intermittent complete loss of power
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
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intermittent complete loss of power
1995 F150 5.0, 4wd 200K+. Start truck, go to store, come out and try to start, nothing. No power, no dash lights, no interior lights and clicking coming from bottom of dash to the right of the steering column even with key off. Try to jump but no good, lights/dash come back but just clicking from solenoid. Replace battery and starts right up. Truck sits for 2 days, drive it, all's well. Truck sits 1 day, start it, back down driveway, turn off, put stuff in bed, go to start and no power, no dash, no interior light and clicking noise coming from under dash to the right of steering column even when key off. Light under hood is flashing(dimly) in time with the click from under the dash. Tried to jump it with quick start charger and positive terminal started sparking. Battery connections tight and no corrosion.
Replaced alternator but still happening although the last occurrence was without the clicking from near the steering column. Disconnected and reconnected pos battery terminal and power immediately restored.
Replaced alternator but still happening although the last occurrence was without the clicking from near the steering column. Disconnected and reconnected pos battery terminal and power immediately restored.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 219
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From: Richarson, TX
I have seen a couple of cars with similar problems caused by a loose or dirty connection between the (grounded) battery cable and the engine block. Your truck has enough miles on it to make this connection a likely culprit. Remove it, clean it and retighten it - even if it looks good.
You can also get the same symptoms with a bad internal post connection in a battery. It can happen in new or old batteries. Did you actually replace the battery mentioned or just remove it and recharge it? The durn things will go back and forth between working and not without even touching them but will often suddenly start "working" again when you mess with the terminal connection.
Also check all 4 ends of your battery cables for good copper wire. Sometimes battery acid will get under the insulation and eat up the wires. The corroded wire can start a truck one minute and the next minute it won't deliver enough current to run your parking lights.
None of these will explain the clicking near the steering column with the key off though.... Unless maybe the bad connection is dropping the voltage down to just 2-3 volts and causing some relay to chatter...
Good luck
You can also get the same symptoms with a bad internal post connection in a battery. It can happen in new or old batteries. Did you actually replace the battery mentioned or just remove it and recharge it? The durn things will go back and forth between working and not without even touching them but will often suddenly start "working" again when you mess with the terminal connection.
Also check all 4 ends of your battery cables for good copper wire. Sometimes battery acid will get under the insulation and eat up the wires. The corroded wire can start a truck one minute and the next minute it won't deliver enough current to run your parking lights.
None of these will explain the clicking near the steering column with the key off though.... Unless maybe the bad connection is dropping the voltage down to just 2-3 volts and causing some relay to chatter...
Good luck