I have an 01 f150 4.2, and a while back the cigarette lighter got clogged and caused a blown fuse. Everything seemed to work ok but we wanted the lighter back so we replaced the fuse. Since then, weird things have been happening. It started with the gauges. When I start the engine all the gauges peg, then go back to normal. Then the cruise control stopped working. (You can turn it on with the on button but when you press the set button the cruise light flashes and nothing happens.) And now it seems that sometimes it has a hard time starting, as if the battery were dead, and when it does start the headlights flash. Can anyone help me out here? Electrical is so foreign to me. Thanks gang!!

*edit* Oh yeah,... nto that it has anything to do with the lights and gauges (maybe it does i have no idea) but a check engine P0174 light just popped up. bank 2 something. i just want to know that the check engine light isnt contributing to the other issues

 

sounds like you do have a bad battery mabey...when the gauges peg that means the battery was pretty low when you tried to start it...my 02 did this when the battery started getting weak...

 

Exactly as ^ said about the battery.

Don't think the P0174 has anything to do with the electrical stuff, thats battery going out, nor do I have input about the cruise. Didn't catch what year you are driving, would like to know because of an applicable TSB out there in the Ford world.

 

I have to say I'm kinda glad to hear that about the battery. I had visions of burnt ground wires behind the dash,... I can replace a battery.

Thanks guys.

The P0174 looks like it might be a vucuum leak or maybe a bad o2. but im totaly stumped on the cruise contorl.

 

what year?...specs of truck

 

...ahh i just seen the year and stuff haha sorry....i would definatly get that battery replaced and then see what you got going on...i know these trucks are tempermental about the batterys