Hi, I’m new to the forum. I have a 2003 Ranger Edge 4WD, 4.0.
I ran an errand and went back to the truck and it wouldn’t start or even click, I git a new battery and installed it, I had dome light and could roll my window up. I returned the old battery and came back to start the truck.
I clicked the remote and unlocked the door, no problem. I tried the key and nothing-lights went off and no clicking or anything, just a slow flashing “theft” on the panel.
I tried again in the daylight -same thing, however a few times i disconnected the battery and reconnected it and I got accessory power until I tried the key again and I was back to nothing again. I reconnected the battery again and tried the 8 times key security reset and got the door lock indicating It worked. Once again I tried the key and it all went dead.
Does anyone have any suggestions where to start? I can’t find anyone describing the same problem with power failing with an attempted start like this.
thanks in advance
john

 

Welcome to the forum

What you describe is pretty common, surprised you didn't see more posts about it

Your battery is not making a good connection to the vehicle, so battery cable issue, only takes one loose or corroded battery cable to cause this
Check terminals of course, need to be clean
Follow battery cables to their attachment points on vehicle, positive AND negative

Now the THEFT light is another issue, rapid flashing THEFT light means PATS has been activated and NO ONE can start the engine, PERIOD
And if you try to start it 3 or 4 more times, then the 90min timer kicks in, its a capacitor timer so disconnecting battery does help, have to wait the 90 minutes before trying to start again, there is NO RESET for this, so not sure what you read that said there is

And if you still get the rapid flashing THEFT light after the 90 min then you haven't fixed the problem
If you wait with key on then the rapid flashing THEFT light will start to flash a 2 digital code after about 45-60seconds
That code will tell you why PATS was activated, codes are 11 to 16

PATS/THEFT light can be activated by LOW BATTERY voltage, because it can not read the transponder key in ignition, voltage drops to low

 

That just resets the remote fob for the door locks.

It has nothing to do with the transponder chip in your key for the anti theft light,


The SLOW flashing theft like means the anti theft is functioning properly.

A FAST flashing theft light indicates a problem, you don't have that problem.


You Have a bad battery connection at the battery or the other end of the battery wire, check both wires positive and negative, or possibly the wire is corroded internally.

 

Thank you. I found posts with similar issues, but nothing that described what I experienced with accessory power until I tried to turn the key, then nothing. It’s a few streets over from my house and will try to push it home this morning so I can look at it more closely without traffic driving by.

 

The vehicle uses maybe 20 amps with key on, the starter motor needs up to 70amps instantly to turn the engine over

So having lights come on but then go off and No Start when you turn the key, means one of the battery cables can not pass the 70amps, positive or negative, BOTH need to pass that 70amps, people often forget that the negative cable needs to pass exactly the same amps as the positive cable

Most people think voltage flows from positive to negative, but it actually flows from negative to positive, when this was discovered it was just easier to leave things as they were because it doesn't really matter in practical terms for 99.9% of the people on the planet, lol

 

is there some sort of safety mode that is engaged when there is not power coming to the starter? Trying to understand what causes it to go dark as soon as I try the ignition.

The new battery cables seem a bit above my abilities especially where it’s parked now. Waiting on a tow to take it to my mechanic-thanks for helping me narrow it down so I can point them in the right direction!

 

You know how a fuse works?
If there is a 20amp fuse and you try to send 30amps(or more) thru it the fuse Blows

If you have a connection that's loose or corroded it acts the same way, it works if the amps are low, but it CAN NOT pass higher amps, it either restricts the amps or HEATS UP and no amps can pass, i.e. no more lights, until it cools down

Yes, I would have a mechanic trouble shoot it.

Could even be your alternator was failing, that caused the low voltage, which started this whole thing

 

*update*
tow driver came-actually used the roadside assistance I pay for- he got his jumper box out and connected it to the posts and got nothing like I was experiencing, he moved the positive clamp off the post and to where the wire was connected and got a spark. We jumped it and I got it home. I got a new terminal and cleaned the cables with some Emory cloth and connected it and it worked!
not sure if it was the terminal or cleaning the cable-I was checking the neg one since it was older looking and more corroded-the one I removed was painted red, not sure if that has anything to do with conductivity, or just coincidence.
anyways thanks for helping this dummy!