SFD213
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2013
- Posts
- 296
- Reaction score
- 41
- Ram Year
- 2004
- Engine
- Hemi 5.7L
Alright so a whole buttload of electrical things are going wrong inside the truck.
About 2 months ago I put in aux toggles for my emergency lights. When I went to ground out the switches to a common ground, there was a surge and sparks. Not sure why there were sparks as the other wire, despite being red, is a ground for my remote starter (confirmed by technicians that installed it).
Here's a list of things electrically wrong with the truck:
1) wipers have a mind of their own. Sometimes the go once or twice when they're off, sometimes they don't go on at all unless i turn the stalk all the way to "continuous" mode. Sometimes when they decide to work normally, they wont go on for some time and then run continuous for 3 or 4 cycles. This has been happening since i bought the truck 4 years ago.
2) Neither my factory remote or aftermarket remote with starter will unlock the doors unless the truck is running. Auto start works fine, so I know the remote isn't the problem.
3) All electronics shut off with key turned to off. Most things are supposed to turn off, but not everything such as things like the headlights and dome lights with the doors. In order to unlock a door, turn on a dome light, turn on headlights/high beams, use turn signals/hazards, ANYTHING electronic in the cab, the key has to be turned to and left on at minimum.
4)This morning on the way in to work, I would only have a right turn signal for some of the time. Sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn't. No pattern to it. Sometimes it'd work and then turn off before cancelling; turn signal stalk would be in the same place though. Not sure if it was just the indicator in the dash that wouldn't show while the outside signal would work, or if it's the whole shebang because by the time I got to work to check, the signal was not giving me issues (of course). Left turn signal was completely unaffected. Might have something wrong with the system they work on, but left was unaffected.
5) Just one little thing I noticed as well. The odometer/trip computer reverts back to the odometer reading every time I start the truck regardless of what it was left on prior to turning it off. Not sure what this means, but it leads me to believe there is some sort of system safe mode or reset every time it starts.
Gonna try to answer some questions before they're asked.
-Yes the truck runs and quite well I might add.
-All gauges and instruments work as expected. Radio sucks though but thats because it's broken.
-Battery always has a charge and has yet to be found dead or even weak.
-No, it's not from the remote start system. I took the truck to the place that installed it and they reset the entire system and made sure everything was both up to date and working in all capacities. Everything checked out. The guys are good there and I trust their word.
One of the gents that did the remote system said it could be the Body Control Module (BCM). Never heard of a BCM but it makes sense a modern vehicle would have one. The tech admitted to being a Ford guy and not knowing Dodge to well as to specifics. Anyone have any other input as to what it could be or if this has happened to many others?
About 2 months ago I put in aux toggles for my emergency lights. When I went to ground out the switches to a common ground, there was a surge and sparks. Not sure why there were sparks as the other wire, despite being red, is a ground for my remote starter (confirmed by technicians that installed it).
Here's a list of things electrically wrong with the truck:
1) wipers have a mind of their own. Sometimes the go once or twice when they're off, sometimes they don't go on at all unless i turn the stalk all the way to "continuous" mode. Sometimes when they decide to work normally, they wont go on for some time and then run continuous for 3 or 4 cycles. This has been happening since i bought the truck 4 years ago.
2) Neither my factory remote or aftermarket remote with starter will unlock the doors unless the truck is running. Auto start works fine, so I know the remote isn't the problem.
3) All electronics shut off with key turned to off. Most things are supposed to turn off, but not everything such as things like the headlights and dome lights with the doors. In order to unlock a door, turn on a dome light, turn on headlights/high beams, use turn signals/hazards, ANYTHING electronic in the cab, the key has to be turned to and left on at minimum.
4)This morning on the way in to work, I would only have a right turn signal for some of the time. Sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn't. No pattern to it. Sometimes it'd work and then turn off before cancelling; turn signal stalk would be in the same place though. Not sure if it was just the indicator in the dash that wouldn't show while the outside signal would work, or if it's the whole shebang because by the time I got to work to check, the signal was not giving me issues (of course). Left turn signal was completely unaffected. Might have something wrong with the system they work on, but left was unaffected.
5) Just one little thing I noticed as well. The odometer/trip computer reverts back to the odometer reading every time I start the truck regardless of what it was left on prior to turning it off. Not sure what this means, but it leads me to believe there is some sort of system safe mode or reset every time it starts.
Gonna try to answer some questions before they're asked.
-Yes the truck runs and quite well I might add.
-All gauges and instruments work as expected. Radio sucks though but thats because it's broken.
-Battery always has a charge and has yet to be found dead or even weak.
-No, it's not from the remote start system. I took the truck to the place that installed it and they reset the entire system and made sure everything was both up to date and working in all capacities. Everything checked out. The guys are good there and I trust their word.
One of the gents that did the remote system said it could be the Body Control Module (BCM). Never heard of a BCM but it makes sense a modern vehicle would have one. The tech admitted to being a Ford guy and not knowing Dodge to well as to specifics. Anyone have any other input as to what it could be or if this has happened to many others?