No start, no lights, truck completely dead!

[ramman7]

So I have a 2008 dodge ram 1500 5.7L hemi. Truck has high mileage at 291k. It is currently 40° and rainy. I left this morning with no issues truck started great and drove great for about 8 miles. I then noticed it kicked out of overdrive and then it began to spaz the lights would flicker , windshield wiper would move a little bit, the gauges would jump around, the horn would honk then shut down.

First time it happened I just dropped it into neutral, turned the truck off then on and was fine for about a mile. It then did the same as before but shut off and wouldn't come on.

I pulled it over took negative off then back on and started right up. Took off went to gas station maybe another mile and it died as soon as I got to the pump and now won't start up at all. I'll explain...

When I have the key turned to on position it turns my headlights on and taillights. The only thing that I can tell that works on the dash is the odometer when door is open and the cig lighter works. Power seats work as well but that is it. I don't get a click when turn key over.

What I've done this far or found

~ 12.87 v at battery
~ fuses are all fine in the tipm(had one blown out new it)
~ inspected tipm everything looks great no char etc only thing was there was a small amount of moisture near tbe bottom of tipm but cleaned it.)
~ I'm getting power to ecm on passenger side(not sure what prongs are which)
~ I'm getting power to plug under dash in truck on driver's side.

I'm pretty mechanically inclined but electrical issues drive me crazy!!! Please any help would be appreciated. Or even where to look next this is my only truck for work and wife's car is still down I appreciate it!

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Load test the battery, check battery connections, check the connections at the starter motor for being loose or corroded, go underneath have someone try to crank and look for any kind of a spark, or your starter may be on its way out, to check that put your headlights on and try to crank it if the lights dim allot your starter drawing to many amps.

 

[turkeybird56]

Another thing: battery can read 12.7V, but under load, not perform like having a bad cell. It needs to be load tested. Everything U R saying either points to a bad battery, a ground or battery connection, or even bad starter/solenoid. Lights on, hit starter, no start and lights dim, probably starter (solenoid ref starter could be bad also), or the starter could be hung up also. Hard to Internet Guessnosis.

Everything that DODGE 1500 SAID above applies.

 

[Wild one]

So I have a 2008 dodge ram 1500 5.7L hemi. Truck has high mileage at 291k. It is currently 40° and rainy. I left this morning with no issues truck started great and drove great for about 8 miles. I then noticed it kicked out of overdrive and then it began to spaz the lights would flicker , windshield wiper would move a little bit, the gauges would jump around, the horn would honk then shut down.

First time it happened I just dropped it into neutral, turned the truck off then on and was fine for about a mile. It then did the same as before but shut off and wouldn't come on.

I pulled it over took negative off then back on and started right up. Took off went to gas station maybe another mile and it died as soon as I got to the pump and now won't start up at all. I'll explain...

When I have the key turned to on position it turns my headlights on and taillights. The only thing that I can tell that works on the dash is the odometer when door is open and the cig lighter works. Power seats work as well but that is it. I don't get a click when turn key over.

What I've done this far or found

~ 12.87 v at battery
~ fuses are all fine in the tipm(had one blown out new it)
~ inspected tipm everything looks great no char etc only thing was there was a small amount of moisture near tbe bottom of tipm but cleaned it.)
~ I'm getting power to ecm on passenger side(not sure what prongs are which)
~ I'm getting power to plug under dash in truck on driver's side.

I'm pretty mechanically inclined but electrical issues drive me crazy!!! Please any help would be appreciated. Or even where to look next this is my only truck for work and wife's car is still down I appreciate it!

If you don't have one of these old school toaster style testers,spend the 20 bucks and get one.They're still one of the best battery testers a home mechanic have .Simple to use,and cheap,and they actually do a better job of testing a battery then the newer digital testers do.

100 Amp, 6/12V Battery Load Tester

Amazing deals on this 100 Amp 6/12V Battery Load Tester at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[ramman7]

Well I know the battery is fine but I'm not getting any power inside the cab at all??? No sounds when turn the key. I tried to jump the starter and it sparked alot but that's it. I took off the negative and when putting it back on somehow my windshield wiper motor was running and spraying then take it off it would stop and back on haha it makes no sense I cleaned a little bit and it didn't do it again. So I'm in the process of getting it back home from Walmart to be able to track wires and find what it could be hope it's not a bad time but idk yet thank you though if any other help or what could cause this just to be completely dead randomly I would greatly appreciate it

 

[ramman7]

Does that apply when everything inside is dead? No dash lights no radio nothing. I'm with you on bad wire or ground that's causing it but didn't know if there was something else . Another thing to add is it's done it in the past where while driving at any speed most times at 50-60 it will cut out for like a second then kick back on and be fine. When I mean cut out as in the truck seems to completely shut off then kick back on. So I'm leaning towards a wire but finding that is the tricky part

Another thing: battery can read 12.7V, but under load, not perform like having a bad cell. It needs to be load tested. Everything U R saying either points to a bad battery, a ground or battery connection, or even bad starter/solenoid. Lights on, hit starter, no start and lights dim, probably starter (solenoid ref starter could be bad also), or the starter could be hung up also. Hard to Internet Guessnosis.

Everything that DODGE 1500 SAID above applies.

