Dash lit up like a Christmas tree out in BFE

[powershift]

The other day while cruising on a forest road I was going a little too quick and slowed up over tree roots and the ABS, Brake and Hill Decent Control went inactive. It seemed like a wheel sensor problem, but the air suspension dropped to normal mode. I turn the ignition off then back on, raise the suspension and all was good. I drove a few hundred miles since then without problems on and off road.

Then this morning on a bumpy forest road, the problem replicated with the wheel sensors, but not the suspension. So I restarted and all was good. Then a few minutes later, the problem replicated but there were additional issues with red lights on the dash. I restarted the engine and it cleared so I started heading back to camp.

I downshifted from 3rd to 2nd while in 4L to control downhill speed and then then the computer went crazy with the engine still running with a transmission fault (but not limited to). The front left air strut lost air. Then the whole truck dropped to the bump stops while driving. The throttle felt weird (I don't use special programs) and I thought it would be best to pull off the road so I found an empty campsite. It wouldn't restart. Pushing on the power button did absolutely nothing no matter how long I held it in. I had the windows down and rain is coming in the next few days.

So then I thought maybe let it cool down and try again. So I meditate for 20 minutes, start counting the positives of the situation then try restarting and no response from the start button. Tried disconnecting the battery to reset things, no change.

Aside from that bizarre problem, there was also a new metallic rattle this morning that could be heard under the engine area and seemed unrelated to the drive train and maybe endlinks for the sway bar or suspension/armor related noise, I wasn't sure but I could hear it faintly if I pushed/pulled on the front wheels. The noise originated from the lower front middle area. I heard that before all the weird electrical problems, but the noise wasn't there when the ABS, traction control issues occurred.

So while stranded, I check the fuse box and the fuses look good in the engine bay. Then I tried pulling the black box relay things in the fuse box and got one out to reset, but the rest wouldn't come out by hand and I didn't want to use needle nose on the plastic so I left them alone. Then I started pushing on the whole fuse box unit to wiggle it and tried to start it and the ignition turned on. I got the windows up but pushing the button wouldn't engage the starter.

So I push on the relays and fuse box again then tried to start and there was no response at all, the ignition wouldn't turn on. I tried to remove the fuse box but I don't have a socket that fits. It looks like maybe an 8MM. Anyone know what size that is?

Prior to looking at fuses and pushing on the fuse box and relays, I was about to jack up the front end and remove the skid plate to inspect the alternator connections. I'm wondering if mice got under the fuse box. I catch mice pretty much every day in traps placed around each wheel and when trying to figure out how to remove the fuse box, I saw paw prints back there. I've had prints all over the engine bay at one time or another.

So now I'm thinking the next steps would be to hitch hike into town and get an 8MM or 9MM socket (7MM is too small) to inspect underneath of it. How does the fuse box come out, is it held in with just one 8MM bolt? How does those black box relay things come out of the fuse box and could they cause these problems? Any ideas on what could be happening? Any suggestions lol?


There were a ton of error messages, here is a list of most of them:

Terrain response special programs not available
Transmission fault
HDC Not available System fault
Suspension Fault, max speed 30 mph
Fuel level low
Emergency brake assist not available
EBD Fault
Stability control not available drive carefully
Tachometer doesn't work
Speedo doesn't work
Trip odometer doesn't work
Temperature guage doesn't work
Battery icon shown in the message center (not a battery dummy light, but that was also on)

 

[f1racer328]

If you’re suspicious of rodents being around your vehicle, and saw paw prints in the engine compartment, I’d wager you have a shorted wire somewhere.

Honestly sounds like an absolute cluster to fix. Usually when a group of unrelated systems all throw error messages it’s the battery… however, I’m sure it’s something more than just that in your case.

 

[ktm525]

are you deliberately out trying to create drama? You want no drama? Go into the woods camping on a Honda XR660 or Suzuki DR650. Dunno, battery? It's an old vehicle, beat it in the bush and this is what happens. It takes a lot to make a reliable trail rig.

 

[powershift]

If you’re suspicious of rodents being around your vehicle, and saw paw prints in the engine compartment, I’d wager you have a shorted wire somewhere.

Honestly sounds like an absolute cluster to fix. Usually when a group of unrelated systems all throw error messages it’s the battery… however, I’m sure it’s something more than just that in your case.

I'm not sure its rodents biting on wires anymore. Along with that, I think pulling one relay, pushing on the fuse box and dorking around with it and then going from no ignition at all to the ignition turning on but no starter was completely unrelated.


I hiked back to it a few hours later to get my stuff out of it and had the battery disconnected so it wouldn't drain for however long it would sit there. When I re-connect the battery, I heard extra noise from systems sucking up juice from the battery and that wasn't present the last time I disconnected, waited a few minutes and reconnected. So I hit the power button, the ignition came on, the starter engaged and the fired right up. No red lights and just the yellow check engine light is on. All gauges work, speedo, tach, fuel, temp, everything is working. Air suspension works too.


Then on the way down the hill I put it in 4L, executed a downshift and no problems. I don't have a working code reader, still trying to get the SDD to work.


I did buy a new starter battery a few weeks ago and the ABS/Traction control issue started happening about a week or two after that. I'm not sure how to figure out if the battery is at fault though. I keep it on a 60A charger almost every day and the voltage will be 12.5V in the morning at 50-60F and after shutting off it in the afternoon when its 90F will be at 12.8V.


Now that I think of it, fording through the water the other day a few times might have toasted the alternator and I have two problems, a wheel speed sensor issue that occurs randomly and the alternator dying. But who knows, it could be anything such as the new battery being a POS.

Either way, it's unfortunate they put the alternator way below the max fording line. I didn't measure how deep the water was, but it was higher than the hub, but shallower than the top of the bumper. Does it sound like the alternator could be shorting out or maybe its the new battery?

 

[powershift]

are you deliberately out trying to create drama? You want no drama? Go into the woods camping on a Honda XR660 or Suzuki DR650. Dunno, battery? It's an old vehicle, beat it in the bush and this is what happens. It takes a lot to make a reliable trail rig.

No, ktm525 I'm not trying to create drama. Why do you ask?

 

[ftillier]

The fact that things started going badly when you hit bumps seems to me to point to a loose connection somewhere. Perhaps internally to the battery? Did you by chance check voltage at the battery terminals when the issue arose?

 

[powershift]

The fact that things started going badly when you hit bumps seems to me to point to a loose connection somewhere. Perhaps internally to the battery? Did you by chance check voltage at the battery terminals when the issue arose?

I did, the voltage was 12.8V when the ignition wouldn't turn on. The problem does seem related to bumps in a big way. I'm going to drop the skid plate tomorrow and check the electrical connections. I like the internally shorting battery idea, it makes great sense and pretty exciting lol.

 

[ktm525]

No, ktm525 I'm not trying to create drama. Why do you ask?

One drama to the next I guess. Anyhow I cruise the backwoods all the time in things ranging from an old Corolla to the LR3/4s on street tires. Just take it easy and things don't break, even on cars. My LR4 is currently sitting on 20" Defenders and I have not come close to ruining them "off road". Just take it easy and perhaps reduce the rammy factor? In all the pics you posted there was no excuse to ruin sidewalls in that terrain. That's basically just forest service roads.

 

[ftillier]

Could be a tire defect, one of our Nokian tires delaminated and scuttled my plans to get 18s.

 

[f1racer328]

The OEM continentals are absolutely awful though. They wear out absurdly fast, and are not great off road.