Not starting after a good run

[Del Bhoy 1967]

Hi,

sorry if this question has been asked before… I have a 2017 5.0 GT. For the past few months I’ve been having problems starting the car after it’s been running for 30 minutes minimum. I’ve had the battery checked, all is fine, I’ve had the alternator checked, again all good. It’s got to the stage I carry a portable jump start kit with me every time I’m out. Has anyone experienced similar issues?

thanks in advance

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[G.T.]

Not starting how?

Starter not spinning? Starter spinning weakly? Starter spinning normally but engine not catching?

 

[Skye]

My initial question was posted by @G.T. .

Answers to the following can help other Members with their feedback.

Miles/kms on car?

Age of battery? (I understand you've had it checked.)

Any modifications to the car?

How many days a week, times a month is the car driven? Short drives? Long drives?

Are you the original owner? If not, how long have you owned the car?

Is the car otherwise operating OK?

Thank You.

 

[Del Bhoy 1967]

There’s nothing as if the battery was flat. It happened about an hour ago. Before I turned the car off, I checked the battery voltage…. It was reading 13v went into a shop max 5mins and the car wouldn’t start. What it did say this time was power steering malfunction?

 

[Del Bhoy 1967]

I’ve had the car from new. The battery was changed roughly 2 years ago. No major mods done just sequential lights. The car is driven at least once a week and we try to give it at least 30 mins before stopping

 

[Skye]

There’s nothing as if the battery was flat.

So the car would not turn over. The engine would not spin when trying to start.

To clarify the rest of the comments, you were getting lights on the dash, when attempting to turn the engine over, yes?

Two things that interest me...

1. Typically, when the car is warmed-up and running at idle, if checking the voltage via the dash display (if you have that capability), it's 14.7 or close to that. 13 seems low to me.

2. The alarm, the EPAS (Electronic Power Assisted Steering) alarm. It's not necessarily an alarm with EPAS itself, but that EPAS might not be getting the minimum voltage required to operate well.

When the car is home for the rest of the week, is it connected to a battery tender?

 

[Del Bhoy 1967]

When the car is home the battery is still connected. Sorry I’m not sure what a tender is The car is not connected to a trickle charger or similar. Sorry if I’m being vague

 

[G.T.]

Aside from the above, is this a manual or automatic?

Mileage?

 

[Del Bhoy 1967]

Should have mentioned. I recently bought one of those OBD monitors. When plugged in… No faults found.

 

[Del Bhoy 1967]

Manual

 

[Del Bhoy 1967]

Sorry 26K

 

[Skye]

The car is not connected to a trickle charger or similar. Sorry if I’m being vague

It's all good. You answered the question, Thanks.

From the information you've given, I'll state the obvious: while the systems have been checked good, you don't have the voltage you need when necessary.

We've had discussions of the charging systems before. I can't remember a good, working system that registered lower than 14.# volts when the car was running and the voltage checked via the dash display. That you're seeing 13 when running is concerning.

For the existing battery and condition, I'd be interested what the voltage level would be when the battery itself was placed on a charger/tender and topped up.

The prior battery failure, I'd expect that, due to age.

The new battery has at least the same amount of CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) as the previous one, yes? If so, I suspect the system does not have enough time to fully charge itself up, to stay topped up. Even if the same battery brand and CCA, the internal materials might now be different.

These cars have quite a few parasitic losses, some you can control, some you can't. For example, the ones you can't include, 1) the charging system monitoring the battery after shutdown and 2) the PCM (Powertrain Control Module) checking on the fuel evaporator pressure in the gas tank after turning the car off.

If a tender can be attached when the car is not in use, that'd be great. Not only would the battery stay topped up, it'd be conditioned as well. Many like the ones from CTEK and "Battery Tender" brand. We have several threads here that can give guidance on how to connect and install.

https://www.batterytender.com/collections/battery-chargers

https://www.ctek.com/uk/battery-cha...-type/car-battery-chargers/battery-maintainer

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/batter-tender-battery-connection.172738/

Whether or not a tender is possible, you can do any of the following, to reduce the drain on the existing unit:

- If at all possible, drive more. I can't give you a schedule, or defined period. Spit-balling, I'd try one hour, non-stop, once a week, to see if the condition changes

- Check and disable wireless access, if available

- Check and disable bluetooth access, if available

- Lock the car when not in use, even if in the garage

- Keep the key fob in a faraday pouch, to prevent it from attempting to talk to the car

This thread is still young. Other Members will provide their guidance and ideas.

 

[Del Bhoy 1967]

Thank you so much for your patience. I’ll certainly take your advice on board. And try out your recommendations.

Thanks again

 

[Rebmo]

Don’t leave your obd2 monitor plugged in. It will kill our battery. It draws power all the time.
For as seldom as you drive the vehicle would definitely get a good maintenance charger/tender for 2 reasons 1)keep the battery fully charged if healthy 2) likely extend the life of your battery not having it run down. I plug my Bullitt in a battery minder which smart charges the battery and adjusts for temperature which is important. It costs a bit more than the battery tenders but I believe it’s better. I have used battery tenders and they worked ok.

 

[ORRadtech]

I’ve had the battery checked, all is fine, I’ve had the alternator checked, again all good. It’s got to the stage I carry a portable jump start kit with me every time I’m out. Has anyone experienced similar issues?

thanks in advance

I'd ask how the battery was tested. With one of the handheld electronic testers or a carbon pile tester? The electronic ones are known to be inconsistent with their accuracy. The one i have gives me a false reading I'd say about 20% of the time. A carbon pile tester will give a much truer picture of the battery condition.

There’s nothing as if the battery was flat. It happened about an hour ago. Before I turned the car off, I checked the battery voltage…. It was reading 13v went into a shop max 5mins and the car wouldn’t start. What it did say this time was power steering malfunction?

13 volts with the car running is not battery voltage. It is the output of the alternator. It is also too low for an alternator output voltage
It should be reading within a tenth or two of 14.2 volts.
The power steering message is very likely a result of the low voltage. Modern cars do some very, very odd things when the battery is sub par. There are all kinds of systems that will throw faults with a weak battery.

IMO, your car is showing classic signs of a bad battery. At this point I don't think that you have a charging system problem but until you get a known good battery that's not a certainty.

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