Weird Electrical Issue and Battery Question
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 73
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From: N. CAL
Weird Electrical Issue and Battery Question
Vehicle: 1996 Ford F-250 7.3 litre diesel with ~ 50,000 miles
Here are the symptoms:
1. Step on the brake and the clock display goes away. Let off brake and it returns.
2. Turn on the lights and the overdrive goes on and off repeatedly.
Everything seems to work otherwise. Seems like there is not enough electrical power... Is this a symptom of a bad battery (or 2 - diesel has two) or connection(s)?
One possible related event is that during the news reports of speed control deactivation switch fires, I disconnected the electrical lead to the switch on the master cylinder and then reconnected it when I found out F-250s were not effected WITHOUT disconnecting the batteries first. Hopefully I will not have to pay for my indiscretion. ;-)
Now the question: the 2 batteries are connected in parallel. Are there any special procedures for disconnecting the batteries other than removing the negative cables first?
Thank you,
Will
Here are the symptoms:
1. Step on the brake and the clock display goes away. Let off brake and it returns.
2. Turn on the lights and the overdrive goes on and off repeatedly.
Everything seems to work otherwise. Seems like there is not enough electrical power... Is this a symptom of a bad battery (or 2 - diesel has two) or connection(s)?
One possible related event is that during the news reports of speed control deactivation switch fires, I disconnected the electrical lead to the switch on the master cylinder and then reconnected it when I found out F-250s were not effected WITHOUT disconnecting the batteries first. Hopefully I will not have to pay for my indiscretion. ;-)
Now the question: the 2 batteries are connected in parallel. Are there any special procedures for disconnecting the batteries other than removing the negative cables first?
Thank you,
Will
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 176
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First of all, I'd have somebody check all of your lights while you run through them. It sounds like you have a shorted dual filament bulb or possibly a bad ground. The reason I say that it's probably a bulb issue is that both the brake light switch and the od switch are pcm (computer) inputs. The fact that your overdrive light flashes with your lights on indicates that something is causing a backfeed to your pcm. It's also possible that a bad ground will do the same, but it's much harder to find.
As far as the batteries go, as long as you diconnect both grounds first you can remove them any way you like.
And as far as the deactivation switch, it is highly unlikely that you'd do any damage by disconnecting it with the batteries connected.
As far as the batteries go, as long as you diconnect both grounds first you can remove them any way you like.
And as far as the deactivation switch, it is highly unlikely that you'd do any damage by disconnecting it with the batteries connected.
Thread Starter
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: N. CAL
spikebee,
Thanks for the suggestions. Forgot one thing; there is a camper on the truck currently (circa 1972 that I purchased with my 1972 F-250 project truck). I wonder if I disconnect the camper plug if the problem goes away. Used to work fine until recently... Time to divide and conquer this problem.
Regards,
Will
Thanks for the suggestions. Forgot one thing; there is a camper on the truck currently (circa 1972 that I purchased with my 1972 F-250 project truck). I wonder if I disconnect the camper plug if the problem goes away. Used to work fine until recently... Time to divide and conquer this problem.
Regards,
Will
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