sometime last month, my truck got struck by lightning and the horn was blowin, my radio was lit up, a couple of my gauge cluster lights were lit up, a few of the needles were on where they were sposed to be, like gas level and such, my miles were blank dashes, and my truck wouldnt start when i put the key in, it jus turn over but wouldnt ignite. A hit to the horn for some reason fixed all that, and all was good. well i jus went by my truck and noticed it was doing it again, except the horn aint stuck again, and the truck barely starts, but starts. does anyone have any expirience or knowlege with this?
by the way, ive been on the forum for awhile, just on a new account. my old account is southernboy356

 

Life will be easier if you call your insurance agent and total it.

 

im 17, jus got insuance on the truck last month, and i like my truck. and my parents dont help me pay for anything

 

Maybe a fuse blew?

 

That's. What you have insurance for. Your rates won't go up on a comp claim.

 

Pcm.

 

He probably has liability only the cheapest policy he could get and it was still massively expensive. Buy a book haynes chiltons like that. Start diagnosing. The electrical system in that truck has been majorly compromised. My advise is get it running as good as you can and sell it..

 

Never heard of this kind of issue before.
First, how did you come to the conclusion the truck was hit by lightning?
What is the visual proof asside from the dash indications causing a possible assumption?
.
Going into what you say you see;
The dash has a number of power sources through fuses that make those points hot at all times.
Some are only in ignition start and run positions.
If it started once for you, the PATS system should be ok.
If cranking was slow the battery charge was down for 'some' reason.
Possibly a faulty alternator diode stack that will drain the battery and cause the dash to 'carry-on' like you saw just from low voltage.
That would be something to look into as possibly related.
As for horn blowing, the steering wheel horn contacts would have to be closed or a ground fault of some type to operate the horn relay.
It may be the key fob controller circuit such as the finder funtrion that blows the horn by remote.
Might be rodent damage to.
.
Bottom line here is unless some one has enough knowledge to begin tracing the problems, your kind of stuck for knowing what happened and what needs to be done.
.
I'm sorry about you bad luck just getting the truck and having this happen.
If you can get proof of the strike and have it documented by either a shop or their insurance adjuster there may be a chance to have it repaired but will take troubleshooting time by a good tech.
.
First thing I would do is charge the battery, then have the Alternator checked for bad diodes, then see what you have.
Maybe it's not as bad as it looks ,we hope.
Good luck and let us know what the progress is.

 

i believe for some wierd reason theres a short somewhere with the horn, because now my horn dont work at all, key on or off, whereas before it worked with the key off but not on.And because i found bumpin the horn stops my truck from freakin out with the not startin and lights glowing and makes it normal again. so i guess ill start off by pullin the fuse for the horn? see where that gets me, cuz it cant short out if theres no power runin to it.

 

well my dad actually forced the "preimier" coverage on me which is the top coverage my company could give me as far as my knowlege goes. i do know that i have alot more than liability, which i wanted only liability..but i believe i have like $50,000 coverage, and a few things as well as road side assistance, and all that other bull****..i pay 235.60 a month,

 

my mom was running inside with my four yearold sister, my truck parked a few feet behind her right side, she said she was runin to the door of the house (which my house is infront of where my truck was parked), seen an extremely blinding flash of light and at the same moment the light flashed, my horn started blowing, just a constant blow, it wasnt like the alarm goin off, then after the flash she heard a loud boom, and when she got inside she said her right arm was tingling and numb...so, thats where i got the lightning striking it from because thats wut she told me. and my truck was under the powerline that runs to the house an a big oak tree. and i really dont understand why somebodys truck would jus have all the inside lights and radio light up, and horn stuck blowin, and not start? you know? its wierd.
as far as visual proof goes, my buddy said when lightning strikes a vehicle, it usually leaves a burn spot, well my mom claims it was one of the lightning bolts that strike from the ground up. idk if yall ever seen those before, i havent in person but i could bet my money that it happens and ive seen somthin on tv about it. but the point im gettin at is my trucks real low, hard for me to get under an check for burn spots.
and for the slow to cranking thing, maybe i wasnt speciffic enough with that...itll try to turn over, full power not slow at all, like a healthy battery an alternator would, its just that either the spark plugs wont ignite the fuel, orr the yesterday when i tired it ignited and started as soon as i went to lettin off the position you put the key in to start the truck. it cranked an cranked an cranked real strong, and as soon as i let back on the key to the position after off, it finally stumbled to an idle. but today it jus cranked an cranked an cranked but wouldnt ignite. until i tapped the horn, then that stoped it from acting wierd, an the truck went normal on me again. idk dude its wierd, i wish i could catch it with a video camera an put it on youtube so yall could see an understand easier. but the only difference today and yesterday is my horn no longer works at all, that right there tells me that theres a short...
and thank you for the help and the luck, much appriciated

 

an may i also add man i have an sct programmer in my room for the truck, i jus never plugged it in an used it. im not sure if its unlocked or not, because its not brand new. but im pretty sure i can diagnose the trucks computer with that, maybe even reset it, or atleast pull codes. them scts are supposed to do all kinds of things than just change your shift points and all

 

to access the computer and the pats system you'll need to take it to the dealer.....the sct will not work for what you're hoping it will do....

 

Sounds like from the discription of events, there was a strike very close by
It didn't actually hit the truck but the very strong induction field was picked up by the truck's wiring.
That seems born out by the field your mom felt.
If she got a hit direct, she may not be here today.
As to the damage, it's anybodies guess.
Good luck with it.

 

Does that make your truck an official F150 Lightning? Sorry just had to say it surprised Im the first. Hope you get it fixed.