Dodge Magnum

pushbutton

Yup, according to the manual, to get to the lighter (aka accessory outlet) you must 1. remove the tray rubber thingy and the two screws under it, 2. remove the center console (five screws), then 3. remove the lighter / seat heater switch panel (snap out with a trim tool). The last one is tough...even with all that stuff out of the way it takes a lot of fidgeting to get it out and even more to get it back in! I also removed the under-dash panel on the driver's side to route the wires up to the moonroof console (snap out with a trim tool).

I placed the fuse holder inside that (so I could get to it without doing all the crap in the first paragraph) to ease replacement if necessary. While removing the under-dash panel I took a detour to figure out the AutoLamp process. It looks like it was worth my time to several others who have done it.

The next step is the backup ultrasonic sensors. I am torn between blowing $300 on the DCX after sale kit or using the e-bay $60 solution since it involves drilling if you do not use the stick-on ones. Has anyone used these stick on sensors? If so, how well does the install work & stick...thinking of car washes, etc?

iminwoostah

I visited a Dodge dealership in Albany, NY a few months ago and inquired about the AWD Magnum. The old salesman had the nerve to tell me that they discontinued the AWD version at the end of last year. Huh?!?! Probably because of the way we were dressed and the fact that it was 15 minutes before closing time did this guy decide to lie to me - but what the heck!?!? You can bet I'll never go to that dealership ever again... that would be Albany Dodge on Central Ave. - pass it on.

dodge

Hello I am in the market for a dodge magnum rt and the only way i can afford one is with an employee discount and if someone can give me their code(i asked yes it can be anyones) i will pay you if it costs somthing i just realy want this car plz if you can get discounts send it to my email at david.rydzewski@sbcglobal.net thanks

kowalski

the fact is that they cant get rt awds yet and he wanted to sell what was in stock.
They are all that way ..

I stumbled on the only RT AWD in my area I bought it that night.
.
I knew it was rare we found one and it was a dodge program car with 15 miles on it.SOLD..............
I have to believe that the saleman you delt with was foolish and should never have judged a book by the cover.Id never go back either find a good dealer and youll be very happy.Get the car and go see tyhe guy and show him how he lost out on a sale..
Car salesman = ignorant sludge .
I just searched for a RT AWD in delaer inventories and I couldnt find one within a 750 radius of Michigan .
I figure they are fulfilling orders from customers first on the RT AWD.
Then and only then youll see them hit the lots..
I know in my hearthere will be more Rts out there than there will be the RT AWD .I like that sets me apart a bit..

I havent seen another in my area at all Im happy with that ..It is a fantastic car .
I turned in my Subaru LL Bean HR6 outback loaded, and have never looked back ...
The magnum blows it away in every catagory ...

pushbutton

I am considering a backup sensor to counter the poor rearward visibility. I have looked at the ParkSense option kit from DCX at $300. I am concerned that the installation of this and most of the e-bay types require drilling of the bumper fascia (and in some cases removal of it!).

Has anyone tried this option? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7974468277&category=677- - - 9 It looks like it has some sideward "vision" due to the angled ports on the edges. It certainly would be a cleaner install! OPINIONS PLEASE

Another auction with a better installed view: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7974632854&category=677- - 9

Another edit! Apparently it used infrared technology vs. ultrasonic. I found this page which links to a technology description: http://www.opticsplanet.net/atnaut20bacs.html#

romannumal

has any one put a tow hitch on a rt mag. i got the tow pack but would like to know how a hitch looks in the back dose it hang low or is it tight and tucked in. i am going to be pulling my 3200 lb boat about 10 mile. i leave it at the river and jsut tow it to the water and back to the storage yard. i think i should be ok. got read of the chev avalache had engoug of a big truck need something more style and a big hemi to pull the boat.
so any info on how it tows would be great.
know have 270 mile just filled it up and got 15 miles to thegallon on the first tank i think it should get better once i get the lead out of my shoe. hahhah

kowalski

Mileage improves big time youll notice it after 1500 miles.
I get Ok mileage mine is an RT/ AWD which will mean less MPG of coarse .
I did notice when I switched off the traction contral it got a bit better mileage you have the same system in your car its on the dash next to the wiper switches..

