I think my truck got hit by lightning last nite?

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by truckerdave1970, Aug 11, 2009.

  1. truckerdave1970

    truckerdave1970 On Probation

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    About 2330 last nite, I had just went to bed and was watching a really severe T-storm roll in at the T/A in Sayre, OK. I just layed down when I was blinded by a flash, and scared stupid by the thunder and the truck jumped like someone ran into me, all at the same time! The truck motor kinda coughed, sputtered and died. After I changed my shorts, I got the truck restarted, but now I have no coolant temp. gauge, oil pressure reads 0, no tach, no speedo, hours meter and odometer displays just dashs(- - - - -) and my AM/FM wont work.oh and various faults on the dash (J 1939) and the road realy computer seems frozen as well. But I am driving the truck now, wouldnt you know it, the #### speed limiter is still working (64 mph, look out,I got a fast truck).
    My question to all the experts out there is: none of this happened before the lightning, is it possible I got hit, and how do they fix it, and will I continue to have more problems in the future b/c of this?
    btw, there was another truck parked next to me with tow truck trying to start him. his truck died same as mine. The tow truck driver says the T/A in Sayre, OK always has bad lightning storms and he had been out there several times for this problem.
     
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  3. FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY

    FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY Light Load Member

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    it usually takes out the ecm and ecus when this happens. its still running so thats a plus. we had one get hit by lighting and had to replace every ecu and ecm on it. if its a freightliner, the fuse panal behind the drivers seat should have a fuse marked data. check to make sure that fuse is not blown. your data link (j-1939) is down so none of the computers on the truck are talking to each other. also the am/fm might be a blowed fuse too
     
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  4. truckerdave1970

    truckerdave1970 On Probation

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    well, i checked the fuses, everything looks good there. now what?
     
  5. kkburr73

    kkburr73 Light Load Member

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    I was going to say the same thing. Im sure your ecm and ecu was effected.
     
  6. FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY

    FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY Light Load Member

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    it could have fried a computer or shorted out one of the resistors in the j-1939 data link. the engine is still running but dash is not working then i am leaning towards the dash being defective..
     
  7. truckerdave1970

    truckerdave1970 On Probation

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    The service writer tells me that "the computers aren't talking to each other" which is why some of the gauges are not working. They think the problem is pretty severe so they need to put a specialist on the job to hopefully fix it by tommorow.
    Maybe they should have had the specialist on it 1st. They just wasted the last 7 hrs of my day and now I wont be able to get home this weekend. oh well, that's trucking, I guess.
    I keep updating this as I find out more info.
     
  8. leannamarie

    leannamarie "California Girl"

    Good thing you were safely inside your truck. What an experience.
     
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  9. CURTWAYNE

    CURTWAYNE Medium Load Member

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    Of the few trucks I've known to be struck by lightning, they were D.O.A., fried the comptuers. So, if you are still able to run, it must not be that bad. The others had to be towed back, they wouldn't start.
     
  10. truckerdave1970

    truckerdave1970 On Probation

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    well...I am done for the day! tech says they cant even get the ECM to communicate with their diagnostic computer. They need more time to figure it out. lloks like the ECM is fried.
     
  11. Ridgerunner665

    Ridgerunner665 Road Train Member

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    Sounds like it wasnt a direct hit...a bolt of lightening electrically charges the air for several yards in every direction.

    Had a bolt strike about 40 yards away from me when I was a kid, it wasn't even storming. I was planting corn (by hand) and when it hit it knocked me down and nearly knocked me out...it struck the fence, cut it into sections about a foot long for several hundred feet in both directions.

    Good thing you were in the truck...
     
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