Ford F150 No Start Took Him Down Some Crazy Paths! Can He Figure It Out??

[@bisenbart]

County government fleet tech of 30 years here. I had this happen to us one time, same exact thing. Found that connector unplugged. I happened to look down at the floorboard over there and there were mud marks on the kick panel where it looked like they drug the side of their boots across the kick panel cover. The cover was slightly dislodged and out of place. I took off both covers and found that connector unplugged just like you did. Just absolute sheer luck i found this!

[@nicholaspatterson2424]

I bet the kick panel had been removed at some point and the connection became loose enough over time by someone originally kicking that connector loose.

[@Spidious]

When I was a service writer, I did my best to get as much information from the owner as possible. The owner of the dealership didn't like me doing that, but the techs loved it. When I went back to working on cars. I never had a service writer that wanted to ask the customer questions. And boy did that piss me off. I was always telling them to call the customer and get more information.

[@fastinradfordable]

I feel ya I do alignments. And when they won’t tell me WHY the customer wants alignment. I remind them it’s like going to the doctor and refusing to communicate and making him guess.

[@Spidious]

@@fastinradfordable or how about. Why they want a tune up? You guys just did a tune up, and it's still acting up!

[@kenneththompson-kf1cc]

That plug was a Friday last on line before the week end..😅 at ford

[@404notfound.....]

When you said every light lit up and this thing just shut off. I immediately pictured a ford in my mind. 😁

[@dtna]

Your shop is so clean... A clean shop is a good shop!

[@GUE5TPA55]

It's not just a shop its a operating theater for Automotive Diagnostics

[@rodvan-zeller6360]

Clean and also no distracting music.

[@ysitrim88]

Good diagnostic video! Sometimes it's good to go down the rabbit hole and learn from your mistakes. No auto technician is perfect, I'm glad you showed the bad part of the diagnosis!

[@KERTER21]

I appreciate the diagnosis videos when you don’t know what is wrong, another great video Thanks

[@keltecshooter]

This is why it is imperative to have a clear understanding of the clients concerns and as detailed as possible. Technicians should assist the service writers and help train them to ask the right questions . Communication is an EXCHANGE of ideas and information . You have to remember the client knows something is wrong but generally doesn't know how to express it in terms that technicians understand .

[@bryanbiddy6582]

Thanks for all you do! I save these videos for my class to show when I am teaching proper diagnoses and how something so simple can cause you to go in so many directions!

[@jasoncharles6980]

That’s a common Issue with the 2011-2014 F150 - it’s the first thing you should check with a no start situation. It’s usually caused by the passenger kicking that plastic cover. I’ve seen it many many times with this particular model.

[@alb12345672]

When I did my evaporator I ziptied it.

[@DannerPlace]

Wow, what a diagnosis process. I would have been throwing parts a that, and spent a pile of money for nothing LOLOL.

[@usamaarshad9041]

THANKS FOR YOU EDUCATION ❤

[@ScottGovey]

Had a simular situation and it ended up being water intrustion in the tail lights. $2800 later for tail lights and harness. This one had the radar sensors in them. These new cars with all these unessary options is ridiculous. Thanks for sharing!

[@myboy051]

Had the same issue on a 2018 f-150. Taillight had a slight crack. Water intrusion in the lane assist module. Replace the taillight and module. Had to program that module with Jbox. All issues gone.

[@fastinradfordable]

Embarrassing. The tail lights and harnesses are all original on my 1981 vw rabbit truck

[@kevinbosse8866]

Had the same kind of situation on a Mazda cx-7. Wouldn't start cause the left rear blind spot radar would destroy the CAN-BUS communications

[@Jpilgrim30]

Had the same issue on a newer Ram pickup. The blind spot radar in the tail light is on the network and the water in the tail light was shorting the network and pulling it down. Dealership anted to replace the $2000 radio and they wanted a second opinion. They didn’t want to believe me that the tail light was the issue until I proved it to them. 😂

[@brentdabels803]

2013 ram 1500 had one that had no power on half the fuses under the hood. Looked under the dash visual checking and just looking at connections and doing a little wiggle testing, and my elbow happened to hit a connector near the firewall and it lit up the cluster. It was half disconnected. Happened to be the customer would tap his boot under the dash and must have dislodged the connector. Great videos, enjoy them.

