Truck now been in shop for eight days and counting!
 

I posted originally about this problem in the HELP area when I first discovered the problem. Now that it's to the point that the dealer will have to fix it, I'm posting here.

My truck has been towed to the dealer three times and is on day number eight (total) of being in the shop. They've finally been able to get it act up for them, so they've been working to find the cause of the problem.

The problem is that you turn the key, all the dash lights come on (including headlights) and NO BUS appears in the odometer area. The computer scan so far indicated an inability to talk to the instrument cluster. So they replaced that. Then the problem came back two days later.

Now that it's finally acted up for them (the last two times it was towed there, it started right up afterward), they've had two guys on it for an entire day and haven't yet figured out exactly what the problem is. They told me yesterday that they had checked all (most?) of the modules and so far hadn't found the offending one. I still think it's a wiring problem.

Given the depth of this problem, it really is the last straw with this truck. It's my third Dodge, and the ONLY one to ever have any real trouble (in addition to lots of little problems). The next closest problem was the broken clock spring on my 01, which was fixed quickly and easily. But this will unfortunately be my last new Dodge, at least until such a time as they rework the computer system so that the thing will RUN rather than leave you stranded, or at the very least, make the computer intelligent enough to be more helpful in finding the problem.

I'm a computer guy (networking, software, hardware, web programming, etc), so I love 'em. I'm not the type that shys away from computers... but this is nuts.

My intention is once I get the truck back, I will de-mod it (what few mods I have -- mainly Torklift hitch, airbags, ATP blankets, etc) and get rid of it. I will pick up a cheap used truck in the $2500-3500 range for the short-term, and save up for a 95-early 98 12v 5sp 2500 4x4 CC or QC with under 250k miles that I can get for under $10k.

I will drive that for as long as it'll last given occasional parts replacements (to the truck... we know the Cummins will go nearly forever), until I feel confident that a new Dodge purchase might be okay again.

One thing is for sure... I will never own a Ford. But I'm truly disappointed in Dodge's poor design.

Rob

If I am summing this up correctly, the dealer was finally able to reproduce the problem and has spent one day working on it after that. Is this under warranty? Electrical problems sometimes take a while to track down. You need to give them a good chance at finding it.

alot of them have been recalled for that problem but they dont want you to know that and my trucks been in the shop the past 5months darn 53

Don't blame the truck for when the techs could be a bunch of goobers.

But from the sound of things, they seem to have been able to get it to act up, so thats step 1.

They will get it fixed. Probably end up calling STAR for assistance, but they will get it.

This would take a grand total of about 20 minutes to troubleshoot.

Disconnect connector C130 and put a probe on the bus wire. Is there a signal ?

If there isn't, the ECM is bad.

Pull the dash cluster. Unhook the connector. Is there a signal on the bus wire ?

If there is, the cluster is bad.

Wiring diagrams are in the shop manual.

I went through this because I had to figure out if I needed a SKIM on my truck. It hooks to the same bus. The bus is a very simple setup.

The bus also runs to the scan tool connector under the dash. It is probably possible to troubleshoot all this right from there with a scan tool.

You've got an excellent truck and a dealership that doesn't have a clue.

Maybe dropping a Cummins into a Ford should be training for dealerships ? It certainly gets you in touch with all the engine systems, like ECM, throttle position sensor, cruise control and, of course, fuel supply.

Ironically, 3 out of 4 dealerships told me it would be impossible to get the 3rd gen running in any truck other than the Dodge. What they forgot to say was "with their level of understanding of the engine." The 3rd gen engine is pretty simple and straightforward. But it is electronic. And that seems to cause a lot of grief for people used to working with mechanical components.

I just spoke to the dealer. They were on the phone with STAR all morning and they think it's the PCM. I didn't get anymore info than that, but one is ordered and should be there in the morning. So we'll see.

Rob

To say you are a nerd but shy away from a few million feet of wires in a truck.
haha (points and laughs)

J/K. I really don't see what the big deal is. If DC had tons of 3500's with bus probs then I can see you freaking. Not really that much of a issue so you have a problem child. Let them fix it and move on.

Don't feel bad, my truck has been in the shop since Monday b4 Christmas, finally got pulled in yesterday, supposedly, I haven't been by to check, they said they would pull it in to drop the transmission but the transmission guy took a vacation this week and won't be back till next, so the tranny is supposed to be sitting on his bench waiting for him on Monday or Tuesday. I'm kinda in the same boat as Rob, when you spend $30,000 plus on a truck you expect to have a little better service than what Chrysler offers, oh yeah my truck is at a very prestigous 5 star dealer, yeah that was a name pulled out of the hat.

5-star dealers only mean the SALES department; it has nothing to do with the service side of things.... unfortunately.

I'm just done with the truck and the payment. Once it's fixed, it'll get de-modded and it's gone, in favor of a 2nd gen of some sort.

Rob

"5-star" is a load of crap. The dealer I used to work for was a 5-star dealer...if you want examples of their practices, go look in the thread "bad dealer experiences" for my post. Being a 5-star dealer is now the DEALER'S CHOICE and has nothing to do with the level of customer satisfaction. That change went through when i was working there, and they decided not to bother being a 5-star dealer any more because they no longer got anything in return from Chrysler for it.

Something to keep in mind for those of you who have had their trucks at the dealer for a long time...check with your state's Attorney General about your lemon laws. Here in N.H., one of the factors to have your vehicle replaced by the Lemon Law is if it was in the dealership for more than 30 days.

Jim

"and the payment". That was kinda slipped in-I almost missed it. [laugh] Could it be that this is the real driving force behind your insistence on ditching the truck because of this problem? I know I sound like I'm knocking you, but I'm not. I don't blame you-if I were getting tired of the payment, and something like this came up, I might go on and ditch it too. It's fairly plain that if the truck belonged to someone who really wanted to keep it, once resolved, this problem would not be reason to sell the truck.

Yep NEXT owner won't have that issue will they?

"5-star dealers only mean the SALES department; it has nothing to do with the service side of things.... unfortunately."


Rob


This is wrong and so is the statement that 5 Star is up to the dealer. My Wife is a warranty administrator for a Dodge dealer and it has jsut as much to do with service if not more than the bull Edit tests sales takes to stay 5 star certified

Mark

In fact SERVICE is scored MORE for being 5 star and SALES(dealer owner)reaps the rewards more then anyone.I know YOU all like to go on about SERVICE but the D.C. dealer I was at WE serviced/repaired 100 PLUS autos DAILY day in and day out and WE DID have days that EVERTHING went smooth and very few headaches(rechecks,damaged,angry customers etc)and YES there were days not so good.I worked a Pontiac dealer that we have closed shop on Friday night and gone home with 150 autos on the lot we HAD NOT EVEN GOT TO.On top of that there were 3 MORE G.M dealers on the same road also doing that kind of volumne.But SERVICE is scored MORE then sales and PARTS(even if service got slamed on surveys for part no in stock)took the blunt of NOTHING.