I have a bit of an issue that has just recently arisen. Initially, I would intermittently lose power to my stereo, dome light/map light, and clock. The problem seems totally random and independent of bumps in the road. I was sitting in a line at a fast food place when the power just totally died to all those things and it hasn't come back on. Any ideas at all? Thank you in advance for any help.
Was it raining? When I had my windshield replaced the company did a less than stellar job and when it rained hard would leak behind the dash and blow the fuse for dome light/radio. It was fixed by using windshield sealant between the gasket and body.
If not you may have a chaffed wire in the circuit that is shorting to the body. Has there been anything added to the circuit? Such as more power outlets, lights, etc.
I don't believe it is a fuse issue because the power would not be intermittent. I don't believe there is any sort of relay in the circuit that could be heating up and malfunctioning either. I made a new headlight harness for the Depo lights I bought and I replaced the cigarette lighter and installed an aftermarket deck and just got George's LED's. I don't think any of this is the issue, but maybe it's time for me to tear into my dash and have a look. I did electrical solder work and troubleshooting for two years, so my installs are not the rat nests that I have seen behind some dashes. All my connections are soldered and shrink-wrapped or crimped with new weatherpack connectors. I just don't get what the problem could be.
According to your 1st post, it is no longer intermittent. Check fuses first, then check that circuit in the EWD and look for a common ground point. I am betting it is a fuse.
-B-
If I remember correctly, the cig lighter is tied into the same fuse and circuit that the other things you mentioned that went down...I would recheck your connections on your cig lighter modification first.
The power comes and goes. For example, driving to work today everything worked fine. At the end of the day I opened the door and the dome lights were on for a split second and then went off. I started the truck up and drove home and never got power to any of those things on the way. I am definitely going to tear apart the dash again. I am betting it is an issue with the stereo dimmer wire. The cigarette lighter is no longer wired on that circuit and still works all the time.
Took apart the dash, inspected all the wires, re-soldered one that looked like it might be suspect, put everything back together and the same problem. The power flickered then went out. It came on as I was driving, and just for an experiment I flicked the dome light switch to the "on" position and the power went out again. I took out George's LED's and my stereo deck and the problem is still there. This is starting to drive me a little crazy.
Please tell me that during 11 weeks since you first posted this problem that you now have the EWD and you are just asking for pointers on where to start looking in the manual.
I have the EWD. The truck has been down with other issues (new water pump, new radiator, new suspension, etc.). I just have no idea where to begin. It's not a fuse, I don't see a relay anywhere in the system, the wiring has not been touched except for adding three relays to my headlights (which are on a different circuit and work just fine). I just don't understand what could be the problem.
Look at the EWD for the dome light circuit (We are not talking about the map light are we?)
As I recall, that circuit is a little complicated in that it ties to the 1st row doors. There may be something that is causing you to lose ground to that circuit.
Also, double check that all your failing bits are on the same circuit. I believe you determined that they are but I can't figure out from your posts.
i would replace the fuse if not done already, i`ve seen alot of times where the contacts for the fuse(in the fusebox) are slightly spread apart. thus intermittant contact. usually from a previous installation of an aftermarket goody using a fuse tap that goes over the blade of the fuse then shoved back in the box. when the fuse tap is removed, the contacts are to wide to make contact with the fuse. slightly twisting or kinking the fuse blades is the easiest fix. just remember to do it every time you replace the fuse!! haha. i don`t recomend trying to fix the fuse box as it usually causes more damage. if it was a short, the fuse would blow. thats their job. it won`t be a poor ground as the components on that circuit have to many other places to find a ground. eg, the dome light can have two sources for gnd like the chassis and the door pin, the radio through the chassis mount and the antennea and the harness,etc... let us know what you find?
Interesting. Can you explain and show us on a wiring diagram how one of his failing components can "find a ground"? Use the clock for an example if you don't mind. TIA.
