My letter to Mopar regarding discontinued ABS module

[RamRider60]

I'm on DaSOB's side on this one. They seem to be doing this with random parts for various years and really don't care what sort of a bind it puts the customers in. I'll share my example. Two and half years ago, my 2013 Ram 1500 stopped dead making a normal left hand turn onto a side street. Truck had been running fine until then. I got it towed to the dealership. They told me that the ECM was bad and the wiring harness had a connector on the ECM that was partially melted. So that meant a new wiring harness was in order as well. After six weeks of babble about the ECM availability, I was recommended by the Service Manager to call Customer Care and see if they could get one prioritized to me because there was none available anywhere. So after that call, I was able to have an ECM delivered to the dealership two days later. I thought that was fantastic and I would soon get my truck back. I went and picked up my truck a few days later and was told everything was all set. I walked away happy even though 6 weeks is a long time without my truck. Two days later, making a turn into a parking lot, my truck died again. Same way as before. I had it towed back to the dealership and was told that they would look at it. In the meantime, I looked at my invoice and noticed the wiring harness was never replaced. So in discussing with Customer Care, they told me that they would work with the dealership. A month later (still without a working truck), Customer Care Rep calls me and says that the wiring harness was discontinued and that I had two options, buy a new truck and they would offer some discount for my inconvenience or work with the dealership to find a salvage harness. They wouldn't tell me what the discount would be until after I signed and purchased the truck. They wanted me to shell out $40,000 to get a possible $500 rebate for my inconvenience. No thanks! As it ended, the dealership said after three weeks that they couldn't find a salvage harness. I ended up sending the wiring harness out to have it reconditioned to new by a company out in Utah. That was another 8 months for that to get completed. It came with a Lifetime Warranty from the place that did the wiring harness work. So here's the deal that makes the discontinued part an issue.

I had bought the Maxicare Lifetime Warranty with my truck when I purchased it. Of course, when you buy the Warranty, they'll tell you Mopar will be there for you and it will be a whole lot of love. Both the ECM and the wiring harness were covered components in the warranty. 14 months prior to my issue, they had discontinued the wiring harness so for the time that had originally waited for the new harness to come in with the ECM, they knew (both the dealership and the Customer Care Rep) that they were never going to find one. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they decided to put in the ECM and hope that the wiring harness was good enough to last a few months until it acted up or caused the truck to catch fire for all i know. Anyhow, they discounted a covered part, when the truck was just seven years old. The Customer Care Rep let me know that any part they make, they are only required to keep the part in stock for 5 years. I was told that I shouldn't expect Dodge to keep making a part that isn't really in demand any longer. Of course, failing to admit that the Jeeps, Durango's Grand Cherokee's..etc with a 5.7 Hemi for 2013 still exist by the millions. Yes...truely a BS statement. Also, if I had used the salvage part, the LifeTime Warranty would be void at that point for any part attached to that wiring harness. So this was a beautiful out for them to not have to support the wiring harness any longer and most of the LifeTime Warranty would be void going forward. They stopped offering the Maxicare Lifetime Warranty I believe in 2019 because it was costing them too much money. They don't want you to keep your truck for 10 or 15 years. They want you buying a new one every 3+ years. Those are the customers they want. I had only found out the actual date of when the wiring harness was discontinued by have one of the dealership counter guys giving me a printout of the part number so I could try and research finding it myself. Right on the sheet, the discontinued date was right there for everyone at the dealership to see when they originally were looking up its availability. Currently, my truck is running great but you can bet they have lost a customer for life after I trade this one in. I could get one for free and I wouldn't take it. It's too bad because I had been buying Dodge products for a good number of years and still love my truck now, even after all this but I just can't rely on this company standing by their product in the long term or feeling their Customer Support isn't worth two cents. I'm sure many of the other car manufacturers are very similar to FCA/Stellantis. Just sharing my experience with what happened to me with my issue.

