Adam Miller
Active Member
2010 6.2
Background info
A couple months ago I had the third brake light issue with Hill Descent Control warning. Also, when the lights were on I would get that Hill Descent Control fault and cruise control would not work. If I turned the truck off and back on again without turning on the lights, I could use cruise. I ordered the GJ Motorsport/Baja Designs replacement which finally arrived a week ago and I installed it last weekend. (Well, the grey connector is plugged in, the harness is run to the passenger kick panel, and I did attach the ground terminal to a frame bolt. I haven't hooked the ambers into the Aux switch yet.) I have driven the car several times and close to 100 miles since, all without any issue whatsoever. I was able to use the lights and cruise control together.
The new problem/symptoms
This morning I got the Hill Descent Control fault and the radio shut off (I think there was some other dash warning too). I stopped at a light, shut it off, and restarted the truck but the warning(s) persist--gauge cluster works but nothing else electrical does. Tail/brake lights, signals, emergency flashers, power windows, stereo and display are all off. The truck with start and run perfectly. However, I can't shift out of Park. I was dead in the water, trying to arrange roadside assistance until I figured out how to yank the center console and manually release the shifter lock, so I was able to drive it home (again, without any lights).
Where to look?
I'm fairly mechanically inclined and do a lot of work, especially on my motorcycles, but less adept with electrics. My instincts say the possible culprits could be brake switch/transmission interlock, fuse or relay, short in a wire somewhere, bad or corroded connector, or bad module. But where to begin. Can someone help me narrow things down?
Background info
A couple months ago I had the third brake light issue with Hill Descent Control warning. Also, when the lights were on I would get that Hill Descent Control fault and cruise control would not work. If I turned the truck off and back on again without turning on the lights, I could use cruise. I ordered the GJ Motorsport/Baja Designs replacement which finally arrived a week ago and I installed it last weekend. (Well, the grey connector is plugged in, the harness is run to the passenger kick panel, and I did attach the ground terminal to a frame bolt. I haven't hooked the ambers into the Aux switch yet.) I have driven the car several times and close to 100 miles since, all without any issue whatsoever. I was able to use the lights and cruise control together.
The new problem/symptoms
This morning I got the Hill Descent Control fault and the radio shut off (I think there was some other dash warning too). I stopped at a light, shut it off, and restarted the truck but the warning(s) persist--gauge cluster works but nothing else electrical does. Tail/brake lights, signals, emergency flashers, power windows, stereo and display are all off. The truck with start and run perfectly. However, I can't shift out of Park. I was dead in the water, trying to arrange roadside assistance until I figured out how to yank the center console and manually release the shifter lock, so I was able to drive it home (again, without any lights).
Where to look?
I'm fairly mechanically inclined and do a lot of work, especially on my motorcycles, but less adept with electrics. My instincts say the possible culprits could be brake switch/transmission interlock, fuse or relay, short in a wire somewhere, bad or corroded connector, or bad module. But where to begin. Can someone help me narrow things down?