 

[RamDiver]

Well I know the battery is fine.

How do you know the battery is fine, did you load test it?

.

 

[ramman7]

No but when the key is turned on and the dash and such turn on there is no load. Load is when you try to engage the engine and goes under load. When my truck is sitting and I turn key to on position I get no lights no dash nothing's it's all dead even the radio is dead the only thing I can find that I have inside the cab is power seats work and my cig lighter that's it. On the dash when the door is open the odometer is on but as soon as door is closed it goes off and doesnt come back on. Another weird thing is when I have key in the on position my headlights and taillights are on but turned off inside the truck so it's not making sense

How do you know the battery is fine, did you load test it?

.

 

[RamDiver]

No but when the key is turned on and the dash and such turn on there is no load. Load is when you try to engage the engine and goes under load. When my truck is sitting and I turn key to on position I get no lights no dash nothing's it's all dead even the radio is dead the only thing I can find that I have inside the cab is power seats work and my cig lighter that's it. On the dash when the door is open the odometer is on but as soon as door is closed it goes off and doesnt come back on. Another weird thing is when I have key in the on position my headlights and taillights are on but turned off inside the truck so it's not making sense

This all sounds somewhat logical but, our trucks are rolling microcomputers and when we have significant erratic behaviours on multiple systems, the most common root cause is the supply voltage from the battery or bad ground connections.

Have you confirmed the battery post connections are clean & snug?

I use one of these post/clamp cleaners about every 6 months and apply a very thin film of dielectric grease on the contact area of both the posts and clamps.



https://www.harborfreight.com/battery-terminal-cleaner-94450.html


Given the age of your truck, the issue is more likely to be a ground fault but, ground faults can be an enormous PITA to troubleshoot and or resolve, not always though.

Here's the kicker, a bad cell in the battery could potentially display all of these features.

Load testing the battery is painfully easy, if you choose to spend the $20 for a test item that will last for decades (mine's at least 35 years old) or drive to a parts store for a free test.

New batteries are known to fail, they are always high on the suspect list for multiple electrical system gremlins and faults.

You may choose to ignore all of the advice given and start chasing ground faults but the battery condition will always be unknown without a load test.

We see this same scenario multiple times per week, this is not new or unique.

.

 

[turkeybird56]

IF Truck running, and all of a sudden, running 60 MPH, and engine, everything goes dead, then cranks back up. Then: besides maybe battery: Internet Guessnosis says: U got a Bad connection somewhere in the run time circuit: ie., circuits that supply power to keep truck running. REALLY sounds like a loose, corroded, bad Ground Strap. Start checking all the straps, and do not forget, there is probable one on the back of the block to the firewall, and also the grounds from negative that wind down towards starter. Kinda like a rotted out wire starting to come apart and loose connectivity. But again: Internet Guessnosis.

trace the positive cable also to the battery/solenoid make sure that puppy OK and not corroded. Look for burning, melting, green crud on positive cable also, not just negative and ground points.

 

[ramman7]

I had the battery tested today at O'Reilly and it checks out perfect

 

[RamDiver]

I had the battery tested today at O'Reilly and it checks out perfect

Good to hear.

Now that you've cleared that up, time to start looking at grounds.

Check YouTube to find instructions for testing the negative battery lead.

I'd begin there because it's very easy to test with a multimeter and then the fun starts.

You can search the 3rd gen section here to locate a thread identifying the most common grounds and how to clean them up.

.

 

[MikeT]

One other place to look is your ignition switch wires. I know a small pita to get to, but they have been known to over heat burn contacts, melt insulation, and cause a no response of any kind when turning the key on. It's just a possibility.

Mike

 

[seanclark1503]

Start with the easiest, cheapest and most importantly…. The most basic of the things that are likely to be the problem. If you’re battery is good, then it is probably a major connection to ground. If you want to eliminate a suspected cause completely, remove all of your ground straps from both sides and use sandpaper or scrubber pad and apply vinegar/baking soda to the surfaces if they’re not perfectly clean . If you do this completely and properly, you will not have to do it again. I added a few extra ground wires to my motor and sealed them all with HAIRSPRAY. I don’t like that red battery sealer spray , I prefer clear and cheap . Do this one thing and you’ll know it’s not the problem, otherwise it will be the same thing again and again for years. Everytime you get a new code or issue.

 

[turkeybird56]

Start with the easiest, cheapest and most importantly…. The most basic of the things that are likely to be the problem. If you’re battery is good, then it is probably a major connection to ground. If you want to eliminate a suspected cause completely, remove all of your ground straps from both sides and use sandpaper or scrubber pad and apply vinegar/baking soda to the surfaces if they’re not perfectly clean . If you do this completely and properly, you will not have to do it again. I added a few extra ground wires to my motor and sealed them all with HAIRSPRAY. I don’t like that red battery sealer spray , I prefer clear and cheap . Do this one thing and you’ll know it’s not the problem, otherwise it will be the same thing again and again for years. Everytime you get a new code or issue.

Sean: Would send a PM, but your account does not offer ability.

Hairspray? Dats a new one. Have used the over the counter stuff, or just light coat of grease, but these days guys buy dielectric and use. Hairspray, dat be a new one.