Displaying Fault Codes with the Instrument Panel

[ChrisSmith]

I’ve a check engine light on and have not been successful trying to display the fault codes on the Instrument Panel using the tried and true key cycling instructions used by our past Rams. More importantly, on this new model, which obviously has plenty of readable space on the panel, the fact that the check engine light is on does not even prompt a Message under the display menu is disturbing as a loyal Dodge user. This is a clear lack of Diagnostic and SW Engineering on Ram’s part and what they’ve sold us is clearly an unfinished design. If anyone from Chrysler reads this..as a fellow Engineer I’m not impressed.

So, I’m requesting that anyone who has successfully accomplished read out of the codes on the 4th gen IP please, respond with your methods. People who have older models, please do not reply with “it should work” as I know it should work.. but so far it hasn’t.

Much oblige,

 

[cerberusiam]

Take it to a dealer and have them hook it up to the WiTech. Most of the trucks from 2006 on you had to have a scanner capable of reading the ECU correctly to get all the codes. Nothing is easy anymore and you have a million mile umbilical to the dealer.

 

[EDankievitch]

I had to buy a scan tool from auto zone so I could read my codes. One day when I hit LOTTO I'll break down and get a good WiTech unit.

 

[Dieselnerd]

Thankfully, the scanner I bought for my 2005 still works on my 2014. I don't know of any other way to get the codes on the new ones. With all the electronics it should be easy to display them but then you wouldn't go back to the dealer!

 

[ChrisSmith]

Well, it sounds like no one has been successful which tells me the software code in the panel just isn't there to write the information to the display. This is ignorant because the shared PCI bus mean all of the fault codes are shared between the truck's computers in real time and this includes the CPU in the display panel. For it not to print this information on the display is just plain sloppy work on Dodge (or now Ram's) part. If it was done intentionally in order to make us have to return to dealerships, then its just another example of corporate greed and I will consider leaving Dodge products altogether. When you spend a good deal of money on a truck, you expect that your getting a well designed, reliable and maintainable product. This is an example of RAM losing sight of who their customer's are and what they care about.

 

[Got HO?]

Not to be a smartass, but I'm not aware of any other vehicles that will display the fault code number and description on the dash when the MIL illuminates. I'm open to correction on this, but why are you singling out Ram for this? I'm aware of the 3rd Gen capability by cycling the key, but this is by no means commonplace.

 

[RVTRKN]

If its an OBDII system, it should pick it up. If you have a smartphone get the PLX wifi setup, I love mine, but there is more to it than just reading & deleting codes. check this link http://www.plxdevices.com/product_info.php?id=GSSTWIFI and install Dashcommand, its the best app for it.

 

[mpaulson]

If its an OBDII system, it should pick it up. If you have a smartphone get the PLX wifi setup, I love mine, but there is more to it than just reading & deleting codes. check this link http://www.plxdevices.com/product_info.php?id=GSSTWIFI and install Dashcommand, its the best app for it.

I wonder if this will work with a 2014? I've had two check engine lights in the last week!! It would be nice to be able to know what it is before I go to the dealership and in the case where I can't get to the dealership (in the bush) to know if I should be concerned. With our new trucks, I would hope that this wouldn't somehow leave some sort of a foot print in the trucks system that could cause grief as if a programmer had been plugged in. I know this isn't at all a performance enhancing item, but I wouldn't want to have to explain that to a warranty rep or something.
You're not helping me "NOT" spend money on the new truck!!!!

 

[JJPage]

Not to be a smartass, but I'm not aware of any other vehicles that will display the fault code number and description on the dash when the MIL illuminates. I'm open to correction on this, but why are you singling out Ram for this? I'm aware of the 3rd Gen capability by cycling the key, but this is by no means commonplace.

My wife's Caddy would display codes if you held in the trip meter reset and maybe the heater switch? Can't remember exactly, but I know it worked on my brother's Toronado also.

 

[MJWenrich]

Not to be a smartass, but I'm not aware of any other vehicles that will display the fault code number and description on the dash when the MIL illuminates. I'm open to correction on this, but why are you singling out Ram for this? I'm aware of the 3rd Gen capability by cycling the key, but this is by no means commonplace.

Many of the manufacturers (previously) have had an easy system to access without a reader but I purchased one long ago to get better info and to be able to cancel codes without going to a dealer or look at the CEL light for years on end. To say that ChrisSmith singled Ram out is, I believe, incorrect, if all the brands are using the same practice. I, like many others, do not live "down the street" from a dealer. As I have mentioned in other links, a competent dealer shop is a long drive for me, and that's if it is something I can still use the truck without damaging it. Why else would the manufacturer eliminate this function unless it is to get around folks like us who do some work on our rigs? Or some programmer for Ram decided over his cup of Starbucks in the morning that "Ahhh, they don't need this anymore".

I mentioned in another thread that it concerns me that so many CELs are happening and was chastised for not mentioning that thousands of trucks are out there with no problems. Well, if all those owners were on this forum I might buy that argument. I just have to wonder how many vehicles are having problems with the CELs that we do not know about. If I knew that I was not likely to have a problem, I would be more inclined to get a 2013/14. I would really like to jump into that pool but I do not wish to drown in the waiting room of a dealer. I do hope the problems are few and I will continue to monitor the great information on this forum. Thanks to all who contribute.

Mike in Mariposa, Ca. (thank goodness we are finally getting some rain/snow)

 

[RVTRKN]

I wonder if this will work with a 2014? I've had two check engine lights in the last week!! It would be nice to be able to know what it is before I go to the dealership and in the case where I can't get to the dealership (in the bush) to know if I should be concerned. With our new trucks, I would hope that this wouldn't somehow leave some sort of a foot print in the trucks system that could cause grief as if a programmer had been plugged in. I know this isn't at all a performance enhancing item, but I wouldn't want to have to explain that to a warranty rep or something.
You're not helping me "NOT" spend money on the new truck!!!!

If the the new trucks use OBDII, then it will work. I paid the Dealer twice for a CEL that was due to a weak battery on the passenger side, and they cleared it. But I wasn't going to go to the dealer every time I had a nonessential CEL pop up. 1st, you don't know if its serious and 2nd If it is serious, you don't want to ignore it. So I looked into buying a reader and they are expensive but only good for reading codes, on the other hand the Kiwi wifi has a lot more options and cost a little under the higher end readers. So I started my project, and +/- $800.00 this is what it morphed into. The Nav screen is via the video input from my Lockpick, that is not included in the price.

 

[ChrisSmith]

I am singling out Ram for one reason and I'll tell you why - because I expect them to be better. I've owned and worked on Dodge trucks my whole life and was loyal to the fact that they designed products that the owner (not just the dealer) could work on, maintenance, repair, and hot rod if they wanted. You develop some pride working on your own equipment and ya it makes you a bit sensitive when you see them loosing sight of this.

So trusty O'really's? tried pulling the code today using an Innova 3120 scanner and it came back with a P04DB saying the code definition isn't available. Now how difficult would that have been to print that out on the display? Not much I think.. probably the cost of a few of those WiTech scanners the dealerships have to buy just to read the damn thing. And think, Dodge could have added a nice Ram logo along side the code, just to cheer you up.

So in conclusion, it appears that the CEL codes are not accessible from the instrument panel for 4th gen Trucks. Just for those that are curious, it does appear that the IP will still run its built in test when you hold the odometer in and cycle the key from off to on. Obviously there is an Engineer at Dodge still trying to hold on to what works. Good for him or her.