Yikes!! Total brief shut down while driving at 60 mph

[HatzicGuy]

We have a 2014 DS 4018 which is fairly new to us came from a monaco diplomat so not new to Rving. This is our first long outing and have had a system shut down while driving 3 times in the last 1500 miles.Once on a hill and the other two on the flats doing 60 miles a hour.It was like I turned the key off with all the gauges going off and then coming back on and everything was fine again before I could even pull over. I looked on the threads to see if it has happened to anyone else but didn't see anything.
I will call Freightliner and Newmar to see if it is a known issue but it's one of those intermittent things so I am sure it will be hard to diagnose but perhaps the computer will tell them something.
Just wondering if it has happened to anyone else?

[tomato]

Originally Posted by HatzicGuy

We have a 2014 DS 4018 which is fairly new to us came from a monaco diplomat so not new to Rving. This is our first long outing and have had a system shut down while driving 3 times in the last 1500 miles.Once on a hill and the other two on the flats doing 60 miles a hour.It was like I turned the key off with all the gauges going off and then coming back on and everything was fine again before I could even pull over. I looked on the threads to see if it has happened to anyone else but didn't see anything.
I will call Freightliner and Newmar to see if it is a known issue but it's one of those intermittent things so I am sure it will be hard to diagnose but perhaps the computer will tell them something.
Just wondering if it has happened to anyone else?

So the engine kept running? Digital dash? If so, it could be the Viper module or the display itself. Not sure on your 2014, but our 2021 Ventana has a Cat V cable that connects from the module to the screen. That might simply be loose, or I have heard some folks got lucky and just needed a new cable. Our module went out a few months back and was replaced under warranty.

[HatzicGuy]

Most of the dash is analog gauges (rpm,speed,air psi,temp) with a digital display (check engine,abs ....) above the gauges.All the gauges went to 0 and the digital display went out. I thought the engine shut down as I panicked to get pulled over so it might of been me letting off the accelerator and it all came back on so quickly I continued on my way after pulling into the curb lane in case it went out again.

[TomandGloria]

I had a similar issue on my 2017 Ventana a couple of times. When I talked with the Freightliner hotline I was told it was probably a temporary interruption with the ecm and not to worry about it. The coach was running, just the gauges all went to zero and then came back on. One time they did that and every idiot light on the dash lit up. My pucker factor was over 100!

[Dutch Star Don]

It was an issue on 2014 Freightliner models. I know one poster asked me to join in a lawsuit over the same problem. It happened to him several times and they could not diagnose the issue. He posted in the Freightliner Forum on here regarding the problem.

It happened to me maybe 3-4 times but at lower speeds. Just about the time I said to myself "oh sh*t" and puckered up, the power came right back on.

I never found any specific problem, but I did a couple of things and it never happened again. First, in the run bay, bay under the driver's window, there are two black boxes, approximately 6" x 3". They both house relays, one box for the transmission and if I recall the other was for the ECM. I removed the covers and found a few of the relays were backing out and had to be reseated. I also added some dense foam under those covers so the relays could not back out again.

The second thing I did was locate the main wiring harness at the rear of the coach. If you crawl under the passenger side from the rear of the coach and look up, between the engine and battery bay, there is a black box (wiring harness). The box is about 4" x 4" and has a bolt in the center of the box. It's like the harness that goes through the firewall of a car. The bolt keeps the lower half of the harness connected to the upper half. I found that I was able to tighten that bolt a few turns, making the harness fit tighter together.

After making the above two repairs/adjustments, I never had the issue again in 30K miles. Even though I never had the issue again, I can't definitively say that was the resolution to the issue. The suggestion to do the above was from things the other poster said Freightliner had tried.

[Dick1142]

Different engine but similar symptoms a couple years back. Ended up getting towed. Finally diagnosed it myself. Found the chassis battery shutoff switch had shorted out inside and was "messing" with the engine computer.

[tmandoug1]

2014 DS 4369. Every once in a while the gauges kind of check out.....but the coach still keeps going. Pulled the dash console and cleaned all posts....no issues since.

[Clemson]

Originally Posted by HatzicGuy

Most of the dash is analog gauges (rpm,speed,air psi,temp) with a digital display (check engine,abs ....) above the gauges.All the gauges went to 0 and the digital display went out. I thought the engine shut down as I panicked to get pulled over so it might of been me letting off the accelerator and it all came back on so quickly I continued on my way after pulling into the curb lane in case it went out again.

I had this happen on a 2018 Ventana. Talked. With Freightliner and they instructed me to turn off the main engine battery switch and wait about 5 minutes and turn it back on. Never had the problem again. Good luck

[Hpozzuoli]

I have the same problem with my Ford E350 work truck. It’s not a diesel nor a motorhome, but I lose all power except for the engine. The dash completely goes dead then comes back a few seconds/minutes later. I am thinking a lose connection at a harness somewhere. I dont think it’s ground related. Probably similar with the RV. I would suspect a loose harness connection.

[HatzicGuy]

Thanks all for the input.I will try some of the suggestions above and see what happens. I was lining up a appointment at a freightliner shop but maybe I will hold off and see what happens. You have to love this forum for all the peoples input.We are in place for 3 more weeks before traveling again.

[RudysDad]

I had the exact same issue. It got progressively worse. I was told by Freightliner to check the wiring to the gauges and LCBU in the dash. If white they should be changed to the black wiring.
I finally took it to an independent shop and they found a ground stud welded to the frame with the nut holding the ground wire ready to fall off. It loosened up more as it was driven. It was on the frame and up behind the passenger front wheel well. Good luck. Hope you find the issue.

[Rob_M]

I had everything shut off a couple times earlier this year, and after checking all the grounds and chassis battery connections, my chassis batteries were very bad and one may have had an internal short. What is strange is it started fine though does crank much better now obviously.

Definitely does make you pucker when coasting to an exit ramp off a 5-lane highway, with no lights signals or flashers.

[Mr JP]

My Fuel gauge will go dead sporadicly. I just use the fuel used display. To get the Fuel gauge alive I have to shut down and restart the engine. I have had freightliner a couple of times they just change the led display and say okay fixed. This has done this from day 1 as new. The previous owner never bothered to have it fixed under warranty. Some day I might drop the tank as I suspect a loose or bad connection on top.

[TUCSONRAIL]

Check the wiring and connectors to the ignition switch under the dash. Had this happen on my Freightliner but luckily I was still in a campground.