Check Gauges...

[cummins_crewcab]

Ok I know about the common false indicator lights on 3G's but the "Check Gauges" light is usually just a split second flash with no chime and I was told that it would chime and stay on if there was a problem.



Anyway, about 3 months ago I started getting a "real" check gauges light I suppose. It chimed and would stay on for 5 minutes or so but all the gauges were good and my oil pressure is good (mechanical gauge).



So is this just another problem with the dodge cluster that needs a reflash? Oh yeah I also get a check engine light at the exact same time that the check gauges light comes on and it will stay on for 3-4 heat cycles but no new codes are stored, just my normal battery temperature sensor and brake light switch.



And last but not least, today it happened when I turned the key on to wait for the "wait to start" light to go out so the engine wasn't even running and the check gauges chimed and stayed on. Started the truck and it stayed on and went off about 3 minutes later after I drove a bit.

 

[cummins_crewcab]

Uh help?



It's happening every 30 minutes or so now!!!!



Can happen at startup, has happened while towing 70 down the highway, has happened while sitting at a red light, has happened while driving down the street going 25.



WTF???



It's really getting old.

 

[cummins_crewcab]

Codes Stored:



P0514 - Battery Temp Sensor (common problem apparently?)



P0572 - Brake Switch 1 Low (need to replace the switch I guess)



P0336 - This one flashed 3 times in a row before going to the next? (Assuming a TST thing but no clue why it flashed 3 times)



P0483 - Cooling Fan Speed (Figured this is the fan clutch since I also have the "03 with low A/C output at idle" syndrome which is a TSB for the clutch replacement)



P0516 - Battery Temp Sensor Low (again common problem I believe?)

 

[TCluff]

Codes Stored:



P0514 - Battery Temp Sensor (common problem apparently?)



P0572 - Brake Switch 1 Low (need to replace the switch I guess)



P0336 - This one flashed 3 times in a row before going to the next? (Assuming a TST thing but no clue why it flashed 3 times)



P0483 - Cooling Fan Speed (Figured this is the fan clutch since I also have the "03 with low A/C output at idle" syndrome which is a TSB for the clutch replacement)



P0516 - Battery Temp Sensor Low (again common problem I believe?)

i have had a few electrical ghosts at one time or another, i would unhook the tst and then see if it still occurs ????????

 

[cummins_crewcab]

Been there and done that... The only thing that doesn't reoccur is the P0336. The other codes were there before I even installed the TST. And I have had the intermittent flash of the check gauges light since I bought the truck but attributed it to the TSB about erronious indicator lights since it matched what everyone elses problem was but now it's chiming and staying on for up to a minute...

 

[Nightram]

Mine does a air bag lamp for a second with a chime, then also the tach and speedo "freeze" will accelerating all the time now. I am planning in taking it in this week, we will see how that goes!

 

[cummins_crewcab]

Yeah this is getting irritating now... It seems to happen most when slowing to a stop, comes on around 10mph or so and stays on while stopped then shuts off when accelerating past 10 mph... WTH?



It still goes on and off while sitting at idle and even comes on while the truck is just started. I'm going to disconnect the batteries and let it sit all day and see what happens I guess.

 

[john3976]

Go to your local Dodge Dealer and have them check out your truck.

 

[cummins_crewcab]

But thats too easy and would cost money :-laf Not to mention the local dodge dealer is a joke, -5 star rating.

 

[cummins_crewcab]

Go to your local Dodge Dealer and have them check out your truck.

Well I took your advice...



Went to the dodge dealer and they looked at the truck for 2 hours and came back saying I had no oil pressure and a "broken" gauge and wanted my permission to pull the pan and start trouble shooting to the tune of $500+ just for diagnosis.



