I never thought you were "blowing me off."

Do you have a console with the computer in it?

If not, the cable will be disconnected as you don't have an ambient temp sensor. Not a problem, and not related to the charging system.

 

im actually having a similar issue, the vehicle will start, then run for a few min, the volt gauge will either drop to 8 or jump to 18, then shuts itself down.....

at this point i belive its an alternator, how ever i cannot check voltages across the alt and batt. truck is in the middle of a resto.. i do plan on getting it checked at my local Advance Auto Parts, but if it comes back good, im screwed, any help would be nice

the truck is a 2000 dakota CC w/3.9L "Magnum" 4x4 auto..

 

I did not know I could do that... sorry for being a newb...
Here you go... Not sure these will help.
So the main harness is fed from the PCM and you can see the split in the main harness picture to 3 different connectors.
Not sure where the open connector connects to.

 

from the looks of it based on the picture, the connector your talking about, hasnt been used in a long time. or if at all... then again i could be wrong.. but it appears that it hasnt or wasnt used..

 

it's for the air conditioning if you don't have it don't worry if you do I believe the sensor your looking for is under the air cleaner box. all it does is not allow the compressor to engage at to low of a temperature which is bad

 

I was just going to say the same thing the low pressure A/C plug you must have no A/C

 

I finally figured it out!!! So just to add some information to the overall post...

The Violet/Lt Green Lt/Black connector is for Ambient lighting... I appreciate Dodge for the "just in case I ever want to add it connector".

Only spent 2 days trying to track that down...

So the problem... As once first speculated it was the alternator... Here is the skinny... Alternator runs just fine and dandy until the car warms up, at that point the brushes in the alternator stop, this then leads to the truck running on battery..

Here is something I learned from a friend... give the alternator a few taps on metal not the fins, nor the aluminum casing and low and behold the brushes start spinning, and charging the battery.
That is how I finally diagnosed and tracked down the problem...
Funny my wife said 5 days ago, just replace the alternator if that isn't the problem, 00DakDan said that they go at 135k or so miles so it will go soon... I refused and carried on...
When she came home from work and asked what the shiny new part I was putting in the truck was, I just said... yeah um it is an alternator!!!
She smiled smugly and didn't rub it in ... just yet that is!!!
Thanks everyone for all of your input...

 

Glad you got it!

 

It's for the ambient sensor to the right of the washer fluid bottle on the core support (looking from engine bay side, your left leaning over the radiator). It's an option and the physical sensor will only exist if you have the overhead console that displays the compass and outside temp.

Check the VDrop between the alt and battery. Or if you have a clamping ammeter, stick that on the wire.

This is why 1 wire alts are so nice...either they work, or they don't.