electrical failure question
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
electrical failure question
Hi all,
Got an electrical issue to sort out.
My truck is a 1998 F150 5.4 Auto 70k miles
History: The truck has an electrical draw that likes to kill batteries so I have been disconnecting the - battery terminal when I park the truck.
Despite having a 100% charged battery, the battery warning light has stayed on continuously.
Yesterday I was using the truck to go on a 60 mile trip at highway speed of 60mph. I know I have an electrical issue so I watch the guages
constantly. About 10 miles from home I notice that the volt guage is not at the 13.4 mark but probably around 11 volts. I watch the guage
carefully and it continues to drop so I turn the truck around and head for home. The guage continues to drop and then the ABS light comes
on. I approach my driveway and let off the gas and the guages (speedo, tach, gas, oil pressure, temp, etc) all stop working and then start
working intermittently. Volt guage is just above 8 volts or at the bottom of the sweep of the guage. I limp into my driveway, put it into park
and try to close the power windows and they won't work. Turn the truck off, then put key in acc position and am able to close the windows
cause there is a storm coming. Try to start the truck and get that typical solenoid clicking sound from under the hood. Also, the tail lights are on??
At that point I disconnected the battery, jumped into the car and continued with the trip I had to make. The truck has been parked since.
What do you all think? My first thought was the death of my alternator but now I'm thinking bad connection at the solenoid, ground, bad cable, etc..
What do you all think?
TIA
Got an electrical issue to sort out.
My truck is a 1998 F150 5.4 Auto 70k miles
History: The truck has an electrical draw that likes to kill batteries so I have been disconnecting the - battery terminal when I park the truck.
Despite having a 100% charged battery, the battery warning light has stayed on continuously.
Yesterday I was using the truck to go on a 60 mile trip at highway speed of 60mph. I know I have an electrical issue so I watch the guages
constantly. About 10 miles from home I notice that the volt guage is not at the 13.4 mark but probably around 11 volts. I watch the guage
carefully and it continues to drop so I turn the truck around and head for home. The guage continues to drop and then the ABS light comes
on. I approach my driveway and let off the gas and the guages (speedo, tach, gas, oil pressure, temp, etc) all stop working and then start
working intermittently. Volt guage is just above 8 volts or at the bottom of the sweep of the guage. I limp into my driveway, put it into park
and try to close the power windows and they won't work. Turn the truck off, then put key in acc position and am able to close the windows
cause there is a storm coming. Try to start the truck and get that typical solenoid clicking sound from under the hood. Also, the tail lights are on??
At that point I disconnected the battery, jumped into the car and continued with the trip I had to make. The truck has been parked since.
What do you all think? My first thought was the death of my alternator but now I'm thinking bad connection at the solenoid, ground, bad cable, etc..
What do you all think?
TIA
Senior Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,926
Likes: 144
From: Tallahassee, Fl
More than likely the alternator. All symptoms point to it first. Get it tested. While your at it, check all connections and cables to be sure everything is secure and no holes rubbed on them. That should do it.