#1900 Hiccup Part Deux

[Venom Power]

Okay it happened again today but this time something really weird occured. I was on the freeway driving my daughter home from school when I noticed the A/C suddenly was blowing warm muggy Houston air. Strange because I hardly ever use the A/C. I looked down at the controls and saw that the cold air and recirc. lights were off. I blamed my daughter for a couple seconds for touching it when I looked at the instrument cluster. It was all OFF. Yet, I was still moving at 70 mph as if nothing was wrong. The music was still playing and the windows were still working. The headlights were on although the switch was in the off position. I jumped off the freeway and drove to a parking lot. I turned off the truck and even with the key out of the ignition, #1900 continued to rumble for a while before finally sputtering off. She wouldn't turn back on. I turned the key forward and back about 12 times... each time a strange buzz sounded briefly. Finally after about a minute the odometer reading was back on and she fired right up...

NOW, I already installed a brand new battery a few days ago. Also, when I hit a significant bump the dash cluster would light up as if I just turned her on then all would go back to normal. I don't know how many times the bump situation happened. But it started ever since 2006..... loooong before the SCT was installed. Has this been going on with anyone else?:dontknow: Grounding issue? Loose connection somewhere?

 

[LitemUp]

I had a similar issue happene to me as well. Check your wiring something you installed guages, aux fan, etc. My issue came from my aux fan wires melted and was shooting 12 volts back into the truck through my fuse panel where the fan gets the 12v inginition signal. My truck actually burned out the passenger side air bag sensor, and when I arrived at the dealer would shut off even with the key removed. I had to shut her down by bogging her out. The dealer didn't notice the burned wiring. I found it after two days back from the dealer cause the truck was still acting crazy (ie lights would turn on while the truck was sitting in the driveway, horn would go off for no apparent reason, alarm would not arm etc)

Check all your wires from all the resently install items.

 

[Venom Power]

I had a similar issue happene to me as well. Check your wiring something you installed guages, aux fan, etc. My issue came from my aux fan wires melted and was shooting 12 volts back into the truck through my fuse panel where the fan gets the 12v inginition signal. My truck actually burned out the passenger side air bag sensor, and when I arrived at the dealer would shut off even with the key removed. I had to shut her down by bogging her out. The dealer didn't notice the burned wiring. I found it after two days back from the dealer cause the truck was still acting crazy (ie lights would turn on while the truck was sitting in the driveway, horn would go off for no apparent reason, alarm would not arm etc)

Check all your wires from all the resently install items.

That would probably be the gauges in the pilar.. This new stuff started after that install. The other stuff (occassional cluster reset after a bump) was happening two years ago.. Probably after the stereo install.. Oh boy that's a lot of wiring to look at.

 

[Tooloe]

might be a shot in the dark but check all your fuses. weird things can happen

 

[Venom Power]

might be a shot in the dark but check all your fuses. weird things can happen

Now THAT I can do.. What am I looking for? Burnt or loose fuses? I was thinking of saving this issue for Panama City when many of us are together.. But then again I'd rather get it taken care of before that 600+ mile long trek..

 

[mr. anderson]

also a bad/loose main grounding point can do that. also have the new battery rechecked. wouldn't be the first time i've seen a "new" battery with bad cells in it.

 

[Venom Power]

:dontknow: Where would the main grounding point be? I've seen squirley issues like this at different levels for quite sometime now..

 

[Marc T]

I would disconect anything that you have installed after market. Then re-install one by one and see if you can pinpoint the culprit!!

Or disconnect them one at a time!

I have heard that the raptor shift light can create problems!!

 

[SANCHOBA]

oh crap! just installed my raptor earlier in the week! no probs though.by the way anthony i received the cover and it fits my 4X4 perfectly!

 

[Venom Power]

I went out and checked the battery ground.. It is tight. I checked the ground going to the body near the battery.. It is tight.. I saw another grounding point down below on the frame. I didn't check for tightness because the ground/floor outside is wet. As for after market items, there are way too many. But I do think the new pilar Autometer gauges need attention since this whole thing got worse after the gauges were installed. After that is checked I suppose I'll have to go after every electronic component installed from the raptor to the stereo equipment. I'm thinking the vibration from the suspension shook something loose... Likely a ground somewhere..

 

[Venom Power]

OH and glad you received the cover Scot. I thought it was for your 10 though..

