22 Power Wagon code P061A

[Travelin Ram]

The vehicle: 2022 Power Wagon. 16k miles. All stock other than 35" tires and Amp steps. No previous repairs or issues, other than it will frequently put up an error message in the cluster about stability control faults when operating off-road. My 2019 PW did the same, and my 2022 Wrangler is also prone to random and false error messages in the cluster. I've always written these things off to glitchy canbus messaging.

The event: cruising on a graded dirt road at 25 mph, when the dash lit up like a Christmas tree. Red lightning bolt, MIL, multiple messages about stability control, four wheel drive unavailable. Lost power, but truck continues to idle. Unresponsive to accelerator, but it will idle down the road.

Shut it off and restarted. Accelerator works again, drives and seems normal except MIL remains on. Drove home about 10 miles. Restarted several times, MIL remains on. No other symptoms.

Drive to NAPA to borrow a code reader. Unplug my AMP steps from the OBD2 port to connect code reader, which NAPA didn't have. Restarted truck and MIL is out.

Drive to O'Reilly and borrow code reader. Stored code is P061A, Internal Control Module Torque Performance. Severity 3/3. Did not erase because it's probably going in for a dealer to check. MIL remains off. Plug steps controller back in to OBD2 and drive home. Steps work, MIL remains off.

 

[Travelin Ram]

My research on this code indicates it's caused when the computed torque from the MAF reading does not agree with the demanded torque from the accelerator pedal position sensor.

Any experience or suggestions are welcome. At this point my main concern is whether this is a *real* code/problem, or a phantom caused by some random electrical gremlins on the canbus.

I'm also wondering if unplugging the AMP controller from the OBD port played any part, or if that was merely coincidence that the MIL went off at that time. That was perhaps 5th start after the event.

I'm presently in a small town with no dealer, but I'm going to start looking for a shop tomorrow.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Travelin Ram]

As of next day truck running fine, no symptoms.

Nearest dealer says they are scheduled 5 weeks out. I’m on a waiting list if they get a cancellation. I know this is common in today’s service environment, and I have to say as a onetime manager of a large shop, it’s utter BS and poor management and terrible customer service.

A service organization should always reserve some capacity to respond to unplanned breakdowns. We never scheduled more than 80% of our capacity to allow for the unexpected. There’s always lower priority non-critical work to fill in the other 20% if breakdowns fail to materialize.

If I ran my shop the way some dealers do, I would have-and should have- been fired.

I have identified a competent local towing company, and I’ve got them on speed dial.