I happens again..I am P.O.'d!

[Tony D]

It happens again..I am P.O.'d!

When I first picked my truck with 10 miles on it at Steve White Chyrsler Dodge in Hickory, NC I noticed the volt gauge reading less than 13 volts. I said something to the dealer and they said it was normal (BS). I left the dealership and 200 miles down the road it looses everything. The guage now reads less than 8 volts and the truck dies. A brand new very expensive truck…******!! I had the truck towed to the local dealership in Greensboro, NC and they initially said it was the ECM but later diagnosed the alternator and replaced it. Soooo…yesterday…. I leave my house going camping with my family pulling our 33' travel trailer and guess what... same damn thing happens. I am so ****** right now. Called Dodge and they told me that they are going to get DC, district manager and a team of engineers involved. I say something is seriously wrong with this truck. I also believe that the expertise on TDR has a better chance of a knowing what the problem is! With all this said, I have a few questions for the team here!



1. What do you think the problem is?

2. Do you think I hurt anything as the truck was barely running until the engine quit.

3. Are the batteries fried now or will there shelf life be greatly reduced?

4. Do I have any recourse with Dodge reference this freaking issue?



Thanks in advance,

Tony



2006 Dodge Ram Mega Cab 3500 Dually 4x4

Cummins and a 48RE

Inferno Red

 

[BHolm]

If they replaced the ECM and the alternator it would be tough to diasgnose from here. Maybe somebody else has had the problem?



I seriously doubt you hurt anything. I wouldn't worry about it.



The batteries as well should be just fine. If you did this everyday for a couple of weeks I would be concerned about their life expectancy.



You have plenty fo recourse against DC. They need to fix or replace that truck IMMEDIATELY. Do NOT let them talk you into their time frame for a fix. If I were you I would want the issue resolved yesterday, not next week when they can get there to look at it. I personally would insist they immediately locate another truck like the one you have and get it to you. Let them fix the bad one however they choose.

 

[BSwope]

I talked to a guy last sat at a truck pull and he was tellin me that his truck dose the same thing and that DC was buyin it back under lemon law! He said they told him that it was the whole entire electrical system that was at falt!

 

[Tony D]

WOW... I figured something more was wrong than just an alternator

('s PLURAL) !!!

Only time will tell!

I love my truck and don't want to give it up.

See pics!

Now you know why I want to keep it... she's a looker!

 

[Tony D]

Can I get a little more feedback ref this... looking for advice.

Thanks,

 

[robmints]

If you experience a Check Engine light on your Ram it's probably a battery rationality code (P0514). This code won't affect the operation of your vehicle and will probably reset itself. If the computer doesn't sense the problem after 3 or 4 more warm-up cycles the light will go out.

You can't easily check the light on the 2006s (go to your dealer), but on the '03-'05 trucks you can determine the code by cycling the ignition key on and off three times. If it comes up P0514, don't worry. Just let it reset itself. Hopefully we'll have a fix ("flash" - computer software reprogramming) for it fairly soon.

The quote is from http://www.carsondodge.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=14



Don't know what it means.



But my truck would not charge this morning either. It was rainy and damp for two days. If I turned all the accesories off it would charge. Then I let it warm. Then when I turned everything back on all was fine. It was like the belt was slipping because it was wet and the load was too high for the alternator until the belt dried a bit. BTW I have about 6k on mine.

 

[DPKetchum]

D. C. store near me has replaced a couple of ECMs on inventory,just sold units for this. STAR(engineering)gave tech a hard time about it. Tech had run all troubleshooting and came back to ECM several times. After STAR insisted a alternator and it was ordered and replaced same issue exsisted and FINALLY auth. a ECM which fixed both trucks.

 

[Tony D]

Thanks guys! I appreciate your time and responses. I will see if the dealership will replace the PCM. The first Tech in Hickory, NC said it was the PCM but DC wouldn't let them order a PCM until they tried an alternator. The alternator fixed it but I'm back to a broke truck not to mention being screwed out of a holiday weekend which in the military are far and few between now days!

 

[sag2]

I'm not sure what the dealer is doing to diagnose, but our trucks don't normally have charging system problems. Using the StarScan (DRBIII on 05-) you can full field the generator. If you can't do it with the scan tool you can the old fashion way with a piece of wire. If the generator is putting out the ECU or wiring is where the problem is.

 

[DPKetchum]

As I mentioned dealer near me had one 06 delivered and pulled back in less then 24 hours with same issue and one in inventory. Both needed ecm's. 13 or less volts on gauges etc.