What are the most common electrical problems in HD trucks?

As heavy-duty diesel truck owners, we know that electrical issues can be a pain. Your diesel engine is an incredibly complex piece of equipment, and heavy-duty trucks typically require some pretty advanced diesel mechanics. If you were to try and repair your diesel electrical system on your own, not only would it take you a significant amount of time (which could end up causing damage if the problem isn't resolved immediately), but there is no way for you to determine what is going wrong inside of your engine compartment; this will require more than just replacing a part or two and hoping the rest works - and these days, diesel engines are so technologically advanced that simple component changes may not even fix the problem at hand. This means that, unless you’ve got a  diesel mechanic with the proper training and equipment hiding in the back of your garage, you’ll need to take your heavy-duty truck to a diesel repair shop that has the equipment and specialized technicians (hint: that the guys at JE-CO Truck & Trailer).

Below, we have included a list of the 5 biggest heavy-duty diesel electrical issues:

#1: Malfunctioning glow plugs.

One of the simplest issues you might face with your diesel truck will be malfunctioning glow plugs, which allow your diesel engine to get started when it's cold outside by heating up the element inside each cylinder so that diesel fuel will combust. If you experience difficulty starting your diesel engine, you might first check to see if your glow plugs aren't working properly and need to be replaced.

#2: Dead batteries.

If your heavy-duty diesel truck is equipped with a diesel-electric starter, then battery issues are going to pose an even greater problem for you than they do for drivers of diesel engines without diesel starters. The reason that diesel-electric starters pose such a big issue is that they draw power from the same battery as everything else in your truck – including lights, wipers, heater/AC components – and this makes it much easier for electrical problems to develop here. Fortunately, our professional technicians at JE-CO Truck & Trailer can provide heavy-duty diesel truck owners in the Denver, Colorado area with diesel-electric starter repair services.

#3: Poor battery life.

Depending on how often you use your diesel engine, the size of your diesel-electric starting battery, and whether or not it is maintained properly, diesel batteries may last between 12 months and three years. If your diesel battery's life is running short, it might be time to replace the diesel battery.

#4: Diesel fuel pump failure.

When heavy-duty diesel truck owners in the Denver, Colorado, area experience diesel fuel pump failure, it's due to one of two things: either there is a diesel engine electrical issue at hand or diesel fuel pump wear and tear has caused too much friction between the diesel fuel pump gears. Either way, when diesel fuel pumps fail, this will result in starting issues. Diesel-electric starters also rely on diesel fuel pumps to work properly, so if your diesel-electric starter isn't working because your diesel fuel pump has failed then you will need to call us right away.

#5: Headlights that aren't lighting up the road ahead.

Since we typically use our headlights whenever we drive at night or drive through foggy/rainy conditions, we don't think of these as heavy-duty diesel truck electrical problems. Unfortunately, headlight issues will become a problem for heavy-duty diesel truck owners, and the reason they pose such an issue is that these lights are completely necessary to drive safely at night or in weather conditions where you can't see very far ahead; this means that not only will poor headlights make it difficult for you to see your surroundings as well as they should be visible (potentially resulting in accidents), but it could also mean that oncoming traffic won't be able to see your truck's turn signals or brake lights either – which definitely poses a big issue. If turning on your headlights doesn't help increase their brightness and visibility on the road ahead, you might need to replace your heavy-duty truck's diesel headlight bulb.

Final Thoughts

Here at JE-CO Truck & Trailer, our heavy-duty truck electrical repairs are carried out by ASE certified mechanics who have experience in  heavy-duty electric issues and diesel engine parts. Sure, electrical problems aren’t usually the first things we think about when it comes to truck repair , but these vehicles are heavily reliant on electronics and do face electrical issues due to the wear and tear of everyday use. 

As a result of this, electrical issues can arise in any one of your big rig's diesel engine compartments – including the main compartment, where your batteries are located. When you choose JE-CO Truck & Trailer for your Denver area's heavy-duty truck repair needs, you can be sure that we will provide heavy-duty truck owners with diesel engine electrical repairs as quickly and as affordable as possible.

Click here to find our contact information.