I have a remote starter so with it being cold I'll start my truck from the house. Occasionally after my truck starts it just dies. The other day I was shoveling snow and I heard a very bad sound come from under the hood - then the truck died. I jumped in it, restarted it - and the noise came again - all electronics in the truck shut off and the truck died. It seemed to coincide with when the grid heaters came on. The noise sounds like a really fast, really loud click. It warmed up today and hasn't happened since. Any ideas on where to look? Nothing looks out of place under the hood and the batteries are fairly new.

 

A couple of weak batteries? Is it possible when the grids light up, it pulls down so much amperage that the truck stalls? It would seem like a possibility, although I've never heard of it happening.

 

Computers don't like voltage drops. Sounds like the computer that you installed for the remote start is responding to low voltage, from the cold, possibly low batteries, and the drain of the grid heater. Do you have to turn the truck off with the fob, and then start it with the key? In other words, the remote start also shuts the engine down. It sounds like the low voltage is telling it to shut down.

 

I could agree with this if I didn't hear a weird noise under the hood. Aren't there big relays somewhere for the grid heaters? Is there anyway they could ground out - thus causing a direct connection from positive battery to ground? That would cause the voltage drop for sure. Although it only happens when it is in the 20's outside.

My batteries are only a year old and will cycle through the grid heaters manually several times and still start the truck with no issues - so I don't suspect the batteries. I guess I could also pull them and have them load tested just to be sure - no harm in that.

 

grid heater relays are small and quiet, highly unlikely you heard them.

AC cycling will make loud click, AC cycles if vent selector is in defrost

 

This wasn't the AC cycling, I'm familiar with that sound. I just have to wait for a cold day and start testing I guess. It won't do it now that its warmed up a bit. Gremlins I guess.

 

the first time mine did the three cyl idle this winter, it almost died, maybe that's what happening

 

What was the temps when it was happening and are you treating your fuel with PS or some other anti-gel?