Hey guys, as the title says, my truck dies randomly. It’s a 96 1500 automatic with the 318. It’s happened twice now, where I’m driving and it just totally cuts out like someone flipped a kill switch. It doesn’t sputter, it doesn’t lack power beforehand, nothing to indicate it’s going to die. I’m not sure if it’s related or not but starting a couple days before this started happening I can’t get my headlights to turn on unless I hold back the lever to keep my brights on. The first time it died I was able to push it into a parking lot and after about 30 minutes it started right back up like nothing happened, but the second time I had to have it towed home. Both drives were only about a mile or two and it’s pretty cold outside, so I don’t think it’s anything getting too hot. The second time was 2 days ago and today it started right up. There were a few days between the two times it died and it ran just fine those days. I can’t just keep getting stranded, but I’m at a loss here.

 

I'd start with the wiring along the steering column which can pull apart at a connector. Then ground connections in the engine compartment.

 

So take the plastic cover off the steering column and visually inspect the wiring connectors? I don’t have much experience with wiring, just a broke college student trying to save some money.

 

Any codes? Sounds like a possible crank sensor. The delighted issue may be a bad switch or melted harness connector to it.

 

Yes, pull off the cover and check the connectors, pull on wires etc. Also to check if the lighting issue is merely a coincidence, look at the back of the light switch. The connector there tends to get hot/melt on older trucks. If you own an old truck you need to learn how to read wiring diagrams

To add to what Moparite wrote, the older trucks also need the cam sensor (fuel sync in Dodge speak) to work. Both crank and cam sensor often fail when they get hot and then work again when cold.

 

My truck did the same thing and it was a crack sensor

 

So did mine. When it died on the road driving it one day, I just happened to have my code scanner with me and plugged it in. It produced a code at that time stating that I had an intermittent crank sensor. I disconnected and reconnected the battery and the truck restarted. Once I made it home, I ordered a new OE crank sensor. No problems since the crank sensor swap...