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Dodge Ram Warning Lights and Trouble Codes

13567

Comments

  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Are there any other bulbs or lamps in the vehicle that have failed since you've had the vehicle?

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    P0551.....Power Steering Pressure Sensor Circuit Range/Performance

    Does or has the engine ever stalled when making an extreme left or right turn of the wheel with the engine at idle speed?

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • trav6trav6 Member Posts: 18
    that is correct once in blue moon with wheel turned sharp to the right or left----6-10 times a year.i have had the truck 5 years and have been impressed---mostly with the smoothly shifting 4wheel drive.thanks for name of problem,do you not know how hard that is to locate and replace?if any more info about this i am very thankful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • joshuagjoshuag Member Posts: 92
    No, I bought the truck new and I have had it 5 1/2 years, and the brake lights are the only lights I have ever had to replace. I just noticed that one of the liscence plate bulbs was out, but that's it.

    Thanks,

    Josh
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    On RAMs that are equiped with the 4.7 motor, or some versions that had 20 inch tires installed at the factory, there is a switch (sensor) in the high pressure side of the power steering line. The switch is mounted to the hose assembly and utilizes a two-wire connector. This switch is normally closed (no-low pressure) and opens when line pressure exceeds approximately 500 psi. This switch is used to trigger the PCM to increase engine idle speed to prevent stalling. The PCM is recording the P0551 code because it has sensed an open circuit for too long a duration.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Well, my very forensic discourse on observing the filament failure was for a reason. Trying to assist people with diagnosing problems over the network, one should be careful to avoid making too many assumptions. The bulb failure mode will tell you something.

    As one poster has already commented, most bulbs nowadays will last for a long time. My Dakota is almost seven years old, and 114,000 miles later I've only replaced one taillight bulb.

    A short in the circuit to the rear lamps will not cause a bulb to fail. If the short is on the supply side (before the lamp), a fuse will fail. If the short is on the return side of the bulb (short to frame), nothing will happen because the return path is frame.

    If the bulbs display signs of a burned filament, it indicates excessive voltage spikes or extremely long illumination duration. If the filament shows signs of being broken, not burned, it is very likely from impact forces.

    Do you use the tail gate a lot, or does this vehicle see a higher than average amount of rough roads at higher speeds? The RAM tail gate is very heavy and a lot of them get slammed shut with quite a bit of force. Believe it or not this is a significant source of impact forces that can cause filament failures. Most of us civilians won't be replacing a lot of lamps, but you will see this more often on vehicles that are used in a commercial environment.

    This may or may not explain the situation in your case, but at the moment I'm suspicious that the bulbs are failing due to vibration.

    Best regards,
    Dusty
  • goaliegoalie Member Posts: 16
    As Dusty has indicated, if the short is on the feed side, then the fuse SHOULD blow, but that isn't always the case. I've been a Dodge mechanic for 41 years.....my simplistic diagnosis is based more so on experience than the new-found ability to read a code chart. Further to that, I've seen simple 4-flat trailer plugs/harnesses with taped connections, that corrode over time, and burn out the bulbs with out ever sending enought grounded current back to the fuseblock to cause a failure. I am glad to see this forum is helpful, not only to those who solicit answers to their spoecific problems, but also to those of us who have crawled around under a truck or car, since the days of point ignition......
  • trav6trav6 Member Posts: 18
    are you suspecting it might be the switch---i am very open for your sugestions--where i might buy the switch???how in dept??sounds pretty easy.....name of switch???again i am thankful for comments..
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Chrysler, I believe, calls this item the Power Steering Pressure Sensor. You may be able to find this at a auto parts store, but I myself generally prefer to use genuine Chrysler parts.

    If this component is actually defective the code should clear almost immediately, but you may have to go through a number restarts and complete operating cycles before the trouble code clears and the instrument indicator goes out.

