Hello everyone!

I've had my 2006 RAM 1500 HEMI 4X4 Quad Cab for about 10 months now. It has 81,xxx miles on it and I'm having some issues.

About six months ago, the truck would try to start but shut off very quickly. It would only start every 15 attempts or so. Turns out my wife's key worked just fine. About 2 weeks later, mine started working again and has worked ever since.

About 5 months ago, my SERV 4X4 light came on intermittently.

About 3 months ago, my SERV 4X4 light came on and didn't go off and the four wheel drive no longer worked.

About 2 months ago, we noticed that sometimes the heater doesn't blow hot air for no noticeable pattern and then will blow hot again for a couple of weeks.

About 2 weeks ago, we now have no rear brake lights (3rd brake light works) but this could very easily be just the bulbs...

Today the Service Engine light came on when I was spinning the rear wheels trying to get up a snowy hill from a stop light.

It is snowing here in Utah a LOT. I parked the truck today and when I started it back up, the transmission would not go into gear! The engine was running but it wouldn't engage into a gear. Some of the times that I tried putting it into gear, we would hear some horrible almost-grinding sound coming from the steering column area.

When I was just about to give up, I noticed that the SERV 4X4 light was NOT on anymore nor the Service Engine light. I turned the **** to put it in four wheel drive, it engaged and off we went IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE.

Do I need to replace my computer or something? My wife thinks the guy we bought it from was real hard on it. I love this truck but it is making me nervous.

 

I would start by checking all grounds and power. Sounds like may have a corrosion problem.

 

I will try that and hopefully find something. Any other ideas or things I should check?

I will try to get the service engine code read tomorrow sometime

 

Damn....08 and 81k on it.....slow down man....LOL

IDK much about 4wd so i will bump this for others who might

 

It's an '06 but I have put 26k on it since February I run a business and this is why I need my 4 wheel drive to work (this was this morning)

 

Yeah, sry, i meant 06.

 

I had the same issue with the key, and my instance, it was a bad fob. I had to get a new one (fortunately, it was still under warranty at the time).

A bad ground or corrosion can cause all sorts of strange problems, as mentioned. It could be some funky stuff... we had the BCM (body control module) go out on our chrysler town & country minivan, and exhibited some of those odd symptoms.... transmission wouldn't shift, wouldn't start sometimes, radio freaked out (like only playing static), dash lights going off and on, wipers running even with it off, the key not working properly, etc.

joe

 

I have about 17 years of electrical trouble shooting under my belt and can tell you for sure when you get so many differant issues that just come and go 95 out of 100 times it is a bad ground !!! but now you just have to try to find what grounding point is messed up as there will be about 6 differant grounding studs with multipul commen grounds

bBest of luck and make sure you post your results for the next person who has a issue like this