That cable is important because the battery grounds to the frame and then the frame needs to be grounded to the cab body for a completed electrical circuit and all the electrical components ground to the body. The rubber mounts are the reason for the frame to body ground cable. I had this same issue with my 2006 f350 6.0 diesel. My brother was having issues with his f150 and it cost him over $5000 altogether from all the different shops trying to figure out the problem and every one of them claim to have solved it but it would still have the same issue. He broke down on the hiway and I went to pick him up and asked him what kind of issues he was having before breaking down and then I started checking all his ground points and found one along the frame under the driver door and as I touched it , it broke from the corrosion. I stripped it back and put a new eyelet on cleaned the ground point, reconnected it and it started right up and runs awesome to this day.
I've had an issue with my 2006 F-150 Lariat 5.4 where as the instrument cluster went bananas till the truck warmed up, then everything went back to normal. Took it to three very good mechanics and they couldn't find the problem. I've been on RU-vid countless time, until I found this video. Needless to say, it solved the issue. Even if your ground wire with a visual inspection looks"okay", remove it and follow what the video states; you'll be glad you did. I more than appreciate you posting this video, it was a life-changer for me. Thank you.
I heard you say Ford made some good cleaners for those wires. They should make something good because the wires gives enough problems for sure. I really appreciate you making this video. You did a great job on it. You explained it were a none mechanic could understand it. Hope you make more videos in the future. Thank you 👍
It’s not just Fords people!! Working for independent shops I’ve found these problems with Chrysler,GM and foreign cars too. When a customer complains about weird electrical problems the first thing I look at is all of the ground connections and make sure that they are clean and tight!! It’s amazing how many people have taken a vehicle to many different shops and complained about weird intermittent electric problems that no one was able to figure out and you make sure ALL the ground straps are clean and tight and the problem is solved!! Plus you get a good customer for life. I’ve had cars that were taken to several different dealerships and were told “you need an entire new dashboard to solve a light or gauge problem” and I make sure all the grounds are clean and tight and it goes away. Then they think you are a god and tell all their friends about you!!
Hey Ford Boss! Appreciate this video more than you'll ever know. I'm no mechanic but I've done a few brake jobs, starters, etc. I have to be honest, I'd heard that ground wires can cause a lot of electrical issues. But I thought there was an acceptable look to them where they'd still ground fine. And LOL, what you described as absolute garbage was what I thought was in the OK category. Man, am I an idiot! So the part of this video showing how ALL connecting wires should look was like striking GOLD for me. Which, of course, will make everything else you talked about, regarding grounds, make even more sense and actually work when I try them! I'm going to remove, clean and sand till they're spotless, then grease and seal every single connection I can see. And then I'll figure out where the connections are that I can't see and fix them too. The best comparison I can make is that it's like playing the piano for ten years, and then finding out I could have been twice as good had I learned a couple core basics back when I started. Wow. Can't thank you enough!
What I used to do is if I got the vehicles in for service and the grounds looked ok (brand new) I'd religiously spray them with a rust spray. I still can't get over how bad that interior ground you found that was bad and so rusted......all inside the cab out of the weather. You're finished repair looks better than Brand new. Thanks for sharing your findings. All the best.
Your ground video saved me on my 2005 e250 van dealership wanted to install a new fuel pump they never checked for grounds glad I took it home and seen your video thanks for your help
You are awesome! Thank you for all the responses you give to people. I've read a ton of the comments. Last year I was working on my 2009 F150 and noticed a braided ground strap on the passenger side leading from the exhaust manifold up to the firewall by some relay's. I noticed it was crap, I replaced it. The stud on the firewall is kind of loose, I'm going to look at that soon, as this video has me very interested in all the other grounds on this truck!! Reason I even found this site is I had a "crank- no start issue" I found some videos by many many you tube fellows who say to check the #27 fuse under the hood and check for burnt up issues. I'm checking all the above mentioned as this truck has some gremlins as well!! Thank you for your post's!!
What is #27 fuse to? My 97 explorer v6 4.0 sohc has that intermittent issue. It never throws a code either! Ive brought it to mechanics countless times for them to tell me that if theres no code and it isnt acting up at the moment that they wouldnt be able to diagnose it. So i will check grounds out and replace them. Had 1 ground wasnt even connected at one end so i have no idea what it went to.
