92 Ford Explorer won't start - battery problem?

MAN !

What an Arse !

Yup, I took offense, and that was certainly aggressive. But until someone said so, how could I know none was OFFERED? Telling me that I'm a cheap bastard who has to "Break down and buy a new one" is pretty offensive, I think. Especially when my question had nothing to do with whether or not I could avoid getting a new battery, but rather if it was just the battery alone or if the battery was indicative of another problem. There was no call to be rude like that.

Tyler

Bill Funk wrote:

Thanks for the advice mate. I took the battery to Cdn Tire and got a new one. Was mostly just worried that the battery was dead because of some other problem with the car, but the Cdn Tire guy told me that 6yrs is about as long as a battery lasts anyway. Plus got some handy tips from the Ford Enthusiasts forum on how to check for other probs!

Tyler

steve wrote:

I guess you must be reading a different newsgroup..

I've followed this whole thread, .... I didn't see ANYONE tell you that you are a "cheap bastard".

You read a LOT into what isn't there ! I bet you get in a lot of fistfights, huh ?

Nope, I never get into fistfights. And I don't think I was reading all that much into the posts. Telling me that I need to break down and buy a new battery, as if I was trying to avoid it & was looking for something else wrong, was insulting. Especially by following it up with "your problems will probably disappear. Well, the starting problems, anyway!", to me implying that I had a problem because I was a skinflint. Plus the second poster's "For cripes sake... Go to Costco and pry $35.00 out of your wallet !!!"

To me, the worst part is that they obviously didn't even bother reading the post before blitzing me with garbage. I wrote "I assume all this means I need a new battery, but I wanted to check with others and make sure it might not be some other problem. " So obviously I knew the battery was dead & needed replacing. What I wanted to know was WHY the battery might be failing - if it was symptomatic of something else. These two guys just went immediately on to tell me the battery was dead, & to buy a new one instead of trying to avoid it. Which wasn't what I was asking about at all, and insulted me in the bargain.

And I'm certain the post wasn't obscurely worded, as I got excellent help on the same question at the Ford Enthusiasts forum from more than one poster. So I think I've got a fair amount of justification for calling these guys knobs, and for being offended by their implying that I'm some kind of cheap bastard.

Tyler

Chief Wiggum wrote:

If you can't tell when offense is offered, best to assume it's not been offered.

I never called you a "cheap bastard."

When something is common knowledge (like the fact that car batteries don't often make it to 6 years), it's unusual for people to not know it. That *you* didn't know it is unusual. The responces you got were, as I saw them, done in a light-hearted manner. You decided to take offence. You further said that you do this as a matter of course. To then tell others that *they* have a problem after announcing to the world that it's you with the hair trigger only compounds you rproblem.

To put it succintly: you *know* you have a problem with taking offence where none is offered. You've admitted that. Use that knowledge wisely. At 30, you should be over that sort of attitude.

Did you launch into a tyrade, and scream at him

"I DIDN'T ASK YOU HOW LONG A BATTERY LASTS, I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANOTHER REASON THAT IT FAILED " ??

just curious ;)

In my experience, 6 years is very good. Most of the batteries in cars/trucks I've had over the years have lasted about 4-5 years, mostly around 4.

You *really* need to get a sense of humor!

Nope. It seemed quite obvious to me that it was being offered.

Yup, it is unusual. So why attack someone who doesn't know, instead of offering constructive advice? Obviously I know zip about cars and needed some advice.

Nope. I just said I was think skinned, particularly when I ask for help and get abuse instead.

Nope again. They were definitely rude, and worse, weren't even reading my post before doing so.

Your entitled to your opinion. I never said I had a problem with taking offense when none was offered. I only said I was thin skinned, which is not the same thing at all - I am quick to TAKE offense, not to see it where it is not happening. I will continue to confront rudeness when I see it, and to me both posts were pretty rude - especially given that they didn't address the issue I was talking about. All people, of any age, are entitled to a certain basic level of common courtesy.

Tyler

You weren't attacked. You were being subjected to humorous banter. If you see so many people attacking you, you really should adjust your attack-meter. It's too sensiotive.

See above.

See above.

See above. Are you really 30?

Bill, having been to Edmonton on too many occasions, and having seen the mindset of the young urbanite western canadian (nothing like class distinctions, right?), we can be reasonably sure that Tyler is indeed 30 or there-abouts, has parents that are more affluent than your average blue collar worker, has never had his hands dirty (not in the normal sense of the word, anyway) and likely has (and probably still is) attending university.

