Any mechanics?

[ILoveMyGelding]

My truck is doing the weirdest thing! I'll be driving and all of a sudden my radio goes out, my turn signals don't work and neither does my heat (the blower). We put a new battery in it, the next day I broke down in the middle of the busiest street! We took it to the shop and they couldn't figure out what was wrong, they tested the alternator and it was fine and so they put a new positive end on my battery cables. It's been driving find for the last week but the other night it did it again! It has to be a lose wire or something but any ideas? I'm taking it to the shop again and they better fix it this time! I was hoping I could go in there with a clue so they'll actually get it fixed this time. Thanks!

 

[keeperofthehorses]

I'm no where near being a mechanic, but my work truck (Chevy S-10) did the exact same thing, and more, a few years ago. I went through 3 batteries and 2 shops before they finally found what was wrong. Quite by accident, the mechanics were sorta standing around my truck trying to figure out what was wrong with it when the A/C relay switch (I don't even know what that is) tripped on by itself (keys weren't even in the ignition) and that was causing the battery to drain. When they were fixing that, they found an exposed wire that was touching the frame, causing all the electrical gremlins (radio popping on and off and such). Don't know if that's what's up with your truck, but it's one more thing to look at. Hope you find your gremlin soon.

 

[wade3504]

My husband was a mechanic for years, he does it on the side now and works on the family vehicles. I'll ask him when he gets home today.

Amanda

 

[wade3504]

Husband thinks it's the wiring but wouldn't be able to say exactly what without looking at it.

Amanda

 

[Minimor]

I do know a short can be very hard to find. We had a car one time that would just short out & die--no lights, radio, signals, nothing, even the motor would die. We'd sit for a little while, try a few times to start it, & then away it would go. It did that 3 or 4 different times, and then never again. Go figure.

What you're describing, though, is exactly what my truck will do if the key doesn't turn back far enough after I start it--I think my radio still works, but I'll have no signals, no heater fan until I realize and turn the key back just that little bit, then everything works. If your truck were mine I'd have them check out the ignition/steering column first, because that could be where the problem is. That's my best guess

but of course my guess could be wrong.

A mechanic may do a lot of looking before he finds the problem with your truck, especially since this problem comes & goes, it may be very tricky to find.

 

[runamuk]

Might want to rule out...cap, rotor, coil, cellanoid, plugs, wires...then move on to fuses, ignition system and possible loose wires

I am not a mechanic or a gearhead I have just dealt with every issue known to vehicles

I have lousy auto karma

 

[coopermini]

Since they have replaced battery and terminals and I assume the ground connection? More than likely its a wire shorting out. Probably chaffed thru onto metal. When the truck moves it makes contact killing most of the electrical system. Recently one of the guys working at our jobsite had his truck lights come on and drain the battery in he middle of the day parked on the site. While they were hooking up the jumper cables the truck started with no one in it. Ended up his remote starter system was fried and caused all sorts of problems till he could get it to the shop.

Mark

 

[ILoveMyGelding]

I am not a mechanic or a gearhead I have just dealt with every issue known to vehicles  I have lousy auto karma

I know how you feel! Actually everyone in my family knows how you feel! When you blow all four tires on your trailer plus one on the hauler in one trip it's pretty bad!

I do know a short can be very hard to find. We had a car one time that would just short out & die--no lights, radio, signals, nothing, even the motor would die. We'd sit for a little while, try a few times to start it, & then away it would go.

That's what happened when the two times it's broke down on me. I sat in the middle of the road for a half hour waiting for the police to come and help and out of the blue I decided to try it and it started.

Can someone explain to me what the selenoids are? My check engine light kept coming on awhile back so I took it to O'Reilly's to get it tested. It was the code for the something selenoids? Maybe that's it? I told them at the shop but they were more worried about the battery and alternator.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

This will tell you far more than you ever wanted to know about Solenoids!!!

http://homepages.which.net/~paul.hills/Sol...enoidsBody.html

 

[Sandy S.]

WHAT MAKE OF TRUCK IS IT. MY SON IS A FORD MECHANIC AND I CAN ASK HIM WHEN HE COMES HOME IF THERE IS ANY WELL KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH IT. HOPEFULLY A FORD AND I NEED A YEAR. SOMETIMES A LOT OF VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

WE HAD A JEEP SPORTABOUT (SMALL STATIONWAGON) ONE YEAR THAT KEPT DOING THAT TO ME, MY HUBBY THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING I WAS DOING, NEVER DID IT TO HIM OF COURSE. FINALLY ONE TIME IT HAPPENED TO HIM, THEN ABOUT A WEEK LATER THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT FOR THIS. ALWAYS SCARED ME TO DEATH, IT WAS ALWAYS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFIC OR ON THE INTERSTATE, YOU WOULD BE DRIVING ALONG AND THEN NOTHING, JUST WOULD STOP COMPLETELY.

 

[ILoveMyGelding]

It's a 94 dodge ram 1500 with a 5.2 engine. Don't know if that'll help! Thanks for the ideas though.