Dodge Ram: Problems & Solutions

dtower77

I guess I should of said we swapped them out, they were found ok except one and he replace it(test on it showed to replace) that was the cool temp sensor and we replaced the cap. A friend of his came over with a 97 Ram with a 318 and he swapped back and forth parts on it, tried the computer on it cause he thought the one he tried first may of been faulty but it was still the same. He does have access to a manual and has really be good about things. Its now become a mission to get this thing fixed but it just still keeps on dumping the fuel in.

dtower77

The exhaust was dropped but still the same. Any other ideas out there or has anyone had this problem? Help!

asalas

Owner of dodge... Was driving it and all of a sudden it shut off, gave about 15min w/o trying to turn it on and suddenly it turned on. Drove it 2-3miles and then it shut off again. Again gave it a couple of min and it turned back on. Before it shut off it acted as if it wanted to stay on. When I turn the ignitition it acts like it wants to turn on but it doesn'tt. Took it to a mechanic, they drove it around and it drove fine, of course. Has anyone come across this problem. I was told it could be the cylinoid or some type of sensor. Please advice.

puzzled.... asalas

zippo

I have been told that the 98 ram 1500 has been known for having week trannys is this true or not!!if so how can i make it last longer please let me know..

kilster

its possible you could have a bad crank sensor, mounted on the bell housing, or a bad fuel pump. Can really only find out which one if you can catch it happening.

slidinhranch

I have a 98 ram 3500 drw pickup with 4:10 rear end and I get 13 mpg any suggestions on how to improve my mileage

mrg00dwrench

As you can see, it is reversed from how my truck wiring is set up, and how the old ABS sensor was. the plug in goes off to the right, while the wire comes from the left. it CAN connect, but in order to do so I have to pull the cables to an uncomfortable length. Even then, when I can get the cables to a good enough length to where I can install the plug, I can not put the metallic cover on, as it is set up for an ABS sensor that goes the opposite direction. The guy at the dodge dealer told me it is the right part for my year and make, but i think it is quite obvious he is wrong. I did manage to put it in there temporarily, and take my truck for a test drive. the ABS/Brake lights did NOT turn on, and the speedomoter worked perfectly. Soooo I dont know if I would consider this battle a win or a loss! Anyways, I took it off, and just secured the wires, as the old sensor cracked when I was removing it. I have my receipt, and Im hoping they will give me a full refund, seeing as I bought it today! Anyways, 'till I get a new sensor, my speedomoter does not work at all! AHHHHHH!!! Is there some way to reverse the way that the plug is facing? I could not figure out if there was, as there is a little notch that looks like it is not adjustable. Anyways, any help appreciated!

jwhitehouse

I had this problem and first I had to get a new battery the dealer said that the battery had a problems and was causing tbl with the on board computer. But you may first try taking offf the neg term on your battery and leaving it off for about a minute this will reset you computer then replace and see if it helps.

Glenn

jwhitehouse

My 97 ram will idle ok but when out on the road for about a mile the oil light comes on and the pressure gauge goes to zero. You can shut it off and run again for a short while and it happens again. You can idle for a long time and it will not happen. I have change the sending unit but only went about 2miles then the pressure went to 30psi and then back to zeor. Any ideas this is my only transportation other a motorcyle and it sure is getting cold.

mac24

The guy at the dodge dealer told me it is the right part for my year and make, but i think it is quite obvious he is wrong.

Just take the old sensor with you when you return the one that doesn't fit, so that they can match to it.

mac24

It may actually be an oil pressure problem rather than a sensor problem. Things that spring to mind are sludge, and/or a bad oil filter. It's also possible that as the oil warms up and thins out, the pressure drops due to a worn oil pump or crankshaft bearings. I'd start with an oil change and new filter.

kilster

it is the correct sensor, for your year you need to go back in get the pigtail harness for it, model changes use the same sensor some just use the harness.

kilster

drive slower

ashaffer

While changing brake pads, I was compressing one of the two caliper pistons in so I can remount the caliper. I didn't notice the second piston extending out while I was compressing the first. Now the second piston is fully extended & won't go back. It seems to have gone past a point and won't retract.
Alan

mrg00dwrench

Thank you! I went in and got the right part, and installed it myself. Works fine, and the ABS/Brake lights are off, and the speedomoter works perfectly. Thanks for the help .

blckislandguy

Wouldn't this be a good time to stop the shade tree shenanigans and take it to a dealer? You know , professionals who work on Mopar products full time for a living and actually own manuals, diagnostic tools, microfiche, tech bulletins, offer a warranty on their work, accept credit cards, etc. as opposed to your mechanic that only has "access" to a manual. (Does he only have "access" to tools, too?)