I have a 2004 navigator no crank no start I checked body to frame ground and it was corroded with green oxidization... you are absolutely right that is a major issue
I’m going through this issue now. I’ve removed and cleaned the body/frame ground, transmission/starter bold ground, and the right front ground near the tire. I’m still getting “charging system service now”. What else is there to check. Battery, Starter and alternator have all been benched tested are good.
Lotsa money spent due to bad grounds. I check every one I can get to each time I service my battery. You're the only person I've seen through the years on RU-vid that addresses this issue in a stand-alone vid. Great! I put copper never-seize on contact surfaces.
I remember that vid on the Econoline; I checked my truck right after watching and mine was in excellent shape. It looks like it was re done before I bought the truck. Thank you for all of the great info! Stay Blessed!
Thank you so much. I put a whole new fuel system. From f. Pump, filter , regulator, fuses, egk, pressure sensor. And found chewed ground wire. Crank no start. Stay blessed.
Just bought a 2020 Expedition. Only 25k miles. Second day I had it the lights started flickering and it was hard to start. Still under warranty but I found this vid, bought a 12” prefab battery cable, and had it done in 15 minutes. Thanks for posting.
Appreciate you taking the time to share these videos. I never considered the grounds when chasing my electoral ghosts. I certainly will look into that. I have an 09 king ranch…when it rains, water flows under/behind the cowl onto the pcm connections and has caused the bolt to rust as well. I know the connections are “sealed” but I was curious if you knew of any remedies such as retrofit to block/move the water away? Thanks for all of the informative videos.
had a very similar issue on a 2017 f250, was trying to wire up some lights to put inside a work canopy and was having nothing but issues, they’d work fine at first, then you’d drive the truck and nothing would work after, let it sit and they’d start working again, made no sense to me, ran a whole brand new loomed positive wire from the battery all the way back thinking the cable had gone bad or something, same thing, replaced a bunch of wires and switches thinking they were the culprit, nope, i eventually ended up running a new ground straight from the chassis ground near the battery to the canopy and voila no more issues, i think the whole bed had a bad ground to begin with, absolute pain to deal with
I’ve seen that problem for years,not just on Ford,it will cause all kinds of issues,from lights not working right to seats ,to not running at all ,pain in butt sometimes..good information to know ,it could save u some money in the long run..
Those crimp connectors are bad news. If not the body connection the crimp to wire oxidizes over. I have a late 90s Explorer and the 4x4 low trigger is wired from the MLPS N terminal to the computer. Two wires enter a crimp and ground to the body like in the Vid. Not fun to lose 4x4 when you need it. This should not happen in a year or two though.
@@alb12345672 I hav a 90 full size Bronco,not the first time I had to change one,but it was the one that had the most issues,man I purchased it from said it hadn’t ran in 2 years,it just stop running one day,i purchased for parts so didn’t really care,,I was under it and noticed to ground connection had just come apart,made one up,put it on,engine ran,transmission worked,and 4 wheel drive,that was back in 04,I still hav it to this day..sense then,I’ve run across a few that just act crazy,that’s the first thing I look at,if it looks bad,I change it before it is a issue..
@@americanbreed5116 Not a bad idea to get a wiring diagram and circle all the grounds, check them on the car. I definitely found a few and cleaned them up. You buy an old Ford, save all that money, and do a bit of work make it very reliable too.
@@alb12345672 yea I got a 74 f-150 with a 390 I’ve had for bout 35 years,it has welding cable running through it ,from the ground,starter,winch,she’s old but still runs good ..
@Ford Boss Me WOW! Thanks for sharing this information. Most people overlook or under estimate how import GOOD grounds are. Especially body to chassis and motor to chassis. Did you put anything on the back of the bolt, to prevent water infiltration from the exposed tip of the bolt? My guess is it would take a long time to do any damage, because of all the protection you put on it.
You're great ! July I had to replace my starter. Right in that are there was cooper mesh ground connected to the frame but corrected off the body. F150 2005 shot 140.000 miles.
