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Battery related electrical issue

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Battery related electrical issue

Postby Keinks » Thu Feb 02, 2023 2:07 pm

Hi all,

After a lot of hunting online I've been unable to find any clear answer to the issue I'm having so thought I'd put the question out to this forum.

I have a 2.2 Mk7 transit (2010), Front wheel drive, but it has two batteries.

Like with a lot of these vans the auxiliary battery finally gave out so I've gone to replace it, and I figured this would be a routine job, however upon replacing the battery and reconnecting the cables the dashboard lights and other electrics aren't working (at best behaving inconsistently).

Nine times out of ten all that happens is the ESP light illuminates and nothing else. Turning the key does not bring the dash lights on or even the radio (though the relay does seem to be working). If I repeatedly remove the cables and reattach them, eventually for a moment or so, the dash illuminates as you'd expect, you can hear a humming noise from the engine, and turning the key illuminates the warning lights. Even then it's usually not long before the issue returns and Im not getting enough power to turn over the engine.

Stupidly I shorted one of the batteries while making the battery change, but after disconnecting both of them and recharging them I managed to start the van without issue. However, I realised after running the van, that the alternator now wasn't charging the batteries so I've replaced this and again recharged both batteries. After doing all of this and attempting to reconnect the batteries, the original problem as described above is persisting.
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Keinks » Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:40 pm

Other things I've done:
- I've disconnected the 'battery to chassis' earth cable by the drivers seat and cleaned it up
- I've tried to jump start the van off another vehicle
- I've attached a battery charger to the starter battery and then turned the key to activate the relay. On testing the battery voltages, the starter battery as expected reads 14v+, whereas the auxiliary still reads 12.6v. (it was my understanding the relay connects both batteries together to start the van? Hence I'd expected the voltage to increase on the auxiliary but this didn't happen)
- I've checked with a voltmeter all the fuses under the seat and there seems to be no issue here

Any suggestions as to what damage might have been done by the short or what is causing this issue would be helpful. I'm truly at a loss.
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Altransit » Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:03 pm

When you turn on the ignition, there should be a loud-ish clunk as the relay connects the batteries together. They will stay connected for about two minutes if you don't start the engine, and if started, will stay connected until the ignition is turned off.
If it's not doing that, maybe try investigating the relay and/or the big fuses in the battery fuse box :idea:
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Keinks » Sat Feb 04, 2023 11:35 am

The relay does appear to be working as it's making the clicking noise as usual when turning the ignition. However there are still no dash lights before and after turning the key, and there's nothing coming from the engine when trying to start it.

If however what you're saying is correct about it connecting the two batteries, then my voltage test suggests that maybe it isn't working even though it's making the typical clicking sound?

All fuses are fine in battery box under seat
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Altransit » Sat Feb 04, 2023 12:16 pm

Including this little fella?

Battery_Fuse_Box (11).JPG
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Keinks » Mon Feb 06, 2023 8:12 pm

Yep all fuses fine including the small hard to see 60Amp one.

Will provide an update when I've ruled out a few more issues. Am in the process of cleaning up and reconnecting various earth cables throughout the engine bay. I also suspect the jump leads I have are not good enough as when testing the voltage at the clips the reading was patchy at best.

Like with most troubleshooting I'm trying to eliminate the simplest things first, it seems to me that it could still be the batteries or a poor connection somewhere. Oddly today all the dash lights were working fine, but other than the tiniest sound that the engine was turning over on the very first try of turning the key, no other attempts worked at starting the van.
The only change is the weather as it's been cooler and drier, to me that screams battery issue so will order so good quality jump leads and attempt to jump start it again.
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby HuMpH » Tue Feb 07, 2023 7:16 pm

Any luck solving the problem, can I ask what the issue was if you have?. I have a similar problem and have been searching for answers before I make my own post. Thanks.
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Keinks » Tue Feb 21, 2023 10:27 pm

Sadly no resolution yet, have started another post to more accurately describe the issue, but unfortunately I can't seem to solve it. The intermittent nature I originally described is no longer the case. The instrument cluster now outright doesn't work (with the exception of the ESP light which stays on constantly the moment the batteries are connected) and nothing happens when turning the key except a high pitched noise from the engine bay. I'm getting error code U0140 from the OBD port. I've doubled checked all fuses and relays, especially those related to the ignition but voltage from the battery is present in all of the locations.
I've also fitted new batteries, still no luck.
I should also add that it seems the new ignition switch I fitted is in some way faulty (beggars belief). By holding the key in a certain position the radio lights will come on/off (or by unplugging the ignition switch and simply squeezing it). No other lights come on when doing this however.
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Zsnoop » Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:27 pm

Hi there,

I've the same problem in my Ford Transit Nugget 2010. I've not found what exactly causes it, but figured out that the problem appears when connecting the house battery (the one under the kitchen). By leaving connected only the starter battery, the car panel, and engine does does normal. Only problem with this configuration is that the car computer, radio and some other essential components of the car don't work without the house battery...