[@BABA-ws5eo]

Great video. I appreciate you showing how you got led astray, then worked your way back to the correct root cause.

[@BarryRedhead-n6o]

Before I retired, I had my own company installing and servicing heavy duty HVAC and boiler systems in the goldfields of Western Australia. I always told my guys to always question and listen to the plant operator because his knowledge of his plant would often lead them to the fault or problem.

[@edwinlomonacofoolsend]

First thing that went through my head was a possible bcm. Perform a full scan. See what modules are talking. Check all powers and grounds. Verify any possible network issues. Start narrowing down.

[@autotec01]

Erick O. had the same thing a few years ago I rember !!!!!!

[@ChristianGuilbault-p9t]

That was awesome! Watching you troubleshoot something is great since we all have to do it at one point--and we all screw up and waste so much time. Seeing the professionals doing it to is very instructiional. Thanks for making this available to us.

[@TekWorldAuto]

I watch your videos because you're always so transparent. We've all been there-sometimes the more we learn, the easier it is to forget the basics. Pin retention on the BCM?

[@basbass429]

Good learning moment, check the most simple stuff first. Thx for showing.

[@davidbibra6975]

Most of my Diagnostic jobs are chasing faults that are caused by previous work done on cars by other mechanics, it unfortunate that mechanics accidentally end up making more work for ourselves in future

[@scottschantz2553]

Good one Sherwood! Most of the time it's lack of information and transparency. I don't know why, but customers always hold back valuable information. I guess they believe it will cost them less. Mysterious missing fuses, disconnected connectors, etc. In the end, it cost them more since it sends techs down time wasting rabbit holes. Nice diag. Your thought process was there. The order of symptom information wasn't. Great job again! Thanks, keep 'em comin!

[@TopSecretinNC]

23:15 on the video the latch was unlatched... had to go back and look! Great job, Great video.

[@xcryerkes]

Great video. In all fairness customer led you to believe it shut off while driving. I haven't had same issue but have been misled information from customers before. Been doing this for over 36 years now..chased my tail a few too many times .. The information I've learned from you have helped me out many times already .. thanks

[@marcdrouillard4055]

It is critical to get the correct description of the failure mode from the customer!! I have found that it is often required that the question from a service advisor or the tech be repeated to see if the story matches from both inquiries to that customer! This gets more challenging to determine the correct description of the failure event when there is a language barrier with the customer.

[@marks2254]

Don’t be too hard on yourself, there wasn’t any way for you to know it didn’t actually die while driving. Good job!!!

[@fastbagel]

That was great thanks for sharing the whole thing, nice to know I’ve got a lot more rabbit holes to go 😂. Liked how the customer second interview helped and the visual find

[@CJRock-xn5qf]

I would suspect a previous service guy probed that connector and used a probe too large for the socket. Likey more than one contact is sprung. Then, they didn't completely latch the connector. Talk to customer regarding recent electrical issues. I'd suggest a pin drag test on all the socket contacts to avoid a comeback a few weeks later with some other obscure comm issue. Contact springs can be retensioned by extracting the socket and using a fine pick (needle) to bend the spring back into shape.

[@bearing_aficionado]

If the rear doors are closed but it says it's open, check the wiring harness for the door. They are prone to break a wire or two. I went ahead and replaced my old harness with a new one.

[@Crslawncare13]

I’ve got a 2011 3.7 L and this falls underneath the category of the same diagrams and specific routing of each component electrically. I appreciate I’ve learned a lot too….. thank you very much

[@billyobryaniii1976]

Locksmith in WPB FL 20 years Seen it a crap ton. LARGE FOLKS have always been sitting on that side when I’ve found it. As soon as the Pats code show up all the shops call us for this problem. On the 11 to 14 F150.

[@RATCHETMAN1001]

very good one,ask questions, but customers are not very dependable on giving good info. they make us go down rabbit holes all the time.

