2013 RAM 3500 Electrical System Problems

BATTERY DRAIN. BOUGHT SEVERAL BATTERIES OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS AND EACH BATTERY WILL LAST 2 MONTHS AFTER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO START THE TRUCK UP EVERY OTHER DAY, SO THE BATTERY WOULDN' T GO DEAD. .

STEERING CUPLING UNDER DASH HAS SLACK MAKING STEERING LOOSE AND ALTERNATOR PROBLEMS TRUCK ONLY HAS 113609 MILES CHRYSLER CORP SAYS IT'S NOT A PROBLEM AND MORE RECALLS ARE SHOWING ON IT DRIVING ON OPEN ROAD CONSTANTLY WORKING STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP IN STRAIGHT LINE ON THE ROAD CITY DRIVING IS AS BAD SITTING STILL IT HAS ABOUT HALF INCH OR MORE LOOSE PLAY IN STEERING

THE ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. TRUCK HAS 62000 MILES ON IT. THE BATTERY LOW VOLTAGE CAME ON. AFTER THE TRUCK RAN FOR A MINUTE IT WENT OUT. I RAN THE TRUCK FOR TEN MINUTES. AFTER I PARKED THE TRUCK AND WENT INSIDE I COULD SMELL SOMETHING. WHEN I STEPPED OUT MY DOOR AND LOOKED SMOKE WAS ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I GRABBED THE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT IT OUT. I THEN SPRAYED IT DOWN WITH WATER TO COOL IT. IT TOOK SOME TIME.

I WENT TO START MY VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY ON 5/23/2019. THE VEHICLE GAVE ME A LOW BATTERY INDICATION AND IMMEDIATELY SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC. SHUT THE VERTICLE OFF, HAD EVERYONE EXIT THE VEHICLE AND POPPED THE HOOD UP. SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE ALTERNATOR THAT HAD BEEN "INSPECTED " INSTEAD OF BEING REPLACED ACCORDING TO THE S68 RECALL BULLETIN 3MONTHS EARLIER. I QUICKLY GRABBED SOME TOOLS TO DISCONNECT BOTH BATTERIES TO PREVENT AND FURTHER DAMAGE OR FIRE. *DT*JB *DT *DT *TR

THE TRUCKS BODY CONTROL MODULE IS FAULTY CAUSING ONLY THE DRIVERS ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS TO LOCK MAKING THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS IN OPERABLE. BY DOING ONLINE RESEARCH THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS AND CAN POSE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEATS.

ON DEC. 15, 2014 I RECEIVED A RECALL ON MY 2013 DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL. THE RECALL WAS FOR A INLINE FUEL HEATER THAT MAY CATCH FIRE, IT HAD NO APPARENT FIX, NO PARTS, NO INSTRUCTIONS AND NO TIMELINE AS TO WHEN IT WOULD OR COULD BE FIXED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT MY CONCERNS, HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A REMOTE POSSIBILITY NEXT TO NONE, THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD CATCH FIRE. I ASKED HIM IF I COULD PARK IT INSIDE AND HE SAID YES, AND THAT THE RECALL WAS JUST BEING SENT OUT AS A PRECAUTION. ON THE EVENING OF JAN 28TH 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 0:920 PM SMOKE DETECTORS ALERTED MY DOG AND HE WOKE ME UP. I WOKE MY WIFE UP YELLING (FIRE) I PANICKED I TOOK IN A DEEP BREATH COVERED MY MOUTH WITH MY FOREARM, OPENED THE PERSONAL ENTRY...

INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL MODULE FAILS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE VOLTAGE/AMP TO SAFELY STOP HEAVY TRAILERS. TRAILER WIRING ISSUES CAN BE RULED OUT, AS BRAKES OPERATE CORRECTLY IF TRAILER HOOKED TO ANOTHER VEHICLE. PROBLEM AFFECTS MANY VEHICLES AND OWNERS AS DOCUMENTED AT: HTTP://WWW.CUMMINSFORUM.COM/FORUM/2013-GENERAL-DISCUSSION/1730945-2013-INTEGRATED-TRAILER-BRAKE-CONTROL-PROBLEM.HTML AND ALSO AT HTTP://WWW.RAMFORUM.COM/F119/BRAKE_CONTROLLER-71708/

THE NEW DODGE RAM EQUIPPED WITH CUMMINS DIESEL EXPERIENCE A DEAD PEDAL, OR PEDAL DELAY WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL 3/4 TO FULL THROTTLE. THIS POSES A SERIOUS RISK WHEN NEEDING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, OR MOVE THE VEHICLE UNDER EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS HAPPENS UNDER ALL CONDITIONS: STOPPED, ROLLING, UNDER ACCELERATION ETC. IF YOU PUSH THE PEDAL TOO FAR THE TRUCK WILL NOT RESPOND TO OPERATOR COMMANDS AND WILL TAKE 1.5-2 SECONDS TO START PICKING UP SPEED. THIS IS A SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. THERE IS NOT EXCUSE FOR A VEHICLE NOT RESPONDING TO DRIVER INPUT. MANUFACTURE CLAIMS "TURBO LAG", THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. YOU CAN BUILD TURBO BOOST, MONITORED ON THE VEHICLE GAUGE, THEN PRESS THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, THE TRUCK WILL NOT RESPOND FOR 1.5 TO 2 SECONDS. PLEASE LOOK AT FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE...

