Cold related electrical issue?

[tbishop82]

Hey all,

My 2012 1500 has an electrical issue that seems to only happen after a cold(below about 40 degrees Fahrenheit) night. When I start it in the morning, the windshield wipers will come on and I can’t turn them off, my gauges don’t work and are not lit, turn signals don’t work and non of the controls on the steering wheel work including the horn. After driving for a few minutes things end up going back to normal. The problem happened before summer a few times but hadn’t happened all summer until yesterday and today after the first couple cold nights of this fall. Any help here would greatly be appreciated!

 

[daveray9]

Sounds like a faulty TIPM.. google Ram 1500 TIPM there are a bunch of aftermarket rebuilders that will save you a lot of money compared to the dealer.

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[rotwiler]

Yup, sounds exactly like a faulty TIPM, my friends 06 2500 did same thing at times, replaced the tipm( fuse box) solved issue. Check ground and battery connection also. TIPMs range from $160-up for rebuilt one, new ones pretty expensive in comparison.

 

[tbishop82]

Ok thanks guys. Rock Auto has one by Dorman for $435 if you send them the old one. Anyone able to vouch for Dorman?

 

[rotwiler]

I seen other builders of them for $200 area. If only cold related, first I would clean up all grounding points and maybe even add a extra ground, then check all fuses and relays are seated, and check for any corrosion.

 

[daveray9]

My buddy used this place...
https://tipmrebuilders.com/

Amazing customer service... but as mentioned before Id check all ground points 1st.

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[tbishop82]

Well yesterday I pulled my TIPM and took it apart as far as I could without feeling like I was going to break something. I sprayed it and all of its connections down with electrical cleaner. I cleaned up all the fuses with steel wool as well as all the grounds near it under the hood that I could find. Then I used dielectric grease on all the connectors and put everything back together. This morning when I got in it to go to work everything worked as it should! It didn’t seem like there was too much corrosion anywhere but this was the first morning this week that it hasn’t acted up and it was just as cold out so until it go’s crazy again I’m calling it fixed! Thanks for the advice fellas. Oh and I clamped the battery cables together for a couple hours while I was cleaning things up as well.