[@randybloomfield5090]

I always think when things like that happen, I'm being set up. Someone is testing my honesty

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

Usually when the bureau gets a string of complaints about a shop or regional shops they might do a "sting" op. The best way to rule that out is if the problem is intermittent. They lose teeth in court if they hit you with an intermittent problem. This could have been a plant. It doesn't matter how the customer presents the problem. What you see is what you go on. This from a convo I had with an inspector in California some years ago but I think the logic still stands. Open for updates on this.

[@kyletuttle9064]

Nice find. Enjoy watching your videos. Hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving.

[@bobbrown9277]

Awesome job as always.

[@garysgarage3669]

I've gone the wrong direction, from listen to the client. You listened to the client also. I don't think my clients (my kids) do it intentionally but they real know nothing about cars. One time my daughter told me she lost power steering at stop signs. She never told me, that the cars engine stopped too.

[@jmaxim80]

Nice job fellas

[@SeilerRdAuto]

Had a guy at work have a very similar thing happen with his F-150. He went to the dealer which was where he found out this is a common problem on those years. At first I wasn’t sure based on the “it shut off while driving”, but after 10-20 minutes into the video, I started wondering if they gave you bad information. Then I also remembered the guy at work. I started saying look in the kick panel. Like you could hear me 😂 Low and behold you reset, get the correct info from the owner, and viola. Ended up at the right spot. I wonder if this issue is on identifix? Either way you got it, which is the end goal. Well done!

[@dasfahrer8187]

Guessing they had something down in the floorboard, like a bag or something, that found its way in there via wind or a foot and when it was removed it pulled on the latch.

[@ryanbradley4718]

On a Toyota/Lexus, the transponder ring activates with key insertion. On most others, like Ford, the transponder ring activates with key rotation.

[@briancarlisi2224]

Apparently pulling off the road jarred the partially latched connector loose, perhaps hitting a pothole or the rough transition of the road and emergency lane. Good find!

[@kswsquared]

36:50 I think I can see holes that line up between the latch and the connector, possibly where a sort of tie/ziptie can be put in to hold the connector down?

[@ADScar]

Nice job and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

[@johndesaavedra1040]

One ford assembly line worker leaves a connector unlatched, and 15 years later a truck is being towed and someone is going down rabbit holes like a Jack Russell Terrier. Go figure.

[@billyhancock7851]

I, for one, feel that it's great for him to go down the rabbit hole. I would have started someplace else. Another commenter stated that he would have started differently than I would have. We see Royalty went through different items and found an unhooked plug, whereas, Bisenbart found the same item, on another truck at another time!, if I understand. Now I know some of the easy things and places to check for, BEFORE I start down that rabbit hole!!

[@Jpilgrim30]

Any time I see these symptoms on these F150’s I go straight to those BCM connectors and check them. I have seen this MULTIPLE times over the years. I don’t see how those connectors come unlatched so easily but they do. I guess it’s from wild feet passengers kicking around over there. 😂

[@ddblairco]

thank you

[@snooketcher]

Seen this on a Navigator, it had previously had a evaporator replaced by a shop.

[@kellyblack4897]

I’ve had this happen with a customer. It was a burned out airbag diagnostic module.

[@jacobcesium1510]

good stuff, might be foot knocking on the panel and making the plug moved

[@1MiketheMechanic]

Those damn turkeys got in there and undid that connector! 🦃🤣

[@adventures_of_topher]

I have been working on friends and family cars for years and would love to get better at troubleshooting starting with a OBD2

[@mikesabin8568]

My guess is someone was disconnecting the plugs on that module before and when they reconnected, they didnt seat it all the way back on

[@gto3370]

Great video.

[@barrymiskell3760]

someone has been in there, they just don't come undone. i work on a lot of the F150s, and Super Duty's, and mostly find OE splice and ground issue. we have the ones where the end user kicks the lower panel off and or is missing. not too many modules bad though, usually their feet cause the issue with connectors or wiring.

