Was driving home today and the map lights and cargo lights began flickering intermittently. Once I got home, turned off the truck put keys in pocket and began checking the door switches....radio comes on!!?!?! So I have the lights flickering on and off, the radio flickering on and off, and I can hear a relay clicking like it is shorting out.

Pulled the relay and while the clicking noise is gone, the lights and radio are still doing their thing.

Acts like the doors are open and key is in the acc/on position (even though key is out). Pulled the ignition switch out and disconnected it. Still has the same syptoms!!!

Have the negative battery cable off right now so that it does not drain the battery, but I am out of ideas for what to look at next. Any suggestions!!! Oh yeah, going to try the holy water, cross, and bible tool kit that I keep handy for the computer since it is Halloween and all.

 

sounds like there is a crossed wire somewhere and sending current all over the place, unfournatly theres no easy way to check for this or to be sure.

 

Sounds like a wire may have melted somewhere and is supplying power to a few circuits. I have seen it happen! Maybe 5 times in my life. Look behind the radio. Check under the dash by the fuse panel.

God luck.

 

I'd start by pulling fuses one by one and seeing which one stops it.
Than, at least, you can narrow down the circuit(s) that can be effecting it.

 

wife informed me last night that a map light was stuck on....so she smacked the hell out of it til it went off. Will start looking up there, then will pull fuses if no fix there. Will let you all know what happens. Thanks!

 

OK, I pulled the fuses one at time. Nothing shut the radio off (except the radio fuse) and same for the dome/cargo/map lights.

I pulled the time delay relay? (OEM 1" blue cube with 3 vertical 2 horizontal tabs) and the lights now go out immediately when you shut the door, but the radio still is intermittent.

Did a visual underneath the dash and cannot find any frayed or broken wires. Reseated all connectors and same problem exists.

Any other suggestions?

 

Look at the wiring at the headlamp switch and the connector and switch body for melting. There aren't too many places where switched and unswitched power really get warm enough to cause problems. Also try the wiring running down the bottom of the steering column.

 

Checked wiring at the ignition switch, headlamp/dome/cargo switch, and under dash going into the fuse block. All of them look fine. Nothing burnt, melted, or discolored.

Going to go back to the radio (only aftermarket thing installed in the truck) and check the wiring again to see if I missed something.

I believe that the interior light problem is the relay in the fuse block...unfortunately none of the auto parts stores have this relay. Thought I had one, appeared to work, but blew the turn signal fuse. Pulled that relay and put in a new fuse. Gotta go to the dealer for that frickin' relay.

Going to the local junkyard to see if I can snag a positive and negative battery cable to swap them out. Autoparts stores want over $100 for those cables!! Might see if I can grab that relay but dont like to get electrical parts from the junkyard.

 

Try a local alternator shop for replacement cables. I used to get them made there until they sold me the parts and tool to make my own, even the special Ford end on the pass battery. The alternator shop, if they are experienced enough can usually find your gremlin easier than you can.

And, if you think it might be your aftermarket radio, check to make sure the blue wire on the head unit isn't wired to the amp trigger only. Or, if you don't have an amp, it should be deadended. The blue wire is to turn on amps or run a power antenna.

 

You said that your radio was the ONLY aftermarket product in the truck. Any chance that a wire on the new harness is exposed, and touching other harness wires? There's always a hot for clock/memory purposes, and then another that is keyed on and off. There is a blue wire that is hot when you turn the unit on.

Ok, just a thought. Jesus, I didn't even notice the gent above me mentioned that same thing......LOL. Sorry...lol.

Good luck.