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • trav6trav6 Member Posts: 18
    just talked to friend he put code in computer di..............,and he said the same as dustyk--he also told me that it sounds like it is just doing the job--maybe wheel turned to much---and hung up...also told me just to make sure everything is hooked properly and in place!!!!!!!his machine did not say anything about replacing anything..
  • trav6trav6 Member Posts: 18
    are you saying that if the component is not bad the my mils light will turn off after num......... restarts..only time i pull codes when mils pops up.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    Anytime the MIL is illuminated, something is wrong. Turning the steering wheel to a full left or right position at idle and thus triggering the PCM to increase idle speed is normal operation and will not initiate a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) by itself.

    In this case the PCM has detected a hard fault. My suspicion is the switch in question is in the incorrect state all of the time or a good portion of the time and the PCM is sensing high pressure past a certain duration. It is also possible that there is either a short or an open in the circuit going to the switch, or the input to the PCM is bad.

    The switch can be tested using a multimeter or continuity checker. The switch is normally closed, so at idle with the wheels straight head the switch should show continuity. If its open in that state, then I think you've found your problem.

    Now, some DTCs will reset after so many restarts and/or complete driving cycles. Others must be manually reset with a DRB3 tool. I cannot tell you at the moment if this is one of those cases.

    By the way, have you retrieved a fault code from the PCM and do you know what it is?

    Regards,
    Dusty
  • trav6trav6 Member Posts: 18
    i do not know!!!all i know is i got a code couple weeks ---i invest... and found --i could pull codes- so i did ,and found the code listing---it was my gas cap not screwed on at all.1 day went --mil light still on---so diss........... pos..... side battery to try to reset---it did not work..later i went to put gas in ,and the next day it went off----after num......... starts!!!the other day i got the code we are currently talking about----po551 poped up and then it said done...sorry i do not know to much about vehicles and app......... your help.
  • joshuagjoshuag Member Posts: 92
    Thanks for the reply. I don't use the tailgate a whole lot, but I do go over a quite a lot of bumps so that might cause the lights to go out I guess. I do a lot of stop and go driving so that might be the reason they go out so quickly also.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    ...and stiff optional suspension packages probably exacerbate the problem, too, especially if this is a 4x4.

    Dusty
  • trav6trav6 Member Posts: 18
    so it finally got warm today ,and i diss............ the switch and put my ohm meter to it--with wheels straight ahead----it was closed--i am not sure about this,but when i pulled apart the switch there was some type of moisture inside it.i dryed out best possible ---connected back together--- then cranked truck and my mils light is gone...i guess it be fine now!!!my main concern is when my mils light comes on -find out how to fix it so i can pass old emissions inspection here in n.c. i would like to thank dustyk for all your replys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • trav6trav6 Member Posts: 18
    so my mils light came back on today ,and i pulled apart the switch and it had moisture in it again.i think the moisture is power steering fluid,and i was wondering if any body on this site happened to know if there is a seal or o ring behind the switch???????????????????i think i need a hole new switch,but i am guessing the seal comes on the switch????????any help would be greatfully appreciated!!!!!!!
  • joshuagjoshuag Member Posts: 92
    It is not a 4x4, but it does have the 3.92 rear diff, which makes it a little more stiff.
  • krazyredkrazyred Member Posts: 3
    I got stuck on the snow big time this morning. in the process of getting pulled out, the mil light came on. thanks for the help. btw i have a 05 dodge ram 1500 with a 5.7 . i looked up the code.Cruise Control/Brake Switch A Circuit High. I s this something that will fix its self? or coould it just be ice o rsnow?
  • ctdartsctdarts Member Posts: 2
    my 01 1500 sometimes cuts out while driving. Its like it shuts off then goes again, the dash lights come on the radio resets. Also last weekend I was driving and the battery gauge whent all the way up. Plus the alarm some times goes off when I shut the truck off Does anyone have any sugestions I'm lost on this one Battery? Alternator I Don't know HELP
  • fullmer105fullmer105 Member Posts: 1
    Hiya:
    Had my check engine light come on this morning in my 2002 ram. At the same time, when I stepped on the gas, it didn't accelerate the way it has always accelerated. Any thoughts on how to check the code to see what is wrong? Thanks
  • whitrwhitr Member Posts: 12
    I have a '98 Ram 1500 w/5.9L gas engine w/190,000 miles. The oil pressure drops to zero at idle and usually comes right back up upon acceleration. The other day it didn't come back up and I continued to drive it listening very closely to the engine. I suspected electrical issues. I drove 50 mph for over 15 minutes and the engine finally began to make a tapping sound, but not a knock and it didn't come apart like I thought no oil would cause. Can it be the oil pump? I thought a mech. pump either worked or it didn't; not intermittently.
  • dustykdustyk Member Posts: 2,926
    It sounds like the oil pressure gauge is telling you exactly what's going on. This could be the result of a number of things.

