Electrically Dead
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Joined: May 2010
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Electrically Dead
2003 Ram 2500 basic simple van.
Completely dead, acts like it has no battery even though the battery is brand new. When it was still working all was good except the tail lights and license plate light did not light.
Searching brings up corrosion in the Power Distribution Center next to the battery. I have not taken the Power Distribution Center apart yet. Since according to the wiring diagram relays are the most complicated components in this truck, could the problem be corrosion? This is not a Hemi or a good truck, just a bottom of the line plain work truck.
Anyone have any ideas?
Completely dead, acts like it has no battery even though the battery is brand new. When it was still working all was good except the tail lights and license plate light did not light.
Searching brings up corrosion in the Power Distribution Center next to the battery. I have not taken the Power Distribution Center apart yet. Since according to the wiring diagram relays are the most complicated components in this truck, could the problem be corrosion? This is not a Hemi or a good truck, just a bottom of the line plain work truck.
Anyone have any ideas?
Professional
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 138
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From: Mobile, AL
first of all, check to make sure the battery is actualy charged. New battery or not they havent made a battery yet that works when its dead. You may have left something on.
After confirmation of power,remove and clean your battery terminal clamps to get any corrosion off. Then check the main fuse in the PDC if it has one. If all is good, look for a bad ground. Probably the chassis ground cable coming directly off the battery negative terminal.
After confirmation of power,remove and clean your battery terminal clamps to get any corrosion off. Then check the main fuse in the PDC if it has one. If all is good, look for a bad ground. Probably the chassis ground cable coming directly off the battery negative terminal.
Champion
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,489
Likes: 4
From: New Jersey
I am going to bet it is a bad ground... but the 2003's are notorious for corrosion under the fuse box... so that would be where I would start.... there is a write-up on here somewhere on how to do it, but it is not for the faint of heart to complete.
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Electrically Dead
Thanks to BigSloth and Izero for their suggestions.
I am embarrassed to report that I caused my problem! Thankfully reversing what I did fixed it. Because the tail lights and license plate light do not work I am going to run a new wire back to them. Looking for a hot tail light wire under the dash I disconnected the C219 (C205 on my truck) connector by mistake. This connector contains 6 or 7 smaller connectors. Opening all of these killed the electrics. The C219 is held together by one bolt. I thought this bolt just held the cover and unscrewed it. This disconnected this major connector. The bolt does not hold the cover and when I re tightened the bolt all electrical contentions were OK!
This connector is to the left of the steering column.
I am embarrassed to report that I caused my problem! Thankfully reversing what I did fixed it. Because the tail lights and license plate light do not work I am going to run a new wire back to them. Looking for a hot tail light wire under the dash I disconnected the C219 (C205 on my truck) connector by mistake. This connector contains 6 or 7 smaller connectors. Opening all of these killed the electrics. The C219 is held together by one bolt. I thought this bolt just held the cover and unscrewed it. This disconnected this major connector. The bolt does not hold the cover and when I re tightened the bolt all electrical contentions were OK!
This connector is to the left of the steering column.
