Help! Flickering battery light.

[Nas1]

Ok so a couple nights ago my battery died. I was able to jump the battery but when I took the jumper cables off the truck would die again. I bought a new alternator and battery but the battery indicator light keeps flickering. If I hit the gas it shuts off until I get to cruising speed, then it comes on again. If I go over bumps it flickers on and off. I checked the starter and noticed the starter selonoid is loose. Could this be causing the battery light to flicker? Need help before I spend more money on a new starter.

 

[tonydiv]

Are you sure that all the electrical connections are clean and tight?

 

[Nas1]

I connected everything. The plugs that connect to the alternator are clean and the battery cables were also clean and tight. By the way thank you fire the quick reply.

 

[tonydiv]

Throw a multi meter on the battery and see what the alt is putting out. It should read about 13.9 vdc while running at idle. (12.8 vdc with the engine off)

 

[Nas1]

Put a multi meter on it and it read 11.9. I replaced the alternator again and the light is still on. I removed the battery cable while it was running and the truck shit off right away. What else can it be? I'm at a loss here.

 

[Nas1]

What does the alt fuse look like?

 

[tonydiv]

The next step is to get a voltage from the lug on the back of the alt while the truck is running. This will determine if the problem is with the wires going TO the alt or coming FROM the alt.

If you get 13.9 from the alt lug, then the issue is the wire that goes from the alt to the battery (well, technically to the post on the firewall).

If you aren't getting voltage from the alt lug, then the 'exciter' wires that plug in to the alt are probably at fault. (I'm going to assume that you didn't get 2 bad alts in a row) Those wires provide 12v to the alt (so that would be the next plug to probe for voltage)

 

[Nas1]

I will get on it soon as I get home from work. Brother you have been a great help. I appriciate it.

 

[Nas1]

I give up. My volt meter is missing. I'm taking it to a mechanic tomorrow.

 

[Thermo]

NAS1, you have a bad wire running between the fuse box and the connection on the starter solenoid. This is dropping power to the inside of the truck and taking out the ECM, which then kills the motor. The other issue could be a bad fuse box. BUt, there is a major connection inside the fuse box that needs to be checked.

HOpe this helps.

 

[Nas1]

Thanks everyone for all your help. I'm at the mechanic now. He checked the same mini fuse I did and out seemed fine. He plugged it back in the battery light went off and the alternator started charging, then he have it gas and it came back on. He checked the fuse again and found that the fangs or teeth or plugs on the fuse were lose. He put in a new and now everything is working fine. He only charged me 2 bucks fire the fuse and his time. He is charging my battery so the alternator doesn't have to do all the charging. Good honest mechanic.

 

[JayR]

Im having the same issue with my 03 with the battery light flashing and engine service light on. outside lights are flashing and the engine is running ruff. I had the first proble of the battery dead so i charged it and found out the alt was not charging it. i changed the alt and still had the same issues. i changed the fuse link and wiring harnes and still the same issues. A mechanic at work pulled up a TSB and said that i need to have PCM recalibrated, so i did and the engine light is off and batery light is off but I still have the lights flashing until I runn up the rpms and everything is fine until the rpms get low. What mini fuse are you looking at, is it in the fuse box?

 

[miller57]

I am having the same problem, where is this mini fuse?
Do they just go bad or loose?????
thanks
miller57