Hey guys I'm relatively new to the site so forgive me if this is in the wrong place but I need some help. A few days ago I was coming home from work (about dusk out) and my automatic lights did not turn on. I switched them to manual and didn't think much more about it until the next day when I went to get in it at night. That's when I realized I may have a more serious issue. To sum up my problems: automatic lights will not work, dash lights will not work, 4-wheel drive buttons also will not work, all my gauges will work but my volt gauge stays on 9 at all times. DIC says "battery not charging" and battery icon appears when I turn key to on position but then goes away once I start the truck. power locks and heated seats will not work as well. Another note is that when my lights are on manual only my dims work. Fog lights and high beams will not work. I'm not sure if his is a factor in my problem or not but I am running HID headlights and fog lights. They have been installed for about 6 months now with no previous issues. Anyway, what I have did so far includes: checking all fuses, checking battery connections and alternator connections. Serpintine belt seems to be working properly as well. I have yet to check alternator or battery volts. I'm leaning towards an alternator issue but I'm not sure. Any suggestions before I take the alternator and/or batteries to be checked? Thanks in advance
Electrical issues
- Thread starter jhell15
- Start date
If you got an auto parts store close by, I'd just drive it there. Call and check first, but a lot of them have the ability to check all that and they'll do it for free. I've heard that when the batteries on these trucks go, they get kind of squirrelly. Heck, I'm seeing places that will put the batteries in for you if yours are bad. If it's your alternator, some will loan you tools to take it out and replace it. Good luck!
Update- was checking fuses and wire connections this morning before I pulled the alternator and batteries off to be tested and found some mouse damage underneath the fuse box. Looks like he chewed into a couple of wires that go to my headlights. Gonna get those wires fixed and I'll update everyone on the results. Thanks for the replies thus far.
So I ran new wire and replaced each chewed wire that I could see, thought for sure that would fix my problem but didn't do anything. So my next plan is to take the alternator and have it bench tested in the morning. I'm thinking that's the issue but I guess we'll find out.
Check the loom for wire melt. Make sure you have good continuity through your splicing and seal it well from transient noises and weather.
So update on this situation. I took the alternator to have it bench tested and it tested good. Reinstalled it and also cleaned two ground connections (one in the engine bay and the other below my drivers door). Also found some rub on some wires as soon as they came out of my computer. Fixed one wire in that bundle and hooked the batteries back up and still have the same issues. Is it possible one of my batteries is drained, causing my other one to be the only functioning one and therefore putting out less volts? Or is it some type of electrical issue more than likely? I should also state that when I shut the lights off in the shop after this situation started happening, I was getting some backfeed to my cargo lamps. Not a lot, just enough to barely light the bulbs. Those bulbs are LED too.
I had one of my batteries got bad and I couldn't get my truck to start with a booster or jumping it.
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Its an electrical issue. 12v is 12v. If you are getting 9v load test the batterys. Maybe your loosing a cell. But if you test the batterys and tested the alt. and both test good then your good to go! Think about it, if alt. Is kicking out 12v then the truck will run till you turn it off. Then if it doesn't start its the batterys... if your driving it and it dies because of loss of voltage then its alt. Simple rule of thumb. If it was a battery short then the amps would be melting and burning stuff. The cargo lamp???? Hmmmm, has to be a short/rub test the connection to the body see if you have continuity. I wouldn't think another component would be inducing transient voltage. (I believe the light has constant power through the circuit but, only until the switch. Then when you command the switch, turn it on then the circuit becomes complete.) wish you lived closer id bring a box of beers and a multi meter and give you a hand. I love this kinda stuff.
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So I figured I'd give everyone an update on this issue. As I mentioned above I had a mouse problem in my fuse box at some point in time, this cause half of my fuses and connections to be very dirty. I had checked for blown fuses several times and found nothing. (I'm referring to the fuse box under the hood) finally last week I bought all new 10-30 amp fuses and electrical cleaner and figured I'd give that a try. Replaced almost all of the fuses and cleaned them and that fixed the problem! I'm assuming one of the BCM fuses was bad or had a bad connection. But all of my problems I listed above were fixed.