04 Dodge Ram - Instrument Cluster - Battery Gauge Intermittent Issues

[kyle w]

Truck starts perfect in the morning, Starts perfect after work (sits 8hrs). After
work (or even just regular trips from home) if i go anywhere IE: grocery store / home depot and come back to start my truck it
intermittently wont fire up. Everything works except the battery gauge is to
the far left and I'm unable to start the truck as no power gets to my starter.
After waiting about 30 minutes the battery gauge will finally show power, the other gauges flash up then down THEN i can start the truck and go home.

When i first bought the truck I paid about $1,500 to get a PCM replacement
as they said that was my problem. It wasn't; I've been to over 5 mechanics
who cant diagnose the issue and have been stranded over 50 times in the
last couple years.

Someone, Anyone Please help me!!!!

 

[Karlsweg]

Does it crank but doesn’t start?

 

[kyle w]

Does it crank but doesn’t start?

No crank, no start, all other electrical works; lights radio...etc.

 

[Karlsweg]

It sounds like it could be a bad ground. Unhook the ground cable from the block and clean block and cable with a scuff pad real good. Put lithium grease of the block and cable. Clean the neg cable to body mounts the same way and grease. I had to put new grounds in and haven’t had a problem since. Doing this is free and only takes a bit to do. These all hook to neg side of battery.

 

[kyle w]

It sounds like it could be a bad ground. Unhook the ground cable from the block and clean block and cable with a scuff pad real good. Put lithium grease of the block and cable. Clean the neg cable to body mounts the same way and grease. I had to put new grounds in and haven’t had a problem since. Doing this is free and only takes a bit to do. These all hook to neg side of battery.

Thank you! im going to try this out this weekend. Truly appreciate your response.

 

[kyle w]

Knock on wood but i think you solved my problem! its been a couple weeks and i havnt had the issue.

 

[Karlsweg]

Ok glad I was able to help. And I would be paying a visit to the guy who hosed you with the pcm replacement! Mechanics can only read a OBDii codes to fix things these days. No common sense at all. And no I’m not a mechanic lol.