Pete 389 weird electrical glitch?

Discussion in 'Heavy Duty Diesel Truck Mechanics Forum' started by dirthaller, Aug 1, 2025.

  1. dirthaller

    dirthaller Road Train Member

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    2014 389. Went outside this morning, unlocked passenger door and warning chime started like I had just turned the key on or left headlights on.
    Walked around to driver side, put key in ignition and before I turned it, I noticed the dash was lit up like the key was in the on position. Started the truck and volt gauge on dash wasn’t working, idiot light on……meter was reading about 13.5 at the battery. Shut truck off, unplugged alternator still lit up dash. Wiggled ignition switch back and forth….working normal. Removed positive battery cable..dash went blank of course. Rehooked battery and alternator now problem gone! Truck is normal.
     
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  3. Big Road Skateboard

    Big Road Skateboard Road Train Member

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  4. dirthaller

    dirthaller Road Train Member

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    No not at all
     
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  5. 062

    062 Road Train Member

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    Most likely a module didn’t shutdown completely and when you unhooked the batteries it had no choice.
     
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  6. Banker

    Banker Road Train Member

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    My 2015 389 Glider that I have owned since it was brand new had issues occasionally with the odometer section of that gauge cluster going out. It would always come back on after the truck was turned off and it reset itself. Only one time I can remember it also did what yours was doing with the door chime roughly a year or so ago. I don’t recall doing anything to correct it and it hasn’t done it again. That doesn’t help you fix the problem but maybe yours will just go away like mine seems to have done. If it had stayed on I would have had to find the problem.
     
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  7. Diesel Dave

    Diesel Dave Last Few of the OUTLAWS

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    I had an issue couple of years back on my 2014, the instrumental dash lights wouldn’t come on. Checked the fuses and all was good. I was told to cycle the key several times(10). I did and everything went back to normal.
     
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  8. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    I had exact thing happen to me on my 386 . Unhooked battery like u did and went away. Never happened again. I also had the odometer glitch like banker just mentioned. Same solution , unhook battery to reset it
     
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  9. dirthaller

    dirthaller Road Train Member

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    That odometer glitch has happened to me a dozen times. Once, I was driving in the rain with my headlights on and when it got dark, I noticed my dash lights didn’t work. I pulled over, shut the engine down, waited a few minutes, turned the key on then started the truck…..fixed it and it never happened before or since.
     
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  10. dirthaller

    dirthaller Road Train Member

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    I forgot to mention that when I started it the first time this morning and the volt gauge didn’t work, the amp gauge indicated it WAS charging. I hope it’s just that….a glitch….stupid multiplex dashboard anyway!
     
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  11. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    Maybe another place to check is the cab grounds, specifically the one that grounds the cab to the engine block. On my 389 it goes to a lug near the starter.. I had a lot of weird glitches with the dash, a lot of weird symptoms that made it seem like computer was going our. Long story short after many hours of frustration, @Goodysnap pointed me in the direction of the cab grounds and that's wat it ended up being. Might be a good place to look if u keep having problems in the future
     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2025
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