OUR RAM 3500 SEEMS TO HAVE A WIRE CHAFING PROBLEM. ON 26 JUNE 2014 THE TRUCK LOCKED IN 4TH GEAR. ECM WAS REPLACED IN FAIRBANKS AT 16490 MILES. ON 18 JULY 2014 THE SAME THING HAPPENED AT 18481 MILES, THE DEALER IN SOLDOTNA AK FOUND A CHAFED WIRE IN THE WIRING LOOM. ON 29 JULY 2014, THE TRUCK COMPLETELY DIED, THE ECM FUSE WAS BLOWN. THE PCM WAS REPLACED. ON 26 JULY 2015, THE TRUCK COMPLETELY DIED AGAIN, ECM FUSE WAS BLOWN. MILEAGE WAS 31421. PRESTIGE DODGE IN LONGMONT CO REPLACED THE ECM AND THEN ON THE TEST DRIVE THE TRUCK LOCKED INTO 4TH GEAR. THEY THEN REPLACED A PORTION OF THE WIRING HARNESS TO CORRECT A CHAFED WIRE. I WAS RECENTLY NOTIFIED ABOUT ANOTHER WIRE CHAFING PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAGS. I MUST WONDER IF SOMEHOW THERE IS A WIRING LOOM PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK. IN ALL 3 INCIDENTS...

JULY 17, 2015 - WHILE STATIONARY, I STARTED TRUCK ONLY TO HAVE ALL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH ILLUMINATE, WIPERS ACTIVATE ON THEIR OWN, AND RADIO UNIT POWER OFF. EVENTUALLY, ALL POWER WAS LOST TO THE DASH. TRUCK WAS TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. TRUCK RECEIVED NEW PCM AND WAS RETURNED TO ME. JULY 17, 2015 - LATER THAT EVENING, THE TRUCK WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. TRUCK WAS IN THE SERVICE CENTER FOR TWO MONTHS RECEIVING A NEW WIRING HARNESS AND NEW COMPUTERS. SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 - TRUCK RETURNED TO ME. OCTOBER 13, 2015 - WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET THE TRUCK EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM. MOMENTARILY LOST ENGINE POWER AND TRANSMISSION FUNCTIONALITY. LOST ALL POWER TO DASH INCLUDING TRAILER BRAKES. THE TRUCK SAT IDLING FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR WHILE WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK. I HAVE RECORDED VIDEO OF THE DASH CONTINUING TO...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE "ABS BRAKES NEEDS SERVICING" WARNING MESSAGE ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SENSOR BUMPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS A RECURRING ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,432. UPDATED 03/24/15*LJ

HAD BEEN NOTICING A SHIMMY IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION AREA. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD HAVE A VERY SLIGHT VIBRATION AFTER HITTING BUMPS IN THE ROAD WHEN DRIVING 35MPH OR GREATER. THIS ISSUE HAS CONTINUED FOR MONTHS WITH SEVERAL VISIT TO DEALERSHIP WHO HAS BEEN UNABLE TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOW BECOME A "DEATH WOBBLE" THAT WILL SHAKE STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY AND ALMOST SHAKE THE ENTIRE TRUCK OFF THE ROAD, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL MORE ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH NO RESOLVE. TRUCK IS UNABLE TO KEEP ALIGNMENT, CAMBER AND CASTER IS CONTINUALLY OFF/OUT OF LINE, AND HAS WORN TIRES UNEVENLY. HAVE ALSO BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH DASH LIGHTS FLICKERING, RADIO LIGHTS TURNING OFF, ELECTRIC WINDOWS NOT ROLLING UP OR DOWN PROPERLY AND REVERSE LIGHTS NOT TURNING ON WHEN ENGAGED. *TR

"DEAD PEDAL" STARTED OUT FROM A STOP LIGHT AND WAS STARTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WITH A 8000 POUND TRAILER GOT TO ABOUT 5 MPH SOMEONE PULLED OUT AND WANTED TO COME STRAIGHT THREW THE LIGHT FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION I WAS GOING ! I LET OFF THE THROTTLE THEN DECIDED I HAD ENOUGH ROOM TO MAKE IT AND WHEN I GOT BACK ON THE THROTTLE IT WAS LIKE I DIDN'T PUSH THE THROTTLE. THE TRUCK JUST SAT THERE FOR 1 OR 2 SECONDS TILL IT STARTED TO MOVE ! THIS HAS HAPPENED QUITE A FEW TIMES SINCE ! DOES NOT MATTER IF THE TRUCK IS LOADED OR EMPTY ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS START ON THE THROTTLE LET OFF OF IT AND GET BACK ON THE THROTTLE AND IT DIES FOR A FEW SECONDS !! *TR

WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND THEN PRESSING AGAIN, (LIKE MERGING OR A ROLLING STOP) THERE IS A LAG OF 1-2 SECONDS. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. RAM SAYS THAT IS NORMAL. THIS NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED. THANKS *TR

OUR NEW 2013 RAM TRUCK (SIX WEEKS) HAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT TO GROUND IN THE DRIVERS DOOR LOCK SWITCH AND MODULE (PART # 68110866AA & 68155771AF) THAT ARE LOCKING THE DOORS BY THEMSELVES. DEALER ASSURES ME THAT THERE IS "ZERO" CHANCE OF A FIRE OCCURRING EVEN THOUGH THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THIS MUST BE A COMMON PROBLEM, AS THE PARTS TO FIX THE ISSUE ARE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER AND NO ESTIMATE OF A FIX IS AVAILABLE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE IS A ZERO CHANCE OF A FIRE WITH AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND HAVE NOT BEEN PARKING THE VEHICLE IN OUR GARAGE UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO WITH AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURRING. *TR