Either way Texas has more options now to maybe help track down the issue. I'd really like to see him get this one fixed. I know all to well what it's like tracking these insane tricky yet should be simple problems down.

The diagram you posted fits nicely in my "ignition issues" folder. Thanks for it.

Rick...

 

Sorry...no joy. Replaced the ignition switch and the problem continues so I put the old switch back in.

Any other ideas?

Mike

edit: I tried to start it and the dash lights and chime started to come on while cranking the engine. Maybe this is due to low voltage in the batteries?....One more gremlin to weed out...

 

Which switch did you replace?

You mentioned earlier that you disconnected and recharged the batteries. Did they not fully charge for you ? How old are they? I can personally confirm a funky battery can cause some strange things to happen in a vehicle. If you had it running after the charge the batteries should have at least got some charge from the alternator.

RE: "batteries" Is your truck a diesel?

Rick...

 

I replaced the ignition switch that is located on the underside of the column.

I have the 7.3. I haven't been able to give them a full charge, but I was able to actually start it just a few minutes ago. I can't see how old the driver's side is, but the passenger's side battery is from 2007.

The wierd thing is that it acts like the key is in the run position. When I opened the door after turning it off and removing the key, the headlight chimes did not come on and the power window switches were illumunated even after turning off the headlights.

THis all just seemed to start over night Friday night. I haven't a clue as to what's going on.

Mike

 

Did you take a look at the ignition cylinder area while you had everything apart?

When my original battery was dying on me I kind of remember having similar strange things happen like chimes acting up and buzzer sounds coming from under the dash with the engine barely turning over.

Rick...

 

No, I didn't pull the lock cylinder out. The cam that the switch post goes into looked fine.

Maybe it is the batteries. Tonight, the dome light relay was acting funny in that it wasn't letting the dome light come on right away. Tomorrow, if the rain isn't too bad, I'll try and pull both batteies and let them trickle charge for a while and see what that does for me.

I'm still open to other ideas as to what it might be.

Mike

 

OK, it looks like this is the problem. After speaking with a friend-of-a-freind who had all of the same symptoms, it looks like the clearance light above the driver's head must have leaked when we had the big rain storm Friday. Last night, I parked it nose down since I live on a hill. This evening, when I got home, I hooked the batteries back up and it cranked like it had new batteries and some of the symptoms were gone (I didn't check all of them). I was going to park it nose up the hill so that I could take the batteries out easier and in the time it took to eat supper, the symptoms were back. I have it nose down again and will dry it out over the next few days as well as get some black RTV to seal up the light.

Thanks, all!!!

Mike

 

We'll be waiting for the update!

Rick...

 

Success!!! After letting it dry out good, all is back to normal. I found that the cab marker lights were able to be easily moved away from the cab, so I ran a small bead of black RTV around all of them as best as I could.

Thanks!!

Mike

 

That's great news Mike.
It really isn't all that tough to remove the headliner and tighten the clearance light nuts. You actually don't need to remove it. You just need to lower the front of it to access the nuts. It might be worth while to take care of that when you have some free time.

Rick...

 

Was the light shorting the whole thing? Im having the same exact issues. Where was the water?

Or did you just let it dry out.

 

hey guys, I've been battling the same problem with my 2000 f250 for months. Every time it rains I end up with the same symptoms of heater blower will run and radio will stay on. I'm 99% sure the GEM is the problem. It usual takes about a week of running my floor heat to dry out the module and the symptoms to disappear. I checked my cab lights and they appeared tight, however I checked along the seal of my windshield and have rust forming under the seal and believe that is the problem. I just caulked along the seal and we will see if that helps but, you may want to just check that as well.

 

Yep, I caulked around the cab clearance lights this summer and though that the issue was fixed...that was until last week when we had a major storm come through and the issues came back only more extreme this time (possibly due to the freezing temps). This time, while it was still freezing inside the truck, not only were the same thing happening, but, when I cycled the glow plugs and tried to start, I would hear the starter hit and then I would lose all electrical power to the whole truck - like a relay or something. It would reset and was repeatable. I ran a fan and a space heater most of the day Saturday in the cab and the symptoms got better but didn't go away. Hopefully, once it warms up enough here, I can get it to start.

Where did you caulk the seal - on the glass side (above the seal) or metal side (below the seal)?
Mike

 

Had the same issues last month with my 2003 F350, had it at the dealership for a while, I ended up having to replace the instrument cluster and everything was fine after that. Not a cheap fix.

 

OK, it dried out and I replaced a battery that wasn't holding a charge and it fired right up (after cycling the glow plugs twice). I guess I have a windshield leak. I'll inject some black RTV the first chance I get and hope that works. Otherwise, I am going to have to rearrange my garage to be able to fit it in when a storm is coming.

Mike