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Sport Trac Electrical and Lighting Problems

KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
If it's somehow connected to the Trac's battery, ask here about getting the juice to it again

kcram - Pickups Host

Comments

  • dmac12dmac12 Member Posts: 2
    I'm trying to hook up the controls for electric trailer brakes. I cannot find the receptical under the dash. Does anyone know where they hide that sucker?
    thanks,
    Dean
  • ayarbo1ayarbo1 Member Posts: 56
    It's usually under the steering wheel kick panel in the upper corner area where your left foot rests...... Do you know what the recepticle looks like? It's not very large and has 4-5 pins if my memory serves me correctly.
  • xploretracxploretrac Member Posts: 1
    Hey new to the site and need some help Fast!!

    this is my first time owning a Sport Trac and i have a problem with my window switch. basically the switch works if u want to roll the window down but wont work going back up...if someone could tell me or show me a site where it shows how to disassemble the door panel to get to the switch..that would be awesome.

    it just snowed 7 inches here in indpls and im freezing my cheeks off with my window down..

    thanks for the help
  • nimbusechonimbusecho Member Posts: 1
    Title says it all. Since I had to pull the battery on my 2002 Sport Trac, the radio displays only the radio station, not the time and station as it did previously. I know there is a simple combo of buttons to push to change this behaviour (it happened once before but like a dolt I forgot to write down the combo) but I cannot find it in the manual anywhere. Suggestions?

    Thanks

    Samantha
    sam@psc-consulting.ca
  • sirvin56sirvin56 Member Posts: 1
    Please let me know if you were able to get any help with this problem ! It has happened to me and I need help.
    Thanks !
  • chuneychuney Member Posts: 2
    I hope someone can help me out. My fuel gauge no longer reads accurately. The truck can be empty, but the gauge reads full. It also takes and extra 20-30secs to start on ignition. What can I do to fix this or have any of you had this problem?
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    Since this forum is specifically for Sport Trac models, you will likely get a faster response in the Ford Explorer Gas Gauge and Ford Explorer Starting and Stalling Issues discussions.

    kcram - Pickups Host
  • chuneychuney Member Posts: 2
  • russ24russ24 Member Posts: 2
    I am ham radio operator and would like to place an aux. battery in the truck. Has any one had any experience with this? I also will be installing emergency (amber Warring) lights along with a computer and a few other items for communications.
    Any Help would be greatly appreciated
  • mickeymouse2mickeymouse2 Member Posts: 161
    There are a number of different ways to hook up aux batteries. For what you have described the use for I would recomend the following:

    Battery isolater. This protects your alternater and prevents discharging of your main vehicle battery. The Alternator B+ cable leading from the back of the alternater to the battery is hooked up to the center post of the isolater instead. The other two post on the isolater are labled battery #1 and Battery #2. Run a cable from post #1 of the isolater to your main vehicle battery[+]. Then run a cable from post #2 to your aux battery[+]. Don't forget to ground your aux battery to the chassi[-].

    Depending on the number of watts your equipement is going to draw and the planned duration of use before starting the vehicle again will depend on if you wish to hook up your aux batteries in series and or use deep cell type batteries for the aux battery or batteries. Then it is just a matter of hooking up all of your equipment to your aux batteries.

    I would also recomend a constant operation style solinoid installed inline on the positive cable going from the isolater to your aux batteries. This will prevent any possibility of a drain on your main vehicle battery period. This way by flicking a switch, or turning your vehicle off, your main battery is out of the loop and is reserved for runing the vehicle only. Any other questions, just repost.
  • russ24russ24 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks Micky for your information. Now Where could it be put in such a tight engine compartment. Power consumption could be handled by a 12-20 amphour battery. Most of the radios only draw 8-10 amps when transmitting and with a 10%-15% duty cycle the power consumption is fairly low.
  • mickeymouse2mickeymouse2 Member Posts: 161
    I would put the battery[s] in the bed of your truck in some type of large tool box to protect against the weather. Your only running a 10 gauge wire back there, and then a good ground off that battery, and then hooking your equipment to that. You can find room in the engine compartment for the other stuff, isolator, interrupt constant solenoid ect. Those are small. That way if one battery isn't sufficient, there is plenty of room to add on. Keep in mind that motor homes usually use 2 house batteries at least for the accessories. They use a generator also when stopped to keep the batteries fully charged. I know you don't think that the draw is much, but it is going to probably require 3-4 deep cells if you plan on use beyond 90-120 minutes without the engine running. If your using a power inverter to 110, that in it self will drain the battery in about 30 minutes with nothing plugged into it.

