Truck won't start. No power

chris lang

chris lang

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Jun 27, 2010
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Truck decided she doesn't want to start. The security light and odometer are flashing with the key off and when you turn the key on they stop flashing.

She started fine earlier today, went and picked up a lawn mower, started fine when I left. Then I stopped to get a drink on the way back, she wouldn't start. Disconnected both batteries, connected them one at a time. Did the same thing for both sides. Connected both batteries and she started.
Got home, same thing. Tried the same process, nothing. Tried jumping the batteries. Nothing. Both batteries have over 13 volts, didn't load test.

If it's not a bad connection or ground where should I start looking? I HAVE to have her running again by tomorrow :nail:
 
Oh yea. No power anywhere else. Lights don't turn on, locks, windows, or anything.
I replaced the batteries in the key fob.
 
What Year Truck...if its 2006-7 its the TIPM, needs resetting.
 
I'd go back to truck batteries, truck battery connections, and truck ground connections. Start simple first.
 
OK, check the connections under the PDC (Power distribution center) double check all connections... that includes under dash ones.
 
I did that earlier, nothing notable. I checked voltage at the pdc and its fluctuating between 6 and 10 volts. Tried pulling all the relays, same thing. Checked the cable from the battery to pdc and it ohmd good. Wiggled it while checking voltage, same thing.

Edit: this post was responding to Tc diesel. I'm going to try throwing in the battery from my Dakota in the morning.
 
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My 05 did this last spring. It was the batteries. It seems like these trucks don't like even a weak battery.
 
Thing that gets me is it started find after sitting 2 weeks because I'm on my bike. Drive 50 something miles starting fine multiple times on the trip, then ups and does it. Get er started on more time, now nothing.
 
chris lang said:
I did that earlier, nothing notable. I checked voltage at the pdc and its fluctuating between 6 and 10 volts. Tried pulling all the relays, same thing. Checked the cable from the battery to pdc and it ohmd good. Wiggled it while checking voltage, same thing.

Edit: this post was responding to Tc diesel. I'm going to try throwing in the battery from my Dakota in the morning.
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Then backup. That is why I said start with the batteries. They are the energy source, then work down stream from there.
 
Well guys...it's making me not able to sleep so I went out and swapped batteries. Fired right up! Now here's the kicker...put the other battery in my Dakota and she fired right up too, even cranked a little better than she did with the original battery.
 
Common rails DO NOT conform to logic, they conform to experience. What I think happen is the battery connection on the Drivers side was the culprit. I even run a charging cable form the alternator to the driver side battery to resolve the overcharging issues that develop with bad connections.
 
But I don't think it was a bad connection. I disconnected and cleaned the batteries on daisy (ram) when she first died. Still did the same thing. And I didn't even tighten the terminals on Betty (the beater Dakota) and she started better than she did with her original battery. I should have got all this on video. This same kind of crap happens to me at work every week.
 
Oh well. Picked up 2 die hard platinums from Sears today. Apparently they're going to stop making them soon or already have stopped.
 
After my truck sat for 8 months I had to put a charge on my batteries, worked fine for 3 days and countless starts then decided they were done when I stopped to grab a tool. New batteries and no issues since.
 
Well I found my drivers side positive terminal was broke. Found a hairline crack on the bottom when I was cleaning the terminals and saw it went all the way through. Just couldn't see it from the top.
 
I swear these common rails are overly sensitive with batteries. A lot of guys seem to develop a hard start issue where the truck will crank for a few seconds and then suddenly fire and come to life. Sometimes it happens after an hour of sitting, other times it'll sit for 3 weeks and be fine. It's like the ECM needs some sort of steady voltage criteria before it will fire up.
 
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