# 2016 Ford Transit not starting. Anyone else?



## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

Here is what is going on, I think. When working out of my van generally when on the job my side and / or rear doors stay open. On my old 2007 E250 the interior lights turned off after 20 minutes or so, but not so on my 2016. 
So when my doors stay open for an afternoon then my van won't start. It clicks and clicks and then finally starts, once it has started it can be shut off and it starts up again just fine after that. One could say it is obviously draining the Battery, but I think that is too simple of and answer as it can be started again just fine after the initial problem.

Went to Ford dealership today about it. No good answer. I can try removing the bulbs but that may not help due to the power module blah blah........ Still sending power due to doors open, even though no load / bulbs. 
There are no door switches that can be depressed permanently as the switch is inside the lock. Dealer said he would look into wiring in a toggle switch so I can shut off the lights, but he has to check to see if he can first. 

I thought about sending a grumbling email to Ford but doubt it will do any good. 
So anyway let's get all the Ford jokes out of the way and then I was wondering if anyone else was having similar troubles. In the mean time we will have to keep the doors shut. 
Just maybe the problem has nothing to do with the interior lights.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

my Chevy van has an overide switch for interior lights


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

Maybe the override switch would be best. Our ProMaster times out the cargo lights after 5 minutes I think otherwise we would be in the same boat. Plenty of times our doors are open all day.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Same with my GMC, everything but the cigarette lighter times out after 10 minutes.


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## Windycity (Oct 3, 2015)

That is kind of stupid that the light stays on the entire time the door is open. Most people leave their van door open for an extended time. 

If it was draining the battery that much then you are damaging your battery which will shorten it’s life


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Install a 2nd battery that is a deep cycle battery and the same amps as your current battery. You may want to change to 2 deep cycles. I'd imagine they could start the engine no problem, and it won't harm them to run down some.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

Maybe switch to Led bulbs too. They draw less and you should be able to find direct replacements.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

Bring it to a dealer who knows about transits, many do not. I believe it can be changed with software , it is a canbus system just about everything can be changed if the dealer knows what they are doing. From light off timing to doors locking to TPS sensors all can be changed


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

overanalyze said:


> Maybe switch to Led bulbs too. They draw less and you should be able to find direct replacements.


not necessarily, installing leds in a sprinter causes them to never really turn off. They can set off a light failure sensor or like mine just dimly glow and never turn off


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

Morning Wood said:


> Install a 2nd battery that is a deep cycle battery and the same amps as your current battery. You may want to change to 2 deep cycles. I'd imagine they could start the engine no problem, and it won't harm them to run down some.





overanalyze said:


> Maybe switch to Led bulbs too. They draw less and you should be able to find direct replacements.


Plus plug in a charger at night, as no matter how many batteries you have if they don't get a full charge which takes hours of driving, they will ALL go dead in due time. 

Reads as though higher trim levels offer options. Easier is a quick google search...Leave it to Orton to have the answer from the owners manual. Also read post #39 for how to disconnect the BCM. I am sure there is tons of info available but you can choose your own solution. Personally I would either disconnect the BCM controller lead, or hard wire a switch in. 



> On page 28 of the 76 page Transit description of LCD Productivity Screen in the settings menu it states "Change lamps delay, language.units compass, maintenance and other vehicle settings"
> 
> On page 69 0f the owners manual it shows a 3 position switch above the rear view mirror. A= off, B= door contact,C on


http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/...hting/4210-can-not-turn-cargo-lights-off.html

http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/interior/3665-rear-cargo-done-lights.html

http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/...cussion/40410-cargo-area-lighting-switch.html


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

Thanks for the replies. Apparently this frustrates others and not just me. Why is it something that worked well 10 years ago the designers at Ford said na we Don need this anymore?
I was frustrated by the dealer (where I bought it) blowing it off as something I have to deal with, they too suggested installing a battery maintainer to plug it in - in no uncertain terms I told them no. 

Starting later this week I will be doing some work at that dealership so they can have it to figure out what needs to be done - hopefully.


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

Ohio painter said:


> Thanks for the replies. Apparently this frustrates others and not just me. Why is it something that worked well 10 years ago the designers at Ford said na we Don need this anymore?
> I was frustrated by the dealer (where I bought it) blowing it off as something I have to deal with, they too suggested installing a battery maintainer to plug it in - in no uncertain terms I told them no.
> 
> Starting later this week I will be doing some work at that dealership so they can have it to figure out what needs to be done - hopefully.


Perfect!
Park it so that the battery dies where all the customers coming will see and then you can announce it won't start in front of all the potential buyers.
They will fix it quick!


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

My '97 F150 has a GEM module that's supposed to turn off interior lights after so long. It didn't so I yanked them all out. With todays small led flashlights I don't need them and often like my doors open.

