Hey, I'm new here so ill give a bit of a background of myself and my excursion. I have spent approximately 20 years in automotive electronics I know my way around electrical problems but this one is new to me. I have a 2001 v10 excursion I bought a few months ago after wanting one for years. I did all the brakes struts anything that needed replacing. Turns out after a 20 minute drive transmission was toast, found one did it myself everything went well. Now I'm getting ready to put it on the road and I parked it outside at my shop last Thursday. Friday morning I pulled in and all the windows were down battery completely dead. I boosted it enough to put the windows up everything seemed fine. So I put the battery on a reconditioning charger overnight. Saturday I put the battery back in and immediately the ground strap to the firewall started smoking. I assumed the alternator was toast and disconnected, that stopped the ground strap from getting hot but the horn stayed on constant. I pulled the horn relay turned the key on and the wipers are on with the switch off, the power seat is operating backwards it goes back when you try to go forward and vice versa. We had a lot of rain over the week end and I hoped the fuse box was waterlogged and left it to dry. Unfortunately its no better and I'm going to have to tow it into the shop for a look. Just looking for any suggestions or if anyone has seen this

 

Call me crazy but if the ground strap is smoking and the power seat works backwards is it possible the battery was hooked up backwards to the charger and it charged up reverse polarity? I've heard this can happen if the battery is dead enough although I've never seen it.

 

Is it no surprise these money pits are called excursions which damn near sounds like exorcism, of your bank account.

Wild guess is, the rain just got all over the electronics and saying numerous prayers and throwing cash at it might help, but first let it dry out before doing anything else.

 

Do not speak ill of the X, it can hear, and will deal with you appropriately.

 

I would check the battery ground connections to the frame and engine. Sounds like a battery ground problem. Poor grounds can cause strange problems like horns going off. I would also check the alternator charge wire for any breaks in the insulation.

 

Yep, check ALL grounds and redo any that aren't in good condition.

 

Also check for a leaking windshield that can cause all kinds of weird stuff to happen.

 

/\ /\ /\ This. My $$ is on the windshield leaking as well.

 

It wasn't charged backwards as I have a "smart" charger, or I should say the cables we not hooked up backwards. That being said you were right the battery's polarity has been reversed. I contacted the chargers manufacturer and they told me if you ignore the chargers reverse polarity warning after 10 minutes it will reverse its polarity and charge. They think the battery was totally dead and the charger was not as smart as it should have been and charged the battery backwards. Learn something new every day thanks for the help and the quick responses. I have a feeling I'm going to be on here lots with this truck as my new daily driver for the winter months.

 

That's the craziest s*** I've ever heard !!! + if the batt was that dead a smart charger should not even charge it, You have to put a manual on it 1st. Welcome to the world of XXXs & restoring a 16 Y/O truck into a dependable DD. Once to get it licked you'll love it.

 

You guys made me check the date, for an old April Fool's joke.

Smart charger???????
Battery has 2 terminals and charger has two clamps! After 10 minutes it just starts charging anyway?

I have to select "ok" and "continue", THEN enter MY password TWICE to upgrade VPN software on my MAC at work.

Imagine having a self driving car...
"what could go wrong"

"You are on the wrong side of the road! After 10 minutes car determines you must be in The UK and engages self driving mode".

Makes me wonder if humans are doomed?

 

Man this thread just made my head hurt!