Believe it or not, in cases like this a dealer is less expensive than all the horsing around, swapping of parts from friends vehicles, etc. you have been doing. Take it to a dealer, get it fixed, and get your mind back on your career. That is what pays the mortgage.

kenworthman

hey, your not alone .the s.o.b .s said we will take 5k and pull the tank clean it replace 2 injectors and clean the fuel system .you have a fuel contamination problem .funny thing was it was there for 1,5 weeks and couldnt find anything wrong till i told them that i shouldnt have to come down and show them symptems of what was wrong. it needed a new computer and a new sterring box.then they said it was the computer.2 days later its supossedly got rust in the fuel system .how can this be its 8 months old and 20k on it.warranty wont cover it. i told them listen it came in perfect and you couldnt find anything wrong id like it back that way.i felt iwas getting the shaft hard.i was scared. yup i got nothing it ran crappy going in ran crappy going out.igot a truck that runs smoth when it wants and runs ruff when it wants.2005 dodge ram 3500 cummins.22k.sad think twice about not so much the truck you choose but the dealer to come to bat for you.40k is alot of money for a blue coolar guy.

a_gartner

I have a 2002 ram 1500 with the 4.7L engine. It has 59,000 miles. I have noticed some engine noise at intermittent times right after start up. I have narrowed down the noise this far:
- it is a clatter type of noise, it does not seem like tappet noise or engine knock almost like a diesel clatter
1. it only does it after the motor has cooled down for a few hours
2. it does not do it when the engine is cold
3. it does not do it when the engine is warm (operating temp)
- it does it for about 20 seconds right after start-up. ??

Has anybody heard of this or maybe know what might be the problem????????
Please help!!
Thanks

asalas

Thanks Kilster... Great so I drive around and wait till it shuts off again. Would an electrical diagnostic help, at least detect the crank sensor? Is it expensive to replace either one of these parts?

etech1

I see you mentioned "pig tail harness", here is my problem: ABS lights, Park brake lights were on so I unplugged the electrical connector at the differential speed sensor. I noticed that one of the 2 electrical contact compression connectors within the female molded plug was still on the male part of the plug! I pushed it back into the female plug and reconnected. Went for a ride and all was well until I hit a bump. Just talked to the local Dodge dealer here in Canada and he wants $78.00 (for harness)+ 1 HR labor to replace the sensor harness, If a pigtail with the proper female molded plug is available, I can splice it in myself. Where can I purchase this? My other thought is to try and find one at a wrecker.

mrg00dwrench

I bought the pigtail harness and the sensor both at the dealer for about 70 dollars and put it on myself.

dodgeandweave

Sorry...was in my original headline. Its a 97 Ram 1500 w/ the 5.9L engine.

slidinhranch

Thanks KILSTER but there is no need to be smart like that. I am serious so please dont offer advise like that.

etech1

Went to a local wrecker that said he had a 98 Dodge ram that had the sensor harness plug I needed for my 96 ram. WRONG! Both ends of the wiring harness were different then mine. Looked at an older DAKOTA and the plug end at the differential speed sensor was correct but the other end was completely different. I purchased the DAKOTA harness for $20.00 and cut & spliced the new-used plug onto my harness. All is working now!

ramrodxx

Hello my friend

if your talking about trans.
there not weak its that people over use them. as in towing things in overdrive
if you have a button for on an off for overdrive you sould never tow anything in overdrive.
the overdrive gear is only made of a hard paste.
hope this helps you.
i own a 99 dodge ram i don`t even tow my boat in overdrive.
even in city i turn it off.

take care

Ramrodxx

kilster

I was being serious, keep it under 65 and your mileage would probably go up 2-3 mpg.

kilster

Being a 97 truck, i would take off your steering column shroud and pull the connector out of the Ign. Switch. I think you might find a wire or two burnt.

kilster

An Electrical Diag, would help but you have to catch the sensor as its messing up. Some times you can watch see it, some times you can't. The Crank Sensor should under $100.00 and a little patience should be able to replace it yourself.

kilster

The "pigtail harness" I'm referring to, is for some rams that the original sensor that was mounted pointing the other direction. No mopar makes one sensor, part number ----8187AE I think and for some you have to have a pigtail harness so it doesnt pull the wiring to tight.. The Pigtail just snaps into the connectors already on the vehicle. If you need just a connector you should be able to get just the connector or find a donor vehicle and splice it to replace yours. Hope this helps you. Email me with your VIN and maybe I can help you further.

dustyk

With the engine running at high idle and no secondary vehicle assist or battery charger hooked up the the battery, what is the voltage measured across the battery terminals?

