Cutting out, why?

[Defective]

What could cause the truck to intermittantly cut out going down the road?

This morning about 25 miles into my commute, I go to pass somebody, and when I hit my turn signal the truck acted like the electrical system was completely deactivated for a split second. The radio channels reset and the ABS light came on and stayed on. The truck drove normal again for a while then did it again right when I hit the turn signal. I played around with the turn signal lever but couldn't duplicate the problem. A few more miles down the road it cuts out a couple times in succession, without the turn signal, and acts like it's going to die so I pull over and look things over. Everything seemed normal. Tried to pull codes and got none. Shutting the truck off reset the ABS light.

Back on the road, it continued to do this here and there for rest of the drive and even completely died twice when I got to town traffic. It also cut out when I hit the window switch a couple of times. It wont do it every time, it's like it takes minute between before it will do it again.

Everything else is normal, except for the secend time now, my clutch felt like it was toast for the first 20 or 25 miles of the trip. Feels solid again though.

 

[snake]

Sounds like bad ground. I'd check the battery cables. The factory ones can be bad inside the insulation- so with the engine off and headlights on, wiggle and tug on both cables while watching the lights. If they go off you have found your problem.

Edit: problem is likely unrelated to the clutch issue...

 

[Defective]

I was thinking about what you said and what I typed, and I guess the truck didn't lose "total" power because the dash lights where coming on when it would happen. Just that first time the ABS light stayed on though.

I do plan to check over the cables real good tonight. I replaced them a year and a half ago or so.

Could a failing relay cause this?




Does it hurt the ignition system if the key is left in the run position for long periods of time with the motor off? Sometimes my ignition switch stays in this position when I take my keys out. Does it keep a relay energized?

 

[847alexc]

If you leave the car in the run position, you may have run the battery down so many times that it is cutting out. Though the battery cables and grounds would be my first bet as well

 

[snake]

Anything is possible- but it wouldn't be one relay since so many things would cause it to blink out. Hmmm, unless there's an ignition relay. In the old days (points, condenser) it was more important to keep the key off. I don't think it makes as much of a difference nowadays.

But that brings up a point I hadn't considered- maybe the ignition switch is taking a dump on you. With it running, jiggle that around and see if it has a bad spot on it. If it quits you'll know for sure.