I know HIDDEN HITCH has a great hitch that tuck up under the car and only when needed you can attach the reciver bar and ball.
Ive always added a hidden thich they are nice as heck ...
The reciever Attaches with a pin ..Remove it and all it junk is tuck up nice and neat , Its out of sight..

Im not familar with dodges stock hitch I know you get a bigger oil cooler for your trans and adjustable shocks, How does that work? do you like it.?Its it noticelable when you adjust the shocks can you lower the car ???
Wondering.....

Also you should be able to pull 4500+ lbs nicely.. Youll suck gas like a mutha..

VERY IMPORTANT.
Remember when trailering drive in 4th gear avoid over drive.Its in the manual they suggest this so the trans isnt shifting into over drive all the time they also suggest it when your going up hill .
Id say when trailering never have it in ( D ) Drive..

Also notice the air intake is very low right under the front grill watch high water it will suck right in your intake.. Ive heard horror stories........Im planning on moving the air intake soon ..
Youll do fine drive slow...55 tops Its amazing how people speed with trailers and boats .
I see it every day .

I also see alot of wrecks all SUV's speeding and causing nightmare for everyone around them ..Alot of then with trailer and all the toys scattered all over the road..

Why is every one in such a damn hurry for.

seadoosandi

The hitch looks great! It is tight and tucked in. Had a slight problem initially with the brace hitting the tailpipe causing a rattle but installer quickly fixed that for me. Haven't towed my jetski yet but any day now.

SeadooSandi
05 RT RWD Magnesium Pearl

peterskm

I bought the Dodge hidden hitch and installed it myself. Very easy, but time consuming. The only hang up is that you have to grind tabs off the back exhaust hangers. That and the tight confines made for a couple hours for install. I've had no problems of exhaust rattling. The hitch is very well hidden. Make sure you buy the L-adapter as well as it is a separate part number and the hitch is useless without it.

tjf2000

Sorry been out for while... Thanks for the post... on of my clients owns a Dodge dealership and will let me take the car for the weekend... I have not taken him up on his offer yet, but I will in the next few weeks. In fact he even told me to hang in there as he thinks some incentives may be coming, but he was not 100% sure. Thanks for the info.

donnak1

Hi, I finally took my Mag to a friend's Chrysler dealership for my fifth try, to have their great mechanic, Keith, work on my right pull. I had been back to Dodge four times since the day I bought it last Sept. They kept telling me it was up to specs, Blah blah blah,BS. They did the cradle adj, etc., still pulled. Anyway, Chrysler's Keith had just fixed a 300 with the right pull. He used a come-a-long to "pull" the right front forward a hair and the left rear forwar a hair. No more pull. He did say my tires are still going to wear faster because DC never made these cars correctly with the alignments. I'm glad it doesn't pull anymore, but not happy that I'll be buying tires more than I should.
Have you noticed you don't see much advertising about the Magnum anymore?
What's with that? Too many buybacks?
Donna

4bells

Hi all---

I've had my SE for about two months now (program car with 19,000 on it) and I've had a few things pop up that I know nothing about...in part to the fact that dealership failed to ensure there was an owner's manual in the car.

First question: has anyone had any messages pop-up on the odometer saying NO BUS while every light, warning light, and bell was going off? :surprise:

The next question: What is the BAS warning light on the right hand instrument pod mean? :confuse:

Last question: Problems with the rear windows. Sometimes they work, sometime they don't, sometimes one will work and then the other. Is there a relay that I can check... :confuse:

Once again...it all stems back to no manual...which I blame the dealership for and that I finally had to purchase on-line through Dodge.

The car has been great...even if it is the base 2.7L V6. Drove it from KS to CA to my new duty station and averaged 28 to 29 MPG. Surprised the heck out of me. It's just I've had more warning lights come on, then go off that I've starting to wonder if there is something wrong here. Being 40 miles from the nearest dealership, it's giving me pause for concern.