You might have just saved me hundreds of dollars. My auto start stop feature was conflicting with my pcm/TCM when I would have a trailer hooked up. It almost left me stranded on the highway 2 hours away from home. The local dealership said the routing of the pcm/TCM wiring harness was incorrect but the truck has never been touched. I’m almost certain this is the issue.
@@FordBossMe your video fixed my truck! There was absolutely no connection on my grounds. I took a flap disc grinder and got everything real clean and dielectric greased her up. Covered with black silicone and I haven’t had the mentioned issue for 2 days now.
@@willcrain6786 I'm really praying for you brother that it stays that way and that that is what it was because I know these Ford's have real bad problem with ground connection
Thank you! 2013 F-150 Alternator charging erratically. Truck has 97k on the clock. Swap out Alternator and put a new battery in. Monitor Voltage on test drive. Same erratic voltage issue!! Cleaned all the grounds, found several including the body ground with considerable corrosion on them. Cleaned them all up! Test drive, 14.4 Volts steady, Charging good! Thank you so much, thank you Lord Jesus for leading me to this video. I had an old 7.3 super duty do this years ago to me with a bad engine ground. P.S. I live in the Midwest rust belt, I'm sure the winter & salt does not help. Thanks again. Best regards, God bless you.
Thank you… such good info. My 2018 King Ranch started in Canada and I bought it certified used. I got a heater pump fault warning that I think was caused by this. Fixed now! 👍
Unhooked battery, several power button+seek resets, did the software update from 2.3 to 3.0 on my myfordtouch with nav, and still has severe delay when pushing Sirius buttons or nav etc etc, and disconnects from my phone……… APMI or this ground wire you think? 🤔
Reminds me of their dumb idea with the plastic valve covers. They have a steel insert and the bolt/screw is aluminum. These engineers now-a-days are lazy trash. Too busy worrying about keeping up with the Jones' and not doing their job.
Ford boss me really really appreciate your knowledge and willingness to share it with us. I have implemented a lot of your tips and they really work especially on the eco-boost putting your foot to the floor on initial start up and checking your oil pressure gauge before starting engine, thank you thank you thank you.
Chevy silverado owner here... This so friggin much. Janky arse tiny tiny gauge wires, really poor locations and almost always is the issue if something is intermittent. I added direct to battery negative leads that i made from left over subwoofer/mids amplifier wires. 4ga on a top and side post 34/78 series battery, leaving the oem pos and neg on the side posts, new grounds run battery to engine block, block to lower firewall and firewall to cab. Out back with the rear lights, i relocated the janky chevy body module thing that originally is above the spare tire. Fixed everything, but god dang, OEM's shouldn't be leaving such egregious wiring issues. Fuel controller/injectors and sensors were reading mad wild. I had the issues withh a 1998, 1999 silverado and a 2007 suburban.
My 2018 E350 Super Duty...Anti-theft mode kicked in, had a tech tell me my ECU wuz bad, replaced ECU and still the same, 30 hours of troubleshooting come to find out the ground cable from the battery to body was installed over 6mills of paint. I removed the paint and reinstalled the ground cable, the vehicle running fine now. Did a check of every ground cable as well, not one of them was fasten to bare metal.
I was having all kinds of trouble with my 1994 f250 starting and so i was putting on a new starter when i noticed a small 8 inch woven ground strap completely rusted off. I'm ready for some good results. Had to leave it unfinished to go away. It's bugging the crap out of me to finish it.
Most people overlook the ground side. I got 13.5v to the brake module so the module must be bad. The braided frame grounds hold salt and rot out in year or two
i appreciate the video it really helped me, and for 1 year old the fact that there’s any rust is bullshit but when you said “look how corroded that is” i expected the entire underside to be brown, you clearly don’t live in the rust belt cause up here that shit looks brand new😂
I really don't know what you're talking about to be honest with you you must be new here on the channel because I'm smack dab right in the middle of the Rust Belt, I love when people come here and they say a bunch of stuff with little to no research all because they think they can project something based on one video and then they know everything about that person and that's typically very opinionated people that are not easy to get along with that do that
Great video Boss! I think that this is the cause of my intermittent charge system light. It only happens when I am driving in a heavy rain. Sometimes after a car wash. I’ll check it out and let you know what I find. You can then add this fault to your database. Thanks again Brother!