 

[jeff4048]

Agreed - ram should keep their parts available no one is making a knock off of this part similar to break pads this is I personally am not going to fabricate my own part and I doubt mr military is able to either it’s an electronic part that when I removed the truck would not start. Sure could go to the junk yard but the part is problematic so that is a temporary fix. My 2017 /2018 has the same issue with no replacements available it is BS

 

[Geodoctor]

2018 Ram 2500 Diesel in South GA. Second time ABS went out. First time Ram dealer fixed it free at 30k mi. Now, I'm waiting for them to get the part due February 2024, but i guess that's better than no part at all. 5 yrs old and only 70k miles, having more expenses than i expected. Now i see why many owners get a new truck every 36k miles or 3 years!!!

 

[Chowzer]

You are better off having

 

[Chowzer]

You are better off getting your ABS unit rebuilt. It is a tenth of the cost then buying a new one and you don’t have to pay the dealership $259-500 to program it. I had my son’s GMC rebuilt for $68 and $16 shipping both ways. The dealership wanted $1200-1500 without programming it! There is lots of places to rebuild them, my son found one one his phone while I was on the phone with the dealership and it took him less time than it took the dealership to get me a quote! Search the internet. It’s really easy to replace.

 

[Hagar1]

I don't think its a parts supply chain problem. We bought our vehicles, and we're now yesterday's news. The big 3 is putting all their advertising effort into fooling the sheeple to thinking that EV is the way of the future. I'm just a dinosaur at this point.

Never, ever lose sight of the fact that you are the most important person in the world ..... right up to the time that you have signed ALL the paper work for that vehicle. After that? They don't care. They got your money!

 

[js12278]

It’s likely a cracked solder joint on the board.
Last one I had issues with had a hotspot at the power connection on the board. Cleaned up the green boogers in plug, repaired the solder and it was fixed.

 

[AllMoparParts.com]

Let's try asking @AllMoparParts.com if this ABS part# 68228991AD is available or if there's a new superseded part.

68228991AD is expected to be Available Dec 20th based on current info.

-Benny

 

[TBFRam2599]

I have a 2018 same problem my dealer has 29 trucks waiting in the part . Was told there are 10k sitting in a. warehouse waiting to be reengineered. So it seams it’s a safety issue or recall issue. That needs to be resolved. Was also told this problem could cause a 4x4 failure .

 

[DILLIGAF]

You are better off getting your ABS unit rebuilt.

Dosent matter how many times this get posted. Some people are thick headed and want to shell out 1K + instead... lol...

 

[DILLIGAF]

I doubt mr military is able to either it’s an electronic part

Not sure if this is directed at me, but I actually solder and fixed my WIN module since im not the type to waste money on **** that can be fixed. So yes I fix electronics as well. and even made a YT video https://youtube.com/shorts/BT99jCOwCBE

If my ABS ever goes Ill just send it it to get it fixed as ill never drop 1K on something stupid like that.

 

[Mister Luck]

I think the whole issue is being blown way out of proportion.

The parts place may have used the term “ does not make any more “
and should have actually said “ that part number or part is obsolete “
In which case if you read the original post in it says “2014- 2016” what about a replacement part number used for 2017 truck ?

Chrysler is adamant in not having duplicate part numbers or reissuing part numbers if a different vendor is used in the supply chain.

Like so many other owners of 2014-16 Rams, I am searching in vain for an ABS module (Mopar #68228991AD). I was told by one of their CSR's that that module has been DC'ed. So I wrote a sharp letter to Mopar and copied the NHTSA. Here is the text of that letter for anyone who wishes to copy and paste it.

Mopar Customer Care
PO Box 21-8004
Auburn Hills, MI 48321-8004

RE: Mopar part #68228991AD (discontinued)

Sir or Madam:

I am writing to your Company regarding the lack of availability of this part, the ABS Control Module for 2014-2016 Ram 1500 trucks.