Anyway...thanks all...

Ed Bell

magnumlover

jwannamagnum2:

The dealer I bought from said to use mid-grade 89% octane in my RT

magmunlover

magnumlover

magnumlover

psydoc:

I have had mine up to 110mph a few times on the interstate, and all she did was squat and go like a bat oyt of hell and showed no stabilization problems.

mamnum lover

outfishin28

Hello, I would just like to tell you why the dodge magnum pulls to the right. This is also why many other cars pull to the right. The reason being is that say for instance you are driving late at night, you start to dose off, would you rather pull to the right off the road or go to the left and hit a car head on, injuring yourself and others.

shipo

You've got to be kidding. Right?

Oh, wait! You work for DC or a dealership. Right?

No rational person in their right mind would actually believe what you've posted (which I'm sure was in jest). Fact, if a car doesn't track straight and true on a flat road (ie, no crown), then that car has an alignment issue. Plain and simple.

Best Regards,
Shipo

dbarnes727

Hi all, I've been lurking here for a while now, reading all 65 pages.

The Magnum is one of the 5 cars I have narrowed my 'possible new car' list down to.

I live where it snows and I have a long driveway that has a couple very steep sections that normally require 4wd or AWD. One or two FWD cars have made it, but that is very rare.

Ideally, if I go with the Magnum, it would be AWD. But, I can't get over how ugly the AWD wheels are.

I have read the reviews that say the Magnum is excellent in winter driving, but I'm assuming they only tested it on FLAT, snow-covered roads. Does anyone have any experience driving a RWD Magnum uphill in snow? I suppose I could park at the end of the driveway, but what a PITA that would be.

I guess another question I would have would be: are the AWD/RWD wheels interchangeable? Or do they have different offsets/bolt patterns? Would be nice to get the AWD Magnum with the nice looking RWD wheels.

I know its just an aesthetic preference, but seriously, those AWD wheels are awful.

Thanks.

kowalski

I know what your talking about I had the same problem until I actually saw them they are not that bad looking and actually I have grown to like them .
They are nothing like the sxt rims.The front face is totally polished and sets of the car nicely..

Dont let the AWD rims and your love for bling be the reason you dont experience this vehicle..Most of the time the car is moving and rims dont make a difference any how..
At bonus time I may consider changeing them out but well see.

Go to tire rack they actually have a programm to show you what the rims you may buy will look like on your car
One cant be that hung up on image ..
You can always do after market rims if you wanna look fly.Which I dont..
I like em just fine and for business they are perfect,I definately dont want to pimp my ride out and have it look too street ..
I flet the same way until I saw them on the car ..

dbarnes727

I have seen a couple AWDs up close, and can't stand those wheels.
They absolutely kill the 'hot rod' look of the car, in my opinion.

As far as image goes, I don't need bling, just love the stock R/T RWD wheels.
I want to look at my car and smile, not cringe.

kowalski

I hear yah ,but a car rims and its look have never been an issue to me..
Its all about the car and what it has to offer not how others precieve it..

Rims would never be an issue why I would not purchase a vehicle Id just change them if I didnt like em .. I figure they have a reason for the rim and its style.
I have a vette If I need a hot rod .
The magnum is a station wagon thats all. Im happy it dosnt have hub caps like most had back in the day ..The rims sure beat the rims I had on my subaru.

Im My opinion if people are that superficial it will assure me that my AWD RT will be the only one in my area and Im fine with that .
I never follow the heard let alone care what others think as long as I like it,lol..

"It is better to live one day as a lion ,than and entire life as a sheep "

kowalski

Hot rod ,its a station wagon with a big engine is all .
The magnum is no hot rod by any means but in a day when most people are driving small cars that are under powered I can see people trying to make this car a hot rod which its not..
Buy a GTO or mustang if its a hot rod you seek..Not a station wagon ..
I too like the stock rims on the rt but as I stated that would never be a reason Id not buy a car ,lol.
Im not that superfical ..They are easy to swap out and use the stock rims as winter rims..
My car looks great with the stock rims on it ! I make the payments so thats all that counts to me..I personally like the polished outer surface and the contrast of the inner grey accents. I actually have grown to like em more than I thought.
I was asking the same questions when buying the car butits the car I bought not its apearence.

