Got 03 f150 5.4 I thought it was from the cold but when I go to start it it starts but the tach and speedometer maxes out and then is normal I've seen this on newer vehicles and it doesn't do it when it's warm, Ive also been having a dead battery is the gauges a sign of my battery goin bad?

 

It sure can be. How old is the battery? Can try charging thoroughly overnight with a charger. If it's 5 to 6 years old it's probably on the way out.

 

I just tried to start it at work it did but I have a light bar and it barely shines no dates on the battery

 

When I hook light bar up I can hear a click so I'm goin try to leave it unhooked

 

Well ya can kind of get a pretty close idea of the battery age, e.g. how long have you owned the truck? Is it dirty, posts covered with blue-green corrosion etc.

Charge it up good and have it load tested at NAPA or AutoZone. They might have a conductance tester as well.

 

Yes and or poor cable connections.
You must understand cold starting draws more current from the battery.
Battery is cold, lubricant is stiff etc.
Good luck.

 

I'm goin try with my light bar unhooked. My biggest question I guess is if the battery is goin bad would it cause my gauges to max out at start up or is that another issue?

 

Wonky gauges, YES can be a symptom of a bad battery. Try to read for content so folks don't have to repeat themselves over.

Check for loose or corroded connections at both ends of cables and grounds. But if the battery is getting long in the tooth its likely time for a new one. Let us know what you find.