Ram Thinks it's a Liberty or something...

duneop · Nov 8, 2016

Okay so here's the scoop. My battery of 7 1/2 years finally died the other week. I went and got another battery and put it in the tuck. Started up fine, at about 10mph all the ABS lights came on. I took it to the dealer. $989 dollars later they told me that Dodge engineering had come back and said my truck thinks it has a diesel transmission in it. It's funny because my truck is an 09 and was not even manufactured when Dodge had a diesel option. They said that the only way this could happen is if I hooked up a Dodge diesel TIPM to my truck (Which is ridiculous and obviously I did not). They said the only way to fix the issue was to buy a new TIPM and instrument cluster at a cost of around $2500 + labour. If nobody on here has a solution for either reprogramming my truck to think that it's a 1500 Larime 5.7L instead of a Liberty or an eco diesel then after 20 plus years as a Dodge enthusiast I'm sorry to say I'll be done with the brand. I'm used to normal maintenance and I'm not new to regular problems but being told I'm into it for now $3500 plus labour to replace a battery ($240 for the battery not included) is ludicrous. If anyone has an 2009 Ram for the love of God do not replace the battery!!! Anyone have any ideas how to tell my Ram it has a Ram transmission instead of the eco diesel or Liberty transmission it now thinks it has without buying a new Ram?

Thanks. :-(

Hemipower392 · Nov 8, 2016

kccustom · Nov 8, 2016

Holy crap! I would have went for a second opinion.

MANual_puller · Nov 8, 2016

Only idea I have is to reset everything. Unhook the battery, turn the key to run, not acc and let sit for a couple minutes, turn key off, re-hook battery and see if it is better. The tipm controls all your options and accessories and if they're working right something else is going on........

MANual_puller · Nov 8, 2016

kccustom said:
Holy crap! I would have went for a second opinion.

Roger that! Definitely get a second opinion!

crash_eco · Nov 8, 2016

I would be calling someone else higher up in the food chain. That's BS

Devin1349 · Nov 8, 2016

This is just a theory and im just guessing on this one is there a chance the type of battery you bought could be doing this idk if you bought a different brand of battery or what may be something along those lines. never heard of this so just food for thought. good luck mate

huntergreen · Nov 8, 2016

never heard of anything like this. try another shop after you try the reset.

duneop · Nov 8, 2016

The battery I bought was the same battery group as the one that was in it. I tried unhooking the battery and draining it again. It comes back the same, thinking it has a different transmission in it. This is obviously a defect in the module or the dealer flashed it wrong or something as the type of transmission it currently has didn't exist when it was manufactured. Dealer said it had a diesel transmission in it. They didn't make 1500 diesel transmissions in 2009. I'd get a second opinion but from who? That was Dodge engineering that came up with that brain child. If nobody on here knows how to fix the problem then who? The dealer tried doing flashes and the relearning procedure etc... Nothing changes it and the dealer says it's permanently in there. How the transmission changes its configuration and the new one is permanent is beyond me. Why would a company even manufacture something where that was possible is beyond me.

ColdCase · Nov 8, 2016

You purchased the truck new and its a one owner?

Sounds like some of the programing got corrupted. Did you jump the truck at any time? Overvoltage and spikes can be deadly.

On newer models, the options and equipment is tied to the VIN and its built sheet. Dunno when they made that change.

I would disconnect the battery for several minutes and carefully reconnect it which you already did. Also a second opinion may be prudent, or wait here for a day or so, some of the guys in the know only visit once a day or so..

mtofell · Nov 8, 2016

That sucks big time!

Stories like this have me completely scared to let my vehicles get out of warranty.

duneop · Nov 8, 2016

Yes. Bought the truck new. I'm the only owner. Didn't jump it. It died in the store parking lot. I put the battery in the store parking lot. Can it get a voltage spike from a new battery!? As well... How would a voltage spike tell it that it has a transmission that didn't even exist when it was manufactured!? If you can do that with a battery then where do I buy the Ferrari battery for it?

develand · Nov 8, 2016

duneop said:
Yes. Bought the truck new. I'm the only owner. Didn't jump it. It died in the store parking lot. I put the battery in the store parking lot. Can it get a voltage spike from a new battery!? As well... How would a voltage spike tell it that it has a transmission that didn't even exist when it was manufactured!? If you can do that with a battery then where do I buy the Ferrari battery for it?

Can't afford the Ferrari lol. We drive rams.

duneop · Nov 8, 2016

Config linked to VIN

Yes, my config is linked to the VIN. It's CANBUS. The dealer downloads the config based on the VIN through WiTech. Did Dodge push a Liberty or Diesel config to my truck by mistake after it lost it's config? Who knows and nobody will tell me what's in the config file they send down for the vehicle config or flash. I asked the dealer and I asked Dodge. Nobody will give me that information. I'm just lost as to how it can think it suddenly has another vehicle's transmission and how it's impossible to program it otherwise. I'll tell you one thing. It has me longing for the carbonated Dodge 304 I used to have in a Jeep CJ7. I mean I turned the key and that thing just knew what it was every time! That thing never once thought it was a k-car. :-(

duneop · Nov 8, 2016

develand said:
Can't afford the Ferrari lol. We drive rams.

I drive a Ram. It's paid for and I can't afford to drive a Ram. lol

Rzrman328 · Nov 8, 2016

This just reminded me.....the ONLY issue I ever had with my 6.1 SRT was a weird battery issue....everynow and then it would just be dead one day and fine the next. But the battery was in completely good condition with a full charge, connections good and everything. A mechanic told me that Chrysler is just know for weird battery issues sometimes.

Good luck op.

duneop · Nov 8, 2016

KyleNowad said:
Get a second opinion

From who? If nobody on here knows is there another Dodge Engineering department? Or like a Dodge NASA out there to be like dude... You pull the fuse for the cigarette lighter, put 10 psi in the front right tire and then put ice chips in the exhaust. Boom, you're back to a Hemi transmission?

develand · Nov 8, 2016

Your replies are worth reading this thread. Take it to another dealership. Some are more willing to help them others.

And you have it wrong. 10 psi in the back tires. But winter air only, no summer crap. Then rub icy hot on the exhaust pipes, and boom!!

crash_eco · Nov 8, 2016

You should trade it in, for a Honda pretend-a-truck. Ha

duneop · Nov 8, 2016

crash_eco said:
You should trade it in, for a Honda pretend-a-truck. Ha

Can you put an ATV in the back of those? If they have enough of a tow rating to pull a fifth wheel I just might do that. I've swapped batteries in a civic once. Smooth sailing. This was the first time I put a battery in my Ram. Unless Ram starts delivering nuclear power cells with their Rams in the future I'm not sure I can afford their batteries. $3500 + labour is so far the most expensive battery I've ever been quoted on. I think a plane is looking to be a cheaper mode of transportation. I just have to get one I can load an ATV into the back of. Knowing my luck though I'd get a Herc and change the battery and it'd tell me it was an F-22.

Ram Thinks it's a Liberty or something...

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