Every day people walk up to the car and just drool ...............Thats ok by me if they dont like my rims ,lol ....They are usually driving some beater any how..
Most of the time the tires are spinning why would i need to impress someone at speed .......Im surely not into cars that much where i feel its my duty to make it look good to others. If thats the case Ill never have to worry about them being stolen......................And it wil make mine all the more rare to me..
I suggest you buy a charger then .

dbarnes727

I couldn't care less what anyone else thinks about my car, I want to like it

And I'm all for exclusivity, who wants their car to look like everyone else's?

Does anyone have any answers to my questions??

I don't really feel like defending my taste in automotive aesthetics all day :P

dbarnes727

Geez. Y'all are in these forums to take out your daily stresses on unsuspecting posters, aren't ya?

Read my post again, kowa... I said: 'hot rod' look.

I bet 50% of Magnum owners wouldnt've considered the car if it didn't look the way it did.

I AM into cars and although I'm not superficial enough to base my decision wholly on looks, it is definetely a factor. If I don't have to spend an extra couple thousand dollars to get the AWD, I would rather not.

Hence, the reason for my original questions. Everyone thus far has been so hell bent on questioning my reasoning and calling me superficial that you probably forgot what the original questions were. Here's a quick recap:

I live where it snows and I have a long driveway that has a couple very steep sections that normally require 4wd or AWD. One or two FWD cars have made it, but that is very rare.

I have read the reviews that say the Magnum is excellent in winter driving, but I'm assuming they only tested it on FLAT, snow-covered roads. Does anyone have any experience driving a RWD Magnum uphill in snow?

By the way, the Charger is nice, but not enough room to throw skis + gear in the back.

OK, thanks for all the help.

kowalski

LOl, I suggested look at tire rack dot com what more do you need........I made that suggestion 3 posts ago ..

enygma6

The RWD Magnum RT's handling ability in the snow is highly dependant on how bad it is.
On even roads, with light snow cover, the Magnum RT handles fairly well if you keep it at safe speeds. During heavy/wet snow, the Magnum can be severely hampered by its weight/power/ESP. I dealt with this first hand this past winter. Fortunately for me, it was only a few times.
During one of the heavier snowstorms in my area last winter (suburban Chicago), acceleration from a stop was extremely slow, as the drive wheels were slipping, and therefore the ESP was cutting power to both wheels, and I must have been passed by at least a dozen cars in the next lane as I crawled across an intersection with my foot on the floor. (I was first in line at the light, too)
When I arrived home, I was unable to get up the driveway into the garage without shoveling (~10% grade, maybe 30 feet long, 5 - 7 inches of heavy wet snow), while my neighbor had no problem doing so in his fwd Taurus, plowing through the snow without a problem. (talk about embarrassing)
Fortunately I was only stuck like that once, but if you must contend with heavy snowfalls on a regular basis in the winter, I'd recommend leaning toward the AWD Magnum, and a good set of snow tires is an ABSOLUTE MUST. I will be getting me a set for this coming winter.

Braking and handling, fortunately, are not too adversely affected by snow/bad weather (no moreso than in other cars), but acceleration can take a hit.
All the fancy electronics in the Magnum are good for controlling power, but sometimes they work too well, such as when none of the drive tires can get a grip -- it won't let you spin the wheels to dig through the snow to the underlying pavement.
Also, AutoStick is very useful -- I had to routinely start in 2nd or even 3rd gear from a dead stop because the wheels spun too easily in 1st when there was snow.
Other than that, my RWD RT has for the most part been enjoyable to drive.

