Good newsgroup. I read here often, especially since we have 2 Explorers, and found answers in the archives plenty of times. But finally found something I need to discuss. If anybody can help, I'd certainly appreciate it.
A couple of weeks ago, the wife's reliable 2000 XLS with 78K miles had a problem. The dashboard volt guage was reading low and the battery light was on. I took the alternator to the parts store and they checked it on their alternator machine: bad. All they had in stock was a rebuilt one, but it looked identical to the one I removed, so I bought and installed it. Success.
While I had the time, I next replaced the Rear ABS sensor because the ABS dashboard light had been on for a while but the braking was excellent, so I suspected the sensor. Again, success.
A couple of days later, the battery goes dead. I took it the parts store and they said it appeared to have a bad cell. OK, the battery was a couple of years old, and considering the alternator trouble, I wasn't shocked. I installed a new battery and new terminal- connectors.
Here's the strange part. I start the car and the dash volt guage pins to high, the battery light and ABS light both come on again. I drive to the parts store to have them check the new battery out (or find anything else electrical wrong.) I didn't know they closed early on Sunday. As I'm locked out, I go to leave and start the car. Everything is normal! No idiot lights are on and the volt guage on the dash is normal again.
I took the car to the parts store the next day and the battery tested fine. The alternator was charging 14.02 at 2000 rpm. No problems. I told them about the strange behavior right after I put the new battery in, and they said that "the onboard computer was just resetting. Not to worry. Looks good now."
We drive the car every day for a week and everything is fine. However, this morning she drives about an hour away to visit her grandmother, and right when she gets off the freeway, the battery light and ABS light come on and the volt meter on the dash pins high.
Any ideas? Thanks.
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"The future ain't what it used to be." -Yogi Berra
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