about 12.5V, compared to almost 14V on my other cars, so it does seem lower. As a quick test, I pulled the connector from the alternator, and the alarm stopped. Of course, this meant it was not charging, but odd that that little change would silence the alarm.So I suspect my alternator has failed...
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2014 4x4 5.0 ... Drove my new truck (less than 1900 miles) to work in the rain. Alternator failed and battery warning on dash. Took truck to dealer, they confirmed and said not covered by warranty. Talked to ford, they back up dealers decision. They want a whole bunch of money to replace alternator and clean under the hood. What good is a 4x4 if it fails driving to work on an open highway?
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My battery went dead so I replaced with new. This did not fix the problem so I replaced the alternator. It's working now but the battery light stays on. I think I still have a problem.
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2002 Ford Focus SE with 130k miles on it. For the past 4 months the battery light flashes randomly while driving. The flashing and frequency of flashing doesn't seem related to anything I can tell including temperature, length of time the car is running, speed or any variable. Seems like it should be an alternator, but that was replaced less than an year ago and it also has a new battery. The alternator always checks out fine at the mechanic and it will never flash for the mechanic. It went 1 month with no flashing and suddenly it will now flash maybe 20 times in a 5 mile drive. Yesterday it just died at a stoplight with no warning, but then after shutting everything off it started just fine and the battery light didn't turn on for the 2 miles to home.
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This is an update to my Heater Hose to Water Pump Failure post. As it turns out, the water/coolant pump seems to have failed at the same time as the heater hose. I think Ford secretly installed an internal time mechanism to deconstruct certain parts at the same time.
Anyway, in desperation I took the van to the local Ford dealer for an inspection. NOTE: I don't trust most of the locally owned small time shops and national franchises. Half of the time, they don't know what they are talking about.
They said the water pump is toast. And I already knew that! Then they said, because the water pump is attached to the front timing chain cover, they need to replace the gaskets there also, and also the oil pan is attached to the front chain cover, so that needs done, and then they said the radiator is also leaking. What!!!
Then they asked if I would be interested in buying a new or used vehicle. This tool works great. Mine happens to be a left hand fan. The tool is used with the handle on the left. This tool is used to hold Water Pump pulley stationary, while unbolting the fan assembly.
Tomorrow morning is when I finally replace the water pump. Not a lot of tool are needed, except for the stubborn fan clutch. Sockets: 8, 10, 13, 17, except a 22 mm open end wrench for the fan clutch.
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2 or 3 years ago my airbag light started blinking. 120,000 miles, only owner. The code changes daily. Then the car started reviving at highway speeds. Then cruise control wasn't reliable. Sometimes when I hit a bump, the cruise goes off. My mechanic said the reviving felt like it was going in and out of overdrive, so he rebuilt the transmission. No change. This past month, the car started to pull to the right. It felt like I was driving with the brake on, couldn't get up a small hill. Before I could get the car home, the brakes went to the floor and the car stalled. I had it towed to mechanic.
After 10 days, he couldn't duplicate problem, so I took the car back. A few days later, after 4 hours of errands in the hot Texas sun, it did it again for me. Pulled to the right, driving with the brake on feel, brakes to the floor. This time it smelled like something was burning, either brakes, belt or something, and the rear ABS light came on for the first time. Latest mechanic says it is probably a brake booster, but that doesn't explain the reviving does it? I've had it to 2 dealers, 3 mechanics, and no one has a clue what to check apparently. I am a senior, so I can't really start replacing everything. What should I tell them to check, and in what order? I love my Aerostar....
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I got a code for Fuel pump secondary circuit failure, how do you fix it? 1990 Aerostar 4.0 2wd with A/T and A/C
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I just wanted to share with you all about a coolant leakage problem I had experienced for a couple of days.
It all started a few days ago when I noticed the temperature gauge needle, which I hardly ever look at, began fluctuating in the hot region. I thought "oh my god" what is wrong? I then stopped at the nearest gas station and added some, I mean a lot, of water. My initial thought was the coolant level was too low.
