Hey guys does anyone know what fuse 51 controls and where to test for bad wires? I'll start from the beginning 2004 dodge ram 1500 Hemi 4x4. I noticed that the radio would quit working randomly (aftermarket) until I turned it down and it would start working again, kinda figured it was a bad stereo and it go so bad I replaced it with a factory one and it worked fine until recently slowly getting worse in the same way, kinda figured it was the aftermarket speakers sucking out the power or something I don't know. After I replaced the aftermarket deck with the stock one I noticed the door locks interior lights would randomly not work when the truck is off so I unhooked the battery for a night and it went away for awhile but the radio would still shut down when I turned it to loud lol acdc man! So whatever eventually rolling down or up the drivers window would kick off the cruise control (that went away randomly) and pretty much went all summer no problem until a few days ago I pulled the box and noticed the rear part of the wiring was completely ****ed! 4 or 5 trailer harnesses tied into almost nothing and the factory stuff just a mess. Marrets. Everywhere. So ok got it fixed up nice all the lights work no more lamp out no more dimming when I use the blinkers lol perfect. Get everything back together and noticed a red light on the cluster (security light?) Was intermittently on when the truck is off slowly getting worse now it's on full time with a buzzing. When the truck is on sometimes the stereo works for a few seconds (any volume level) then quits but mostly doesn't work at all. Checked my wiring at the rear with the continuity test and almost all the wires beeped even the plate lights. Pulled the pigtails apart behind the front driver wheel and tested again, rearward two pins beeped (not sure what ones just figured it was my bad fuel sending unit or two grounds) tested upward and almost all but two wires beeped. Light on dash still on with rear harness disconnected (pull fuse 51 it goes away) swapped clusters same swapped heater control same swapped radio same swapped headlight switch same swapped front control module same everything unplugged same started unplugging doors seats and everything in the cab I could think of and pulled every fuse same. ( Only draws power when fuse 51 is in ) Seems to be drawing less than a volt somewhere some how but it's annoying! Seems to be getting worse every day. Swapping fuse boxes soon as I fine one.

Ahgggg

What else am I missing? What else should I check? Seems to be from the fuse box into the cab somehow just a gut feeling I think at one point while I was pulling trim off I seen the cluster gauges start moving.. driving me to drink. Bad wires under the dash? Please help

 

Mainly concerned about safety at the moment. Will it catch fire? Will it not start in the morning? Will the air bags randomly explode? Will it die on the highway while I'm in northern Manitoba 7 hours from the nearest gas station while it's -49 below zero?

Worst case Ontario I'll wire in a new circuit for the radio, no big deal right? Lights eh whatever and door locks while the truck is off no big deal I'll just do it the old school way and ask the passenger to do it. Command start still works fine

 

I'm guessing that you don't have an owners manual with the fuse descriptions in it? I have an 08 which I know is different than the 04, so I can't look in mine to see what that fuse is for. Hopefully someone else can chime in with some info to help.

 

You know what I haven't thought about looking in the manual. A quick google search says IOD fuse or something like that. My problem seems to have just flared up full time since I "fixed" the mess of tail lights wiring in the back but even with that harness completely disconnected it still draws power.

I've just pulled the fuse and drive without a radio.

 

Ignition Off Draw circuit. This would include the door buzzers, interior dome lights, under hood light, radio memory, and possibly some other things. Most are switched except for the radio memory which is always hot. A few places to look when you get a chance. If you have the factory 7 pin trailer connector, the 12V pin may be on this circuit too, not sure. I use this to keep the battery charged on my trailer for the winch and it is Key on power only, so it may be on a different circuit.

 

Ok thank you I'll look into that. Does anyone happen to know what wire out of the fuse box is the radio memory? I have a feeling it could be that or a ground wire.

 

Well I changed out the fuse box with a known good one and no change. Eventually I'll have to pull apart my dash for the blend doors and I'll look at everything back there when I cross that road.

 

I must have been drunk when I wrote this but I figured it out to a broken wire between the fuse box and the box of pigtails and block in the cab above the drivers left foot area. Ran a jumper and cut the original wire so it doesn't back feed and bam everything works normal

 

could you happen to tell me what wire? I’m currently having same issue

 

Hey buddy it's been awhile since I've posted this thread. What exactly is your problem?