I just bought a 03 Ford with a wiring issue hopefully its not too hard. I wanted to try to figute it out before I take it to somebody.

The turn signals, hazards, break and brights do not work. The running lights front and back work and the break light above the rear window works. All fuses are good. That I can see.

Today I got in in it to start it and it would not start. Battery was not dead just low, been sitting for 3 days, like something was slowly draining it. Im not really sure where to start. Any ideas greatly apprecitated.

Thanks
Nick

 

Check for cracked, broken wires, may a hack job of wiring repairs.. it sounds like somthing is constantantly pulling juice. And if its got a tow package. I'd check the wiring for the trailer, i bought a truck were when it rained everything got fucked up and it was just in the trailer wiring job. Could be a number of different things. But id definatly check your wiring first off.. that usually a good start.

 

You need:
A multimeter.

Set the multimeter to the ampere setting. Choose a range up to 200mA.
Disconnect the positive battery connection.
Make sure everything in the truck is switched off. This is important! Otherwise the current draw will destroy the meter!

Now connect the plus pole of the meter with the plus pole wiring connector.

Then connect the minus pole of the meter with the positive battery pole!

If a battery drain current exists, you can see that amount now on the meter display.

Start pulling fuses until the drain disappears.(To read as the meter drops to zero.) Now you have isolated the faulty circuit where power is consumed. Check that circuit. It is usually either the radio memory or the ECM. Both of them must consume current to maintain their memory.
Faulty circuits do also consume currents.

An calculation example:
a small current as a faulty relay consumes up to 100mA per hour.
Within 24 hours the faulty relay has consumed 2.4Ah- a 50Ah battery is drained completly within 2 weeks, since batteries are mostly charged up to 2/3.

I hope this helps a bit.

 

Sounds like a pain in the butt I hate wiring issues

 

I love wiring! I used to hate it.. but now I love it!