After reading a ton of these threads (you guys are amazing!) it seems I have a vacuum leak. I only get air out of the defrost and my cruise control doesn’t work.

There was a hose loose that appeared to have, at one time, gone under the driver side battery. When I took out the battery – there was a rubber cap sitting there like it had been pulled off the hose. Re-capping the hose has not fixed my issue.

Do I need to remove the battery tray to be able to find out where that hose should really go?

Thank you all for your help.

 

The hose went to your cruise control actuator. Very common for battery acid to eat the hose.
Replace the hose but remember than the actuator might might also be shot from acid and leak.

 

Thank you - so is it under the battery box?

 

Yup! Right where the acid from those nasty conventional batteries drips down from the tray.
You ARE going to replace those batts with Optima's while you have them out right?
PO of my truck had both bats leaking and spewing acid down each fender and it screwed up the paint. The acid also dripped on the shock sensors for the airbag system... You'll see them, they are the corroded little sensors mounted on triangular plates directly below each battery.

K.

 

That is what actually started my whole mess. Went out one morning and my truck wouldn’t start. My dad – trying to helpful – ran over to my house while I was at work and took out the batteries and the started. He had the batteries tested and they were bad – so I have new ones (yes – the good ones) . Since the starter was already out, and having read all the threads about the solenoid - I ordered the re-build kit and did that part my self (not too bad for a girl). I was VERY glad I did – one of the connectors was paper-thin. After that put everything back together (oh yea – had to replace the fuse) and truck starts great! My toes are a little tired of being cold….

 

Well - now my 4WD doesn't work and I am getting a P0753 code. Any chance this is all related??

 

Kinda don't think so...
I would clear the code and see if it was only a fluke...

Double check and see if you pinched any wires during you work on the starter. Then double check you vacuum hoses (some models used vaccum to activate the 4x4)