What does it mean when....

[Cobreezy]

....you start the car and all the needles on the instrument panel sweeps all the way to the right then to the left and then back to normal operating positions? Has anyone encounter this in their cobra?:shrug: It happened to me twice lately. Is my alternator or battery starting to fail? Also, the CD changer display said "INITIALIZING". I have no clue!

 

[SVTkel]

Seems to me mine does that after I disconnect the battery before re-starting the car.

 

[gt347mustang]

Seems to me mine does that after I disconnect the battery before re-starting the car.

+1

thats the only time my car does it.

 

[SVTkel]

That is normal.

 

[Miamifan1354]

That is normal.

If there has been a power loss. You may want to check the battery.

 

[MaximumVelocity]

If you have not disconnected your battery and it does this, battery voltage has dropped to <10volts and the PCM has reset itself. So you either have a battery or alternator going out (or both very likely).

 

[01_OXFORD_SVT]

Battery is on its way out.. My 01 did this and shortly after it started doing it, it pooped on me in the WalMart parking lot.. CHANGE THAT BATT!!

 

[COBRA_ESQ]

Happened to me a couple of time over the course of two weeks last summer.
Has not happened since and battery, alternator etc is fine :shrug:

.

 

[Cobreezy]

If you have not disconnected your battery and it does this, battery voltage has dropped to <10volts and the PCM has reset itself. So you either have a battery or alternator going out (or both very likely).

Battery is on its way out.. My 01 did this and shortly after it started doing it, it pooped on me in the WalMart parking lot.. CHANGE THAT BATT!!

I will take these suggestions and others into great consideration.:beer: In fact i have an appointment with my local Ford dealership and i will ask them to check the battery and alternator. Thanks!

 

[thomas91169]

the needles only sweep/recalibrate after a ecu reset. sounds like you have a charging system issue, be it dying battery or alternator. With the car on, get a voltmeter and check to see if the alt is putting out, if it is, check the battery and see if it holds a charge, i do mine at every 1hr interval (until i fall asleep).

just tell the dealership your issues and they will likely know exactly the cause and diagnose from there.

 

[CobraBob]

If you are still on the original battery since 2003 you're at the replacement point. I'll bet your dealer says your battery is weak. Let us know.