2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Cold Weather Making My Truck Fall Apart !!!!

[DieselMinded]

40,000 miles and things are going south big time ... .



AUTO WINDOW PUT'ER DOWN'ER -- ACTS like the gel inside gets all gued up in the cold the switch is real hard to push and when it goes down it stays down you have to keep on wiggling it to get the window up !!!



WINDSHIELD WIPERS --- first of all there junk I have the good BOSCH ones and there still junk Im not sure if its the windshield design or what but you put a little bit of anything on the windshield and the wipers get all burgered up ... ... . The MAJOR problem is (COLD OUT) when you first fire it up and turn the wipers on they will not move on any setting you have to leave them on high and reach out and pull up on one then they pulsate up the windshield than finally get going ITS NOT BECAUSE OF SNOW OR ICE ... THE WINDSHIELD WHIPER MOTOR JUST DON'T LIKE THE COLD I GUESS ?!



BACK DRIVERS SIDE DOOR -- THe latch is screwing up you have to really pull hard on it for it to unlatch almost to the point to where you think you going to break the handle !!



BATTERIES -- the intake heaters take so much juice even with the truck running that it slows the windshield wipers down (IF THERE EVEN WORKING) dims the lights real bad and almost stops the defrost



NOTE ALL THESE PROBLEM ARE ONLY IN THE COLD WHEN THE TRUCK IS IN THE GARAGE NONE OF THIS STUFF HAPPENS



it only has 40,000 miles I personally feal that none of this stuff should be happening !!



Does your truck do any of these / or something else???



DM

 

[RBallard]

I share your pain with the wind shield wipers, all three rams have been the same way no matter what brand wiper and once it starts to freeze forget. I find myself with my hand out the window trying to snap the wiper trying to get the ice off of it. On my 98 ram, I even pulled the gasket off of the firewall to allow engine heat out hoping that would help. It dropped underhood temperatures down to 30 degrees above ambient.

 

[JGK]

Does your truck do any of these / or something else???

Nope!



-Jay

 

[BDMiller]

I would take a good look at your batteries/electrical system. My '99 starts up & runs all day at 20-30 below zero with none of these problems. Or don't worry about it & park it in the garage.

 

[DMcLeod]

My 01 hasn't experienced the troubles you speak of, and we live in one of the coldest places on this planet. Cold is relative - if you're using the wipers, it's not really cold out. I never use the wipers to clear snow or ice - they aren't made for it - and I always unstick them by hand from the windshield before using them. I watch people destroying theirs all the time. Mine do operate fine in the cold, though. If I'm town driving and the windshield is staying cool, things will get messy - but on the road I've never had trouble - nice an clear. Batteries take a beating in the cold - especially deisels - no matter what vehicle. Folks plug in below 20F here, and I use battery blankets to keep the batteries warm. Another good idea is to use a trickle charger (1or2 amp) mounted on the vehicle. When you plug in for a couple of hours, you'll have warm batteries, fully charged batteries, etc. My rear QC doors do need to be shut a little harder at -30F and below. good luck

 

[RBallard]

I am referring to driving while it is snowing, and the temperature is below freezing, the snow melts on the windshield and the wipers initially keep up but always end up accumulating ice where I am trying to see out the window and no longer wipe the window but smear it. I guess I consider yourself lucky that it so cold you don't have melting snow on the roads or windshields. Around here they treat the roads with chemicals which keeps things wet to about 20-15 degrees F.

 

[CEpp]

dm, spray come lube in the hinges of your quad doors, get both top and bottom latches. . mine were doing the same thing and fixed it.



the battery question. . just start the truck. let it run for a bit, before u start drawing the juice out of the system. it will take some power away, but plug it in if u have to. . it helps big time

 

[wtfd6]

dm, try pushing on the quad door then pullling the handle. it sounds like the same thing mine is doing. mine needs adjustment. mark

 

[DieselMinded]

I cant park my truck in a garage at work



I admit I use my whipers and DEFROSTING WASHER FLUID to clear off heavy frost



And I havent been plugging it in lately ... It really seems to be starting the same either way the only diffrence is how (THICK)(MUSSHY) everything in/on the truck feals untill everything gets warmed up. This phenominom I'll call DODGEITIS



Auto window switch

trany

stearing

Whiper Motor

batteries

Door latches

4x4



And Im sure others



DM

 

[Timbeaux38]

What cold problems are you having out of your transmission and 4x4?

