Low Voltage charging system failure

[Reddog303]

Hello all, well my first Ram truck and all is not good ,new 3500 cummins Laramie now has 1800 miles and been in the shop 8 days since I bought it end of Jan. low voltage alarm intermittent on/off and charging system failure alarm .Dealership has changed module (ECM?) BUT the alarm has returned.All batteries and both alternators check out ,wondering if anybody else has seen this problem? Got a pm from a friend that he had heard that there is a problem in the software but RAM is being quite on this.Feeling the heat from my Ford relatives...

 

[Reddog303]

Ok guys I have experienced the worst and best a new truck owner can have. The truck was in the shop for 21 days although some of it was parts issues,the juxt of it was the mounting bolts on the one alternator was cross threaded from the factory causing it to move when the truck was in motion and short out. When the truck was at idle there were no issues only when it was in motion. Driving the experts at Chrysler crazy so the senior mechanic at the dealership said WTH and took both alternators off ,voila problem was apparent, new alternator new mounting bracket all good,well except for the wiring harness which had melted inside and took 8 days to find a new one. All good now and a cheque from RAM for my down time,never seen that from Ford or GM when they both were in the shop.

 

[TorqueWagon]

Hello all, well my first Ram truck and all is not good ,new 3500 Cummins Laramie now has 1800 miles and been in the shop 8 days since I bought it end of Jan. low voltage alarm intermittent on/off and charging system failure alarm .Dealership has changed module (ECM?) BUT the alarm has returned. All batteries and both alternators check out ,wondering if anybody else has seen this problem? Got a pm from a friend that he had heard that there is a problem in the software but RAM is being quite on this. Feeling the heat from my Ford relatives...

I have a 2007 Cummins 3500. I have had similar symptoms on and off over the years. I have found the cause in my case. Each time, when I'd get "system low voltage" or throttle position sensor indicator, or "check gauges" indicator, It seems like it might have a complicated source, but turned out to be really simple. If you have corrosion on your battery terminals or between the battery terminal clamp and the charging cable ring lug that is clamped to it, you can get these symptoms. So my fix has always been to service my battery and cable connections by taking them all apart and cleaning all connection surfaces between not only the main clamp and the battery, but all things bolted onto that main clamp - most importantly the heavy red charge cable coming from the alternator. This last time i did this, my alternator was putting out its proper 14.5 volts, and I measured that also at the passenger side battery. On the driver side battery, I could measure the 14.5v on the charge cable, but when I moved my meter lead 1" to the main clamp it was bolted to, the voltage was 11.8 volts, causing the "system low voltage". corrosion had developed between the lug on the charge cable and the main battery clamp it was bolted onto. Just have absolutely clean metal to metal connections for all cables on all battery clamps and of course to the battery itself!! If your battery clamp is too loose on the post, they make a lead battery post "cup" that can be put over the post to make it bigger so that your clamp can be expanded and then tightened down. Once you get all cleaned and perfect connections, coat all exposed metal surfaces with dielectric battery terminal grease so that the corrosion will be held at bay for long as possible!! This fix sounds too simple, but it is often the cause of your symptoms.