Worried I May Have Bought a $55,000 Problem

[DonFitzwater]

It does turn green after you press the exhaust brake button the second time. Pressing a third time turns it off completely.

 

[JLandry]

On a side note, can anyone confirm for me if the exhaust brake indicator in the dash actually turns green when in auto mode like the manual says?

Yes... it turns green.

With one push of the exhaust brake button the indicator on the instrument panel turns orange. With a second push it turns green.

John L.

 

[PMcCall]

the eb button stays orange all the time, you have to look at your dash. full on is orange, and a second push the dash indicator will turn green but the button stays orange.

They should have used a switch like they used for the vented seats, it has 2 leds, both are on for high only one is on for low.

 

[gsbrockman]

On a side note, can anyone confirm for me if the exhaust brake indicator in the dash actually turns green when in auto mode like the manual says?

Depends on what model EVIC / dash you have....

 

[GCecchetto]

Depends on what model EVIC / dash you have....

I, unfortunately, don't have the 7" EVIC. The exhaust brake indicator in the dash does not turn green, but the EVIC shows the EG in Auto mod. Is it correct for the EG indicator to stay orange with the standard EVIC?

 

[RikDavis]

the evic in the tradesman does not turn green. When the button is pushed a second time a large Icon appears on the EVIC for about a second

EDIT meant to say icon on dash display does not turn green. Actually nothing turns green

 

[gsbrockman]

the evic in the tradesman does not turn green. When the button is pushed a second time a large Icon appears on the EVIC for about a second

This................

 

[Steve Martin]

GC, I have read your concern about the EB and I myself have tried to get to the bottom of how this thing works....I can not get my EB to come on under 30 MPH. Some say its a RPM thing and others say it’s a MPH thing. I think it’s both....I know my EB goes off or disengages under 1,100 RPM and it will not engage(or come on) under 30 MPH. I have tried TH on and off, still wont engage under 30 MPH. It’s frustrating when I tow my trailer down a hill that will not allow me to go over 30 MPH. I have also tried to keep my RPM’s above 1,100 RPM while going down a hill at say 20-25 MPH and no help from the EB. It sounds like your EB works a lot like mine. When I’m going over 30 MPH and RPM’s are above 1,100 all seems well. This must be the way it was designed to operate not sure. GC, I see your in Woodside Ca. not far from you in Redwood City....

 

[GCecchetto]

GC, I have read your concern about the EB and I myself have tried to get to the bottom of how this thing works....I can not get my EB to come on under 30 MPH. Some say its a RPM thing and others say it’s a MPH thing. I think it’s both....I know my EB goes off or disengages under 1,100 RPM and it will not engage(or come on) under 30 MPH. I have tried TH on and off, still wont engage under 30 MPH. It’s frustrating when I tow my trailer down a hill that will not allow me to go over 30 MPH. I have also tried to keep my RPM’s above 1,100 RPM while going down a hill at say 20-25 MPH and no help from the EB. It sounds like your EB works a lot like mine. When I’m going over 30 MPH and RPM’s are above 1,100 all seems well. This must be the way it was designed to operate not sure. GC, I see your in Woodside Ca. not far from you in Redwood City....

Hi Steve;

My exhaust brake will work down to about 10mph if the RPM's are above 1100. The problem is there is just no rhyme or reason as to when it decides to work or not. Most times it seems to work when I don't need it to and not when I do. One corner going down the hill the trans is downshifting harder than I want it to, exhaust break on full, really slowing me down. Next corner I'm riding the brakes wishing the trans would downshift and the exhaust brake kick in. This is in Tow/Haul, of course. I think my problem is the trans, not the exhaust break. If the RPM's are above 1100 the exhaust brake does what it's supposed to do. The trans on the other hand is disappointing to say the least. Maybe we should get together and comiserate over a beer.

 

[GCecchetto]

Soooo.... update on the new firmware in the 8.4AN. No dice, still the same problem. Driving along listening to music, the radio just starts scrolling through the inputs. Mute it, it unmutes and starts again. Put it back on the input you want, few seconds later it starts scrolling through the inputs again. If I could give this thing back to Dodge I would. Ridiculous to have so many issues with a brand new vehicle!

 

[Steve Martin]

GC, my EB will stay on under 30 MPH and above 1,100 RPM’s if it starts above those two parameters, but if it goes off and I’m under 30 MPH but above 1,100 RPM’s it will not come back on. It’s sounds like the same thing your having, there’s no telling when it will come on. Forgot to mention on my last message, I had radio problems as well. I would lose all my presets and the clock would not change after I started the truck. I also had the whole screen go black and the radio would still be playing. I could not use any controls when it would go black...I finally took to the Burlingame dealer and they replaced the entire unit. Luckily it went black on them when it was at the dealer(that never happens). They decided to replace the whole unit. After the new unit was installed, I haven’t had a problem. I had some problems getting the UConnect to work after the new install, but got that worked out as well....