Well guess what, I walked out and hooked my mechanical aftermarket gauge back up that I had under the back seat and 65 psi at idle



I said I'd never go back to Haddad Dodge a few months ago and now I remember why



So anyway, problem still persists, the pattern I have mostly noticed is that it will:



-Go on and off while sitting parked at idle (check gauges stays on for 30 seconds or so)



-Come on when slowing to a stop at about 5 mph and stay on till I take off again or 40 seconds, which every comes first



-Come on with just the key on but the engine not running as it does when idling for about 30 seconds then back off accompanied by a chime just like all the above.



I also thought it may be due to the reflash on the cluster that has a TSB for 03's but the dealer said they wouldn't do it till the check engine light was off and codes were cleared



So I guess I'm off to pull the TST for a while and fix my batt. temp senders that aren't broke and my brake light switch and then take it to the dealer for a reflash, but a different dealer this time.



Unless anyone else here has any ideas? But I haven't gotten any yet so I take that as a bad sign...

 

[steved]

Could it be that THEY WERE RIGHT?? Did you ever think that the SENDING UNIT might be bad and the "computer" was telling them it had no oil pressure?? I'm sure they didn't hook a guage up to it... they rely on the scanner too much.



I would suspect the sending unit... this was the symptoms my dad's truck had when the SU died in his 99.



steved

 

[MMeier]

Make sure that they know how to do the reflash. The brain trust at my selling ***aler fried my cluster because they forgot to take into account I had an exhaust brake on the rig. Got stuck in a chevy gasser for damn near 2 weeks while they waited for a new cluster to arrive !! My check gages light also blips intermittently the past few months.

 

[cummins_crewcab]

Could it be that THEY WERE RIGHT?? Did you ever think that the SENDING UNIT might be bad and the "computer" was telling them it had no oil pressure?? I'm sure they didn't hook a guage up to it... they rely on the scanner too much.



I would suspect the sending unit... this was the symptoms my dad's truck had when the SU died in his 99.



steved

Sending unit is fine. I've had a DMM on the sending unit reading it while the truck is having it's fits. If the sending unit goes out and reads flat then the stock cluster gauge will read 0, I have disconnected the sending unit while running and witnessed it. I've never had the signal from the sending unit go flat at any time while my "check gauges" has been on or off. In a real check gauges situation when the oil pressure is 0 the stock gauge will read zero, it's ture that it does not read pressure, but it will go to 0 when there is no pressure unless something else is up.



And trust me, the dealer tech said right to my face that the truck had NO OIL PRESSURE, not just that the ecm was getting a zero oil pressure signal, the guy said it had no pressure and was probably a pickup that fell off the pump

 

[Nightram]

I learned something in my mess with my gauges. First, I had the same oil pressure thing, and I had a sending unit that cracked and was leaking oil at the connector. As for all of my flashing lights and gauges not working, I found out (additional to my lasyt post) that the I-pod interface I had installed that plugged into the back of my radio was interfereing with the CAN network in the truck and causing the cluster to freak out. Make sure if you have any accessories that are old or used in an older truck, or anything interfacing with the factory equiptment that it is NOT causing the issue.

 

[cummins_crewcab]

The only thing different in my truck is I replaced the stock radio with a Premier mp3/cd deck. The problem started long after swapping it in and alot of guys run aftermarket decks so I don't think thats the problem... But maybe I'll pull it and see what happens. Thanks for the info!

 

[MScheiper]

Nightram, did disconnecting the I pod interface solve the problem?? I have the same issues(air bag light and chime/ sticking tach and speedometer) that you have and also have an I pod interface that plugs into the factory unit in the port for the cd changer. If so I'll unplug mine and see what happens...

 

[Nightram]

Yes, it did fix it!!! If you call the company, they will tell you they have a "new" interface coming out which works with the CAN network in May ... forget, I will get an i-trip now :-laf

 

[scbroder]

Yes, it did fix it!!! If you call the company, they will tell you they have a "new" interface coming out which works with the CAN network in May ... forget, I will get an i-trip now :-laf

What ipod interface were you guys using? Could this cause the same problem on a 2003? Thanks.