    If the oil screen is clogged the oil pump will probably supply enough oil to keep the lifters quiet and enough oil on the bearings to prevent overheating and damage at idle speeds, but as engine RPMs are raised the pump cannot pull enough oil through the screen to keep up the pressure in the lifters. Since you have 190K on this engine, this could be the cause, especially if the engine was not well maintained or a poor grade of engine oil was used. This is a somewhat common problem on high mileage engines, especially those that had a steady diet of 10W-40 motor oils or had long oil change intervals.

    If the oil filter becomes clogged, the oil will by pass through the oil pump relief valve and oil pressure will be very low. However, the usual symptom is the oil pressure will be very low at idle (sometimes zero on the factory gauge) and remain very low across the entire RPM range.

    The oil pump relief valve could be stuck producing the same results.

    I'm assuming you've checked the oil level, but does it appear very thin? Is there water or excessive moisture in the oil? Look for signs of rust on the upper area of the dipstick or sludge formation under the oil fill cap that looks like dirty mayonnaise. These are signs of excessive moisture, and if you're in a cold weather climate it can be enough to freeze and block oil galleries, and it probably means there's a lot of sludge in the system.

    There could be excessive bearing clearance causing a loss of pressure in the entire system. Since there's no sign of a connecting rod knock, it could be just the main bearings are worn.

    The oil pump could be worn (yes, I know. It doesn't make sense being in oil all the time!), the oil pump pick-up tube could be loose where it attaches to the oil pump housing causing loss of suction, or it could be jam packed with sludge. There could also be a leak at the gasket surface of the oil pump cover.

    Finally, although more commonly found on Fords, the oil pump shaft could be broken.

    Good luck and best regards,
    Dusty
  • whitrwhitr Member Posts: 12
    Thanks for your comments and insight Dusty. I have checked the oil and it is not contaminated w/water/moisture. I guess I must go ahead and replace the pump as I suspected I would end up doing, I was hoping for something electrical. The intermittent part of the puzzle is what had me stumped. I could cruise along w/good pressure and she ran pretty, stop at a light and the pressure would drop to zero, accelerate and the pressure would return. Anyway, I'll let you know how it turns out. and thanks again.
  • mikehootiemikehootie Member Posts: 2
    My 01 same thing, Try the crankshaft sensor. It worked for me
  • dodgedodger1dodgedodger1 Member Posts: 4
    You are not alone in this one. I too have a very similar problem, but my truck is a 98 Ram 1500 extended cab 2 wheel drive. Mine has the ABS and Brake lights on, speedo didn't start working until reaching 30 mph and above, but recently changed to 50 and above. My turn signal fuse also keeps blowing and my engine light is on, and I will check the codes shortly and let you know what they are.
  • duff72duff72 Member Posts: 1
    after fueling my truck the check engine light came on, gas cap was not on correctly. Is their a way to shut light off myself without taking to dealer? thanks
  • stanoskistanoski Member Posts: 76
    Try unhooking your battery for a few minutes and then hooking it back up. It works on other cars / trucks I have owned. If its still an issue, the light will eventually go back on.

