crazy electrical short PLEASE HELP

[Mike Sove]

driving to work today I dropped into passing gear and all of a sudden my radio, gauges, lights, everything went out.. no twilight turn signals or brake lights. BUT my abs light and airing light are on, as well as dash illumination.. dome lights work. NOW I get to work, shut it off, turn the key forward everything works.. start the truck and after about 5-6 seconds, everything goes back out. I THINK when it happened on the freeway I smelt burnt wires afterwards but it could have been another vehicle or the dirty city I was passing through. Any takers??????

 

[Mike Sove]

Update: on my 10 minute break I just came out and started it up.. all good, nothing wrong. Now I'm really not happy...

 

[rob chaw]

check the battery connection.. But if you smelt burnt wires i'd be very cautiuos and get it checked out..

 

[EddieS'04]

Check battery terminals. Might need to get the battery tested. Our tracs get electrical gremlins with bad batteries.

 

[David Ponder]

Agree with Eddie, Start with the Battery. Others have had very similar symptoms at various times and it was a bad battery.

 

[Mike Sove]

brought it home and hooked up the OBD... nothing. so i started checking voltage at random spots.. Turns out the regulator on the alternator took a crap and was OVER charging the battery, causing the actual fluid inside the battery to BOIL.. (yes, we shut the truck off and heard this).. lifetime warranties ROCK! got the new alternator, put it in, problem solved.:banana: