Riddle me This-Loss of Power

My wife took the truck on a solo road trip. She calls me and says she hears a clunk clunk noise from the wheel. Pulls into a shop and mech says wheel lugs are loose. Ok. Tightens all four and she's off. That evening she uses the brights and all the lights went out on the dash. Then the truck wouldn't start. Battery tested fine. Wouldn't jump. No power still/ no codes. Next morning wouldn't start. No power at all. Had her reset the battery by taking off the neg terminal for 15 min. Still no start or power. Then she decides to put the shifter into gear, then back to park and bingo it starts!! What gives? Have her check fuses now? No codes? Any input is greatly appreciated. I recently replaced bulbs with after market leds and things have been a little strange after that.

JR in Santa Cruz

 

Sounds like a bad ground somewhere... but how did she go to R? Just curious.. no power = no shift..

Edit: check the studs on the wheel that had loose lugs. When they're slightly damaged they will loosen on their own. I had a damaged stud and lost 3 lugs before I replaced the stud.

 

Yeah....I got that your telling us what the issue is.... but what year truck, trim, miles and any mods? All of this is helpful and without it we could be talking about anything. I'm giving you shit, but a proper introduction would have handled all of this. Welcome from TX

 

Yes, you are right TXT. I forgot to include the background. I am on toddler duty today. 2012 Base DC 4x4 w/ 2.5" lift on fresh Bilsteins all around. 165K. diff spacer. The aftermarket LEDS and heat diffuser deals are suspect. The dreaded ground wire. What about the brake switch actuator near the brake pedal? Found a couple videos of guys unable to shift but could start. The wife still has the truck in a small town without parts stores and no one has a OBD. I think a code should pop. Thanks for your help all.

 

She can try to start it with the ebrake engaged and she will be able to shift out of P without touching the brake pedal.

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)! Good luck finding the issue, and please post updates and the resolution. This is some weird stuff!

 

Thank you for your input. I will try that. I wonder if it is a short (like you suggested) off one of the highbeam aftermarket wires. She said it all went to hell after using the highbeams. I dunno. It started a few times yesterday but when she went to move the truck before bed time still no power/no start.

 

Does it cut out when turning the key? Or no power period?

 

So this morning she asks an electrician and he takes a look at the positive terminal and says it was loose. Tightened it up and the truck started right up. Good grief. She said she checked the terminals with a wrench and it was fine the day before. Easy fix thanks for all the help everyone! Don't speak so soon?

 

That was my next suggestion.. wiggling the terminals.. mine does it constantly, so I'm sorta familiar with issues like that... glad you got it fixed... you gotta really tighten it to the point that its never coming off.

 

Good advice. Yeah. I've had the truck for 6 years and never had a loose pos terminal. Had it happen a lot on my 06 Tundra. The copper is soooo soft I hate to crank on it but I guess you have to eh?

 

Well it took six years to get loose. I still wouldn’t over tighten it to the point where it stretches. And I read it like this. I’ve had the truck for 6 years and never had a loose “piece of shit” terminal