As for the comments on the look, that is one of the main reasons I bought mine. I'd been watching it ever since I saw the concept car on the pages of some automotive magazine a year and a half before they were for sale.
If you prefer the look of the RWD wheels to those of the AWD, I'd say get the AWD Magnum (AWD is always better in snow than RWD -- I drove a Subaru before my Magnum and really missed AWD) and a set of RWD Magnum rims, put snow tires on the AWD rims and only use them during the winter (when everyone's car looks messy anyway because of the weather), and use the RWD rims when the weather's nice. I don't know for certain if there would be a sizing issue with doing that, but I would assume they'd be identical as I can't see why Daimler-Chrysler would go through the hassle of modifying the wheel attachments for one trim level of the model.

kowalski

I found a great set of rims on tire rack dot com. look under wheels .You can event see what they look like on the car via a simulator.

I personally dont like the height of the vehicle ,but as an AWD it has its purpose.
The rims I found and will order by next spring cost Approx 800.00 with shipping .
I may bump up to 20 inch rims & tires but doubt it.
Makes the car look too pimped IMO.

I agree the stock rims will make great winter rims..Im going to let a season or two pass before I upgrade ..Ive always had two sets of tires and rims for each of my cars in the past winter/summer.
Do what we all did look around find what you like of coarse..
I know there is an off set to compensate for just dont know the exact #.
I do know the RT rims wont work on the RT AWD.

Tire rack has apprx 25 sets of rims for the magnum and great deals too boot.

peterskm

Be careful with getting new rims for an AWD as many of the Magnum enthusiast sites are reporting no available AWD wheels. Apparently, there is a difference between AWD and RWD wheels.

kowalski

I almost bought the Rt w/o AWd but Michigan is too unforgiving in the winter months .
I like how the RT w/o AWD sits compared to the inch and a half difference between the Rt and the RT AWD. I understand the height difference is to comphensate for the AWD system etc..

I bet with a good set of tires mainly snows event with no AWD youd be fine.
My Caprice1996 9c1 RWD with no traction control and just snows had no problem at all in any condtion ..
So RWD or no AWD IMO works well only with good tires.
I actually wanted a RWD magnum but i couldnt pass up the deal I got..

I literally cant wait for winter to see how the magnum AWD stacks up to the Subaru LL bean outback I dumped..
With michigan winters being as bad as they can be I am sure Ill have my chances to see how well this magnum tracks in the snow soon enough.
I figure the stock rims can take all the beatings of a season or two before upgradeing the rims and tires..
I estimate next spring or so ......

kowalski

Thankyou I have heard that and it helps to hear it again..Esspecially from a real magnum owner..

kowalski

Ive been hearing from a few buddies that in a few months there will tons of after market goodies for the magnum .Re Rims,body kits,engine dress ups,interior dress up kits,I hear it takes time for the vendors to get OEM approved .Ive seen some stuff out there one thing I thought look cool was a dual snorkel hood.Not to mention a gull wing door kit,air ride system .Seems like the items are creeping into the market place.Its only a matter of time a whole line of rims are out there I found approx 50 sets for RT & AWD models..

I search at times and come up with more and more stuff .Some items are quationable in my opinion.I have seen some stuff on ebay that looks like some guy is making it in his garage.

kowalski

Im looking into seeing if the chrome looking dash center piece on the new charger can be installed on the magnum ,seems like that would be a nice touch instead of a dash kit that might be a bit much ..Ill post what I find on this issue...
Yah know,
Im personally liking the spartan interior,easy to maintain looks good esspecially when you contrast a dark dash with a light interior.The car is really growning on me.The more I drive it the more I like it......

kowalski

LOL ,now thats plain not right!!!!!!!
Who told you that .
"Cars are made to pull right to keep you from crossing the yellow line .
OMG!..........................

kowalski

Funny,
I had a beef with the rims on the AWD from the minute I saw them but to negate the sale of such a good car for such an easy thing to mod .

One thing I notice is how good the car looks once I pulled it off the lot ,and how great it looks in my driveway next to the c5 vette 400hp.
I keep my 2004 eclipse gt in the garage its a grocery getter only..embarrassing to say I own such a car ,fun as hell to rail on though.
The Magnum sure beats the looks of that new charger though ,it looks nothing like the sold the car to be..
To all the people who may not like the magnum wait till they see her hunch backed ugly sister the Charger.