    Ski in TX
  • moparblue2moparblue2 Member Posts: 86
    if the gas cap was the problem & you fixed it. the light will reset all by itself after a few starts.
  • roxanaroxana Member Posts: 2
    I know some places like autozone have diagnostic testers you could borrow with your I.D. You just plug it in and reset it. If you have trouble they'll even assist you. Hope everything works out.
  • dodgedodger1dodgedodger1 Member Posts: 4
    I figured out how to fix the problem with the ABS and Brake lights on, and the speedo not working until the speed of 30 or 60 is reached, along with the blinkers and flashers blowing fuses. I do not understand why all these items were affected, but when I replaced the rear wheel speed sensor they all went away. I bought the speed sensor at Auto Zone - Murray's doesn't carry them, took it home and removed the negative battery cable. Then I removed the old sensor from atop the rear axle pig housing and replaced it. (Do not pry or hammer it, you'll break the bottom off in the housing and have a *)&^ of a time removing it. You need to gently twist and pry at the same time to get the old one out.) Once it was changed I replaced tha battery cable and took it for a drive - everything worked fine with no more lights. The turn signals still didn't work because the fuse was still blown from before, so I took a chance and replaced it - turn signals have been working fine for a week now. Hope this helps someone else.
  • woodturner1woodturner1 Member Posts: 4
    OK here goes folks. 8 months ago my oil sending unit on my 2001 Dodge 1500 went out.
    Unit was changed and all was well. Last week it went out again so we thought. We changed it again, the gauge worked for about 15 miles of driving then went to zero. Stop the restart and the engine gauge goes to about 38psi for about 4 miles then drops to zero. If I sit parked it works for about 5 minutes then stops working.

    My check engine light has been on for a long time because of the dreaded P-0455 code. I disconnected the battery and cleared that code and got no other codes.

    What do you know the oil gauge starts working. I drove for about 30 miles with no problem starting and stopping several times. About half a mle from my house it starts this on and off thing every 10 to 15 seconds or so.

    I checked for codes using the on-off-on-off-on method and didn't get any.
    The oil in the engine is good and the truck only has 59 K miles on it.

    Does anyone have a clue has to what would cause this problem.
  • whitrwhitr Member Posts: 12
    Read response from Dusty to my post. I am having very similar symptoms as you and he feels that it is my oil pump. One difference is that I have 190k miles on my '98, so it probably is the oil pump. I haven't made the repair yet but plan on doing so shortly. One suggestion that was made to me by someone else was to put a qt. of Lucas Oil Stabilizer in before switching out the pump.That's a $10 gamble that has a better chance of working on your low miles engine, but be sure and dump a qt of oil first to make room for the Lucas. The Lucas might break down a possible sludge buildup that could be affecting your oil pump screen. Good luck.
  • whitrwhitr Member Posts: 12
    After reading all of the blogs on this vehicle, no wonder Chrysler is about to go under.
  • woodturner1woodturner1 Member Posts: 4
    OK thanks I can give the Lucas a try.Might just help. Just seems odd that it would change what it was doing after I cleared the P-0455 code. Then go to a working not working type mode.

    What makes me think it is not the pump is the pressure drops instantly to zero not like it is losing it slowly then climbing back up. I am thinking more electrical than anything.

