FOrd F150 1994 Electrical nightmare

[Buddog]

My 94 Ford F150, she has 200,000 miles and runs great. But I am having lots of irritating electrical problems I do not know if the problems are related or old Bessie is just getting old and cranky.
The windshield wiper motor will only start when it feels like it(occasionally). The headlights(both of them) flicker on and off at will, after a little fiddling with the knob they will ussually come back on and stay on.
The radio has been going off for months now and will stay off for about 20-30 minutes and then start again. When it does this if you turn the truck off and restart the radio will work again.
The truck also runs out of gas when the guage says it has a quarter tank.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Buddog

[w8crz]

I would say have you codes pulled and see where that leads you first. It sounds like a major electrical component has failed.

[mustangmike351c]

check the by the starter solenoid were all the power wires hook together, clean them up, thats more than likely were the problem is.

[97Bird]

Any chance your truck has been near salt water? Electrical connections will start to corrode over time leading to poor connections. When your headlights start to flicker you might notice that the headlight switch is getting very warm. Check the connections to all the things you are having problems with. Replacing the headlight switch might be in order.

[jjracing]

my 94 f150 when driving seems to charge ok but when you stop it drops way down lights get dim etc. can't find problem, any ideas.

[catback23]

Originally Posted by w8crz

I would say have you codes pulled and see where that leads you first. It sounds like a major electrical component has failed.

You don't get codes thrown for electrical non-engine problems.

Like already advised start checking your connections from the battery, to the starter, to the cab...I ran into a similar issue with a old '84 chevy that had the headlights go out, radio sometimes stop working, and eventually the ignition would stop working and kept blowing a power accessory fuse when it did work. Turned out to be a bad power connection from the starter going to the cab, this truck had two and one failed in the end before I found and fixed it. Old trucks that see all kinds of weather and work conditions tend to develop electrical issues like your having, it helps to be handy with electrical or know someone who is.