@@FordBossMe Update: I stopped at my local Ford dealer and ordered a new ground cable. I also picked up new “clip nuts”. When I got home, I inspected the ground cable and found both attach points to be badly corroded. New part arrives Thursday. In the interim, I sprayed PB Blaster on both bolts the free them. I will be off to Alabama Friday morning so hopefully I will encounter some rain to verify the fix. Thanks again!
@@FordBossMeyes sir, I just commented on the video. I have a 99 and the body ground crumbled in my hand. Would that cause my bus to lose power when driving over 45 mph and then just dying? Thanks so much brother
I have been having electrical issues with my 2013 F150 Lariat. My power mirrors will not move or fold with switch, but they do move when i use either memory setting on seat. replaced mirror switch on door and it still doesn't work. There is a code B2316 for passenger mirror vertical position sensor circuit failure. I did try and unplug the mirror to see if it would fix it and it did not. looked under my cab tonight and found the ground from frame to body is broken in two. Hopefully I can fix it tomorrow and hopefully it fixes mirror problems. I doubt it does but who knows.
My 2016 F150 LARIAT 2.7 ecoboost is showing Brake malfunction service now, Service advance trac and smells like wire burning coming out of the passenger side compartment. please help
Thanks for providing this information. My 2019 F150 Raptor has a gateway module communication issue. I believe bad grounding may have something to do with it.
Sometime those Gateway module go bad too and for some reason there's a lot of network traffic that can jam up in the accessory protocol interface module and the front control interface module and it can cause network issues with the gateway so basically what they want you to do is a battery monitor reset and clear codes and see if it comes back
Having some electrical issues with my 07 f150, signals will not work when headlights are on. Also heater doesnt work . Also, to get my heater, headlights signals to work properly I have to plug my obd scanner and all works like nothing ever happened but as soon as I disconnect the scanner all goes back to the way it was, working like new.
Let me look into this it sounds like there may be something wrong with the data link connector itself Have you tried pulling a negative battery cable and letting it sit for say 15-20 minutes and then plugging it all back up to see if maybe you can reset something
My 2016 F 150 has been progressively acting like the battery is going bad. Turning over slow on cold starts. Then today after 4 days of 10 degree and colder weather. I had to jump the battery to get it started. But once I jumped it then drove it home it wasn't dragging on the start up. I swapped the battery any way since it is 6 years old for another one I had in my old Fairlane. After seeing the ground cable connection at the battery. I am beginning to wonder if that was it and the battery may still be fine. After watching this video. I will be checking all my grounds under the truck when the weather warms up.Thanks.
I have a 2006 Ford F150 and I just started having strange electrical issues. No dashboard lights/high beam indicator on all the time/solid turn signal lights on all the time/ turn signals don't work when headlights are on/no ac blower -have checked the fuses and relay switches - all seem good. I suspect this corrosion issue is the cause. Looking forward to checking it out! I'll report back
My 2006 F150 locks its doors sometimes when they're already locked, dashboard milage display is blank but sometimes works when it rains or is humid, my seatbelt keeps beeping even if I buckle up, unless I buckle before starting the truck. You think these could be ground related? 🤔
@@giorgiomxcircuit board medics. They resolder your gauge cluster. It happened to my 2005 F150. 5.4 l digital screen went blank, weird beeping lights flashing sporadically going on and off brake warning light stuck on. You take it out of your truck, send it to them they'll send it back in a couple days and it'll be as good as new
I'm going to add to your video 2002- 2009 or so Chevrolets with truck frames Silverados Sierras tahoes whatever the ground on the front bumper behind the driver headlight will cause most of your problems with throttle bodies and other issues I have had people who have spent over $1,000 in parts but all they had to do which what fix their problem was clean that ground
That's a good idea I just don't like things collecting on fluid film and sometimes it's a collection point so that's why I do it this way but that is definitely a good idea
My 2018 f150 has started acting weird. When I start it up my dimming settings pop up on the dash and my gauges flicker and I can’t use my different drive modes. Do you think the ground cable could cause this ?