If its under 13.0 volts it could be a bad alternator or voltage regulator.

Regards,
Dusty

dustyk

Towing in overdrive with heavy loads or in hilly country will fry a GM, Ford, Toyota, and Nissan transmission just as quick.

Dodge finally got smart, and like GM they now refer to the "Overdrive Off" switch as the "Tow-Haul Mode."

Regards,
Dusty

dustyk

So far in my experience the 4.7 has been an exceptionally quiet motor as the mileage adds up. It would be helpful if you could locate a relative location for the source of the noise.

I had a "ticking" sound in my 2003 dakota 4.7 and it turned out to be a bad viscous fan drive unit. I can't remember the scenario however.

What engine oil are you using? When did this noise begin?

Best regards,
Dusty

toughdodge

I have an '04.5 HO diesel and I've been having some issues that just popped up in the last month. The truck has a X-Monitor (trans temp, boost, and pyro) with Shutdown timer (installed by some Truck Toys place), a remote start (installed by dealer) and a thump'in stereo. I've been having some odd electrical problem----I get a chime with or without a dash light, the dash light is either ABS, Airbag or Brake. It comes on and goes right off. I have also noticed the tach and speedo sticking while accelerating a couple of times. They then jump to normal after a second or two. I took it to the dealer and they claimed to have worked on it for 13+ hrs trying to figure it out and finally gave up by blaming it on the stereo. Problem is that the stereo is not attached to the bus or anything other than the speaker wires and the battery. I left the original head unit to avoid any warranty problems with electrical crap. But, now you can see my dilemma----they are blaming the stereo and I have to prove it's not or remove it and show that the problem persists. They claim bus readings go to normal when stereo amplifier is disconnected. Again Amp is only connected to speakers.
Also I checked the remote start when I picked up the truck after they gave up and found that it no longer works. Called them back today to ask for repair of the remote start or all together removal to get it out of the scenario----they never called back. Any ideas and will they warrant the install and parts for the remote start? :confuse:

annchovie

I have a 1999 3500 SLT, I was towing my horse trailer and half way into the trip my signals and hazards stopped working. I looked in the fuse panel but nothing refers to blinkers and hazard light. As you have already concluded not very mechanical, your help is appreciated.

Regards

kilster

I looked at my manual for you, Fuse D, 25Amp, in the PDC, under the hood is for the Multifuction Switch, and Fuse 10 15Amp, in Junction Block, End of dash panel on Driver Side. Hope this well help you, Make sure you check your trailer wiring, if it keeps shorting, you will keep losing your power.

retirdtech

Most of the time when doing this you should use the old brake pad open the bleed screw and using a C clamp on it slowly push pistons back in together
Now that its stuck out it may be cocked in the bore you can try using the C clamp gently but it may have a bad seal. If the truck has a fair amout of mileage on it you may be best to get a new pair of rebuilt calipers

retirdtech

any body out there have there book handy Im trying to find out if Im pushing my 5 spd man ">

retirdtech

Its been a while but what about the O2 sensor if shorted or gounded it too can cause havoc. Is it an auto trans or man usualy by using a scan tool u can see the data readings and get a good lead from that.

mynewdully

Please help. I bought a 03 quad cab dually deisel in july with 23,000 miles. 3 weeks later I had the oil changed and drove away from the local mechanic when the motor became louder. I thought it was my imagination so i drove home and my wife got in. without telling her my observation she said the motor seems louder. It was a slight knock but not the type that is given from a spent rod bearing. I then put the truck in park and punched the gas pedal up to 2 grand and let off. the idle droped almost to the point of cutting off then went back to normal. I immediately to the truck to the dodge dealer and the deisel mechanic was stumped. they have had my truck for two months stating that they "THINK" its a fuel problem. they replaced a Fuel Regulator on the engine and called me today saying that that helped the noise some but that when you idle above 3500 the tach needle jumbs back and forth between 3500 and 4000 then stops. PLEASE help me I love my truck and dont want to be taken by the dealer They told me it took so long at first because they needed special diagnostic equiptment now there saying that the equiptment says everything is alright but there gona pull another deisel in the garage and compare them. this sounds kinda screwy.