The following day, I noticed the belts were squealing a bit (at that time I thought it was another vehicle with loose belts, but NO... it was mine making the belt noise). At that time, I did not realize it was because the coolant was leaking onto the belt(s). But then when I made a stop at a location for a couple of minutes, I returned to my Aerostar and noticed a trail of coolant leaking from underneath the vehicle.
I thought "oh my god" the water pump is busted! I then took it to a local repair shop and inquired about the cost to replace the water pump.
But after I inspected the vehicle more thoroughly, I noticed some dryed out green colored stuff where the heater hose connects to the water pump. I then removed the heater hose from the water pump and discovered to my surprise a tiny hole had developed where the hose is expanded from 5/8 to 3/4 inches.
My plan to repair the problem is to purchase about 6" of 3/4" heater hose (to connect it to the water pump), and a Gates or Dorman plastic adapter reduction fitting that reduces it to 5/8", in order to plug it into the factory original old heater hose.
This is an emergency repair. While inspecting the heater hose, I discovered an electrical connection that goes no where.
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Key has been "loose" for some time. Would sometimes be able to remove it with engine running. Earlier today I could not return the key to shut off to stop the engine. Pulled a fuse to shut down the engine and then disconnected the battery. With the battery connection restored, the key will return to start and crank, but only will spin towards shut off and will no longer de-energize. Is this a cylinder replacement fix? Tried a very seldom used key to no avail.
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Really need diagnosing an on going electrical problem I'm having. It's on a 05 X 4x4 V10 with almost 113k miles.
Background : Last summer took a road trip and alternator went out and was replaced. On that trip started seeing problems with my cruise control, when the headlights(HID's) turn on they dim the dash, and hi's cause the speedometer and other gauges to quickly flux and then go back to proper readings.
Everything was "alright" in the sense that the only problems were those stated above. Well tuesday night on my way home from school, I was driving on the surface streets, stopped at a light.....then all of a sudden the battery symbol on the dash flashed and no more than a second later, the car stopped. All dash lights/radio (double din) still on and headlights still on, but couldn't start the X at all.
Was able to wait a bit and once my parents got there it did start and I was able to pull off to the side and diagnose it a little better, dad looked at it and at the moment couldn't really tell what would be wrong. I had him drive it home for me though. It's been starting fine again but I have NO CLUE as to what to look for and really would like to find out what's happening.
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Happy owner of a TDI - SEL for just over a year. One week shy of my 40K service, the alternator failed. All repairs covered with my extended warranty. Tech said he hadn't seen another alternator go bad and certainly hadn't seen a 1 year old TDI with 40K miles! Any alternator issues? otherwise been quite happy with the car.
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Vehicle is a 1996 Aero* XLT, 4.0 engine with 155000+ miles. I'm getting the P0500 code with the OD light blinking. Tranny is not shifting properly. Did not look at the speedo or check the cruise due to worry about making it to my driveway. I have had ocasion to set the cruise to 45MPH and at times it will drop out. I don't know the lower limit on the cruise. Is this speed sensor the same as the VSS...
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My 2002 Windstar SEL has been giving me a fit and I`m not getting any codes as to why. Here`s the 2 main issues. Clicking when i go to start up in a.m. if it`s below 50 degrees. ( Battery has been checked and all is o.k. or so I was informed). As long as it`s warm it starts fine every time. Also,it seems like the least bit of wet on the underside will cause it to spit and sputter and the check engine light will start blinking until it sits and dries for a while. (A very shallow puddle less than 6 inches deep at low speed or even the automatic car wash that sprays the undercarriage).
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My 2007 hyundai veracruz broke down 2 days ago--the 2 month old battery was dead due to the alternator failure. The shop diagnosed the origin of the problem as a leak at the valve cover gasket, which ruined the alternator, and thus disabled the battery. My car has approx. 70,000 miles on it.
