All engine warning lights come on dash, truck only limited on speed

[fltekdiver]

Hello
I lost power steering twice in last week, shut the truck on and off and it works again.
Now I'm getting all kinds of engine lights, every light on the dash comes on while driving , then I get all kinds messages on the dash says transmission will not shift gears, do not shut truck off till you get to your destination, once I shut it off I can't start it back up, un less I disconnect the neg on the battery and reset it.
Bought it to the local Dodge Dealership and they said all the codes were stored however it wasn't doing it when it got towed in. They said somehow the computer is loosing its connection somewhere.
Only thing they suggested take the AMP Research power steps off the NEG battery side on the sensor where I had them grounded and move it to the NEG side on battery, not directly onto of the sensor.
Did this and same issue.
So then they suggested remove the NEG all together for the power steps and see what happens. I did that and so far the last day no problems now. Maybe I just haven't drove it long enough. I've had the power steps on the truck over a year with no issues prior to this.
Any suggestions? I'm ready to sell the truck!
Every light on the dash comes on, windshield wipers start going by themselves, transmission will not shift gears and limits me to 45 mph, when I get to the destination and shut it off it will not start back up without disconnecting the neg battery and waiting 10 minutes

Truck is a 2019 Ram 1500 5th Gen 6Cyl 2WD lifted with Amp Research power steps

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

I thought a read on here on a thread that a low battery can cause these issues .... take the battery to an autozone or other place to get it tested ..

Are the amp steps also taped into your obd2 port?

 

[fltekdiver]

Thanks for the reply
Battery is new only a few months old
Yes they are tapped into the OB2 port below the dash

 

[Rlaf75]

Try disconnecting the battery for 10 or 15 minutes. That should give the systems a reset. Connect the battery and see what happens

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Thanks for the reply
Battery is new only a few months old
Yes they are tapped into the OB2 port below the dash

I know so many people who have AMP steps and it has fried their truck's cpu because they had it connected through the OBD2 port .... People will disagree, but having them going through the OBD2 port is just asking for issues at some point.

If the steps at some point had a surge, short or any other electrical issue, it could very well damage your truck ... It sucks because by now it probably already damaged something and it's going to take some time and money to figure out exactly what it is that happened ..

If you ever get it figured out, go with the hardwired install on the AMP steps to avoid going through the OBD2 port ...

 

[Daw14]

If the above advice does not help , have your battery LOAD TESTED. Your truck is displaying symptoms of a battery on its way out .

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

If the above advice does not help , have your battery LOAD TESTED. Your truck is displaying symptoms of a battery on its way out .

Yeep, that's why I mentioned taking his battery to get it tested .... there might be something that is draining the battery and it could be the AMP steps ....

Example, a guy where I used to work starting having warning lights come on after he installed his AMP steps. He had the battery tested and it was done ... he got a new battery and 2 weeks later again he was having warning lights go on, he tested the battery and it was drained ..

I mentioned to him about AMP steps draining batteries, he disconnected the AMP steps for a month and his battery was fine, connected the AMP steps back again and it drained his battery within a couple of days and it fried his cpu..which one not sure but he took it to his mechanic and was told it was the AMP steps causing the issues ...

 

[fltekdiver]

Thank you all for your help I will bring it over to have the battery load tested currently I've been driving it the last 2 days with the steps disconnected and I've had no symptoms
Can I ask what are my options so I don't fry the computer I have a 4 inch lift the reason why I went with these steps is cuz they drop down 7 in so my wife can get in and out of the truck
Is there any alternatives or do I need to get rid of the steps completely
I just tried to hook the steps back up to see if it would throw a light and when I went to connect the negative back on for the steps the wire started smoking for the negative on the steps so I did not connected I think maybe I have a bad module for the steps or something short it out

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Thank you all for your help I will bring it over to have the battery load tested currently I've been driving it the last 2 days with the steps disconnected and I've had no symptoms
Can I ask what are my options so I don't fry the computer I have a 4 inch lift the reason why I went with these steps is cuz they drop down 7 in so my wife can get in and out of the truck
Is there any alternatives or do I need to get rid of the steps completely
I just tried to hook the steps back up to see if it would throw a light and when I went to connect the negative back on for the steps the wire started smoking for the negative on the steps so I did not connected I think maybe I have a bad module for the steps or something short it out

You can contact AMP and ask them for the hardwire harness, that way you don't have to go through the OBD2 .... and let them know it started smoking ..

NO ! you don't have to get rid of them completely, but something is going on with them for sure ..

 

[Rlaf75]

Which wire started smoking? Was it a wire in the trucks harness or a wire for the steps? Disregard, I read the whole comment this time lol. Contact the company and see what they have to say

 

[fltekdiver]

Yeh the NEG wire for the steps started smoking when I went to put it on the NEG terminal.
If I hardwire them vs going through the OB2 port do I run the risk of frying the computer?

What steps does the Larmine trim level OEM come on the truck? Is it just this particular brand have these issues ?
I think they cone OEM on all 3 makers now no?

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

Yeh the NEG wire for the steps started smoking when I went to put it on the NEG terminal.
If I hardwire them vs going through the OB2 port do I run the risk of frying the computer?

What steps does the Larmine trim level OEM come on the truck? Is it just this particular brand have these issues ?
I think they cone OEM on all 3 makers now no?

I haven't heard of anyone having issues when hardwiring it ... here is a very good video of how to do it

2018 Ram Amp Research Power Steps Install, Hard Wired, and Troubleshooting

Whats up guys I finally got the hardware in from www.electricsteps.com and hard wired them on the new Ram. Instead of like most of the new Rams that run the ...

www.youtube.com

 

[Rlaf75]

Yeh the NEG wire for the steps started smoking when I went to put it on the NEG terminal.
If I hardwire them vs going through the OB2 port do I run the risk of frying the computer?

What steps does the Larmine trim level OEM come on the truck? Is it just this particular brand have these issues ?
I think they cone OEM on all 3 makers now no?

I wouldn't worry about hard wiring the steps as long as there's a fuse or relay inline somewhere. You're more likely to cause damage to the truck if you leave them hooked up to the OBD connector especially if there's an issue with the steps and wires are smoking.

 

[fltekdiver]

Ok so by bypassing the OBD port and hardwire them that shouldn't cause a issue with the computer down the road right if the steps malfunction again?
I'm calling Amp Research today also

 

[Jimmy07]

Ok so by bypassing the OBD port and hardwire them that shouldn't cause a issue with the computer down the road right if the steps malfunction again?
I'm calling Amp Research today also

Being plugged into the OBD port is not your issue, and there is no need to “hard wire” them in. All you’ll be doing is tapping into the exact same wires as you are already using by plugging into the OBD port. The only thing the 5th gen ram amp steps is getting from the OBD port is it’s power and ground for the controller. Then there is the small connector that plugs into the canbus junction block. That’s how the controller knows when a door is opened or closed.
Your issue is there is probably a short to ground somewhere in one of the motors, and it is constantly drawing on the battery. The battery will get low enough to where a bunch of modules will store the low voltage fault, and the truck will still start, and all the modules start losing communication with each other because that’s their behavior when there is low voltage detected.

 

[fltekdiver]

Thank you I actually just got back from the dealership an hour ago and that is exactly what they told me
I brought the truck in and asked them to hardwire it and tell him the problem
They said exactly what you just said and when it loses communication the computer it's because the battery is draining power and it is looking to get power from elsewhere so it starts shutting things down

 

[fltekdiver]

I've been driving the truck now 5 days with a couple of few hour round trip in between each day with the steps disconnected it's definitely the steps I've had no air lights or codes since disconnecting the steps

 

[CheechDogg.0n37s]

I've been driving the truck now 5 days with a couple of few hour round trip in between each day with the steps disconnected it's definitely the steps I've had no air lights or codes since disconnecting the steps

I would still hardwire them ... instead of going through the OBD2 you will be going directly to through the C130 junction connector underneath the fuse box ...

They will tell you which pins to pin out ... it's not hard at all and that is how AMP steps used to be installed on the Rams before the OBD2 harness came out ....

This is why I love the RBP steps, they don't use OBD2 or the signal from the doors, instead there are 2 magnets on each door, when those magnets are not face to face they make the steps deploy ...

 

[sfljsfdkjs]

I went with these steps is cuz they drop down 7 in so my wife can get in and out of the truck
Is there any alternatives or do I need to get rid of the steps completely

Option 1 - put the wife in 7 inch heels

Option 2 - lower the truck

Option 3 - get a taller wife

Just throwing ideas out there. These would solve that particular problem, but may create problems elsewhere in your life.

 

[fltekdiver]

LOL ! I think the heels would be the cheapest option

I contacted Amp, the steps have been disconnected now a week and no issues or warning lights. I did have the battery Load tested to see if it was the battery and it passed.
There's definitely a short in one of the motors or the controller for the steps. They say they come with a 5-year warranty; steps are just under 2 years old. I see them on so many new lifted trucks. I just hope they don't fry the computer on the truck eventually. I'm all ready into this for towing the truck 40 miles to the dealership and the dealership charges for trouble shooting the truck. They wouldn't trouble shoot the steps as their aftermarket