Hey guys, when I walked out to my truck today, it was covered in ice and snow, and being the Einstein I am, I started my car, and whipped out the propane torch and started lightly going over the outside of the windows. Was going awesome and melting it all away, but my wipers still wouldn't move, so I focused some heat there over by the wiper's base and called that good. Opened my truck door and saw a small puff of smoke near the second defroster vent behind the dash and my truck had died. No signs of life whatsoever. No key click, no dinging, no lights. Any ideas? (Other than to not use a torch to defrost?)


1998 Ram 1500 V8 5.9L

 

What year truck? Time to open the hood, look up under the dash, etc and hope you dont have to pull the dash to find out what wires got their insulation melted off and shorted out.

 

1998 Ram 1500 V8 5.9L

 

Does anything at all happen when you turn the ignition on? Gauges test? Idiot lights? Does the dome light come on when you open the door?

 

 

Check/clean battery connections first, then follow the chain from there. (battery, pdc, fuses.) I would guess it simply blew one of the main fuses, or, the battery terminals are slimy.

 

Explain how you "focused some heat there over by the wiper's base" - if everything was done from the outside I can't imagine it damaged wiring inside or under the hood. You'd melt plastic covers and paint before getting to the wiring.

 

the CTM is right there. Check your IOD fuse in the dash, it's the one with the black cover on it.
Also, a torch is a no no on a frozen windshield, glass is likely to crack with extreme temperature changes.