Truck Would not turn off. Clicking noises from relays under dash?

[99powerchoker]

I NEED HELP ASAP!!! I took my truck out this past saturday when the weaher cleared in NC after it sat most of the week through many rain storms and a little snow. I got in the truck saturday and both batteries were reading 1 V so i swapped out 1 of the batteries with a spare to get it started. Went to a customer's house and got out and kept hearing clicking or ticking noises while i was outside the truck when ignition was off. I finished up and got in the truck turned the key and no lights came on but cranked right up, the truck had power the entire time cause it had the glow plugs warmed. Going down the road some of the warning lights like airbag came on along with ticking noises. Get to the house turn the key off and out of the ignition, truck was still running. So i pulled a relay out from under hood. Could have been ICM or PCM. Truck shut off automatically. I then could hear ticking noises. Sounded like it was coming from behind dash where there is 3 relays (1 blue one and 2 other black ones i think). Both batteries are reading 13V at this point. I unhooked the batteries and kept that relay out cause i dont want it draining them again. WHAT IS MY PROBLEM?????? ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED

[NoRalPh]

Clicking Relays are usually from low Voltage, to the coils inside them, caused by either bad Batteries or Bad Connections. The first thing I would do is to pull the batteries, fully charge them both up, and have them Load Tested at a High Rate (NOT those 100A testers the Parts Stores use, your Big Batteries need like a 300A Load). Your 13v test isn't a valid one, a battery can have good static voltage and be unable to handle any load.

You really need to have 2 good batteries in the cold, that's when they're really put-to-the-test... Never just replace one, get them both right, then Clean/Scrape/Grease/Tighten Both sides of all the cables.

I'd bet that'll take care of your problem

[99powerchoker]

Both batteries were replaced before this happened. All this happened after a heavy rain. I read that water can leak into the GEM? Which can cause this. The clicking was after the ignition was already off. It was getting power even though the ignition wasn't on. I did have a little puddle of water on my driver Side floor mat so water has to be causing some kind of problem but idk what.

[NoRalPh]

OK, yea that could be the GEM then....

Look up, above the fusebox, for evidence of water coming from the bottom corner of the windshield (common to leak there). If the GEM is wet, there's almost no-end to what it will do to the electrical system. It unleashes Gremlins!

[99powerchoker]

Is the gem something that will dry after sitting in clear weather or dry it myself or is it something ill have to replace?

[NoRalPh]

I guess it would depend on the amount of time it was wet (so the amount of corrosion in there). Again, determine if it IS the problem first, but the GEM isn't going to just dry itself out and be fine I wouldn't think. You would have to open it up, dry it out with a hairdryer or something and look it over for signs if that corrosion.

Chances are, you're going to have to replace it though

[99powerchoker]

Where and what is the gem exactly? I haven't read enough about it to fully understand what it is where it is and what it does. Other than possibly causing me alot of problems

[NoRalPh]

The GEM (Generic Electronics Module) is up above the fusebox, not easy to see up there, Not cheap, and, despite its name, there are Many variants (depending on how they're programmed to run your particular trucks accessories).

Take the #'s off yours, Google it with "Ford GEM" and get an education

[lyonzd]

Hi all. I'm new to this forum and have a few questions along the same line as the original post. Recently I have also had the clicking under my dash which after reading other posts I'm figuring is a low voltage thing. Is this something that can be fixed with new batteries if I have them checked and they are bad? Also along with this is a random shut off interval of my interior lights when I shut the door with the truck off. Sometimes they shut off right away, other times they stay on for up to a minute. The most recent issue I have run into is the blower for the heater stayed on after the truck was off and ran the batteries dry. After I hooked up a trickle charger and eventually got the truck started, my "overdrive off" light is flashing on my shifter while the truck is running, and the speedometer was not registering, or going haywire. Is this all something that could be related to a low voltage issue? I've had the truck for almost a year and haven't had any issues like this until the last three months. But I only have the clicking problem about once a month over the last three.

2000 F350 7.3L
Thanks for any help you guys have.

[jesilvas]

Voltage issues can cause many problems.
Basically, you're answer is it can be that, or GEM, or other things like wiring.