Sudden electrical failure - Solution: Corroded Battery Terminals
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 4
From: Washington
Sudden electrical failure - Solution: Corroded Battery Terminals
I would have searched for possible solutions, but I'm stuck on the side of the road.
No symptoms until it didn't work. Go to start the truck, odometer turns on, but when the ignition gets to the start position everything dies. Cycle the key and I get nothing, no odometer, radio, accessories. Look under the column wiggle some connections around, and cycle the key again, I get the odometer while in run, but dies when moved to start. Checked the headlights, and they worked. Took the connector off of the ignition switch, and nothing looked burnt in there, so I put it back on. Checked the fuse boxes, and everything looks good. Then noticed door locks were acting like there was a dead battery. Tried the head lights again, and they are dead. Inspect the cables at the battery, but I don't see any damage. Disconnected the negative battery cable to keep from starting a fire.
Currently waiting on a tow. All of my electrical testing tools are at home.
Thanks for any help you've got to share.
TLDR: My battery terminals were corroded. Cleaned them, added anticorrosion goop, replaced negative cable lug for good measure.
No symptoms until it didn't work. Go to start the truck, odometer turns on, but when the ignition gets to the start position everything dies. Cycle the key and I get nothing, no odometer, radio, accessories. Look under the column wiggle some connections around, and cycle the key again, I get the odometer while in run, but dies when moved to start. Checked the headlights, and they worked. Took the connector off of the ignition switch, and nothing looked burnt in there, so I put it back on. Checked the fuse boxes, and everything looks good. Then noticed door locks were acting like there was a dead battery. Tried the head lights again, and they are dead. Inspect the cables at the battery, but I don't see any damage. Disconnected the negative battery cable to keep from starting a fire.
Currently waiting on a tow. All of my electrical testing tools are at home.
Thanks for any help you've got to share.
TLDR: My battery terminals were corroded. Cleaned them, added anticorrosion goop, replaced negative cable lug for good measure.
Last edited by mrollings53; Aug 16, 2017 at 05:12 PM. Reason: Update with solution
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,118
Likes: 149
From: South Dakota
What you are describing is a classic case of a dirty or loose connection. The majority of the time removing the battery cables from the battery posts and cleaning them well and reattaching them solves the problem.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 4
From: Washington
Nothing between big lugs on starter solenoid. Measured 12.71 volts on battery terminals. I have it home now, so I can start chasing wires. Top of battery also has a little bit of fluid on it, nothing standing, it just looks like it has been wet.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,118
Likes: 149
From: South Dakota
If you turn just the headlights on, are they bright? If you try to start the truck do you still lose all electrical power?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 4
From: Washington
Get nothing with the headlights. Voltage drops from 10.3V to 3.xxV. Same with turning the ignition to run or start. All of the fuses are good. I still have about 10-11V at the cigar lighter and power point.
Anyone have a diagram of the ignition switch? I'd like to start jumping wires to see which ones bring the voltage down.
Anyone have a diagram of the ignition switch? I'd like to start jumping wires to see which ones bring the voltage down.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,118
Likes: 149
From: South Dakota
Personally I wouldn't even mess around with the ignition switch. If you still have good voltage at the battery, I would clean the battery post connections and then bridge the large post on the solenoid that has the cable coming from the positive battery post to the little post on the solenoid that has the slip on wire on it. That will crank the engine if everything is operational.
You can totally bypass the ignition switch until you get the starting system working.
You can totally bypass the ignition switch until you get the starting system working.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 4
From: Washington
Yeah, tried that already. Wouldn't do me any good though, because everywhere else has 3 volts. Certainly not enough to run the PCM or power the coil. I need to find the circuit that is dropping voltage, then inspect those wires and components.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,728
Likes: 8
From: Cleveland, TN
You have a dirty connection somewhere or a bad cable,, check the cables for lumps, there could be a lot of corrosion inside if there is lumps on a cable..
So clean ALL connections, both ends of the cables...
So clean ALL connections, both ends of the cables...
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,118
Likes: 149
From: South Dakota
ABSOLUTELY. Start with the battery POST to cable connections. That is the most common place for a dirty connection.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 4
From: Washington
As much as I didn't want to believe you guys I cleaned the battery posts. When I reattached the ground cable I heard the fuel pump turn on, because I left the key in the run position. The positive post was black. I just couldn't believe that it would do this without showing any other symptoms. The voltage was never low on the gauge, never hard to start, it wasn't even the first time starting it that day.
I didn't like the ground cable connections, so I still don't know if it starts. The body ground wire is too short, and the cable lug is one of those wire clamp types. I'm going to see if I can find a solder eyelet lug, or something a little more secure that also doesn't leave the wire exposed to the atmosphere.
I didn't like the ground cable connections, so I still don't know if it starts. The body ground wire is too short, and the cable lug is one of those wire clamp types. I'm going to see if I can find a solder eyelet lug, or something a little more secure that also doesn't leave the wire exposed to the atmosphere.
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