Truck won't start

David341981

Well I came home truck was running good. Park it for a few hours a storm comes through and we had a few close strikes. Storm passes and I go out to the truck and I smell something burning and now truck won't start. And it's has a message saying service 4 wheel drive. And there is a noise coming from underneath

PF_Flyer

Did you smell a burning outside or inside the truck? Or both? I guess a close hit MIGHT be able to cause electrical/electronic damage, but I think it would have to be REALLY close, almost a direct hit.

There's a page about Vehicles & Lightning from the National Lightning Safety Institute that has this note:

Insurance adjusters and claims people note: In many cases you will not find physical damage. Lightning can induce indirect effects to a vehicle's electrical and electronic systems. These low-voltage components may be damaged or destroyed. Auto dealer diagnostics are limited to "it works or it doesn't work" without the ability to disclose the cause or source of malfunction. Sometimes a claims decision may have to be based upon "What else — other than lightning — could have done the damage?"

With no obvious damage to the vehicle from a strike, I imagine you'll have to start having electrical systems and electronics checked out to see what isn't working and why. Maybe if enough things seem "fried" you'll be able to get some help from your insurance, since "what else could it have been?"

thecardoc3

Having repaired a number of lightning strike casualties they can be a handful. The description above of how it was working then suddenly nothing after a storm is a common theme.