    But I don't know thats why I am here asking.LOL
    :)
  • goaliegoalie Member Posts: 16
    Did you experience any issues with your cruise control? How about the switch that deactivates the OD, on the shifter? Thanks
  • goaliegoalie Member Posts: 16
    I also have that code set....tried 2 gas caps...no change. I have been told, in this forum, that I may have a damaged hose somewhere between the tank and engine bay....any thoughts on that solution?
  • whitrwhitr Member Posts: 12
    Another idea for you concerning oil pressure problem. A mechanic friend of mine told me that he has been into many 360cc dodge engines and that they have a very fine and rather small oil pickup screen. He recommends changing the oil and ONLY using 5w30 and an OEM filter from the dealership. You might try this before doing something expensive.
  • woodturner1woodturner1 Member Posts: 4
    Since I disconnected the battery I have'nt had the cade come back up again.
  • woodturner1woodturner1 Member Posts: 4
    This is a the 318 not the 360. The iol is'nt very old in it and has little mile son it,but may try that anway.Cheapest way to go and can't hurt anything for sure. :D
  • dodgedodger1dodgedodger1 Member Posts: 4
    Goalie,
    I did not have any issues with either the Cruise or OD switch, those both worked fine. I think the cruise worked because the speedo did show my speed once past the 30mph and 60mph later. Perhaps the same is true of the OD switch? Sorry this wasn't any help.
  • whitrwhitr Member Posts: 12
    Well I finally got around to trying the oil change that I suggested to you. I changed to 5W30 and replaced filter w/OEM; put in a qt. of Lucas Oil Stabilizer then 4 qts of the oil. Cranked it and let it idle; it took about 5 minutes before the tapping stopped. The pressure was good immediately upon cranking. I have driven it about 50 miles yesterday and today and the motor sounds good and the wild pressure fluctuations have stopped. During 1st 10-15 miles, pressure would occasionally drop to around 35 then go back up to 65. It seems to be doing that less & less as I continue to drive it. My fingers, legs, arms and anything else I can cross are crossed plus I'm optimistic this is working. Evidently, the screen had been clogging up. Hope you have similar luck. .
  • whitrwhitr Member Posts: 12
    Well I finally got around to trying the oil change that I suggested to woodturner. I changed to 5W30 and replaced filter w/OEM; put in a qt. of Lucas Oil Stabilizer then 4 qts of the oil. Cranked it and let it idle; it took about 5 minutes before the tapping stopped. The pressure was good immediately upon cranking. I have driven it about 50 miles yesterday and today and the motor sounds good and the wild pressure fluctuations have stopped. During 1st 10-15 miles, pressure would occasionally drop to around 35 then go back up to 65. It seems to be doing that less & less as I continue to drive it. My fingers, legs, arms and anything else I can cross are crossed plus I'm optimistic this is working. Evidently, the screen had been clogging up.
  • luke1633luke1633 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2001 ram 1500,. Everytime I get gas,, the service light comes on 2DAYS AFTER I GET THE GAS. I have already had this checked at Chrysler.. MY local guy said the code was for the fuel system and he found nothing wrong, and he changed the fuel cap.. No help.. Any ideas how to fix this??
  • whitrwhitr Member Posts: 12
    I assume you know that you MUST close the cap until it clicks. If you are doing that, I would think that you have an air leak in your evap. system somewhere. Sorry I can't be of more help. Good luck
  • ricky1williamsricky1williams Member Posts: 3
    I rebuilt a transmission for a 1998 dodge ram 1500 2WD. Now the overdrive light will not go off. How do I check the transmission temp. sensor and the overdrive on/off button.
  • jonrambonejonrambone Member Posts: 2
  • jonrambonejonrambone Member Posts: 2
    i have a 2001 dodge ram 1500 and i need to get it inspected in an emissions county. We took it in to the shop and they couldn't get a reading from the scan tool. don't quite know what could be wrong. We bought a scan tool and still no reading.
  • bobwinnerbobwinner Member Posts: 47
    My 2004 Dodge dually diesel with A/T suddenly will not accelerate above idle. applying foot pressure to the accelerator will move the cable linkage out at the throttle on the engine, but no RPM increase follows. The only code I show is 480 which has to do with the fan relay. Anyone help??
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    Check to see if your fan is turning. If the computer thinks the fan is malfunctioning, it will put the engine in "limp mode" to prevent overheating. When the fan is functioning properly, the computer should "release" the engine.

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
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