Hey all, I just got a 2018 Ford Raptor and had some trouble starting it today. When I turned the key, the dashboard lit up, but the truck itself wouldn’t start. I noticed the check engine light and battery light were on, but they weren’t on before. I got it to start after a jump, and the lights went away, but something clearly isn’t right.
I’m worried about driving it since I commute 1.5 hours each way and don’t want to get stranded. I plan to take it to a mechanic tomorrow, but has anyone else run into this issue? Could it be the alternator or just a bad battery? I’ve attached a pic of the dash. Any advice would be appreciated!
Blair said:
Since it started after a jump, I’d bet on it being the battery.
That’s what I’m hoping. I’ll check the battery and alternator tomorrow.
Don’t bother testing. Just get a new one. 90% of the time they’ll say it’s fine, and then you’ll still have problems. Especially if it’s cold where you are, cold weather can make battery issues worse.
If your battery voltage checks out fine, it could be the starter. I had similar random no-start issues that got worse over time. It turned out my starter was going bad. Don’t trust the ‘starter tests’ at places like AutoZone though—they kept saying mine was fine, but it definitely wasn’t.
