I recently started my truck (06 Hemi) and noticed that the light that looks like an engine block stayed lit. All of the other gauges looked fine but when I put my foot into the gas it responded very sluggishly and boggy. I got the thing home and checked the owners manual and it stated that the light was an error code for the emissions or the engine control system.

Can anyone tell me what this means? Thanks.

 

Your engine control system has detected a condition and set a trouble code in its memory. You can try to get the code via the ignition key method. Turn it on & off a set number of times while chanting something toward the northern lights or ... Kidding aside, someone else will have to tell you how to do that correctly. I could never get it to work. Or you could go to Oreillys, AutoZone or some other auto parts store and they will use a code reader to tell you what the code is, usually for no fee. Once you know what the code is, you can look up what the code means and go from there to figure out what caused it. Or if you are planning on working on and fixing your own truck, you could invest in a code reader or a tuner that will tell you the codes and clear the trouble codes.

Once you know the code(s) though, 9 times out of ten that is only the starting point of figuring out what is wrong. The code will probably point you to a symptom. You will have to then figure out what the cause is.

But the guys here on the forum are a great resource for figuring out what the cause is. They have helped me bunches of times, usually without even knowing they have helped.

So, what's the code?

 

Agreed, go my any auto parts store and let them connect their OBDII scanner to the truck and get you the codes. If they cannot point you in the right direction then post the codes here. We have a list of them in the FAQs section at the top of this section.

 

I drove the truck again this morning and it seems like it is stuck in 2nd gear. It takes off really sluggish and then won't shift.

 

The trucks transmission is in limp mode and you need to have the PCM/TCM scanned for codes and post them here so we can help

 

So I am assuming that the computer is detecting a problem and it is forcing the transmission into this limp mode to prevent any damage?

 

Yah, mahn.

http://www.grego.ca/limp.htm

 

Bingo......

 

Can anyone tell me how to reset the PCM?

 

Did you check it for codes? Don't clear it before you read the codes. Your truck's control unit saw something major that caused it to go into a protection mode. Taking it out of that mode before you know why the PCM did that in the first place is ill advised. just my $0.02.