Lightning Strike

PBRADO · August 18, 2009

Hello, has anyone here ever heard of a nearby lightning strike screwing up a trucks computer. Today we had our usual afternoon thunderstorm pass through, and lightning fried my tv and several other things in our house. My truck was running fine when I came home from work and parked in the garage, but after the storm I went to start the truck and it won't start. It spins over, tries to start and goes dead, but the starter stays engaged and it keeps turning. Has anybody seen this before?

ShoddyHog · August 18, 2009

Hello, has anyone here ever heard of a nearby lightning strike screwing up a trucks computer. Today we had our usual afternoon thunderstorm pass through, and lightning fried my tv and several other things in our house. My truck was running fine when I came home from work and parked in the garage, but after the storm I went to start the truck and it won't start. It spins over, tries to start and goes dead, but the starter stays engaged and it keeps turning. Has anybody seen this before?

Might try disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes to see if it resets your trim tables.

Lightning didn't hurt my GTO, but it did make my camera memory card think it was full when it wasn't. I'm sure it could mess up a ECM.

fbachman · August 18, 2009

Sounds like your house took a direct hit. Happened yo me some years ago. Lost a pooter, a TV, cordless phones, etc..

I suppose it could nail an ECM. I mean, the military has been dorking with EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) weapons for some time, the idea being that a well placed EMP would knock out electronics all over the place and cause general may-hem.

Seems plausible. As indicated above, try a battery cable pull to see if you can get it to re-boot.

Sounds like a Myth-Busters episode in the making....

PBRADO · August 18, 2009

Thanks for the advice, I tried the battery reset but no luck. I guess I'll have to take it to the dealer, thats always fun.

superjim · August 18, 2009

Thanks for the advice, I tried the battery reset but no luck. I guess I'll have to take it to the dealer, thats always fun.

I probably wouldn't mention the lightning strike if I wanted the warranty to cover it.

cliobogger · August 18, 2009

I mean, the military has been dorking with EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) weapons for some time, the idea being that a well placed EMP would knock out electronics all over the place and cause general may-hem.

you have no idea...

ShoddyHog · August 18, 2009

Thanks for the advice, I tried the battery reset but no luck. I guess I'll have to take it to the dealer, thats always fun.

I probably wouldn't mention the lightning strike if I wanted the warranty to cover it.

Yeah, I didn't even think about that, but I bet homeowners would cover it with the other damage. Still, if I had to put some money down, I bet they just flash in a stock tune, and she'll start right up. That's nothing more than flash memory, and I already know an EMP will play hell with it.

Nick The Great · August 18, 2009

Thanks for the advice, I tried the battery reset but no luck. I guess I'll have to take it to the dealer, thats always fun.

I probably wouldn't mention the lightning strike if I wanted the warranty to cover it.

Yeah, I didn't even think about that, but I bet homeowners would cover it with the other damage. Still, if I had to put some money down, I bet they just flash in a stock tune, and she'll start right up. That's nothing more than flash memory, and I already know an EMP will play hell with it.

That's my guess. My thoughts are the disconnect will work though. I wouldn't think a nearby strike would fWonk up your computers too bad.

Good luck

Bowtie2Sierra · August 18, 2009

I mean, the military has been dorking with EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) weapons for some time, the idea being that a well placed EMP would knock out electronics all over the place and cause general may-hem.

you have no idea...

Isn't that what they used in Ocean's 11 to knock out the power in the casinos?

Spurshot · August 18, 2009

I'm with Frank. EMP/EMI from the strike. Had to be pretty close. Makes you wonder about driving in the middle of nowhere with one of these trucks, when a truck quiting could be life-threatening....

If GM had half a brain, these systems in our trucks are EMI hardened. I'd bet money on it. Too much liability not to have some protection from EMI.

mkelly · August 18, 2009

Thanks for the advice, I tried the battery reset but no luck. I guess I'll have to take it to the dealer, thats always fun.

I probably wouldn't mention the lightning strike if I wanted the warranty to cover it.

Yeah, I didn't even think about that, but I bet homeowners would cover it with the other damage. Still, if I had to put some money down, I bet they just flash in a stock tune, and she'll start right up. That's nothing more than flash memory, and I already know an EMP will play hell with it.

Homeowners will not cover it. Your auto insurance would have to cover it, after you meet your deductible.....

ShoddyHog · August 18, 2009

Thanks for the advice, I tried the battery reset but no luck. I guess I'll have to take it to the dealer, thats always fun.

I probably wouldn't mention the lightning strike if I wanted the warranty to cover it.

Yeah, I didn't even think about that, but I bet homeowners would cover it with the other damage. Still, if I had to put some money down, I bet they just flash in a stock tune, and she'll start right up. That's nothing more than flash memory, and I already know an EMP will play hell with it.

Homeowners will not cover it. Your auto insurance would have to cover it, after you meet your deductible.....

What if you had your truck parked in the garage, the house caught fire, and it burned up the truck. Homeowner's or auto? I'm blissfully ignorant on the subject apparently I always thought something like that would be on the homeowner's policy.

superjim · August 18, 2009

Homeowners will not cover it. Your auto insurance would have to cover it, after you meet your deductible.....

What if you had your truck parked in the garage, the house caught fire, and it burned up the truck. Homeowner's or auto? I'm blissfully ignorant on the subject apparently I always thought something like that would be on the homeowner's policy.

I can answer that question from first hand experience.

My garage caught fire in November of 2006, and burned up an almost new 2006 Cadillac that was in the garage, and my 1999 Chevy Astro Van, that was parked in the driveway.

It all came down to my AUTO POLICY.

Homeowners didn't/wouldn't pay squat.

Not one penny.

I had full coverage on the Caddy, but only had liability on the van.

Didn't collect one cent on the van, but finally got a fairly decent settlement on the Cadillac.

Had to buy a new van outright.

Used the ins money to buy another new Cadillac.

tobias · August 18, 2009

Homeowners will not cover it. Your auto insurance would have to cover it, after you meet your deductible.....

What if you had your truck parked in the garage, the house caught fire, and it burned up the truck. Homeowner's or auto? I'm blissfully ignorant on the subject apparently I always thought something like that would be on the homeowner's policy.

I can answer that question from first hand experience.

My garage caught fire in November of 2006, and burned up an almost new 2006 Cadillac that was in the garage, and my 1999 Chevy Astro Van, that was parked in the driveway.

It all came down to my AUTO POLICY.

Homeowners didn't/wouldn't pay squat.

Not one penny.

I had full coverage on the Caddy, but only had liability on the van.

Didn't collect one cent on the van, but finally got a fairly decent settlement on the Cadillac.

Had to buy a new van outright.

Used the ins money to buy another new Cadillac.

What did you use to set it that you didn't get caught?