Dash lights and backlight for instrument LED screen wont go out

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sfuflash23

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Hi all,

Newbie here. Started running into an intermittent problem about 2 weeks ago. on my 2013 Longhorn. I had the truck sitting in the garage all weekend and noticed one day when I was taking my dogs out that the instrument cluster lights, the push button ignition "off light", and backlight for the instrument cluster LED screen were still on. Couldn't figure it out and pulled the battery. Once I reconnected the battery all was well for a few days. It happened again on Monday and actually drained the battery. I took it to the shop, however, once I pulled into the shop and turned off the truck, the lights acted like normal and shut off a few seconds after I turned off the truck. The techs have not heard of any issues like this and were not able to get the problem to replicate. Last night the issue arose again. I drove to work with the intent of going to the shop during lunch but once I got to work the and lights worked normally so I didn't go to the shop. Yet again, I am now home and the lights will not go out. I am having to pull the #49 10 amp fuse in order to not drain the battery, but that only extinguishes the instrument cluster, not the ignition "off" light on the pushbutton start. I do not want to pull the battery because that for sure resets whatever is wrong and I want to try and maintain whatever the issue is so that the shop can actually witness it (thats if I can get the problem to stay until I get to the shop). It seems like an intermittent problem. I am not sure if a wire is lose somewhere to the intelligent battery sensor or not, but this is getting annoying. And before the obvious is stated, no I do not have my dimmer turned all the way up so as that my lights are staying on. Anyone have thoughts of what could be going on? Thanks everyone!

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7777xm

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Probably something else, but try jiggling the brake pedal. When I have no key in, my cluster lights up when I tap on the brake pedal for a couple minutes. Not sure if the brake switch is a multi position or not. If that's not it, dealer?

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sfuflash23

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I tried the brake and that is not the issue. Any other thoughts?
 

Tach_tech

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Take it to the dealer, that's what warranty is for. Last thing you wanna do is start messing around with it and possibly void part of your warranty.

It's possible that intermittently the cluster isn't going to sleep but that's a tricky one to arm chair. You don't leave the keys in it do you?
 
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sfuflash23

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I would like to take it to the dealer but as Murphy's law would have it, every time I go to the dealer the problem seems to not want to occur. I told the dealer about it and showed them pictures (the ones I posted above), but they said they cannot do anything unless they can actually witness the problem. No, I do not leave the keys in the truck.
 

Burgmuk

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We have same issue with our 2015 Ram 1500. Turn off engine and cluster lights stay on for hours. Has drained the battery several times already. Has been to dealer 5 times now, for 25 + days overall, they are not able to make this happen. Almost every time we shut it off this happens. Three times came out from work and had to jump it to start. Really want resolution. Otherwise it's a great truck.
 

demanuel

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Well I have a 2015 Dodge Ram longhorn and my truck started doing the same thing after I left my sun roof open and it sprinkle in my truck a little. It's at the dealer now and they can't figure out what's going on with it. They also have put a new cluster in it but still no change. Can somebody tell me if you found a solution to fixing this problem
 

Ram Drifter

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Same thing on my 2014 Outdoorsman. It just started tonight as far as I know but, I've had occasional low battery warnings in the morning since it was new. This may have been going on for some time now. Mine has the air suspension and it has always runs the pump randomly when parked so I thought that was the source of the battery discharge.
 

[email protected]

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Cluster powers on when truck is off

My 2015 is doing this too. Discovered it only happens at my house. I suspect it's a wireless device that pings the truck or tries to connect. That would explain why the dealer can't replicate the problem. I've powered off all wireless in my home, but the problem persist. Might be util co electric meter (smart meter), might be something in neighbor's house, just not sure. If anyone figures this out, please let me know.
 

Ram Drifter

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I rebooted the radio as described elsewhere on this forum and then disconnected the battery overnight. It hasn't happened since my October post. I think this is just buggy software more than anything. There's security related flash (recall) out for the uconnect now but, I do now if it addresses this issue. I've never owned a vehicle with so many recalls. I think it's up to three or four now.
 

stampede

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Uconnect

Hey guys new here. The same thing just happen to me. I have a 2014 Ram 1500 and I was playing with the unlock lock feature on my phone through Uconnect app. Once I logged off of that and discontinued that app the dash turned off.
 

stampede

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It just happened to me tonight but I noticed I was using the Uconnect app on my phone and once I logged off and shut off the app on my phone it went away. Hope this helps.
 

jtuck82

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I just got a 2016 Ram 1500 Big Horn and my gauges stay on for a while sometimes. I haven't actually stood there and watched them for more than 4 mins but they stayed on the whole 4 mins and then went off. Then 20 secs later came back on again. This if after I park, get out, and lock the doors with the keyless remote. I've had the dealer look at it a couple times with no luck. I just don't want to come out to a dead battery one day and be stranded. I don't know what to do. I've been just leaving it be and haven't had a dead battery yet. I do have the new uconnect update that released on 4/20 to install so maybe this is a bug that will be patched.
 

RamCares

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When you've had the dealership take a look at it, were they able to duplicate it?
 

jtuck82

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I've explained it to the salesman and dropped it off with them and they've messed with it and say its working fine. The second time they said the dome light stayed on longer than normal causing the gauges to not sleep properly so they reset the radio. That didn't work either. I'm going to try the update and see what happens.
 

RamCares

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Be sure to keep us posted, jtuck! If it doesn't work, I would suggest demonstrating specifically what you're experiencing to the dealership service team.
 

jtuck82

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Thank you ramcares. If it keeps it up I have a video I took the other night and haven't shown the dealer yet.
 

2015RAM2500

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Larry H. Miller Dodge (Tucson Arizona) Fixed This For Me

Interesting thing to note here is that I took my truck in originally to have the UConnect patch installed and the ABS Module software patch installed (2 Safety Recalls). I drove it home and locked it and went inside. Came out after dark and noticed that my instrument LED screen was lit up. Took it back the next day and they fixed the problem. I specifically asked them to explain in detail how they fixed it because of this forum. Here is what the Repair Invoice said (not sure if this can be "standard" terminology/codes throughout Dodge):

0892KEG3 Dash Lamps (2 - Skilled)
911 W (N/C)
PARTS: 0.00 LABOR: 0.00 OTHER: 0.00 TOTAL LINE A: 0.00
12479 RADIO RED ON TOPOLOGY BAD CONNECTION AT STAR CONNECTOR
REPAIRED CONNECTOR AT STAR CONNECTOR FOR RADIO CAN IHS 0892KEG3

Also, the service associate explained that they checked the ABS Module software patch and it DID NOT upload completely. So, they re-programmed the 1819109B Module. Again, this is from the Repair Invoice:

1819109B Module, Anti-lock Brake - Reprogram
Module, Anti-lock Brake (ABS) - Reprogram (0
- Low Skilled)
911 W (N/C)
PARTS: 0.00 LABOR: 0.00 OTHER: 0.00 TOTAL LINE B: 0.00
12479 ANTILOCK IMPROVEMENTS UPDATED ABS 1819109B .2

Would have been better to have only one thing fixed but I wasn't standing there when they were doing the work. So, it was either the connector or the software update...or both. What points me towards the software update is the fact that this was one of the things that they attempted to fix the day before, so my logic was that one of the 2 software upgrades affected the lights.

Hope that this helps or at least points you in the right direction.
 
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