[@jaskroo]

I think it’s most likely that someone was in there earlier (perhaps even years earlier) and just didn’t make sure the connector was completely locked. With the cam mechanism on those connectors that mechanically (disconnects) pushes the connectors apart as it’s flipped open the vibrations can work them open when not locked. I can’t know this for sure but I’ve never seen a perfectly good functioning and well protected connector just overcome the locking tabs that keep them 100% connected. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for the video!

[@victorgonza4528]

Good video I was fixed on the BCM from the beginning because of the key request signal

[@chiefordnance]

They should have it latch in the opposite direction so feet won't unlatch it.😅

[@chrispeterson8402]

I was wondering if it was the same as a vehicle worked on a couple years ago. 23 minutes in, I saw the connector. As soon as I saw all of the communication codes. I started checking the networks at the DLC. I found it a little sooner than you did. But I have been a Ford tech for years. Great video!

[@oldcivicjoe9069]

I have seen that same type of lever connector on Fords rattle loose and dissconnect, but never in that particular location, it's usually where a harness locator has come loose or broken and allowed the weight of the harness to bounce and work that lever loose. And it's generally on lifted trucks or slammed focus st.

[@seeps766]

I had the exact same thing happen, though, i caused it myself when I removed the blower motor. Put it all back together, and it wouldn't start. After an hour or so, I found the same connector loose just like that one.

[@billsimpson604]

A wiring harness connector decided to come loose inside my steering column to make the turn signal quit working after the Expedition was 15 years old. Lucky for me, it happened after I had moved the steering wheel adjustment, so that was the second place I looked, after making sure the bulbs were okay. Only one side was locked when they plugged in the connector at the factory in May, 2000. I still have it. That dude wasted a lot of your Thanksgiving not telling you exactly what happened. It is scary how complex these modern vehicles are. It is amazing that they don't break a lot more often. Imagine the computer program needed to control all that stuff!

[@fastinradfordable]

And your truck is antique. The truck in the video is a decade old. Newer stuff is 10x worse. Where even to scan the faults you are locked out behind pay wall specific to that brand that year.

[@billsimpson604]

@@fastinradfordable Yep, it is a 2000 Expedition with 143,000 miles on a 4.6 liter 2valve engine. There is no road salt used near New Orleans, so the bottom is rust free. The silver paint & clearcoat look new, since it was always kept under cover. Parts are so cheap that I changed the rotors, ball joints, transmission filter, and rear oil seals about 5 years ago. I only drive about 900 miles a year & am 74, so if the computer survives, it might outlast me. It still has the original water pump, hoses, & AC compressor on it. They don't make them like that anymore. Whenever I get home I open the hood & release the pressure on the cooling system, since heat ages electronics and rubber. It raises the temperature in the garage about 2 degrees during the winter.

[@AndrewMiller-vb9sx]

Kinda wonder if the cover was left off for a time then eventuality they put it back after everyone had been kicking at the harness

[@magicwandwoodworks591]

The result...Better than a "Perry Mason" ending!

[@ronpittard2769]

Wow just never know, nice video.

[@TheTitaniumSkull]

I will from here forward ask customers if they had their vehicle in another shop for some other issue in the past 6-12 months. Reason being it is possible someone else checked it over for something else and touched that connector and after reconnecting it never locked it back in and after a period of time the vibrations of operation slowly worked the plug loose and caused this new problem. I work at a commercial truck leasing shop and hate working on new customers own vehicles that have had too many hands on them and never know what is what because not all shops are professional and a lot of shady crap can go on leaving you with a bees nest of issues you have to pick at one by one that eats up time.

[@johnhowell224]

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to y'all!

[@marlinyoung1606]

I have actually had 3 f150’s with the same complaint and every time it was that connector halfway disconnected. Seems to be a common issue. Idk if there was a bulletin or something that was performed that required this to be removed and they just didn’t plug them back in all the way, but definitely seems to be somewhat common.

[@donfu2795]

Hey Sherwood - thanks for showing the ugly. Really appreciate it. I like how you were looking for commonality. I sure wanted to find a common network junction and get the scope out and look at the data lines. Have a good thanksgiving dinner!

[@sstrongful]

No rabbit hole; as you said, you have to start somewhere. Pulling the radio, etc., only cost you 20 minutes.

