Freightliner starts by itself...
08-08-2018, (Subject: Freightliner starts by itself... ) 
Post: #1
Freightliner starts by itself...
My buddy has a 2000 Freightliner FLD Condo, Cummins N-14. The truck while sitting parked with the key in the ignition, not running, no one near the truck, and the darn thing just starts turning over. The starter just starts turning and turning and turning. First time it did this my buddy pulled the battery cables, the batteries actually started on fire. This was at a shipper, the truck was parked, not running in the lot, he was just coming back to the truck from the office.

The second time, truck was off, he was chaining down a coil when the truck started. He had his bar so he got under the hood and smacked the solenoid on the starter with it and that shut down the starter.

I have never heard of this, other than on a car with one of those aftermarket car starters. he said there was nothing like that on his truck. What do you guys think?

Oh, it has an ignition for the key, and is started with the old style button on the dash. I'm thinking a faulty ignition switch. But still cannot wrap my head around how this would happen. Any ideas?
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08-08-2018, (Subject: Freightliner starts by itself... ) 
Post: #2
RE: Freightliner starts by itself...
I've seen this problem many times. Check the starter solenoid on the passenger side firewall first. Replace it. They're cheap and easy enough to do. Then before you even say job done to test it, go down to the starter and make sure the wires aren't touching each other or another post on the starter solenoid itself. Do yourselves the favor and just get dirty and pull the wiring off the starter solenoid to inspect them. You shouldn't have to pull the starter to do this. Just make sure you make note of what wire came off which post. Guys misinstall and over turn the nuts on the posts which cause them to rotate onto other wires and posts.

Lastly if your problem isn't cured then chase down the button switch. Its rare to have the swotch fail to cranking. Usually it fails to no crank.
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 Thanks given by: Waterloo , Signature620
08-08-2018, (Subject: Freightliner starts by itself... ) 
Post: #3
RE: Freightliner starts by itself...
I had it and my friend had.
Both was short wires from starter relay ./uploads/201808/post_1794_1533785257_58cedef6ace1af43779cf011069ce0df.jpg
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 Thanks given by: Rawze




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