So I come back from a family vacation, go to the parking lot try to start my truck and nothing. I get it jumped and see that one of the batteries are leaking and needs replaced so I get two new ones. A week later I fly in again from out of town same problem. I have it towed to the dealership and the 1st few weeks they are pulling modules, pcm, etc. only to think they have it figured out when they finally trace it to the ABS which they say was the short that was causing all the problems. Today I get a call thinking my truck is done and after 5 weeks we are back to square one because their is again a problem with the truck not communicating and no power. Apparently they have done everything they can think of exhausted the manual and are once again talking to an engineer at ford. I am quickly changing my tune when it comes to my love of the truck, I am not sure if this is a one off problem or something that has come up in the past with other members of the forum. Should I still be calm with a 5 week + problem?

 

onboard your vehicle is several modules, pcm, abs, apim, fdim, etc. The wiring connecting all of them is referred to as a network. Instead of individual wires connecting them to various switches and sensors, they use 2. This is neworks and multiplexing. Heres where it gets wierd, each "leg" of the network will show 60 ohms resistance. Disrupt 1 leg, and it will measure 120 ohms. If 1 "leg" is shorted or open, it makes every module on that network inoperative. Where the problem usually starts at is the ABS module whether the module or connector. Thats the nightmare of network diagnostics. The last training class I attended for Ford was diagnosing these concerns.

 

You mean the dealership has had it in their hands for 35 days in a row? Or that it's been 35 days since you originally figured out that one of the batteries was bad?

Either way, I would be extremely dissatisfied, unless maybe they gave me a new equivalent truck off the lot to use while it's down, but dealerships don't like to do that and were not anticipating that length of time. Call Ford Service at 800.392.FORD or send a private message here on this forum to Crystal, who works for Ford Service and can help bring the situation to the attention of the right people. If you PM her, send her your name, daytime phone number, current mileage, VIN, and preferred servicing dealership, or if you call in make sure to have that info handy.

 

First, welcome to the site.

vloney has given you a good run down on why your vehicle is in the dealership for so long - CAN-BUS works great... when it works, but it can cause all forms of nightmares when there are issues, and diagnosing issues even with the most proficient of technicians is difficult.

This doesn't help you however, you just want a truck that works and you can trust. Look into your states lemon laws to see if you qualify to have Ford buy back your truck, and give Ford's Customer Relationship Centre a call outlining your issues: 800.392.FORD


Best of luck in getting a resolution that you are comfortable with, and let us know how it goes

 

Thanks for the advice, and to the question yes it has been at the dealership since 08/20.

 

CAN BUS lines can cause nightmares . But , they should be able to isolate the offending module . DEM modules can cause issues also , as can any other module on the bus line . I think the engineers have gone too far myself , OBD compliance is causing issues that were not foreseen .

 

Just to make the nightmare spookier, theres usually 2 networks, sometimes 3 (high speed, medium speed, and at times LIN network). When they are connected, its through a "gateway module". Clear as mud now?

 

Vloney, you lost me at hello. Good info from the forum, I appreciate the info and education.

 

Mud too much of it ! Hcan , abs , ecm , emissions related , ect. Mspeed can , hvac ,tpms ,locks , ect . EVcan ,TCM , pcm , EBCM , ect. Ican , infotainment , sync , buc , ect . Too many nims for me ! I think often , more so lately , about hanging up my hat and doing something else . Then I have a week off work and go nuts wanting to work on something !

 

Network Topology

 

DLC pin2 BUS + ,Pin 11 BUS - .pin 4 , chassis ground .Pin 6 , and 14 HSC . Best to scope for issues with these things .A good waveform can be found at IATN , and other sites . Still too complex for what needs to be ! It is a automobile ! Not the space station ! Oh.. that just had puter issues !

 

Might just need to un plug all then start one by one.

 

It sure was simpler when it was a hot wire from the battery to the starter and a fused link to the fuel pump.. I really do miss those days.

 

Thats actually not far off!

 

Hi Billtam2,

As others have suggested, I'm happy to step in here and do what I can to help. To get the ball rolling, send me a PM with your info so I can begin looking into your case. In your message, be sure to include your name, phone number, mileage, VIN, and servicing dealership.

Crystal