Strange Instrument Panel Behaviour

[imaybail]

My "new" to me 2004 2500 has done something strange a couple of times lately.

While driving down the road, the tach and speedo, and fuel guage all just go to zero, a chime sounds, then they come back up and everything is back to normal.

No performance issues that I could feel, just the double take on the instrument panel.

Anybody seen this before?



ben

 

[Pawpaw]

My truck did exactly the same thing after I installed a box that was supposed to provide an aux input to the factory radio (so I could hook up my mp3 player).



When I removed the box, the problem went away. When I called the company, it was no big suprise to the guy I talked to. He emailed me some instructions to cut one wire in my factory harness. NOT LIKELY!!!



Got rid of that box and just installed a new radio, instead.



See if your "new" truck has a box in-between your radio and the factory harness.



Bob

 

[jelag]

I had this on an 01 truck... we pulled the connector to the dash, and replugged it back in... . No problems after that until we sold it at 250K miles...



Hope that helps

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Mine has similar symptoms.



First one; just the fuel gauge will drop to E and the low fuel ding will occur. A few seconds later, it jumps back up to normal and all is well.



Second one; the tach and speedo will freeze, then a few seconds later they will jump to the position that they should be in. No ding with this one.



Third one; the fuel and all of the other smaller gauges will drop to zero/minimum and the low fuel ding will occur. A few seconds later, they will all simultaneously, slowly return to their previous positions.



I have been wondering about this for quite a while. Turns out I did add a box to the stereo (plugs into the CD player port) about the same time I did the fuel tank vent mod. I kind of attributed the fuel gauge issue to the fuel tank vent mod because I had to disconnect the fuel sender and I accidentally hooked a wire and stressed it while removing the tank. I might try disconnecting my box for a week and see what happens.



I was wondering if a reflash might cure this issue but I am afraid to take my truck into the dealer for this. I'm afraid I'll come out with worse fuel mileage and/or other issues.



Jeff

 

[MCummings]

He emailed me some instructions to cut one wire in my factory harness. NOT LIKELY!!!

Why not? It would have fixed your problem at no extra cost...



Merrick

 

[Pawpaw]

Turns out I did add a box to the stereo (plugs into the CD player port) about the same time I did the fuel tank vent mod.

This was the box I added: http://peripheralelectronics.com/pr...Category=Auxiliary Input Solutions&strSearch=



My box was white instead of green, but this is the one.



Bob

 

[Pawpaw]

Why not? It would have fixed your problem at no extra cost...

First: I was told this was a simple "plug-and-play" installation, with no hassles.



Second: I didn't spend this much money on a truck so I could hack up the wiring harness just to install some two-bit hardware that should work right without it.



Bob

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Dang! Now I absolutely have to pull mine out to see if it will stop!



I have the iPod2car made by them. It plugs into the CD player plug on the back of the head unit. I'll pull it out this weekend and see what happens. GRRRRR!



What is really odd though is I have one installed on my wife's Jeep and I have had no problems there. Exact same stereo.



Jeff

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Well, I went out and pulled the iPod2car adapter harness off of the radio this morning. I will leave it out for a week or so and see what happens. If it does quit dinging that is going to make me very unhappy! I might have to get the instructions for what wire to cut as I really like the functionality of the iPod adapter, but that dinging drives me crazy!



Jeff

 

[Pawpaw]

My solution was to install this: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4840615





As a bonus, it has bluetooth for hands-free phone use.



Sounds a lot better than the stock head unit, too.



Bob

 

[JensenC]

my friend's 03 did the same thing. the dealer ended up replacing the entire instrument cluster and it hasn't done it since.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Just thought I'd post an update. Since I pulled the adapter out on Thursday morning, I have probably driven over 200 miles just going around town visiting family. I have not had any erratic instrument cluster behavior. No dings, no gauges freezing, no gauges dropping to minimum. It appears that the iPod2car adapter is what was causing it.



I did some looking around and found another manufacturer that produces a similar adapter. USA Spec is the name of the manufacturer. Crutchfield carries both of them. I am going to give them a call and see if they have ever heard of this issue with the iPod2car or if they have heard of any similar issues with the other one.



Those of you with instrument panel issues, if you have any add on stereo equipment to your factory stereo, you might try pulling it off and see what happens.



Thanks to Bob for posting his experience with this. It made me go out and check mine. While I hate that I have to find an alternative method for hooking up my iPod, I'm glad that I have finally found the problem.



Jeff

 

[scbroder]

I had the same problem on my 2003. I removed the iPod2car and all my issues immediately disappeared. I now use the USA Spec, it does not react as quickly to track changes, but has never caused any side effects. It is a much better product for Ram owners.



I have a Tech Brief from from Peripheral on which wire to cut, but it is too big to upload. I would have cut the wire but I am not willing to give up the steering wheel radio controls.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

scbroder, I've sent you a PM. Is that tech brief that you have from Peripheral in an email-able format? If so, would you mind emailing it to me?



I don't have the steering wheel controls for the radio, so I might not even have the wire that they want me to cut!



Good to hear that you have not had any problems with the other one.



Thanks,



Jeff

 

[scbroder]

scbroder, I've sent you a PM. Is that tech brief that you have from Peripheral in an email-able format? If so, would you mind emailing it to me?



I don't have the steering wheel controls for the radio, so I might not even have the wire that they want me to cut!



Good to hear that you have not had any problems with the other one.



Thanks,



Jeff

Done... Let us know what you find.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Got it. I'm going to look into it and see what happens.



Thanks,



Jeff