rammer

I have a steering wheel shimmy between 60 and 70 MPH. I have had the truck for 5 months and I love it but cannot stand this shimmy because I do all highway driving. The dealer has replaced all four tires and rims and replace my rack and pinion steering but I am still having a problem. It is most noticeable when I set my cruise at 68 MPH and the steering wheel shakes from left to right. I have had the truck in a total of 14 times to get this issue solved and I am on my 3rd opinion. Is anyone else having this problem? I do have the 20 inch rims. I bought 2 trucks at the same time and my wifes does not have this problem. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I have already contacted a lawyer concerning the lemon law.

annchovie

Thank you. I am out of town this week will work on it on Saturday and will let you know. :shades:

etech1

Just a note on this problem. After checking with a "certified" Dodge dealer/repair facility, and being quoted $140+ for a new differential speed sensor. A new speed sensor to cable run to ABS ecu wiring harness (a 2 wire cable about 4 foot long) at $78+ an hour labor and $60 just for the harness replacement! (Which took me less then 10 min) I checked two wreckers and their DODGE products from 1998 down for a harness that had good electrical contacts at both ends of this PIGTAIL. I found that of all of the electrical harnesses, which connect to the differential speed sensor, were badly corroded. The 2 pin connection at all of the units opposite end of the Pigtail (not the sensor end) were so badly corroded, that connector plugs metallic connections were eaten away to the point that no conductivity could occur. I'm wondering if the reason that DODGE has changed these "PLUG-IN" connectors from year to year for this application is any indication of their knowledge of this problem?
Anyway, before paying extra for a new speed sensor, check for problems with this pigtail wiring harness!

wthetruck

I have a wineing sound coming from the rear end of my 03 ram 1500. seems to be worst when i take my foot off the gas and coast. I serviced the rear end fluid and there was a lot of metal paste on the magnet. ring gear and pinion looked fine. Any ideas on what the noise is? There is no noticble noises or truma when you get on it hard or when turning hard. one other thing I noticed that there was another :sick: gear about the size of the ring gear that looks like a sprocket that turns inline with the ring gear what is it?

jeffbrn

I am having the same problem. Any time I hit a severe bump in the road the front of my 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 starts shaking and is very hard to control. I put on new shocks with no success. If you find out what is causing the problem please post it.

Thanks
Jeff

mac24

one other thing I noticed that there was another gear about the size of the ring gear that looks like a sprocket that turns inline with the ring gear what is it?

It's probably the tone ring, or reluctor, that the speed sensor 'reads' to get a signal.

You really need someone with differential experience to listen and diagnose your problem. Your ears can often tell you more than yours eyes with a diff. Could be bad gear alignment, or just as easily a bad bearing.

farmer1952

In the same boat. 2004 Dodge dually diesel with 32,000 miles took it to dealer because it sounded like it wouldn't start right. They kept it a week, replaced a fuel injector and when I picked it up, it was worse than ever. It ran rough, smoked like a freight train and wouldn't start half the time. I took it back and they said it had bad fuel and needed all new injectors for $5K not covered under warranty. Worked out deal to pay for part of and then changed mind said Chrysler wouldn't warrant unless replaced all injectors and other more expensive parts. Took it to another dealer where they said it could take $10K to fix again not under warranty. Injectors that can't take a little moisture are bad. Hearing lots of similar complaints. Looks like Dodge has a real problem with products and warranty. Looking for answers other than spending $10K on a farm truck.

sinaloa1

I had the same problem on my truck, its a 95 ram. I took it to different mechanics and nobody could tell me what it was. I finally found a mechanic who had just dealt with another truck with the same problem. Its your IAC valve.

gregger

My dash looks like some Alien is about to come out of it. There are actually loose pieces next to the window. This all happened in about a month!! I have a 01.

Where did you find a replacement? I have looked all over the internet and can not seem to find one. Any suggestions?

annchovie

Kilster, my dodge does not have 25 amp fuses, nor is there a multifunction fuse listed in the PDC under the hood, I have 40 amps, 30 amps, under the hood. Checked fuse 10 in the junction box the fuse was fine, any other suggestions?
1999 Dodge Dually SLT 5.6L diesel :confuse:

Thanks

kilster

All My manuals show the main fuse for the flashers/Multifuction Switch as fuse D in the PDC 25amp, Under the Hood next to the Battery. I think they are pink but not sure. and it looks square from the top. Email me your VIN and i'll see if i can figure it out for you