P0481 code came up

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tuckerbj

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2012
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Hemi 5.7
First off I apologize if this is in the wrong spot, I am not sure where to put this

My check engine light has come on. I got it read and it was a P0481 or "cooling fan control circuit." I have been reading up on it and it seems that the symptoms that my truck is displaying are backwards from what they normally would with this code.

When I drive my truck around it warms up quicker then normal. As I drive depending on how much gas I give it, my dash says my coolant is sitting around 190-210 degrees. Obviously the more gas the hotter it gets. However when I idle my truck from letting it sit, it will quickly rise in temperature to around 170-180 degrees but it will not keep rising until I start to drive.

If I am not mistaken shouldn't the truck be getting cooler as I drive it with the increased air flow especially if there is a problem with one of the fans? Also if there was in fact a problem with the fans shouldn't my truck be overheating instead of quickly heating up and then leveling out at what I assume to be normal operating temperatures?

If anyone has seen something like this and can give me some insight as to how I can resolve this problem I would greatly appreciate it. so far I have spun the fans with my hands to make sure that they weren't jammed and I have looked at the relays for any sort of nomenclature that resembles a fan. I.e. J19 60A RAD FAN and K11 RAD FAN LO RLY. J19 had the same fuse as the relay from the AC so I swapped them and the AC still worked which leads me to believe that the fuse was good for both of them.

Again, any insight would be appreciated.
 

ExpressRules

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Just off the top of my head you could have a coolant hose that is collapsing under the greater suction that is created by heavier throttle and there is always the possibility the thermostat is bad. Those are two easy things to check.
 
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RamCares

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First off I apologize if this is in the wrong spot, I am not sure where to put this

My check engine light has come on. I got it read and it was a P0481 or "cooling fan control circuit." I have been reading up on it and it seems that the symptoms that my truck is displaying are backwards from what they normally would with this code.

When I drive my truck around it warms up quicker then normal. As I drive depending on how much gas I give it, my dash says my coolant is sitting around 190-210 degrees. Obviously the more gas the hotter it gets. However when I idle my truck from letting it sit, it will quickly rise in temperature to around 170-180 degrees but it will not keep rising until I start to drive.

If I am not mistaken shouldn't the truck be getting cooler as I drive it with the increased air flow especially if there is a problem with one of the fans? Also if there was in fact a problem with the fans shouldn't my truck be overheating instead of quickly heating up and then leveling out at what I assume to be normal operating temperatures?

If anyone has seen something like this and can give me some insight as to how I can resolve this problem I would greatly appreciate it. so far I have spun the fans with my hands to make sure that they weren't jammed and I have looked at the relays for any sort of nomenclature that resembles a fan. I.e. J19 60A RAD FAN and K11 RAD FAN LO RLY. J19 had the same fuse as the relay from the AC so I swapped them and the AC still worked which leads me to believe that the fuse was good for both of them.

Again, any insight would be appreciated.

Hi tuckerbj,

Sorry to hear about this! If you decide to visit your local dealership I'd be happy to follow up with them for you if needed. Just PM our page with your VIN and let me know!

Andrea
Ram Social Care Specialist
 
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