I am looking at buying a 99 short box from my Dad. Here's the problems. He was pulling a trailer with it when stuff just quit working. The power windows won't work, power seats won't work, it won't start with the key, the temp/trip comp console quit working and some other gauges on the dash all quit working at the same time. A shop checked the computer and supposedly it's fine. What could possibly be the problem? Hopefully, it's a pretty easy fix.

Right now he has some sort of switch that bypasses some stuff so most of it works. But if I buy it I would want it fixed right. Sorry if I am a little vague on the details as I have not dug into it much yet to see what the problem might be. Just looking for directions to start looking or see if it's a common problem on 99's.

 

WOW With that many things that stop working I would have to think its some kind of ground problem. What do ya think guys.

 

Start with simple stuff...

• Check you fuses. In the cab and under the hood.
• Check you grounds. There are several ground located in the cab and outside the cab.
• Check main connection points. Bulkhead connectors etc.
• You try and see about getting the error codes read... It might give you a clue..

Just my 5 cents for the morning...

 

Theres something called an auto shutdown relay , I'm not sure if you have [ most dodge/cry have had then for some years now ]one ,just a nother thing to look for .

 

Thanks for the help guys. At least that get's an idea of where to start.
I am new to this site and if I get this truck I will probably be back. Thanks for the quick help.

 

I had some really wierd electrical problems with my truck when I bought it. Seat belts wouldn't release untill I turned the key, cargo light came on only when I turned on my stereo reguarless of the headlight switch position. I found a screw that holds the drivers side sill cover on was ran right through the wire bundle that runs under it, cutting and shorting 5 different wires.

 

Well, I went to pick the truck up this morning to see what was wrong with it. We looked at the fuses under the hood and I pulled one of the relays out and the contacts looked clean. So we started it with the push button starter that he has wired in and then we noticed that everything was working. So we shut it off and started it normally with the key and everything is working. I drove it all day today and not a single hitch. I thought older Fords were the only trucks that healed themselves.

Anyway, I am going to spend the next couple of days going over the electrical in hopes of finding what is really wrong. I am glad that it's working fine now but I want to keep it working fine rather than being stuck somewhere with things dead again.

 

How do I go about getting codes? I read in another thread here that you can get codes by cycling the key 3 times to get codes to show up on the odometer. Can you do this with a 99?

Or, I guess, I could just read the manual (RTFM)

 

Nope... You got to got to Autozone, or somewhere that has a ODB reader... Sorry the key trick is ony for 2000+ models...

 

Not quite correct, the key trick works for every model back to '94 except '98 & '99.

 

Well, that's just my luck.

 

Ok... I stand corrected... Feeling kinda dumb... Oh well still learning though!

 

Don't feel dumb.
I almost started beating my head against a wall trying to get codes out of a '98 before I found out the key trick doesn't work.
Was told it has something to do with the switch over from 12 to 24 valve being off and on schedule, DC never knew exactly which engine was going to be in those two years till the last minute.