Hello,
I have a 2001 Dodge Ram Sport, 1500, 5.9L 360 engine, 4WD extended cab. I have been having issues with it for four years, where it will take spells and run very rough and even cut out and die. When the diagnostics are read, it always registers a P0132 code – high voltage to bank 1 02 sensor. It’s also worth noting that when it takes these spells, the exhaust smells horrible.

Over 4 years, I have had this truck to four different mechanics, and had to have it towed once nearly an hour away. There was once a time where it sat in my driveway for four months because I didn’t have the money to spend on it. I’ve spent a lot of money in vein trying to resolve this issue.

Here’s what has been done to it so far that I can think of:
Have checked exhaust system and catalytic converter – no issues
Have changed both 02 sensors multiple times – currently using NGK sensors.
Have changed computer 4 times (different mechanics – thought I was getting faulty computers – really made the computer sellers angry).
Changed PCV valve
Plugs, Plug wires and distributor cap have been replaced
Changed some other sensor that was nearly impossible to get to behind the engine – can’t remember the name of it
I can’t recall what else was done between the different mechanics.

Here’s where it gets interesting and extremely confusing. Someone once suggested that it sounded like the power wire was grounding out. I traced the power cable and saw that it was very tight against the frame. When I pulled the power cable from the frame and used a zip tie to keep it off the frame, it immediately started running better, but the check engine light stayed on. I actually thought that resolved the issue and drove the truck for over a year after that with no more issues of it running rough or dying at all. The check engine light has been on since I got the truck in 2012.

So over a year passed with the truck running well since I moved the power cable. Then gradually, it would start having spells where it would run rough again and try to die, however the power cable was still not touching the frame. I discovered by accident that if I got down and wiggled the power cable, it would correct the issue and start running properly again, sometimes for days. Sometimes after wiggling the cable, it would start running properly and the check engine light would even go out.

I also changed the battery cable terminals. When I did that, the truck began running great and the check engine light went out and stayed out as I drove it nearly an hour straight to my parents with no issues, and then 20 minutes back to work with no issues. Then on my way home (40 minute drive), it started having issues again and the check engine light came back on.

I found that once again if I wiggled the power cable, it would start running properly again. It’s worth noting that usually when I would wiggle the power cable and it would temporarily resolve the issue, that it would take it a few minutes to straighten up, almost as if the computer had to figure out that something was changed, and it would make an adjustment to the fuel and then the truck would start running better. I figured that the problem must be in the power cable, so I had it replaced, and used a thicker 2 guage power cable to replace it. After the cable was changed, instead of correcting the problem, it actually got worse. Now the truck will barely run at all and wants to cut out and die continually.

So, the only thing left that I can think of is that perhaps the starter itself has a problem, which may have been somehow affected when I would wiggle the power cable. However, moving the new power cable now doesn’t seem to change anything even temporarily. I also wonder if perhaps the smaller wire that connects to the starter could have an issue. I can’t figure out what the name of that wire is to replace it. It attaches to the starter and then clips in up by the fuse box under the hood. It’s the wire that sends the signal to the starter when you start the truck.

It is a truly baffling ordeal which has caused me great frustration over the years. Could the starter itself have an issue causing this? Could the smaller wire attached to the starter be causing this? Any ideas on what else may be causing this? I can’t understand how previously moving the power cable around would temporarily correct the issue, but it did. At that time the smaller wire was inside of the wire loom with the power cable. Any thoughts? There are no words to describe how frustrated I am with this situation.

Thanks,

Anthony

 

Did you replace both battery cables and clean the ends where they attach? I'll share some pictures later, I can't get them to upload now. There are some grounds on the engine I would clean and replace the cable from the alternator to the power distribution center. It sounds like you have a bad ground or cables, wires that are not flowing current .

 

Hi 2bit,
Thanks for your reply. I didn't change the ground cable. I did change the terminal on it, and I disconnected it from the frame and cleaned it with a wire brush, and cleaned the frame with a wire brush and reattached it. It does sound like a current issue. However, I never wiggled on the ground wire to see an affect; it was always the power cable which seemed to make an impact. It wouldn't hurt to change the ground cable though to rule it out. I will check the cable from the alternator to the power distribution center tomorrow when I get home. Actually I'll call the parts house and see if I can get that cable tomorrow before I go home. I'm at work and the truck is at home.

 

i wonder if your under hood fuse box has a bad connection at the battery cables (box itself is bad?).

When it wants to cut out and die, do you mean it just suddenly dies, or is is misfiring and stumbling first?

 

Which cable exactly are you moving? Where does it run from/to? The battery cable shouldn't have anything to do with the problem you are seeing..... (shouldn't.......)

If you have a scanner, it wouldn't hurt to plug in, and see what the voltage was when it was misbehaving. If it's 5 volts, then you have a short in the harness somewhere to the sensor feed wire, if it's 12 volts, then you have a short to either the heater feed, or ground circuit. If the truck starts running really crappy, you can simply unplug the sensor, and it should run better. (not getting confusing signals from the O2 sensor..) Of course, once it sets the code, it should ignore the sensor, and run ok. Not sure why it isn't.

 

I think he has an electrical problem in the main cables, battery, or power distribution center. Bad grounds cause all sorts of problems. I would clean all the grounds and replace the cables, sometimes they get corroded in the middle from a pin hole in the coating.

I have great results with these if you need one.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...366590&jsn=429

 

I believe this feeds the power distribution center. I replaced it.


Clean this ground from the alternator.


I think this is the ground from my battery and the engine harness.



My truck is a 95, so I'm not sure if things are the same or not.

 

I believe this wire connects to the solenoid. I can'remember what the small red wire feeds. Both were rubbed through and had to be spliced.


Here's how I replaced the stock cables. The battery cable is connected to the starter solenoid wire at the starter with a rubber block. I used a 2 gauge battery cable and a 10 gauge wire to the solenoid. They don't need that factory connection, the wires aren't actually connected.


A better pic of the stock cable. Which cable are you wiggling?


Hope these help. At least maybe you can tell us which cable you were wiggling. Or maybe your newer truck is completely different.

 

The truck will suddenly start stumbling and running rough, and then slowly die. I think I'll change the cable that runs from the battery cable terminal to the fuse box, as I haven't done that. It doesn't appear to have corrosion that could cause such an issue, but it's worth ruling out. Later this evening I'll try to get some pictures and post, and maybe a video of the truck while it's running rough. The cable that was replaced was the main power cable that runs from the battery to the starter. That was the cable that I was wiggling that always seemed to correct the issue (temporarily).

 

Thanks for your reply. I don't have a scanner, but I may be able to get it to someone this weekend who can check the voltage while it is running rough. I haven't tried unplugging the sensor, but I'll try that and see if that makes a difference. It just seems to be something to do with wiring somewhere with what I've seen happen as I moved that cable around. The cable I was moving was the main power cable from the battery to the starter. However, since I had that cable changed, the problem is now almost constant, and moving the new cable doesn't affect it at all. So on one hand, that seemed to be the problem; on the other hand, it seems it is not. That's why I'm wondering if it could be in the starter, or the smaller wire that attaches to the starter. At this moment I'm concerned with even trying to drive it to someone, as it wants to die even driving it a mile down the road.