torrance SS Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 So, I went to my truck to start my 5 hour weekly commute to work this morning. The truck's engine slightly turned and then................nothing. No lights, dash, radio, not even turning in the engine. This same thing happened about 2 months ago but it miraculously started and no problems until this morning. Only thing is, this time no miracles. I know the battery is good because its only a year old and the posts are secure. The only thing I can think it has is some sort of short in the starting process. Just before I had the first incident I was trouble shooting my toy hauler trailer lights and maybe it did something to the truck's electrical system. I am completely dead in the water and have no idea what to do. ANy suggestions? Jay Email me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueAKSSS Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 First thing I would do in this situation is test the battery with a voltage meter, make sure it has at least 12.5V and disconnect the terminals clean and reconnect. It's almost impossible for nothing to work on the truck if the battery is still good. Do this and report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruiser04 Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 does the truck have an alarm....in my old truck if i didnt start the truck for a few days the alarm would kill the bat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caddy03pimpin Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 check your starter relay you can swap it with the one from your horn, also open up the small progs slightly on the relay so you know its making full contact. check the fuses too but the first thing i would do is check the batt for 12 volts good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torrance SS Posted January 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 First thing I would do in this situation is test the battery with a voltage meter, make sure it has at least 12.5V and disconnect the terminals clean and reconnect. It's almost impossible for nothing to work on the truck if the battery is still good. Do this and report back. I disconnected the terminals and did notice a slight spark when I reconnected them back to the battery, which indicates the battery is holding a charge. I didnt voltmeter the battery because after I re-connected the battery posts, she started. She was idling rough in drive though. In the past when I would disconnect the bat she would idle rough but she would correct herself after a couple of days. The difference this time is she idles fine but wants to quit in drive. I have been looking at some of the other guys' posts with similar issues but a lot of acronyms were thrown around and got lost, i.e. MAF, MAP, TB, CAI. However, I dont even know if those even pertain to my issue at this point. R/S Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torrance SS Posted January 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 does the truck have an alarm....in my old truck if i didnt start the truck for a few days the alarm would kill the bat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torrance SS Posted January 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 does the truck have an alarm....in my old truck if i didnt start the truck for a few days the alarm would kill the bat. Factory alarm. Never have touched it. Just hit the buttons on my key ring and go. Have been doing that for the past 8 years, that is to say I havent changed any of my routine when I park her or start her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fireman31 Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Take the battery to a local auto part store and have it load tested, just because it is only a year old doesn't mean that you don't have a bad cell. It is possible, I have seen batteries go bad in 6 months..... Also, after disconnecting the battery, it is normal for your truck to idle rough and damn near stall while in drive after reconnecting it. The PCM loses it's calibration of how your truck runs after pulling the battery, and must relearn how you drive. This process can take several days, or anywhere from 50-100 miles or so..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torrance SS Posted February 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Take the battery to a local auto part store and have it load tested, just because it is only a year old doesn't mean that you don't have a bad cell. It is possible, I have seen batteries go bad in 6 months..... Also, after disconnecting the battery, it is normal for your truck to idle rough and damn near stall while in drive after reconnecting it. The PCM loses it's calibration of how your truck runs after pulling the battery, and must relearn how you drive. This process can take several days, or anywhere from 50-100 miles or so..... Makes sense. WIll do on the load test. Let you know, thx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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