happened 2 days ago to my parents truck. my mom was driving and suddenly she got a dashboard christmas tree and lost power to everything. she turned it off and waited a few minutes and it restarted. she drove home the few miles she had made it and parked the truck. since then it will not start at all. turn the key and NOTHING.

initially we thought it was a low or dead battery as lights were dim and the power seats,windows and locks all would not work. we charged the battery on a trickle charger overnight and the next day most of the powered things worked but the truck will still not crank or even "CLICK" at the starter. it is as if the ignition system is dead.

again truck is a 06 with 55k miles.

any ideas?

 

Don't have drawings to work from, but a number of the newer models go into immobilization if battery dies while alarm is armed. Don't know if you were charging inside a garage or locked up outside. Does battery read about 12.6 now even with head lights on, charger disconnected?

 

ill have to get back over there to find out. headlights do come on and are bright.

it has the correct model interstate battery under the hood but i am not sure if interstate was the OEM supplier to RR.

is there a alarm trip or reset button that might need to be switched in order to start the truck?

it was odd how my mom managed to start and drive it and within a few miles it was dead and powerless.

 

Indeed strange. Might be related to battery in remote key, some models use a signal from a coil around the ignition switch to have a signal sent from the "authorized" key that it is OK to start. I have heard if you are swapping that battery (like at Walmart), you have about ten seconds once battery removed before memory fades and dealer visit for programming is required. Should show how to do this in owner's manual.

There is usually an inertia switch under the hood that triggers on a really hard hit, it disables fuel pump usually.

Without wiring diagram you might use a meter to check fuses and fuse links in any underhood fuse box.

 

This sounds like a bad battery Joe, like a dead cell or three.
It has enough power to do the lights and junk but not enough to turn the engine over.
Interstate is the OEM battery for most so it is very conceivable that it is the original battery and being 6 yrs old it is at the end of its life.
I'd trow a new battery in just for poops and giggles.

 

+1 it needs a new battery

 

battery checked out ok.

pressed the reset switch under the dash and the car fired up. ran for about 15sec and then dies.

and again and again. longest it ran was about 2min at idle but very rough. any attempt to rev the engine results in it stalling out. on a car with many more miles then 55k i would say it sounds like a faulty fuel filter and or pump.


ideas?

 

Immobilization could be a culprit too. Lots of cars will do that (Die after a few second), Dodge, Ford, GM, etc. when the chip in the key is not synced properly.

 

RR will not start just click with a security issue. With all the issues it sounds like a Can problem. Are you getting any messages on the instrument cluster?

 

can? do tell