Electrical issues

willholl79 · Oct 3, 2013

My issue started off a couple of days ago on the way to work. I was on the interstate and the trans would not shift into OD. I eased on to my destination, cut the truck off, restarted the truck and it shifted fine, no more OD issues since. The next day I was going down the road and the radio shut off and on a couple times then came back on and all was good.

Yesterday, the ABS light came on while I was driving home. I stopped at the store to grab some beer and when I fired it back up, no ABS light. I made one more stop and back on the road, the ABS light came back on, the radio shut off, and the AC fan was on high, but barely blowing. I pulled over, shut it down, and fired it back up and everything was normal the rest of the way home. I'm not sure the OD problem is related.

After searching the web the possibilities seem to be:

1. bad alternator(it tests fine right now)
2. GEM behind fuse box wet from windshield leak
3. chaffed wire in steering column
4. acc. relay

Anybody here had similar issues?

Blackie · Oct 3, 2013

I've had something similar. Few weeks ago I towed a boat over to a shop and dropped it off. Got back in the truck and cranked it up and no AC. I had ac before. I drove down a ways and got out and popped the hood. Mashed on all the fuses and got back in. AC started working and the ABS light went on. I took it over to my mechanic and he was on it like a duck on a June bug. He pulled the fuse out for the ABS and took a small pic and I believe he squeezed the female socket for the fuse where it grabbed tighter. I haven't had a problem with that since. Most likely if you have power going out to your ABS sensors one of them will be bad. You won't find much in the Chiltons and Ford made a lot of different systems. Depending on the vehicle you will have sensors placed on top of the rear differential, transmission case, and some have them in the wheel area. These sensors are easy to change but get a little pricey depending where you get em. Check to see if your speedometer and cruise control work.

Blackie

willholl79 · Oct 3, 2013

No cruise, it's an XL. Batteries and alternator load test good. I am going to keep driving it and if/when it does it again, I'll pull over and test the voltage at alternator to make sure it's not an intermittant voltage issue.

Blackie · Oct 3, 2013

See if your speedo works.

willholl79 · Oct 4, 2013

It hasn't acted up in a couple of days.

I'll check the speedo if it happens again.

willholl79 · Oct 9, 2013

The truck started acting up again today. ABS light on, radio off, all gauges dead.

The truck died on the road twice. Stopped and it fired back up.

willholl79 · Oct 9, 2013

Bump......

willholl79 · Oct 9, 2013

I want to believe that it's the alternator. I have the volt meter in the truck and will test the alt. next time it starts acting up. The few times its acted up were shortly after firing up, but never on a cold start.