TIL a bad ground on a 2005 Freightliner can mimic a failing ECM

Chased a no-start for 3 hours on a washout site near Amarillo. Truck would crank but not fire. Threw parts at it - fuel filter, CPS sensor. Turned out a ground strap behind the driver side battery tray was rotted clean off. One new cable and it fired right up. Has anyone else wasted a day on something that simple?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jason15d ago

Three hours seems steep for a ground check though, half that time with a multimeter and you're done lol. I've seen guys chase ghosts for way too long but that's on them.

skyler_anderson6515d ago

Don't forget to check your multimeter's battery first though, right? That's another hour of your life you'll never get back. I swear half the time I'm chasing a ghost, it's the tool that's broken, not the truck. But hey, three hours of cussing at a dead Freightliner builds character or whatever they say. Glad you got it sorted, but man, ground straps are the sneakiest little jerks in the whole damn truck.