BTW- Why cant I get into your web site? is it down?

 

[DieselMinded]

Web site is down for temp rebuild Ill edit my sig



4x4 wont go in unless I stop and when turning at slow speeds it feals like its going to pull the truck apart I mean its bad Its got a twisting the frame feal to it



Trany dont shift right it wants to hold gears out too long then hurry up and shift 2 times... ... . EXP... ... . like hold 2nd out at high RPM's then hurry up and shift to 3rd then 4th.



MORE DODGEITIS



WINDSHIELD ... ... When going up my driveway the windshield makes strange noises like its going to fall out it cracks and creaks like its not in right or something



The door seal ..... it sounds like the windows cracked sometimes when its not I have to open both drivers doors and slam them to get the air sound to go away.



DM

 

[Timbeaux38]

My doors wil make the "windows cracked" sounds if the rear doors are not shut well.



as for the 4x4 - mine jerks like hell in the summertime in 4low- that is just a nessecary evil-



High rpm for 2-3 shift, what range? 2100-2500?

Remember that the stock VB does not circulate trans fluid at idle- that may have something to do with it.



You may want to have a priest look at the windshield- try running holy water in the washer resivoir- that may give you some help when the winter demons come out to wreak havoc on your truck

 

[DieselMinded]

LOL



Ill have to see where it shifting I just got used to it



I didnt know the VB didnt circulate at idle ... . Yes thats the problem when its cold I think I need to change all my fluids ... ... ..... Spring time new trany fluid and pumpkin oils Ive never changed them before ... I also just got my stratapore Oil filter from schiends Its looks the exact same as the normal fleetguard model but its more $$ I probly wont be able to tell a diffrence unless I get one of those fancy oil test done everyone talks about. . Ill probly switch back to the normal fleetguard model



I always thought those Dual Windshield wipers would work good untill I got a set they were worst than the factory ones Is there any real good wipers ??



Ill Have to live with the DEMON WINDSHIELD



DM

 

[KLC99]

Dieselminded---my transmission was doing the same thing with the 2-3 shift but stopped after a fluid flush and filter change. (I changed over to dextronIIImercon fluid but I don't think that's what made the difference)



Geno's has heated wipers in the new catalogue with silicone blades. I plan on trying them before next winter.

 

[wtfd6]

are you sure the fluid doesnt flow at idle? i thought it just didnt flow in park. that is why you have to check the fluid while idling in neutral. just my thoughts. mark

 

[IC Smoke]

I just think its a buckeye issue :-laf



-My trans holds 2nd pretty long when its cold

-windsheild does the same but now I have a crack that came from nowhere!

- there is a loud electrical clatter noise ( i dont know how to word it) when you start it up and its real cold out but after a few min goes by it goes away! Hmm and I just put a lift pump on it 7K ago?!?! 12-16psi FP Hmmmm

- any moisture & cold the leaf springs crack when you jump in

- usual white fog when its cold



GO BLUE

Ian

 

[redram3]

I belive the fluid will flow in neutral,may be wrong! I always let mine warm up in neutral at high idell [homemade idell stick] hope this helps John;

 

[DBentley]

My 96 with new heater core,radiator and 2nd new t stat from cummins never really gets warmed up like a gasser in weather below 15. It is a struggle with the defroster on hi and hot to keep heavy falling snow from building up on the windshield. Just the nature of the beast with a large radiator I guess. Ya kinda get used to it. temp gauge cycles 190 to 140 over and over as they all do even with the updated fix t stat from cummins. The trade off for having a powerfull,fuel efficient, long lasting,cummins motor.