2004 dodge ram electrical issue- help!

sitename1

Hello, I've been trying to find help on fixing my fathers 2004 dodge ram 2500. The problem started one night with his horn chirping every ten minutes or so. He pulled the fuse so the battery wouldn't be drained. Then the radio & dome lights started coming on randomly so he pulled those fuses too. Now the cd player acts like it's constantly changing discs. My dad is pretty handy with vehicles, not so much with electronics. I'm willing to research but haven't found anything except possibly the computer or fuse box is the issue. He's not having trouble with the truck starting or with the headlights/ turn signals/ break lights and it's not throwing any codes to our reader. If we have to replace the fuse box or computer we can do that ourselves but I'd like to narrow this down a bit. If anyone has had the same problem please let me know!

Mr_Shiftright

If you're looking for other Ram owners I think you should try the Dodge Ram Forums. If you find any solutions, come back here and let us know!

thecardoc3

sitename1 said:

Hello, I've been trying to find help on fixing my fathers 2004 dodge ram 2500. The problem started one night with his horn chirping every ten minutes or so. He pulled the fuse so the battery wouldn't be drained.

"The Problem" is the perception that what ever is going on with the different systems on this truck has to be some kind of a common issue. "The Problem" is also the belief that whatever solved a similar symptom on a another vehicle is the automatic answer for this one. The horn randomly chirping could easily be just the horn pad contacts failing and falsely turning the horn on. It could be an abrasion in the wiring harness randomly grounding and commanding the horns on too. Now sure, there could be other possible causes but the idea isn't to just toss a part. Someone has to take the time to plan out and then perform testing to prove what is going on and then perform the correct repair.

sitename1 said:

Then the radio & dome lights started coming on randomly so he pulled those fuses too.

That's pretty interesting. Without all of the vehicle details it's possible the schematics that I looked at might not be the exact ones for this truck. But if they are then he also shut down the instrument cluster because it shares the same keep alive power and ignition on power with the radio. Is your dad re-installing the fuses when he goes to use the truck?

sitename1 said:

Now the cd player acts like it's constantly changing discs.

Before jumping to any conclusions, that symptom would first have me checking to see if the CD player itself has failed and is falsely attempting to change CD's.

sitename1 said:

My dad is pretty handy with vehicles, not so much with electronics. I'm willing to research but haven't found anything except possibly the computer or fuse box is the issue.

Here is where you have to stop. If it is some kind of an issue like that then what you are essentially saying is that certain circuits that should be depowered with the key off are somehow getting powered up. If you start with a power distribution schematic, identify the components that are turning on when they shouldn't be, you should be able to follow the circuit involved and prove exactly why that is occurring. Just trying to jump to a conclusion that it is a computer if the under hood fuse block is a mistake.

sitename1 said:

He's not having trouble with the truck starting or with the headlights/ turn signals/ break lights and it's not throwing any codes to our reader. If we have to replace the fuse box or computer we can do that ourselves but I'd like to narrow this down a bit. If anyone has had the same problem please let me know!

Nobody would have the "same problem". In fact you have described at least three (four?) separate issues and each of them should be treated as if they are occurring on different vehicles. The real question right now is which one do you try to figure out first? The answer is you prepare to analyze each of them, and then go after which ever one is occurring right at the time you are working with the truck, which based on the description is likely going to be the CD player. Deal with it and then get ready to work on the other problems when they are occurring. Repairing cars isn't about just knowing what parts usually get replaced for a given symptom, its about having the talent and skills to scientifically figure out what is causing a problem, as well as the discipline to properly perform the testing that needs to be done.