    Another method is to add an additional alternator to your engine. You would use a one wire marine alternator that should fit with a bracket just above your power steering pump where that stupid bracket is that warns you the belt is moving. This method is actually less costly but requires some alteration; Larger s-belt, mounting bracket ect. But you won't need the isolator or anything. I have done both methods on the 4.0 Relocating the power steering resivor is necessarry.
  • stevew3stevew3 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2003 Sport Trac XLT with Auto-ON head lamps. The on-off for the fog lights is a separate switch on the dash near the radio. Normally, the fog lamps will only come on with the low beams. They are supposed to turn on automatically if they are switched on and the main headlamp switch is in the auto setting and the low beams are on. They will also come on manually if the main headlamp switch is turned "on" and the fog lamp switch is "on" and the low beams are on. Normally the little light on the fog lamp switch glows only when the fog lamps are on.
    Here's the problem: when the sun goes down the fog lamps turn on---and kills the battery. The headlights do not come on with the fog lamps. This happens when the vehicle is turned off, the main headlamp switch can be on auto or manual, it doesn't seem to matter. Interestingly, the fog lamp switch glows "on" all the time. Turning the fog lamps on or off doesn't matter, the on/off indicator of the fog lamp switch stays glowing.
    Are there any Ford mechanics, engineers or Sport Trac experts that can shed some light on this problem?
  • TangojrTangojr Member Posts: 1
    I have an 08 Sport Trac with a 4.0 litre that I purchased new in Oct. of 08. When I test drove it at the dealers the battery was dead and they put a new one in it. I shipped the vehicle to the Navy Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The car sat for about 10 days. When I got it off the barge the battery was dead. I charged it and drove it for a few days then the battery went dead again. Thinking the battery had a dead cell I bought a new one and fully charged it. A few days later the new battery was dead. I used a multimeter and could only find a draw of .5 amps when everything was shut off with the doors closed. The altenator is definitely working. I think this draw is from the alarm system but don't believe its' enough to drain a battery. Unfortunately Ford wont pay for any warranty work here unless the vehicle was purchased thru the Nave Exchange new car sales which it wasn't. Any ideas/suggestions greatly appreciated.
  • riverpirate2uriverpirate2u Member Posts: 1
    Howdy, I had the same problem with my 01 sport trac. 3 batteries in 4 months. The dealer found the radio had a problem. They removed it and I have been startng in winter weather here in Iowa with no problems since. They said it was coming out of "sleep mode" at night. I had a problem reseting the clock and couldn't figure out why. Hope this helps! Gary
  • 05sporttrac05sporttrac Member Posts: 3
    my 05 sport trac was submerged up to the windsheild in hur gustav so my problems are a lil more extreme lol. but i am driveing the truck with much work that ive done to it. recently ive discovered the battery draining problem that has only recently began after driving the truck for months. ive noticed that the "sleep mode" as u say, is misfunctioning because the radio comes on, then off, then on... u get the idea lol. battery will die in a day. pull the radio fuse and bam.. no dead battery. i wasnt sure if it was other problems keeping my radio on, or if it was the radio... a friend said he had the same radio problem in his ford mustang... anyway, thanks for the input, i think a new radio is in order.
  • 05sporttrac05sporttrac Member Posts: 3
    i been searching the net for countless hours looking for this part.... i bassically need the entire assembly that fits into the dash and plugs in... (headlight switch w/daytime running lights, w/fog light, and dimmer switch) its all in an oval combo package deal that slips into the dash on the 05'.

    can anyone please tell me where i can find one. thank you.
    p.s. i think ive seen some on the net but never any pix to verify what im buying
  • robert212robert212 Member Posts: 1
    Blinkers and hazards keep failing. Had hazards on yesterday to troubleshoot and closed the hood and they quit working. While driving the blinkers work sometimes and other times they don't.
    Any suggestions??

    Robert212
  • cpickeringcpickering Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2010
    NEED HELP!!!!! my moms sport trac's 4wd keeps kickin in and out, ive replaced the 4wd motor and the sensors but it hasnt helped at all, ive just about had it with this thing, it almost killed my mom last winter. PLEASE somebody help me!!!!
  • billsm56billsm56 Member Posts: 2
    driverside head light does not work on low beam but works on High.. Fog light off..
    replace bulb and nothing changed? 2003 sport trac
    thanks
    Bill
  • xlucy13xlucy13 Member Posts: 1
    I was wondering if you got your problem solved because I am having the same problem
  • billsm56billsm56 Member Posts: 2
    Check the fuse under the dash? I think the low beam fuse was out and replaced it and it worked! Changed the lamp to the other side first and it worked so I think it was a fuse?? Good luck!!
  • bowtorcbowtorc Member Posts: 2
  • bowtorcbowtorc Member Posts: 2
    I have an 08 sport trac with fog lights and would like to add an auto on feature. Can anyone give me some part numbers and advice on install?

    Thanks
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