 

[Quik_Silver]

I had a similar problem but more significant... After being locked out of my buddys house i decided to sleep in the 10 after turning it off and on throughout the night to keep warm, my friend woke me up at around 5am to a smoke filled cab...pouring out. Lucky to be here actually. the wiring harness under the drivers seat had worn through from repeated seat moving and peeled the coating off and touched the frame starting the carpet on fire. I was having odd things happen with the dash and stereo prior. i saw this and had to share before someones 10 goes up in flames. TAPE UP YOUR WIRING HARNESS!!!!

 

[Venom Power]

I had a similar problem but more significant... After being locked out of my buddys house i decided to sleep in the 10 after turning it off and on throughout the night to keep warm, my friend woke me up at around 5am to a smoke filled cab...pouring out. Lucky to be here actually. the wiring harness under the drivers seat had worn through from repeated seat moving and peeled the coating off and touched the frame starting the carpet on fire. I was having odd things happen with the dash and stereo prior. i saw this and had to share before someones 10 goes up in flames. TAPE UP YOUR WIRING HARNESS!!!!

HOLY SHHHHHHH..... I will most def have to check that...

 

[Quik_Silver]

haha ya scary shhhh is right venom... And The truck was absolutely stock btw.

 

[FATJACK]

Just normal Dodge Quality Control

If mine catches fire and anyone goes near it with a fire extinguisher I will shoot them in the head.

 

[Tooloe]

Just normal Dodge Quality Control

If mine catches fire and anyone goes near it with a fire extinguisher I will shoot them in the head.

hahahahaha


as for were and what to look for like has been posted above.. broken loose fuses.. also there are i think 3 main Grounds for our motors in the engine bay if you look from the front of your truck should be one on the pass side fender close to the top back towards the firewall...also should be another ground on the driver side in the same place... and one to the frame... also check you harness.... now as for the ground points.. just anopther shot in the dark but before you go uninstalling and tearing threw your truck.. check the small stuid stuff.. get your some sand paper.. un do those 3 grounds sand the spots on the fender and on the frame.. just eunff to make them shiny again.. and tighten them back up...... i know it might be a shot in the dark but if your luck is anything like mine.. you can uninstall everything and after it's all torn apart you'll find that one wire in the engine compartment that you thought you should have check but didn't lol

 

[Venom Power]

The strange thing is when I went out and opened the hood I really did a little feeling around and visual checks... and she's acting just fine. If there is a loose something, it's probably slightly loose JUST enough to wreak havoc from time to time. If I don't locate the culpret then I'll have some hand tools with me at the Panama City GTG.. With so many experienced (and drunken) heads put together rational thought may emerge at some level with a solution to solve the issue there.

 

[eddie102870]

Just normal Dodge Quality Control

If mine catches fire and anyone goes near it with a fire extinguisher I will shoot them in the head.

IM WITH YA BRO

 

[Ironhead]

if it catches on fire put a fan on it to fan the flames up higher lol

 

[Venom Power]

It happened today again and more serious this time. Like yesterday the dash and gauges shut down and the AC was blowing warm air although I was driving fine on the freeway. I pulled off into a parking lot and started with fliping the ignition off and on over and over. This time it didn't reset like yesterday. My daughter was in the truck feeling scared and hot from the 101 deg heat. I got out to check if the headlights were on.. They were. So I get back in and start her up.. She started fine but the dash and gauges were still non-functional. I turned off the ignition and the truck would not stop idling. Eventually it stopped after I pumped the gas a couple times to flood her..

Now here's the kicker. I press the factory alarm remote and smoke began to wisp from the dash cluster just above the steering column. My daughter :afraid:freaked and hastely jumped out the truck when I told her to. I could have swore we were about to have an SRT bar-b-que. Suddenly after the smoke and burn smell stopped I turned her on. The dash was still off at first but suddenly the cluster and gauges came back to life like nothing was wrong... OH THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG ALRIGHT..

I called Stinker and he called Borden.. It seems my dash cluster may have some sort of short or lose wire because all electrical items in the truck aren't as affected as the dash has always been. I'll have to take it to Dodge tomorrow. I hope they don't piss me off because this has been happening, but really subtle, for a couple years now. It's just been getting worse recently. She's in the garage resting now.

Thanks to Tony (Stinker) and Steve (Borden) for being available during my call..