- Fuses are all ok.
- Relays do click/clack as described
- with only Start battery (brand new one 12.5V when idea), panel and engine ok
- problem starts when connecting house battery (13.5+ volts when idea)

I'll continue searching for the root cause...
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Keinks » Wed Mar 08, 2023 2:38 pm

Thanks for the response. I'd say you've described the problem well, it does seem related to the moment the batteries are connected. I've had an unusual experience after leaving the van for a few days, then returning and re-connecting the batteries at the same time, when I do this the first time the dash lights do come on, but after a few seconds they become erratic and turn off, or the opposite and all stay illuminated.
It leads me to believe it might be computer related. I'm in the process of dismantling the entire dash and ruling out chewed wires as I've had mice issues in the past.
Will be calling an auto sparky this week.
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Zsnoop » Wed Mar 08, 2023 10:16 pm

I got it solved!! yeee!

It was all about the both batteries in a bad condition! Here some tips on what I did to figure out:


- Both batteries (front and back did show up relatively good voltage (12.5 or more), always thinking batteries should not the problem.
- The front battery acts as starting battery (with only the front battery connected the engine starts ok. However, when turning engine off the power at radio and board computers are lost completely, so full reset in every engine off)
- I did go for a new front battery as I though that was in bad condition (but even after replacing it and powering on engine the dash was again immediately showing errors even after deleting ERR with Forscan, errors again and again)
- Seeing that the back-battery provides permanent power to the board computers as well as the radio, the door locks, etc... I started doubting about the back battery being the cause, assuming that the the back-battery providing power to the board computer was not powerful enough (however confused as it was showing 12v and even 13v. I guess that at the event of igniting the engine the battery voltage dropped enough to make all board computers registering power outage and reporting that as errors, causing red lights and avoiding to start again.
- I find it strange how the two batteries do serve different services of the car/camper (I have original cabling/charing system...), and think that
- When connecting the ForScan batteries always looked good in metrics/measurements.
- Note: Here at my home location it's winter with night temperature around 0-celsius. this can affect batteries.

Based on that I though it could be the battery (back), I decided to go to a local shop specialised in car parts and batteries, they kindly used their battery tester (a professional one) and saw that the capacity of the back-battery (the big one) was around 50%! Wow! This could be a potential reason.... So with no doubt I bought them a new one. I already hd replaced the front one a day before. Now I had 2 brand new batteries... And guess what... finally solved!! no more problems at all.

Note: I asked the shop owner to measure the front battery I replaced a day before, and that old one was also only on 52% capacity.


All in all I believe that when the batteries loose capacity (clearly dead batteries in my case) voltage drops below 12v at ignition time (lost of Amps go to the engine to warm up, and eventually the starter....) so that it gets too low for the board computers registering the power loss, wrong measurements on sensors, and so on... Then an general error is registered that prevents to start, engine error, etc...

So next time you have similar problems:
- Check with ForScan of the bottom right corner small voltage indicator, if below 12v (yellow) that could be a good clue batteries aren't good anymore (specially the back one that serves board computers)
- Check or let a professional test your batteries capacity (yes, both as if one is bad, it could have dragged the other one into being bad - are connected in paralel)

Hope that helps!
See ja!
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby amlav » Fri Mar 10, 2023 9:50 am

Batteries should be always load tested to assess the condition . Voltage measurment is only indicative and that's about all . Load test is the real test .
If two batteries than each has to be load tested . Replacements should be identical preferably . Don't forget that if one of the two battery is bad it can drain the power down on the second (good) one ..
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Keinks » Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:19 pm

Glad to hear you found a solution zSnoop

Thought I'd post an update as it's been a while and thought I'd try one last shot at finding someone who might know the root cause of my issue.
After leaving the van to sit for about a week, I reconnected the batteries and to my surprise the electrics decided to behave themselves and seemingly everything was okay. Still nothing when turning the key, but I decided as soon as I could I'd have a friend tow start me.
Two days later I come to the van, having done nothing to it (the only variable here being moisture content in the air as it had been dry when I connected the batteries) and the dash lights were back to their usual erratic behaviour. In this instance I have the ESP light, glow plug light, spanner light, and fuel light all illuminated and literally nothing else, not even a milage reading. (coincidentally all of these lights are yellow/orange which might be a clue). Nevertheless with a tow I managed to start it and the van is running as smoothly as it always has, still no change in any of the electrical issues though.

So current symptoms are as follows with the van now running:
. The random display of dash lights as stated above
. A 14.2volt reading on the rear battery, and a 12.2v reading on the front battery (I've bypassed this to charge the front battery of the alternator too as I've got it running)
. Error code U0140, no communication with BCM (I had this code previously, erased it, got the van to its current state, and then read the code again so it's recurrent)

Any recommendations welcome, even of any decent auto electric places as now I can start it happy to take it somewhere. I'm based in South West Wales. Cheers
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby Keinks » Wed Apr 05, 2023 12:24 pm

I thought I'd also add on I'm 90% sure the starter motor has failed. I'll be removing this and testing it directly before fitting a new one, as I should then in my mind be able to bypass the vans starter procedure and connect power directly to the starter to get the van going in future. Which will at least mean it can be taken to a garage to be looked at and returned without the need of a steep hill to get the thing going.
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Re: Battery related electrical issue

Postby amlav » Wed Apr 05, 2023 1:17 pm

You won't be able to find out if starter motor is ok or not by testing it on the bench . It will behave more likely like a good one under no load but once back in the car it will still not work properly being under load .
If it plays up just replace it after you made sure the batteries are LOAD tested and are ok .
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