Bizarre Electrical Behavior

[ThisIsMyRangerName]

I am currently experiencing some fairly strange electrical behavior from my 2021. When I start it up after it has been sitting for more than a few hours, I get the following notices in the instrument cluster:

• Service AdvanceTrac
• Terrain Management System Fault
• Hill Start Assist Not Available
• Pre-Collision Assist Not Available

Also, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights stay on. The drivetrain selector wheel does not light up and does not work. The power steering does not work. The attached video illustrates these issues

If I drive it for a few minutes and turn it off and then back on, I still get some of the notices in the instrument cluster and the drivetrain selector wheel still does not work, but the power steering is back and the ABS and Traction Control lights do not stay on. Finally, if I turn it off again and then back on, everything is back to normal. No warnings, no lights, drivetrain selector is back.

My battery was over 4 years old so I changed it and ensured terminals were snug. I reset the BMS. Issues are still occurring. Any ideas?

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[RangerBill]

I am currently experiencing some fairly strange electrical behavior from my 2021. When I start it up after it has been sitting for more than a few hours, I get the following notices in the instrument cluster:

• Service AdvanceTrac
• Terrain Management System Fault
• Hill Start Assist Not Available
• Pre-Collision Assist Not Available

Also, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights stay on. The drivetrain selector wheel does not light up and does not work. The power steering does not work. The attached video illustrates these issues

If I drive it for a few minutes and turn it off and then back on, I still get some of the notices in the instrument cluster and the drivetrain selector wheel still does not work, but the power steering is back and the ABS and Traction Control lights do not stay on. Finally, if I turn it off again and then back on, everything is back to normal. No warnings, no lights, drivetrain selector is back.

My battery was over 4 years old so I changed it and ensured terminals were snug. I reset the BMS. Issues are still occurring. Any ideas?

You should check for any DTC codes. They would point you in the right direction for troubleshooting. The program Forscan and an OBDII adapter will get the codes. Many of your issues are caused by a bad wheel speed sensor.

 

[airline tech]

It's going to need a code to pinpoint it down, I think the issue is withing the (ATCM) circuit
All Terrain Control Module (4WD Switch)
The switch is direct power feed from the DCDC Convertor
or
The feedback and control circuit of the (Transfer Case Shift Motor), the shift motor (position feedback) feeds the (Indicator Position) on the switch
The power is fed by 3ea relays in the (Engine Bay Fuse Box)
1 relay (main control) is non serviceable and interregnal to the fuse box but has 2ea relays that are serviceable 4WD (C/W & CCW) Relays.
Note: The Main Relay - supplies the power to both the CW & CCW Relays
Note: Fuse 66 feeds the main relay (It's on the bottom side of the fuse box) must remove it to access the bottom side. (Possible moisture or bad connection at the fuse terminals)
I suspect a bad connection on the Shift Motor or a sticking relay, with the intermittent nature of the issue.

There are some known issues with this circuit and has resulted in Un commanded shifts (even into 4-Low) bypassing the requirement of (Neutral) at highway speeds, not to alarm you but I would T-Shoot this as a priority.
This comes from internal shorts in either the Fuse Panel (Relay) or the Shift Motor or associated wiring.
See if you can pull a code, you are going to see a few (Lost Communication) codes from the ABS Module - this is what is driving all the other issues, ABS has lost communication with the ATCM
All other issues are secondary and are associated with the (Transfer Case) issue.

 

[Msfitoy]

I am currently experiencing some fairly strange electrical behavior from my 2021. When I start it up after it has been sitting for more than a few hours, I get the following notices in the instrument cluster:

• Service AdvanceTrac
• Terrain Management System Fault
• Hill Start Assist Not Available
• Pre-Collision Assist Not Available

Also, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights stay on. The drivetrain selector wheel does not light up and does not work. The power steering does not work. The attached video illustrates these issues

If I drive it for a few minutes and turn it off and then back on, I still get some of the notices in the instrument cluster and the drivetrain selector wheel still does not work, but the power steering is back and the ABS and Traction Control lights do not stay on. Finally, if I turn it off again and then back on, everything is back to normal. No warnings, no lights, drivetrain selector is back.

My battery was over 4 years old so I changed it and ensured terminals were snug. I reset the BMS. Issues are still occurring. Any ideas?

I got all of the same warnings when I used one of my 265 stock tires in place of a leaking 285 to get it repaired...within a couple miles, the imbalance caused the system freak out...