Not all corrosion is caused by moisture. Sometimes the use of dissimilar metals can cause a galvanic action that's corrosive. All it takes is a vendor that changes an eyelet connector by using a different metal than they used before and these problems find their way into what was once a proven product....
I have 2 f150's 02 and 04. My 04 I just had to move the ground wire in the passenger compartment under the fuse box. If your a/c, headlights, blinkers, ect go whacky check there 1st. My 02 will only start when jumped. I've determined its a ground issue but still haven't tracked it down as the 04 is primary vehicle. My question is can I run a wire from the ground at the starter to frame or cross member? The truck is rotted and finding the ground causing the problem will be difficult I believe cuz everything is rusty..
If I would take one of the bolts out of the starter and run myself a ground cable from there to the frame or to the body but mainly the frame that's completely fine
@@FordBossMe that is what im attempting at the moment, just yesterday I went thru the 04 and figured it out. This 02 has been down about 3 weeks and im tired of running in circles. Its only my trail/mud truck. But it a beast and I like driving it occasionally, his name is Brutus the 04 is Cletus. Lol 😆. I appreciate the info, let ya know if it works out. Thanks.
@@FordBossMe I ran a jumper wire before attaching a ground cable! The truck still didn't start, battery volts were low I tried 50 amp jump start setting on my charger after bringing the battery back to 12.8 volts. Still rapid clicking! I hooked cables up and jumped it with my other truck and as soon as I hit the key it fires right up. I assuming because it is being grounded by the other truck. But NOW the starter is staying engaged while engine is running, and all the gauges on the dash are pegging. I'm still convinced its a ground issue because all that energy is being sent to the starter and dash redirected from it original route from bad ground? But I'm out of Ideas where to look. Should I still run a heavy gauge cable from starter to frame? The jumper I used wasn't ideal gauge wire, and possibly not able to handle the load. But I did run cables from neg battery terminal to the starter with no results. Its like pissing up a rope or chasing my tail. HELP!!!!!!
Thers a ground inside the cab that dose the same thing.Its on the passenger side by the fuse box.Have to remove interior trim by door and mine is a 2005
I have a lot of videos on new and older vehicles brother you're not telling me anything I don't know look at all my Econoline stuff number one no start Econoline number one no start F-150 I got tons of videos on this stuff, I appreciate your reminding me but I do know this already
I swapped my 22' f150 halogen headlight bulbs to LED, and only when it gets under 50 degrees Fahrenheit is when the passenger side headlight starts shutting off.
Ive been having intermittent no starts and have been searching like crazy why. I have a 98 ford explorer 4.0 v6 sohc. I did find a few ground wires that need changed. 1 i have no idea where it went to cuz neither end was connected..it was hanging all crusty over the radiator hose.
Well you got frame to engine and then you have body to frame and then you have body to engine so even if you put in a few of your own grounds you're good
Are the 2010 Expeditions afflicted with the same issue? I've got more U and B communication codes between different modules than I can count. One is low battery power to the Instrument Cluster Module, which is the only module that can communicate on both the High Speed and Medium Speed Can bus circuits at the same time. The new battery is fully charged and when the engine is on, I measure about 14.7 charging volts at the DLC, while that SJB and the IC modules are reporting low voltage (slightly over 12 volts) at same time 14.7 volts are going into the battery from the alternator (or as Ford shows it on circuit diagrams - the "generator"). I think I'll get under the vehicle and check these cables you pointed out. Thanks for this video and showing what to look for.
Have a question. I noticed yesterday that I have a ground wire touching the brake line underneath the car..i wonder if that is suppose to be therewrapped over it like that?
Great video. I have a 2021 F150. I installed some interior lighting, and attached the ground wire to the OEM ground bolt on the passenger side by the fuse box. I may have over tightened the nut on the bolt because it never snugs up . What can I do if I damaged the bolt. Thanks
My 2011 Fusion started acting up. Yes, power steering... You know what fixed it? The main ground was corroded! That was it. 15 min of work, 1 socket, 1 sandpaper.