[@Amarillobymorning777]

Was like that from factory.

[@AlonzoJohnson-l4m]

Good content

[@MarzNet256]

Perhaps the lever on the connector was never fully engaged in the first place (from the factory, or someone was snooping), and worked it's way loose. That connector moves a lot in and out as the lever moves, so connections should be quite sensitive to lever position. Also, I wonder if the kick panel was helping to keep the lever down and if a kick to the panel could then affect connection.

[@gmtahoe]

You taught us to stay out of the rabbit hole. At least you climbed out

[@MR.KNOWITALL1982]

Had same exact vehicle but a Tonka with the same concern and same fix

[@JoseMachuca-w6c]

I had a knock sensor code on a Subaru, found main engine harness loose, had engine out for head gaskets the year before

[@codo7]

Happy Thanksgiving, boss. No money spent on expensive modules. Your client may buy you a bottle of ten year old rye or if you don't drink, make a donation to the Red Cross in your honor.

[@AnthonyLovato]

I've seen on another KZbin channel, an F-150 same situation. It was the rear taillight with the radar in the module. Disconnect the taillight(s) and I bet it will act normally.

[@dmaverick2396]

I had someone work on my new Tacoma. They blew a fuse. They replaced the fuse. I drove the truck and everything seemed fine. Occasionally the truck would just shut off while driving. All lights would go out and truck would coast then after a few seconds come back on. I was stranded in a tunnel and it came back to life in 5 minutes. I was going crazy. Finally I was stranded on the interstate in the middle of no where. Cell service not available either. I said to myself it had to be an electrical issue. I popped the fuse box and started looking. Turns out the idiot working on my truck did not fully push in the fuse…it was loose. I pushed it in and problem solved. I now will not let anyone work on my truck but me.

[@arthurrodesiler3109]

I bet someone else was in there checking a fuse found a blown fuse or not and when they put the cover back on they hit that lock just a little and over time hitting bumps in the road it came loose.

[@gaad7938]

At 35:10 it looks like the connector locking tab has holes in ittheft could be wired together to keep the locking tabs from separating.

[@magicwandwoodworks591]

As a "work truck"...somebody kicked the "connection" in a fit of rage/lust?

[@ronfox8905]

Almost jumped the gun and said fuel pump fuse relocate that fordbossme put out awhile ago, then heard you say no crank no start, and just heard the bubble burst lol.

[@kristoffMR]

some has been in that panel before!

[@Spidious]

Star treq... got a kick out of that one.

[@martinskamla6789]

Seen it many times it’s actually a common issue on these

[@edwinlomonacofoolsend]

Don't know how this happens. But I've come across this twice. With this same vehicle.

[@mikeychungus2229]

Cant remember if thats the year where the relays are common to go bad. Someone in the past probably was working on it and bumped the latch. Weird

[@philh9238]

Must be common because I seen another KZbin channel with the a connection issue I think it was the same connector. Parts shooter is the KZbin channel

[@ronfox8905]

K, now that its the end of video, yes fordbossme had a similar video. He basically says its as simple as ppl constantly putting their foot in that spot, and it happens

[@ASEWorldClassTech]

good job... Put a ziptie on it to hold it locked lol

[@johnbennett6826]

sounds like a main fuse

[@josephthespeeddemon]

Known issue where passenger foot pushes against the body of panel against the connector resulting in poor connection due to forced open lock tab.

[@jessicadanner6763]

My ford fusion climate controls stopped working radio wouldn't shut off power windows didn't work turned out to be a lint roller got under passenger seat and when you moved the seat back and forth it would start working again. Crazy

[@fomocore]

That's why Diagnostics cost of the cost.

[@jankarlsson118]

Check if there is oxidation on that contakt!

[@alb12345672]

These cars call 911 in an accident, the APIM module does that, so it has to know about the whole car.

[@AlonzoJohnson-l4m]

Top don

[@goenitzlopez2076]

Haven't seen the video but ya"ll need to get the people stealing your videos shut down. Please look into it

[@magicwandwoodworks591]

You are better than an "Angela Lansbury" murder mystery...Don't want to fix it...BUT the thought process is addictive!