Help. My daghter has a 2002 F 250 psd. I went looking for a dead battery problem. I checked the alternator and it is only puting out 12.4 volts but here is a strange symptom, when I turn the ignition switch to the on position all the dash gauges peg out for a moment. I started pulling fuses to see which on would stop this and it turned out to be the power point 3rd row. I reinstalled the fuse and it would not do it again. This is the 2nd alternator in a year could there be a connection? Also I am not sure if the gauges did this with the 1st alternator. Thanks in advance for your help
Hgall

 

Check out where the gauges are grounded to, I also have a 02' PSD and on the passenger side of the truck there is a ground strap (cheap one at that) that runs from frame to the body. I replaced this strap with a copper strap. This may be your problem (hope so). Check it out

 

My 02 done the gauge thing the first time I had the batteries unhooked and then hooked them back up. I would guess that it's resetting everything. Don't know about your alternator problems.

 

What kind of gauges are they? My Autometer gauges do that as a function of calibration each time they are powered up.

 

If you've unhooked the battery that is perfectly normal. I disconnect the negative on my battery all the time to do things to my truck, and when I hook it back up and turn on the key the guages go nuts. Unless this is happening all the time, I wouldn't worry about it since it's normal for the guages to do this when you hook up the battery again.

Terry

 

Thanks for the everyones help. I knew the alternator was not putting out. I think the advise about the batteries being unhooked is solid. They were not unhooked but were pretty low. The Ford dealer installed a new alternator free of charge as it was only 5 months old and the gauges quit acting up. Again thanks all.