Sort of long, but here goes.

Problem--- truck won't start... sometimes.
It acts like a dead battery gauges show nothing but I have interior lights, headlights etc,. I hear the starter soleinoid clicking but wont' tun over. I also hear clicking noise under dash on passenger side, even after I stop trying to start it??? Left it over night in the driveway to try and jump it next morning to get to my mechanic. Next morning it cranks up. That night was cold (12 F), but the battery is new and it was just as cold if not colder in the morning.

More history--- 5 months ago my headlights would just quit while driving. I moved the switch, nothing, turned on high beams to drive home, lowered them for passing car and voila, headlights working again. Happened a couple more times and battery went dead, or I thought based on not being able to start it up. Jumped it a couple times before having the battery checked. Was told it had a bad cell. Replaced it. then a couple months later I get the same symptoms. Had the battery checked and replaced under warranty. Took it straight to my mechanic who said my Alternator was fried. He said it was putting out 150 amps when it is rated at 117. Replaced it. Ran fine for a couple weeks. Now back to the top of this with my current issues of it not starting a couple days ago and then starting right up the next morning.

Further history--- I have had an annoying interior light issue that I have ignored. The interior lights illuminate whenever they want. Only happens when the truck is parked and not running (no key in ignition) Typically, I park, then lock it. Once locked the lights turn off and then some time later will turn on for a few seconds and then turn off and then the whole thing repeats, throughout the night or day while at work. What UP!!!

I have seen some posts on other forums explaining it could be the door switches getting wet and shorting, but this happens all the time not just after rain or I wash it. And that doesn't help with the problem starting it up. I think it to be unrelated as the interior lights have always done this and the problem with starting and the headlights etc,. just started happening 5 months ago. BTW the headlights have not repeated their symptoms for several months now.
Please,
Help! Help! Help!

ddmodee@comcast.net

 

The first part sounds like poor battery terminal connections... The rest, under 'further history', sounds like the same sort of problem I had with the factory alarm and some sort of pulsing mechanism that is part of the factory alarm system (as it was described to me)...

does it have the factory alarm?

 

replace the universal light switch that controlls the head lights and the interior lights. These things fry all the time. I had the same problems with the head lights and all that good stuff replaced the switch (90 bucks from my dodge dealer) took about 10 minutes to put in and everything worked fine again.

As far as the battery issues go I had the same problem with my battery terminal due to excessive corrosion and replaced the connector with a nice unit from moster cable (25 bucks) since I run a 1500W amp.