2005 F-150 Electrical Issue

Randomly my lights, inside and out will dim for aprox 5 seconds and then go back to normal, the blower will slow also if it's on. I have tried to shut off everything and this still happens. The dealership has changed the battery, (because it was a little low??) but can't find anything else wrong. I notice this more at night, steady highway driving, sometimes at a stop light, but basically random.

Isn't there something that can be hooked up, say via the cigarette lighter, to monitor and log the voltage? My dealership says there isn't, but I have a volt meter that will show peak voltage, you'd think they would have one that could do low or high voltage. They said the monitor won't log in the electrical system.

I'd think that there is a problem in the charging system, maybe the alternator is overloading and shutting down for 5 seconds, so I am going to battery power then back to alternator. But I don't know, I'm not a auto mechanic. But I have mentioned it to the service manager, but he says that if he can't replicate it he doesn't know what else to do.

They have the truck now, overnight, and will probably call me in the morning to tell me they can't find a problem, but it's still going to be a problem it has for the last 2 years off and on.

Help Please!!!

Thanks...

Reply to
Greg
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About 10 years ago, when I worked at a dealership, I was thinking of buying a used car from them. It had an intermittent problem, I don't remember what it was, and they hooked up a portable diagnostic computer while I drove the car home and back the next day. it would store history. If that was 10 years ago, I am suppressed that your dealer can't do something like that.

I hope that you are not paying them for anything that does not solve the issue.

Ted

Reply to
Ted

"Greg" wrote: (2005 F-150 Electrical Problem)

Randomly my lights, inside and out will dim for aprox 5 seconds and then go back to normal, the blower will slow also if it's on. I have tried to shut off everything and this still happens. The dealership has changed the battery, (because it was a little low??) but can't find anything else wrong. I notice this more at night, steady highway driving, sometimes at a stop light, but basically random.

Isn't there something that can be hooked up, say via the cigarette lighter, to monitor and log the voltage? My dealership says there isn't, but I have a volt meter that will show peak voltage, you'd think they would have one that could do low or high voltage. They said the monitor won't log in the electrical system.

I'd think that there is a problem in the charging system, maybe the alternator is overloading and shutting down for 5 seconds, so I am going to battery power then back to alternator. But I don't know, I'm not a auto mechanic. But I have mentioned it to the service manager, but he says that if he can't replicate it he doesn't know what else to do.

They have the truck now, overnight, and will probably call me in the morning to tell me they can't find a problem, but it's still going to be a problem it has for the last 2 years off and on. Help Please!!! __________________________________________________________

Alternator brushes worn, low spring pressure, unreliable contact.

Good luck.

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

Yeah me to. It's under warranty, just trying to give him some other options to look for.

Reply to
Greg

My thoughts as well, but the service manager dismissed it as soon as I brought it up. Warranty issue, you'd think they would just change it and see what happens.

Reply to
Greg

Voltage recording is possible. I have a voltmeter wth a serial port. I can hook it to a laptop computer and start a terminal program to log output from the meer. I'm sure there are other products which can do this as well.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

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