96 s10 shuts off dash lights blink and truck dies for seveal minu

These do blink when activated to warn would be thieves.

I have 94 s 10..4.3 v6. it does the same thing have replaced fuel pump and filter,ignition module,cap rotor plugs wires,coil,ground strap...driving down the road jus dies like the key got shut off....for a while when troubleshooting through the parts you could get it to restart.....now when it dies it cranks really hard when trying to restart..ive checked the timeing its fine....if i wait a few min it will usually start...sometimes it will show a check engine light sometimes not......never know when it will happen sometimes jus down the the road from the house sometimes 100miles down the road......sometimes three times in a mile sometimes not for weeks at a time..Wtf...Im ready to shoot it like a lame horse....its a shame too its a sharp lil truck thats a two owner and never spent a night outside in its life...i knew the original owner ...i bought it with 90,000 on it it only has 148,000 now and still looks like new...

The first thing that must be done here is to have the computer tested for fault codes with a scanner.

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Hi,

The possibilities are too numerous to get into here.

Either take your vehicle to AutoZone for a FREE diagnostic scan or they'll loan you a scanner. This will enable you to pinpoint the problem(s) almost immediately.

All the best,

Ben

it is the speed sensor (vss) in the top of trans just under the shift cables. dealer part only. Cost around 35.00 to 40.00 bucks

It cannot be the VATS system. The TDM, that is the core of the VATS system, is engaged only at the time you start your car. I have a problem exactly like yours on my 95 LeSabre and just discovered it is the alternator that sometimes charges and sometimes doesn't and when it doesn't, the battery's voltage goes lower than a certain threshold and the computer (PCM) is unable to work anymore and shuts down the engine. Took me months to discover this!

check the alternator voltage , it has to be 13.8 to 14.4 vdc. it sounds like your car is running off the battery alone. Sometimes a bad battery will take out an alternator,and after replacing it goes again.Check all connections,and check the feedback terminal on the alternator is telling the alternator to switch on.

check nothing is left on or a switch not shutting off trunk lights etc.

Check the injectors. They are really bad about leaking on the 4.3's.

Try checking all of the ground wire connections. There are a few located on the firewall. I had a crankshaft code coming on and it was the ground that was corroded. Engine performed the same way, dash lights on and off and ABS light coming on and off. The grounds corrected this.