I have a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 hemi with 115 xxx miles on it it’s a auto transmission . I have a charging battery issue or somthing one day driving down the road trucks does so I went and bought battery lasted till I got home so I figured it was alternator so replaced it got them both tested 2 times both tested good . So I charged battery again it runs for 10 minutes battery gauge drops to nothing and check gauges light comes on truck soon shuts off . I’m so clueless on what it is

 

Voltage regulator. It's in the PCM unfortunately.

Welcome to DF! Moving this to third gen ram section for ya.

 

Hi guys.
HeyYou, I know it's an old thread, but it's the only one I found with similar issues. My 04 hemi is having this same problem as Chad. I've replaced alternator, battery and now pcm (which was programmed to the VIN). No change, my hemi still has same charging troubles. Your expertise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

I believe a lot of the 2004 Ram trucks have electrical gremlins. I’ve had my 04 since new and just as the warranty was out, I was going down the road and the wipers just turned on by themselves in like mist mode. They wiped about two times and stopped. I thought, well, maybe I bumped the switch or something and forgot about it. About a month later it does it again and both hands are on the steering wheel. I thought well, the switch is bad and power is bypassing it in the off position. I thought, well, when it completely goes out and won’t turn off, I will replace it. After about 6 months it never did it again. Then it started doing it about once every two months, just on for 1 second then back off. It’s been this way for what 18 years now, still does it at about two months, but doesn’t constantly draw any voltage, so I just live with it. I have heard of others having the same issue with their 04 trucks. I had one battery last me about 12 or 13 years before needing replacement. I finally put in a new battery and about 4 months later I went out to start it and nothing. I was shocked, she had never failed to start since buying it. Battery completely dead. I had it charged and tested and was told it was good. Drove home, parked it, and the next morning nothing. The odometer light and dash light would flash and all gauge needles would jump. For a few days it drive me crazy trying to find the cause of dead battery. I charged it back up, put it in the truck, got inside and turned switch on. No more flashing lights or jumping needles. I did hear a noise and my hearing isn’t the best, but it was coming from the fan motor. I turned the fan off as it was in on position on the lowest setting, barely blowing. Turned the switch off and turned the fan switch on high. It was blowing and the key was out of the switch and laying in the seat. That was what was killing my battery because I got out and made sure fan switch was off and no more dead battery. I even did the volt meter test with pulling the fuses with the ground cable off and meter on volts and it showed no problem, even with the fan switch on. Crazy but true. I don’t know how power could bleed through and get to the fan with the key off but it is. I cleaned all ECU plugs and pins and put electrical grease in the connectors but still does it. So to those having dead battery issues, check and make sure nothing is left in the on position and see what happens. I have been watching for maybe a recall on the wiper switches, because like I said I know several people with the same issue with the same year model, but nothing yet.