He feels that automobiles are " I think that personal motorized transport is very much over-used in North American culture, and it has had hugely negative impacts on many areas of our society." yet chooses to purchase a SUV rather than a "practical pair of shoes". (Notwithstanding that northern Alberta is a land of great distances - if you don't have have a car, you're probably gonna marry your sister).

I sincerely hope that Ty reads this and gets a tight enough knot in his panties to have a real hissy fit and crawl back into whatever he came from. On the international scene, he's a poor representative for Canadians and he's quite unlike 90% of real Albertans. Just for spite, I should go outside, start every motor I own and let every last one of them idle for an hour in honour of (drum roll please...some one is going to come out and say it....) "that cheap bastard". There.... now he can qvetch.

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

Yup, I am 30. My parents lived below the poverty line while they were alive, tho7 - Dad was a drunk and died of liver failure (come to think of it, a pretty Albertan way of life). I moved out on my own when I was 17, and did a lot of jobs working my way thru University including working construction during the summer. And I've already graduated with two degrees (psych & computing science).

I purchased an SUV for entirely practical reasons. I plan to drive it to my new home in Arizona, toting my stuff, and then use it for off road trips to go hiking/biking/camping once or twice a month. I have a nice bike for commuting with in town. And I have no objection to people using cars for their needs in rural areas - living in such an area makes a vehicle necessary. However, personal motorized transport IS hugely overused in NA culture; the vast majority of urbanites certainly don't really need one for in-city travel, and they are pretty wasteful for such. It's why I bike, walk or bus everywhere. If needed, I'll taxi or rent-a-car (usually only two or three times a year).

I wouldn't have a 'hissy fit' is response to this post - there would be no point, seeing as you already know my feelings on your style. And actually, I'm quite pleased to not be like 90% of Albertans; they're not really my kind of people. Ultimately, I plan to live in New Zealand. As for being an Alberta representative, that's pretty funny. I've actually been such on a couple panels at international conferences.

And it's spelled "kvetch," btw.

Tyler

Jim Warman wrote:

You will definitely need a vehicle if you plan to do much "getting around" here in Arizona. What part are you moving to?

I'm sorry if you were offended. No offence was intended or offered.

Like I said, no offense was intended *or offered."

I checked on Ebay - there aren't any senses of humor being offered right now, but I suggest Tyler check there once in a while.

There was no offence intended *or offered.* That you took offence is an agressive act on your part - you *took* offence where none was offered.

I hate to start up this nasty thread again after reading every post in it but, does anyone have any suggestions on where to look if you've replaced the battery and now get nothing, not even interior lights?

I have a '94 Explorer and have had to have it jumped three times in the last month. After the first time, I took it and had the battery checked and was told that the battery was fine and that the charging system was fine. I had no problems for the next several weeks. The second time was this morning and the third this afternoon. Assuming that it may just be time to change the 4+ year old battery, I bought a new one. After hooking it up though, the interior lights were working for a while, now they don't come on at all. A voltmeter reads 12.5 DC volts across the battery terminals so I assume the battery is OK. It reads -12.5 across the power relay. I don't know where to go from here. If I don't hear anything, I'll be calling AAA again in the morning.

Hopefully, Tyler won't be still reading this newsgroup. ;-)

Thanks,

snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net

If you check the voltage at your cigarette lighter, what do you get? If you have nothing, then odds are good you have a bad cable.

| > Hey there. I have a 92 Ford Explorer that I am having a problem with | > starting all of a sudden. I bought it last week, and there were no | > problems the first few days. I bought one of those battery solar panels | > to keep the battery charged, and plugged it in via the cigarette lighter. | > The instructions say that it won't drain the battery, but I don't think I | > believe them anymore - as of yesterday the battery is simply fried, it | > seems. The battery is almost seven years old (warranty ran out after | > 6yrs). | >

| > When I tried to start the car, all I got was a couple of clicks, and the | > internal light is very dim. The door chime also sort of starting slowing | > down and slurring. I boosted it from another car, and it started up. I | > drove it around for about an hour after that, and it seemed fine. Stopped | > it & started it several times. But after coming back to it a few hours | > after parking, it was dead, it would only click. Several attempts to get | > it to start resulted in not even a clicking. So I boosted again! This | > time the battery had drained so far the clock on the stereo had reset! | >

| > I assume all this means I need a new battery, but I wanted to check with | > others and make sure it might not be some other problem. | >

| > Thanks for your feedback! | >

| > Tyler (cmaitson AT telus DOT net) | >

| |