SRobertson

Tail of Caution...

This may not be applicable to all trucks but wanted to put in my .02...

2004 Dodge Diesel 3500 4x4 auto.

Simple 1 CD Dodge head unit.

I bought one of the Grom plugins for my ipod for a recent trip to CA. Since I don't have the multi disk unit it plugs directly into that slot on the back of the head unit, then into the Grom box and then an adapter coming out with the flat ipod hook up.

The unit worked, but with issues, not sound related, but computer. Before the trip I had scrubbed the truck and connected the ipod hook up at the same time. First time driving the truck the gauges were acting up and actually quit, the engine even shut down one time.

When the gauges would die it would kill the odo, AC, cruise etc. Not horrible, but still a pain when you are towing a boat with a motorcycle in the back and two dogs across NV. Engine noise didn't change so often times I kept rolling as the only way to get them to work was to pull over, shut the whole truck down and wait a few seconds (doesn't help when you want to make good time). Other times the gauges would work but the engine would shut down leaving me no brakes and limited steering. I could put it in neutral turn it off and back on and it would fire up. That was unnerving as I pulled into rest stops as the brake power would fade dramatically. It even shut off going over Donner Pass while I was next to a cement barrier and 18 wheeler. Mileage also sucked.

Thought I had gotten some water in a connecter so I checked everything... I mean everything to make sure it was clean and dry. Same issue on the way back so i thought I'll remove the Grom and see what happens. This happened in Winnemucca NV. and it acted up the entire way to that point.

As soon as i removed the Grom and hit the road I never had another issue and it has remained 100% to this day. No gauge issue, no engine issue 100%. That was weeks ago.

I thought I was crazy but I talked with an electrical engineer friend of mine who reengineers parts for F-16's and he believed it is possible. He thought it might be driving a ground fault into the computer and killing the power supply which is causing the gauge issues and so on.

I told my tale to Grom and they gave me an RMA. Returned it, got my money back, but little else in the way of "we are sorry". Understand they don't want to admit fault but I warned them that they need to get it fixed less the unit cause and accident and they have a lawsuit.

Poorer mileage, crazy gauges, tired driver (My wife did not want to drive the truck while it was experiencing the problems) and wasted time.

But I have to keep three things in perspective:

I am not as important as my mother said I was,
Life isn't fair,
and
I am going to die.

Keeping those in perspective it was a great trip and I am very glad it was not a Cummins or Dodge issue, but rather an aftermarket screw up... and it is fixed.

Cheers,

Shane