My truck, like those of numerous other Ram owners, has a malfunctioning ABS Control Module. Because of this malfunction, the ABS and cruise control do not work. In turn, this places me and other owners of this vehicle in an unsafe situation in that lack of an operating ABS system is conducive to skidding and accidents. Some owners have even reported that they cannot drive their vehicles due to locked brakes which resulted from this malfunction.

I have tried every source in existence in my efforts to find a replacement module, but I have been totally unsuccessful. I have been told by one of your Customer Service representatives that your Company is “…unable to maintain a complete inventory for an indefinite period of time and the lower the demand, the less likely it is we will have stocked parts. As such, the part you are requesting is no longer in our inventory.”

This is absolutely appalling. Apparently, several thousand Ram owners who paid tens of thousands of dollars for their trucks are not important enough to your Company for it to provide very necessary support for their products. I am thoroughly disgusted with Chrysler/Stellantis and definitely will NOT purchase another vehicle from your Company.

Sincerely,


cc: National Highway Transportation Safety Administration

The replacement part is unavailable because of the recent strike the part number you have is obsolete and has been replaced by 68295368AC and 68436462AL

 

[Dusty]

"I am thoroughly disgusted with Chrysler/Stellantis and definitely will NOT purchase another vehicle from your Company."

cc: National Highway Transportation Safety Administration

if you're really looking for assistance you didn't give them much incentive to help you.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 101658 miles.

 

[chri5k]

68228991AD is expected to be Available Dec 20th based on current info.

-Benny

Thanks Benny.

I guess one should not allow facts to get in the way of a good rant. OP never did answer about contacting a rebuilder. Based on the experience of another forum member, XemodeX could have had the current one rebuilt and back to the customer by now. Never let a plausible solution get in the way of a good rant either.

 

[Dusty]

I'm not sure, but this may have been complicated by the OP trying to obtain a part through a Mopar parts vendor? Mopar Parts is a separate division.

As of this moment in time, the ABS Module for a 2015 Ram 1500, 68228991AD, cannot be ordered through the dealer network until 20-23 December 2023 due to the vendors component supply issue. This part number IS NOT cancelled.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 101693 miles.

 

[Jeepwalker]

There are a number of brake module repair videos on Y/T. Even the other mfgr repair videos are good reference as most are very similar. The first thing I'd do is pop off the lid and see what the deal was inside. And go from there. But then I'm not afraid of digging into stuff like that.

 

[Jackman061]

I feel your pain. I went through the same problem on my 2014. With just over 200k on the truck, the lights lit up. Abs, traction control, and engine light. Had truck scanned and sure enough, defective abs module. $1500can for a replacement. I did try getting the old module rebuilt, tried a replacement from wreckers and no luck either way. These modules are married to the truck Vin number. Problem reported Dec 2022 and 5 months later finally repaired at a grand total of $2100. I was told water intrusion caused the issue. After the install of the new module I sealed the module and electrical connector with an electric rubberized sealant. So far , so good

 

[Scarter5261]

Its literally a couple of hundred buck to get it fixed. lol... Plenty of places do it.

Or pull one from a wrecker.

Not sure why this is so appalling to you, This is what everyone that owns older Vehicles deal with every day. Its actually quite fun to figure out how to fix **** without a parts catalog. Or in this case an overpriced POS factory part that can be fixed for pennies on the dollar.

In reply to your comment “this is what everyone that own older vehicles deal with” we own a 2018 that has less that 30,000 miles and has been repaired twice already. The replacement part is defective and unavailable until Feb-March 2024.

 

[DILLIGAF]

So get it fixed. Or wait for an overpriced OEM part . That choice is yours and yours only.

 

[Mister Luck]

Default operation for ABS failure does not affect basic braking. I.E. your brakes will operate to stop your vehicle.

How many owners are certain when or if their ABS had failed ?

EDIT : The OP starred a new thread on his question probably because he felt it was high jacked.. was it ?