Hit rod like?
Oh thats like simulated wood grain right..?
Hot rod like or did you mean rot rod lite?
Makes no difference youll find as an adult you have to accept things event if they dont flip your minnow 24/7.
Im just happy Dodge is trying to explore a new market area Us last of the baby boomers from the 60s have been waiting for more retro vehicles its good to see.
My god from 1971 -1994 the car market was extremely shy of cars to really get excited about .....Been there lived that .....

magnumlover

My Magnum RT has a slight problem with slight hesitation when I excellerate from a stop or on the roll. Don't get me wrong I still love her. I made an appt. with my Dealer for today 5/25, this should prove to be interesting, because my Dealer's service dept. said they were not aware of this problem.

If I'm not mistaken in the original test of these cars that was listed as a con with the car :confuse:

peterskm

THe '06 Magnums have this. Why not just order the center piece for a '06?

peterskm

From what I've read, the car adapts it's acceleration response based on your driving habits. There is a technique described on either the dodgetalk forums or the lxforums that tell you how to get back the responsiveness.

kowalski

Man I had no idea the 06 models had the center piece Ill do that thankyou.

kowalski

Just called dodge the centerpiece isnt interchangeable from the charger or the 06 magnum ..
Also found out the AWD rims are made specifically for this car and aid brake cooling and suspension they are weighted perfectly to match the car ,I heard nightmares about people swapping rims and going to 20" and it destroys the cars handleing.Esspecially on the 300c
Ill keep looking I knew it wouldnt be that easy ...

PF_Flyer

Since we generally don't wind up with different topics for different model years, I'm going to drop the 2005 from the title of this one.

PF Flyer
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man_wagon

There is a quick fix around on the net... My version is here.. http://www.bowenfamily.org/blog/index.php?cat=14 I think it improved my throttle response. It does hesitate if you shift from neutral or reverse - since the transmission is in control of the throttle input. :shades:

peterskm

Interesting. From the pictures I've seen, it looks the same as the 05s. I would be really surprised if it didn't work since this is a new model and some of the early 06s had the black cover. I can't see them redesigning this so early in production.

kowalski

I know I thought the same thing it is total different and wont fit via the head mechanic/parts guru at my local Dodge supplier.
I was shocked too.He said its something with the retaining clips etc it wont be interchangeable at all .Look like it would fit but wont..
05 is different than the 06 magnum and charger ..Ill keep looking and keep you all informed what I find out..

kowalski

400.00 bucks too boot for the part .....
Im stumped too but he knows these car supposibly.Hes the largest magnum viper dealer in the country ..He should know I would think .
They look the same but are not and not interchangeable..
Ill keep lookinginto this issue asap ..

magnumlover

I took my magnum to the dealer and it pulled to the right and low&behold it was out of alignment. And I was told the hesitation come from the fact that there is no cable linkage tothe injectors, it is a computer link and it takes a nano-second for it send meswsage to vehicle.

magnumlover :surprise:

1997montez34

My father is out of town for the weekend and I "volunteered" to take care of his Magnum RT AWD, so the tires wouldn't develop flat spots while he is away....

Folks, this car is addictive. I can't keep my foot out of the HEMI. I am totally addicted to this thing. I am totally shocked and pleased that DCX brought something like this to market.

Well, it's 5:43AM and I think the Magnum is wanting to go on a bagel & coffee run...

jaxhemi

Re. your intake ??? I installed a K&N system. It looks really neat. Installation was a breeze. The sound when this thing is sucking air is unbelieveable! My decision came down to availability. I had the K&N, and the Volant systems on order. They were both on backorder at the time from 2 different distributors. The K&N system became available first.

romannumal

i have had my RT for about 2 weeks i live in cal. what is the top speed it topped out at 128. is there some type of governer on this car for safety issues. bcause it seem to mee this car will go much faster. :mad:

shipo

Unless I miss my guess, your car has "H" rated tires, tires which are good for no more than 128 mph, hence the governor.

Best Regards,
Shipo

romannumal

SO IF I CHANGE THE TIRES FOR Z RATED HOW DO I GO OVER 128.