Please answer these questions when the truck is in a FAIL state:
1. Does ign key cyl light work? (If yes, means ID gnd is OK)
2. Do either visor vanity lights work?
3. Do you get an open door dash indicator w/door open?
4. Does the glove box light work? (Uses IE gnd)
5. Does the clock lose the time when it fails? (Dome fuse gives power to clock)
6. Does the light in the clock work? (Tail fuse illuminates clock)
7. Do you lose the display in clock? (Cig fuse powers the digits in clock)
All clock power sources are grounded at IE (right kick panel)
touche`. the clock might not find a ground but the dome light grounds to the sheet metal in the roof as well as a "switched ground" through the door pin circuit. the radio will ground through the cage or metal can that the radio is built in if the unit is mounted with the factory metal brackets that bolt to the metal supports in the dash which mount to the firewall which is also metal.(at least in mt truck it is). the antennea lead coax sheilding is grounded at the fender so a ground can (but should`nt be relied on)sourced through that. the cig lighter might not find a ground as its mounted to plastic. so having said that, not all of the things that are powered from a common fuse are grounded to a common point. the ground sources i discribe will not show up on a ewd. that does`nt mean they can`t be there though right?. the clock and the radio probably do share the same ground connection at a splice block then to a chassis ground point.so then one might assume that if that ground point for those two lifted some how( loose bolt ?), the clock could then potenially source a ground through the radio harness and then through the case of the radio back to the firewall as discribed earlier. also as i do not possess a factory ewd i can`t say what else might be joined to the grounding point for the clock and other failing components but i`m sure there`s some accesory, perhaps lighting, and other non dome light / clock curcuit powered devices on it. as none of those were quoted as failing, it makes me think the common factor of the failing components is the power source not the multiple grounding potentials. just my .02 cents. its canadian cents so it might be worth alittle less. lol.
Well pete, I do have the EWD and the advice that I posted above was from reading the EWD, not a wild guess. The clock has 3 different power sources and a single ground point. It does NOT ground through the radio or the cig lighter or mysteriously "find a ground" somewhere in the nether of the truck. The clock grounds at a body location in the right kick panel (called IE in the EWD).
If the OP's problem is with +12v then it will be with one of the 3 different +12v sources to the clock. Determining which is easy once he answers the above questions. If the clock loses the time then it is the dome fuse circuit; if the clock loses the display then it is the cig fuse circuit; if the clock is not illuminated with the light switch on then it is the tail fuse circuit. If it loses all 3 then it could be the ground at IE. Some of the other questions that I asked will isolate the ground.
1. Does ign key cyl light work? (If yes, means ID gnd is OK)
2. Do either visor vanity lights work?
3. Do you get an open door dash indicator w/door open?
4. Does the glove box light work? (Uses IE gnd)
No to all the above. None of these lights work.
5. Does the clock lose the time when it fails? (Dome fuse gives power to clock)
That's a weird one. If the power goes off and then comes back on quickly then the clock keeps time. If the power goes off and stays off the clock will reset.
6. Does the light in the clock work? (Tail fuse illuminates clock)
7. Do you lose the display in clock? (Cig fuse powers the digits in clock)
Otherwise the clock just doesn't work at all. It blanks out (no digits, no light). I just went and checked the ID and IE grounds. I even went so far as to take a wire brush to the contacts and the bolts that ground them. No luck. I RE-checked all my fuses also. No go. As I think I stated before, I DO have an aftermarket stereo and I have rewired my cigarette lighter directly to the battery via an aftermarket fuse block. The original cigarette wiring is still intact and the ends are covered in heat shrink tubing. All wires going into the stereo are soldered and wrapped in heat shrink.
Do you have +12v on both sides of the tail fuse?
Do you have +12v on both sides of the cig fuse?
Do you have +12v at the glove box light? No ===> J4 connector
Do you have +12v on both sides of the dome fuse? Yes ===> J3 connector
When you are checking a fuse you need to do 2 things; 1) continuity across the fuse, and 2) 12v on both sides of the fuse. Seems redundant but if you are just checking continuity and telling us the fuse is good (and it would be) but not telling us there is no 12v to the fuse then we are losing some valuable information and making untrue assumptions.
It is starting to look like the IE ground or a fusible link but check the above and let me know. I am going to bed now. I will check back tomorrow.
Okay, went and checked voltage. I don't have a label for the fuses inside the cab but the one in the second spot down on the left (15A) and the one in the fourth spot down on the right (10A) do NOT have 12V in ANY key position. Otherwise everything checks out fine.