 

[Strapper]

I am currently experiencing some fairly strange electrical behavior from my 2021. When I start it up after it has been sitting for more than a few hours, I get the following notices in the instrument cluster:

• Service AdvanceTrac
• Terrain Management System Fault
• Hill Start Assist Not Available
• Pre-Collision Assist Not Available

Also, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights stay on. The drivetrain selector wheel does not light up and does not work. The power steering does not work. The attached video illustrates these issues

If I drive it for a few minutes and turn it off and then back on, I still get some of the notices in the instrument cluster and the drivetrain selector wheel still does not work, but the power steering is back and the ABS and Traction Control lights do not stay on. Finally, if I turn it off again and then back on, everything is back to normal. No warnings, no lights, drivetrain selector is back.

My battery was over 4 years old so I changed it and ensured terminals were snug. I reset the BMS. Issues are still occurring. Any ideas?

I had a similar occurrence with my 23. A few variations of those messages but the truck seems to have a few different options.
It was a dark, cold and stormy night. Most systems returned to normal after a few cycles but I kept getting perimeter alarms with nothing present. They replaced the front right sensor and they have all worked well since. That was a year and 10,000 K ago. Approaching another winter.
We'll see.
Best of luck.

 

[ThisIsMyRangerName]

Thanks for all the replies. Wound up taking it to the dealer and it has a failing driver side rear wheel speed sensor and a failing terrain management (I think that's what they said) sensor. $850 all in with the diagnostic fee.

That's $3500 in the last 4 months after my driver's rear control arm bushing cracked and the leaf springs also needed to be replaced. Truck has less than 30 thousand miles and has never been off road.

I've enjoyed this truck but I may be trading it in. I've never had to put this much money into a vehicle.

 

[Chris M]

Thanks for all the replies. Wound up taking it to the dealer and it has a failing driver side rear wheel speed sensor and a failing terrain management (I think that's what they said) sensor. $850 all in with the diagnostic fee.

That's $3500 in the last 4 months after my driver's rear control arm bushing cracked and the leaf springs also needed to be replaced. Truck has less than 30 thousand miles and has never been off road.

I've enjoyed this truck but I may be trading it in. I've never had to put this much money into a vehicle.

None of that covered by warranty?

 

[got3fords]

I got all of the same warnings when I used one of my 265 stock tires in place of a leaking 285 to get it repaired...within a couple miles, the imbalance caused the system freak out...

Was that because of the tire pressure sensor, one was idle while the other three were working? Is there a sensor in the spare? I remember getting some kind of error when I had my spare on for a short time as well.

 

[Msfitoy]

Was that because of the tire pressure sensor, one was idle while the other three were working? Is there a sensor in the spare? I remember getting some kind of error when I had my spare on for a short time as well.

The TPMS only monitors pressure, nothing else...It must've been due to the difference in tire's diameter and rotational distance differences between the 265 and 285s tripped a freakout alert...

 

[got3fords]

The TPMS only monitors pressure, nothing else...It must've been due to the difference in tire's diameter and rotational distance differences between the 265 and 285s tripped a freakout alert...

I was not implying they monitor anything else. But the computer is surely expecting four sensors to be active and in communication.

 

[ThisIsMyRangerName]

None of that covered by warranty?

Nope. It’s under 36k miles but over 3 years old so I’m out of warranty. I had asked Ford to help with the cracked bushing and leaf springs but they declined. I’m going to go back to them with this new set of issues.

 

[Msfitoy]

I was not implying they monitor anything else. But the computer is surely expecting four sensors to be active and in communication.

I think they're reading all four tires since the TPMS didn't show fault, at least on mine...

 

[got3fords]

I think they're reading all four tires since the TPMS didn't show fault, at least on mine...

I don't remember the fault I got when I ran the spare, but it was not a simple TPMS fault. It was definitely something different. Went away promptly when the proper tire was reinstalled.

 

[airline tech]

Thanks for all the replies. Wound up taking it to the dealer and it has a failing driver side rear wheel speed sensor and a failing terrain management (I think that's what they said) sensor. $850 all in with the diagnostic fee.

That's $3500 in the last 4 months after my driver's rear control arm bushing cracked and the leaf springs also needed to be replaced. Truck has less than 30 thousand miles and has never been off road.

I've enjoyed this truck but I may be trading it in. I've never had to put this much money into a vehicle.

I was on the fence for the switch, which is basically the module, curious as to what codes they found.

 

[ThisIsMyRangerName]

For those interested, the story had a somewhat happy ending. It looks like Ford is going to cover the costs of this most recent repair, which were approximately $850. Not sure if it will be enough to keep me from trading it for something with a little better warranty, but credit to Ford for stepping up.

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