 

[Bug Out]

The only time I can get my eb to work under 30 is if I'm in TH mode and braking moderate to hard. It seems to stay in till 25ish then kicks out. If I'm just gradually slowing in TH, it wont do it. I vaguely recall a knowledgeable person on the board saying theres a sensor in the factory brake unit similar to what was used in the OTC brake units that tells it the rate of stopping etc.. Sorry for not having the proper lingo, but I'm sure someone will pipe in sooner or later.

 

[GCecchetto]

GC, my EB will stay on under 30 MPH and above 1,100 RPM’s if it starts above those two parameters, but if it goes off and I’m under 30 MPH but above 1,100 RPM’s it will not come back on. It’s sounds like the same thing your having, there’s no telling when it will come on. Forgot to mention on my last message, I had radio problems as well. I would lose all my presets and the clock would not change after I started the truck. I also had the whole screen go black and the radio would still be playing. I could not use any controls when it would go black...I finally took to the Burlingame dealer and they replaced the entire unit. Luckily it went black on them when it was at the dealer(that never happens). They decided to replace the whole unit. After the new unit was installed, I haven’t had a problem. I had some problems getting the UConnect to work after the new install, but got that worked out as well....

Steve, how was the dealer in Burlingame to deal with? Do they have mechanics that actually know their way around the diesels? Thanks

 

[Steve Martin]

GC, They seemed to take care of the radio control head problem with no issues. I’m glad it went black on them when it was in there...They called me that same day and said were replacing the whole unit and that fixed the problem. I did have a little problem with getting the UConnect to work after the install. The unit is in sync with the VIN # of the vehicle, so when the new unit was installed it took a few dealer and UConncet people to figure out how to tell the new unit it has a new VIN #.....Other then that they were good....Bug Out thanks for the info also....Steve

 

[sag2]

Soooo.... update on the new firmware in the 8.4AN. No dice, still the same problem. Driving along listening to music, the radio just starts scrolling through the inputs. Mute it, it unmutes and starts again. Put it back on the input you want, few seconds later it starts scrolling through the inputs again. If I could give this thing back to Dodge I would. Ridiculous to have so many issues with a brand new vehicle!

If it starts scrolling through the inputs most likely the Media Hub. Try plugging a USB device into it and see if it makes a difference. If it does it pretty regular the dealer can disconnect it and confirm the problem goes away.

 

[GCecchetto]

If it starts scrolling through the inputs most likely the Media Hub. Try plugging a USB device into it and see if it makes a difference. If it does it pretty regular the dealer can disconnect it and confirm the problem goes away.

I always have a thumb drive in the USB port, my truck has no CD player, I'm either playing from the thumb drive or Pandora through Bluetooth. I have removed the Thumb drive when it's acting up to see if it stops and it doesn't. Most times it will be scrolling between inputs all accessed from the "Media" screen, but other times it will switch over to radio or Sat radio. When this happens it kills any function in progress. Yesterday it booted out in the middle of sending a text by voice. If it's the media hub, what's the fix? Do they replace it? Thanks for the info.

 

[GCecchetto]

Seems the new truck is just jinxed from the get go. Took it in to Americas Tire today for a new set of Goodyear DuraTracs, so we'd have some traction off road on our trip we leave on this Saturday, and they dropped a floor jack handle against the passenger side front door and put a really bad dent in the door just below the window where it's in your face all the time. I'm absolutely heartbroken, I'm an anal far parker that walks around the truck looking to make sure nothing has happened when I come back out to the truck. Don't want paint work on a new truck, hoping I can find a paintless dent removal guy who knows what he's doing, and that the ding is in a spot he can access. This going to bother me the whole time on my upcoming trip.

 

[Bug Out]

Sorry to hear that. I'm one of those "Park a 1/4 miles from the store " to keep door dings off too.

 

[GCecchetto]

GC, my EB will stay on under 30 MPH and above 1,100 RPM’s if it starts above those two parameters, but if it goes off and I’m under 30 MPH but above 1,100 RPM’s it will not come back on. It’s sounds like the same thing your having, there’s no telling when it will come on. Forgot to mention on my last message, I had radio problems as well. I would lose all my presets and the clock would not change after I started the truck. I also had the whole screen go black and the radio would still be playing. I could not use any controls when it would go black...I finally took to the Burlingame dealer and they replaced the entire unit. Luckily it went black on them when it was at the dealer(that never happens). They decided to replace the whole unit. After the new unit was installed, I haven’t had a problem. I had some problems getting the UConnect to work after the new install, but got that worked out as well....

I've really been paying attention to this now and I think you have it nailed.

 

[smokemifugotem]

on my '14 the exhaust brake indicator does not turn green at any time no matter if it's in auto mode or not.