Whoever said the circuit will still draw a current doesn't know what he's talking about. If they all are fed by a common fuse yanking that would be a simple solution. Or a switch. Seems like a silly problem to have on a work van, what were they thinking.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

RangoWA said:


> My '97 F150 has a GEM module that's supposed to turn off interior lights after so long. It didn't so I yanked them all out. With todays small led flashlights I don't need them and often like my doors open.
> 
> Whoever said the circuit will still draw a current doesn't know what he's talking about. If they all are fed by a common fuse yanking that would be a simple solution. Or a switch. Seems like a silly problem to have on a work van, what were they thinking.


These newer vehicles are not that simple, many cars today will have a dead battery even when sitting in a garage for a few weeks, especially BMWs. Some of my customers have to have battery tenders hooked up when they go away. Too many sensors


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

rrk said:


> These newer vehicles are not that simple, many cars today will have a dead battery even when sitting in a garage for a few weeks, especially BMWs. Some of my customers have to have battery tenders hooked up when they go away. Too many sensors


It is the BCM module (Body Control Module) that shuts the vehicle down. The issue with nicer vehicles and the batteries dying often has to with the Smart Key systems constantly trying to locate it's key. Typically there is a shut down for the Smart Key, as in a button under the dash, but not all vehicles are so smartly engineered. RTFM :laughing: With a Smart Key system you can't lock your keys in the vehicle which is AWESOME...right until you NEED to lock the keys in the vehicle IE: Going scuba diving and can't take a $250 key fob into salt water, hence the bypass. 

Battery tenders are easy enough to install, and far cheaper than an AGM battery that has to be coded to the vehicle with a factory level scan tool $$$. A $500 battery change is not unheard of. I am a huge fan of C-Tek chargers. 

As to the Ford's issue, it really isn't hard to cut the wire and install a switch inline. The links I posted above should have the fix in one form or another.


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

Thought i would give an update. As i have been doing work at the local Ford dealership they have had my van in to look at it. 
At first everyone had an opinon of what was causing the problem and how to solve it. Due credit to one of the mechanics / Technician. We agreed that it seems the cargo area interior lights staying on are the cause of my van not wanting to start at the end of the day. 
His first thought was to install a toggle switch to kill them - problem is it would require three toggle switches to kill the four lights. He studied the wiring diagram and to install one switch that kills all four lights would then cause the check engine light to come on when the lights are turned back on.

He did find out that when one door opens the interior cargo lights will stay on for 30 minutes before going out. The next problem is if one door is open for say 25 minutes and then another door is opened then that timer resets and the 30 minutes starts over. You may say open all the doors and leave them open, problem is it includes the cab doors too. 

Mechanic said can't you just keep the doors shut, i said when you get a tool out of your toolbox do you close up the entire tool box? i said the cab is my office and the cargo area is my tool box. "Point taken" he said. 

Removing the bulbs will not work, as the computer some how reads the current draw based on the doors open or some such [email protected], not the actual load. 

The battery is located under the driver's seat, no room for an additional battery. 

Only possible solution is to cut the wiring, at the right point so computer does not recognize doors open. I plan to have them do that. I will install a battery LED light in the van for the early morning van loading routine. 

I just can believe Ford messed this up this bad on a cargo van. Otherwise i love the van.


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

Ohio painter said:


> Removing the bulbs will not work, as the computer some how reads the current draw based on the doors open or some such [email protected], not the actual load.
> 
> The battery is located under the driver's seat, no room for an additional battery.
> 
> ...


The current draw is the load. There must be switches on the doors to make or break the circuit, can't those be bypassed?


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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

Yea i understand the curent draw is the load, but the door switches are built into the locks, they are not a contact switch that we are all familiar with. The computer reads the doors are open and sends power to the lights, apparently removing the bulbs makes no different. 

All this agravation because some wiz kid in a suit thinks it is better to have a computer module power the interior lights on slowly and off slowly rather than a simple on/off switch.


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

There are lots of complaints about gee wiz features that cause nothing but problems. I don't see why the doors switches can't be bypassed though.

Just did a quick search, maybe this will help?

http://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/...15617-blue-ox-bypass-switch-cargo-lights.html


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

My Chevy pickup does that too...open a door and the light stays on for "x" time. But if I open the other door, it stays on all over again.

I haven't had a problem because it goes out after something like 5mins.
I haven't looked at the manual in years, but I am almost positive the length of time the light stays on is adjustable.


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## parkers5150 (Dec 5, 2008)

i think the light duration is adjustabe


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## heavy_d (Dec 4, 2012)

On my 2017 i unplugged the cord that makes the sliding door turn lights on for 30 mins. I read how to do it on a forum. The wire is behind the removable plastic cover right behind the sliding door. 

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## Ohio painter (Dec 4, 2011)

I was informed there was no way to program the length of time the light stays on, not on my model at least. I now have the four cargo lights disconnected, so far no more problems.


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