Have a 2003 Expedition with issues that I think must be caused by this problem, items stop and start working in the vehicle. I just don't know the location of all the grounds.
I recently had an 07 e150 with a bad ground in the pcm. Grounded a wire coming off the neutral safety switch and everything started working. Customer declined repairs though so i had to remove
How do you diagnose a bad ground in the pcm? I'm having no crank, no start issues and have checked or replaced all relays, fuses, starter /solenoid, and I'm not getting anywhere and think I have a ground fault issue.
So some of these trucks had issues with the wires breaking or rubbing or chaffing in some type of fashion where they run through the rubber part that goes from the body to the door and door Strikers have to be readjusted to the doors pull in tighter so it can push the button all the way so it shuts the dome light off
2009 f150 king ranch. Dealer quoted 1000$ to replace pcm, truck goes into limp mode and or shut off while moving down the road. Changed the pcm and still does same thing. Could be bad ground wire 🤷🏻♂️
@@FordBossMe the wrench 🔧 comes on and it doesn't go higher than 1200 rpm and about 10 mph. Turn the truck off and most times it needs a jump to start up again. When it starts up it wont rev past about 1200 rpm. Turn it off and on about 3 times and then everything back to normal, revs to red line and can do highway speeds.
@@Photostudioww my key may still be active in it, you may need a brand new NEW pcm and reprogram keys and all. I was talking another tech where I'm at and he thinks it's a security thing with the pcm
My gas gauge is out on an 03 expedition im thinkin ground issue but im no mechanic and the fuel pump has been replaced .im trying to figure out any grounds that might affect my gauge and where they r located
My fuel gauge doesn't work on my 05 F150 5.4. Happen about 8 years ago I just got so used to it. If I think back it started after I replace my fuel pump. I think it's the float on the actual pump itself. I replaced that module that wasn't that and have done some electrical digging and can't find any faults their. I also had to gauge cluster malfunctioning, beeping sporadic blinking lights doing funny things, gauges resetting and brake light staying on.My oil pressure gauge also didn't work along with the known fuel gauge malfunction. After some message forums, I found a company called circuit board Medics or something like that that I shipped my cluster to. The re-soldered some bad connections that are notorious for failing I think most cars have these issues eventually but certain ones are more notorious, my truck being one. They resoldered connections and shipped it back, I reinstalled it the next day everything worked besides my fuel gauge. Along with bad grounds, the circuit board in the cluster does go bad?
I’m having the same issue with the ground for the license plate lights, I recently bought the truck and the wire is just hanging there. The bolt is missing so you happen to know the size? Thanks!
I would just literally drill and tap a new hole I think it's like a M8 by 1.5 or M10 by 1.5 I don't know though man to be honest with you I would just take a grinder clean a little spot and send a self-tapper through it
05 sport trac 2wd. Can't find locations of grounds anywhere online or RU-vid. Have voltage when running from negative terminal to alternator case. Can't find bad ground. Help! Thanks for all the videos.
You going to have to remind me tomorrow I don't have any information on the weekends so I'm at home right now I'm not in front of the factory computer at all
How about some info on the door ajar sensors on the 2013 ford edge . All 4 of my doors read open even when closed . Any way to bypass those sensors or ground them so they always show closed .
I'm getting lights saying service advancetrac, airbag and no hill start assist... Could this be the problem? It doesn't happen often but has twice in the last 3 days. Thanks
2017 xlt sport 4x4. Just spent a little bit cleaning three different grounds, I guess,I guess we'll see. I'm in the South, so rust isn't too much of an issue as we don't salt roads, but I did see some oxidation on ground screws snd the little plate. Thanks for the reply
Is there anything that body side ground is connected to? My ‘14 F150 has pretty bad bubbling/corrosion in a 6” diameter around the original ground point on the floor pan. I would be forced to relocate it a few inches over either close to the rocker panel or closer to the frame. Can’t see where it attaches to from neither inside nor outside.
Could that cause my park indicator to flash, it only does it when not running. It starts drives and shifts fine. But when you shut it off it dings for about 10 seconds and park light flashes, not check engine light. 2019 e450
