Question: A cold one for anyone who has ran into this and has any ideas:
1998 Ford F150 4X4 5.4L, 65K miles. Ran great and no problems up to now.
* Wife lets the kid play in the front seat, and turns the lights on for about 8 hours. Battery totally dead and truck will not do anything.
* I try to jump, and just hear a single click.
* I go and buy a new battery and put in truck, and try to start, just hear a single click.
* Take off cables off of battery and clean real good. Reinstall and turn on lights and try to start. Lights are strong even when trying to start, so I think battery is fine. Try to start…..just hear a single click.
* Try to jump, with the new battery with negative cable on engine to try to eliminate any grounding issues, and try to start…just hear a single click.
* Try to cross the selenoid on the firewall near passenger side with a screwdriver, just hear a click.
Anyone have any ideas…..I am at a loss on this one. Again, truck was perfectly fine before lights were left on.
Thanks in advance.
Do you have a test light or a voltmeter?
If so, check for voltage at the small terminal of the solenoid with the ignition in the start position. This should be close to battery voltage.
Check for voltage at the battery feed to the starter with the ignition in the start position.
Check for voltage at the other starter solenoid terminal (if present, it will be the one going into the starter).
If all of the above are satisfactory, and the connections from the new battery to the solenoid are good, then the starter or starter ground is bad.

Do you have a test light or a voltmeter?
If so, check for voltage at the small terminal of the solenoid with the ignition in the start position. This should be close to battery voltage.
Check for voltage at the battery feed to the starter with the ignition in the start position.
Check for voltage at the other starter solenoid terminal (if present, it will be the one going into the starter).
If all of the above are satisfactory, and the connections from the new battery to the solenoid are good, then the starter or starter ground is bad.

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