Intermittent Loss Of Power In Gen 10
10-19-2017, 07:49 PM
#1
Intermittent Loss Of Power In Gen 10
Truck: 2000 F-150, 4.6L, 4x4, XLT trim.
The problem is an intermittent but complete loss of power. The truck has gone dead once while driving with complete loss of power in the cabin. Then it will come back on without an apparent reason. When it is out, it is entirely out, no chime, no light, no electric window power, no power steering, no starter clicking, etc.
I did notice some slight clicking/ticking down toward the internal fuse panel yesterday when I had no power, but have not found a bad fuse and could not exactly isolate and locate the ticking. The power came back on and the ticking stopped.
I am working on the relay diagram for the internal box now. I cannot find a bad fuse in the internal box or under the hood. The fuses in there are all within 18 months old. The relays and fuses under the hood are all mostly under 18 mos old as well. I did a big replacement last year.
The truck has a relatively new battery, alternator, and starter. The alternator and battery test well, and the starter works fine when it has power.
I removed the terminals from the battery cable, cleaned everything well, and secured them tightly. I can not twist the terminals on the post, but can shake the cables a bit. I cannot deduce whether shaking those cables is causing power transfer to the cabin to resume.
So what is the prediction?
A bad cable insulation/grounding, or bad loose connection?
Which cable or connection would it most likely be?
A bad relay or fuse?
Which fuse or relay would tend to cause an intermittent but complete loss of power?
The problem is an intermittent but complete loss of power. The truck has gone dead once while driving with complete loss of power in the cabin. Then it will come back on without an apparent reason. When it is out, it is entirely out, no chime, no light, no electric window power, no power steering, no starter clicking, etc.
I did notice some slight clicking/ticking down toward the internal fuse panel yesterday when I had no power, but have not found a bad fuse and could not exactly isolate and locate the ticking. The power came back on and the ticking stopped.
I am working on the relay diagram for the internal box now. I cannot find a bad fuse in the internal box or under the hood. The fuses in there are all within 18 months old. The relays and fuses under the hood are all mostly under 18 mos old as well. I did a big replacement last year.
The truck has a relatively new battery, alternator, and starter. The alternator and battery test well, and the starter works fine when it has power.
I removed the terminals from the battery cable, cleaned everything well, and secured them tightly. I can not twist the terminals on the post, but can shake the cables a bit. I cannot deduce whether shaking those cables is causing power transfer to the cabin to resume.
So what is the prediction?
A bad cable insulation/grounding, or bad loose connection?
Which cable or connection would it most likely be?
A bad relay or fuse?
Which fuse or relay would tend to cause an intermittent but complete loss of power?
10-19-2017, 08:53 PM
#2
All I know is twice in my life that has happened to me and one time my negative cable had broken off at the post and the other time I had a bad negative cable grounding point....corroded. They were different vehicles but it sounds to me like a bad ground.
10-20-2017, 08:54 AM
#3
'97 F150 V8 4.6L
Fuses work or they don't. Once they blow, that's it. You have a bad electrical connection. A fuse holder could cause a problem, the mega fuses are a good start. Put a meter on the connections when you move wires around.
