Hello all, new here, just bought my first truck (2000) on Monday and
drove it out of town this past weekend. I was using the cruise control thru the Grapevine and noticed the battery light come on when it downshifted to maintain speed. The headlights dimmed until the cruise control calmed down and the whole time the battery light was flickering but the gauge didn't show a discharge. Any ideas....

Love the boards...gonna be my new home for awhile!

 

2 quick things come to mind.

1. When was the belt last services ( if ever )

2. What is the voltage from the system, when this happens
2.1. Can do the leads from the battery to a meter in the cab
2.2. With you having a digital odometer, put the HEC into DTM, and get the voltage range that the systems sees.

http://www.mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/99hec.htm

Those are the 2 quick things I would check, prior to taking it some where to have the Alternator checked.

 

Most likely your alternator.

 

and the reason the gauge didn't show a discharge is because its not really a gauge.

 

battery.....is static fried... toasted...

 

Thanks for the input, I will check the battery leads and run the DTC

 

you mean run the DTM = Dealer Test Mode.

 

well there was something wrong with the cruise control in the supercrews i think 2000 to 2002 u have to take it to the dealership so they can replace a chip. well thats what happened to my uncle

 

That was the CC fire hazzard. The brake fluid would leak around the secondary safety switch, and cause a high resistance circuti to ground that would ignite the plastic on it ( that is a big pharaphrase, it is listed on the forum here, the exact sequence ).

The replacement was the harness itself, and the plunger on some series of trucks, not a chip

The problem here is the battery voltage, not the CC control.