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I can't figure out how park assist works... When I put it in reverse, I hear a tone and the button flashes (this is an '06 Passat BTW). I tried it with my dad standing behind the car and it didn't signal to me that an object was there (I eventually hit my dad - don't worry, he's okay).
I've also tried pressing the park assist button on approach to my parking spot at my apartment, I have my motorcycle parked in the front of the spot sideways, so I pull in right up to the bike (head first), and again, no beeping or anything even though the park-assist button is blinking and it gave me the audible ok). Am I doing something wrong?
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I have a 93 Aerostar 4.0 and it is displaying the blinking airbag light (3-2) and the horn doesn't work and the cruise control failed. I believe it is the clockspring ...
QUESTION: Can the clockspring be repaired or must it be replaced. I do not have a schematic of the electrical components of the clockspring ...
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I got a loud beep and MFI warning "Brake Light Failure" indicating my bulb was out in the right rear brake light. A friend was behind me, I called his cell phone and he said, yup, its out. Then after a few mins of driving, the warning went off and the brake light was again functioning. This has then happened to me twice more over the course of about a week. The brake light still works, but I get a failure and warning sporadically.
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2003 Pontiac Montana
So I got a phone call from the wife and she tells me when she is driving, the Battery Symbol Light in the dash is lit up only when the Blower is on, but goes out when the Blower is off.
Also, when the vehicle is in Park and idling, the Battery Symbol Light is on but if the engine is revved up, the Battery Symbol light is not lit.
This would lead me to believe it may be a weak tension on the serpentine belt.
I will check both the tension on the belt and the voltage level tonight when she gets home from work, but I am puzzled, because my experience with alternator is either dead or alive. Not just a little dead.
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I took delivery of my new prius a few weeks ago and of course played around with the parking assist. However in the last few days when I press the button to start the process I simply get a double beep and nothing more happens.
I called the dealer and they don't seem to know what it is and so have booked me in to take a look at it.
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The car is a 1994 Buick Century, 3.1L V6, ~ 80k miles. Four months ago she wouldn't start, so I got a new alternator and battery put in. A month later, while on a short road trip, the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree the whole drive home (ABS, airbag, check engine, battery) and the voltmeter bounced around from mid-high to red-zone high. Thinking it was a bad reman, the alternator was replaced again when we got home. A few weeks went by and all seemed to be going well with the new alternator until, after driving around the city for a while, the airbag light started blinking intermittently.
Accompanying the blinking, the battery gauge again was bouncing around. Eventually, when accelerating from a stop, the car stuttered when moving forward, the battery light flickered, and the ABS light stayed on. Worried that I'd burn up another alternator, I had a mechanic look at it before my next trip. He checked the alternator/battery loads and pulley and said that nothing looked wrong. On the next trip, the intermittent airbag light blinking and voltage fluctuation returned as well as a single episode of stuttering from a stop... these things all only seem to happen after at least an hour on the road.
TO RECAP: Voltmeter gauge steady sometimes, bouncy other times... but usually too high. Airbag light blinks intermittently (seems to happen only after car is warm). Sometimes (rarely) the car will jerk from a stop, at which point the ABS light stays on. No check engine lights. Battery and alternator are new. Same problems (voltmeter in red, warning lights) occurred with last alternator until it burnt up. It seems like a voltage regulation / alternator problem, but the same symptoms occurred with two different alternators (with two different internal voltage regulators). I suspect that there is some electrical problem (short?) that is causing the fluctuating voltage and the tendency for the car to burn up alternators so frequently. However, I don't know much of anything about cars. Does that sound right? If so, where do I even start?
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I came out from work this afternoon to a dead battery in my '99 Taurus. I saw nothing left turned on. I got a jump and went to Autozone two miles away. By that time there was enough charge to restart the car. My battery checked good, but they said the car had a 4-1/2 amp draw when it was shut off. The alternator still put out over 60 amps when reved up. That's good. Can a bad alternator on a modern car run the battery down? I know the old ones did sometimes, but I thought they "fixed" that aspect of them several years ago.
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