Just a warning to everybody in regards to how your starter batteries are mounted. This might just be my situation due to the previous owner being a jackass.. Anyway I was driving down the highway, about to take the exit when all of a sudden, the motor died and all the electronics did too. I was lucky to have been on the right lane with a large shoulder available to pull over to. I also learned that the brakes still work great even when the truck is off and not powered. A previous vehicle I had, had no power brakes when the engine was off.
Anyway, turns out the metal bracket that sits across the battery, connected to that long J bolt got loose. The wing nut loosened itself, and the bracket slid towards the + battery post. Since the bracket is grounded out to the frame, it was shorting to the + terminal and sparking. I was also surprised that the + battery terminal had no isolation at all. I have to wonder if there ever was something to protect the + terminal like in other cars?
Anyway, after shorting out however many times, for however long, when I reconnected everything back up properly, everything worked as though nothing ever happened. I thought surely I had blown all the fuses everywhere... Not sure how it didn't. Don't need to enter navigation or radio codes either, which is nice.
So just make sure your connections are all tight, your + battery terminal is isolated with something to prevent stray objects from touching it, the J hook is solidly tightened down and hooked onto the base.
I went straight to Autozone and got some stuff. Took apart the battery post clamps, wire brushed everything, put those felt washers on that they sell now, tightened everything down properly, installed a new J bolt, and tightened the piss out of it.
Safe motoring!
Anyway, turns out the metal bracket that sits across the battery, connected to that long J bolt got loose. The wing nut loosened itself, and the bracket slid towards the + battery post. Since the bracket is grounded out to the frame, it was shorting to the + terminal and sparking. I was also surprised that the + battery terminal had no isolation at all. I have to wonder if there ever was something to protect the + terminal like in other cars?
Anyway, after shorting out however many times, for however long, when I reconnected everything back up properly, everything worked as though nothing ever happened. I thought surely I had blown all the fuses everywhere... Not sure how it didn't. Don't need to enter navigation or radio codes either, which is nice.
So just make sure your connections are all tight, your + battery terminal is isolated with something to prevent stray objects from touching it, the J hook is solidly tightened down and hooked onto the base.
I went straight to Autozone and got some stuff. Took apart the battery post clamps, wire brushed everything, put those felt washers on that they sell now, tightened everything down properly, installed a new J bolt, and tightened the piss out of it.
Safe motoring!
