2002 Sahara Safari 40' no start or dash lights

Unfortunately it seems like half of the new/one item posters never come back... even when they were not flamed. At least he came back seven times although getting the suggestion of it being the starter solenoid would make me wonder why I asked on here.

Did this get figured out yet? Ok curious to know what it was.

It's not the starter solenoid. Did you find the boost switch on the dash and did holding it down help... at least dash lights? Do you have 12V on the large red cables in the front run box... outside below your feet?

Near the engine batteries you should have a battery disconnect switch. Do you have 12V on both sides of this switch. If not, does manually turning it ON/Off several times make any difference? All the way CW (to the right) is on.

What if anything did you work on between it working and not working?

On my coach, there is an automatic reset circuit breaker mounted on the outside of the left rear frame rail directly across from the Allison transmission. If that circuit breaker doesn't reset and is faulty, I have absolutely NO power to the dash lights and obviously no power to the starting circuit either.

I'm guessing that you have a circuit breaker somewhere in that starting circuit that is not resetting. I called Freightliner, who in turn, referred me to Tiffin to get the location of that circuit breaker.

Tiffin techs knew exactly where the circuit breaker was and identified it as a 40-50 amp breaker. I would call your mfr with Vin# and see if they can help.

Also, this circuit breaker had a 6 gauge wire attached to each post on the breaker(battery to starter) but also had about a 14 gauge wire attached to one side. I am assuming that this is the wire that powers up the dash lights. I hope this helps.

mcgyverdc wrote:
Ok, will try but why would the starter solenoid affect the dash lights etc?

It won't. Nor the headlights either.
Given the symptoms, that is bad advice.

Since the headlights don't work either.......
One of the major power cables has failed, probably at one of the connection points or there is a "main" fuseable link that is loose or blown. OR the battery has a bad connection inside. You must do your voltage tests with things (ignition and lights) turned ON.

And you still haven't addressed this:
IF there is a corroded connection at one (or more) of the battery posts, it is possible to measure good voltage on the actual battery posts but NO CURRENT WILL BE FLOWING OUT TO THE CABLES.

Turn the ignition switch ON and the headlights. Measure the voltage from the negative battry CABLE to the positive CABLE.
That is the actual cable connector....NOT the battery posts.

If that turns out OK, then you need to physically trace both the positive and negative cables to see where they go and measure the voltage at each connection point. Common routing takes the negative cable to a ground bolt on the starter and the positive cable to the starter solenoid; then a smaller wire goes from there to the main fuse and fuse box......usually.

I'm done. I really think you need professional help.

Deleted. Duplicate.

Deleted. duplicate.

Ok, will try but why would the starter solenoid affect the dash lights etc? only thing the solenoid would do is engage to send power to the starter, right? I have nothing at all on the dash which leads me to suspect that somewhere between the starter batteries and the dash/ignition switch/starter there is a fuse or something blown. That is what I am trying to find! ;-)

WILDEBILL308 wrote:
Most likely It is the starter solenoid. Try this push and hold the "AUX BATT" switch to join the battery's together. You should get power to the dash and it should start.
Bill

That would be my guess also.

No headlights.....