Ram 2500 2012 Cummins 6.7L
Hello all, I have an issue that I can't diagnose. It could be more than one fault but I kinda doubt it. So, I've had some random issues for around 2 years. Things kept getting worse over about a year now. These are in no particular order.

Aftermarket stereo died. This is the first thing and was around a year before everything else.
Instrument panel flickering. but it has more or less resolved itself.
Cruise control doesn't work at random, sometimes I can get it to work by hitting the cruise button 2 to many times.
Door locks fob doesn't work. This is relatively new. I can lock them from the passenger side and unlock them from the driver side.

I blame all of this on the TIPM, it was just annoying for a couple years and a new TIPM is outrageous, way out of my budget. I've had it out to clean all the connector and check all the fuses a couple times (blow them out, remove everything, contact cleaner on everything). No fuses were ever blown and I don't see any corrosion at all, it looks brand new. I tried the clamp the battery cables together overnight trick and nothing. I found a place online MAKs that diagnoses the TIPM and either returns it fixed up or take it as a core and charge for a rebuilt one. This is all I can afford at this time. I have $500 budget to work with to solve all of this.

It didn't start after a month or so of not being driven at least 5 years ago, that happened once. Then, it stopped starting after sitting for weeks or months (I don't drive it unless I really need it). The battery was drained. I could start it on engine start charger setting and it ran just fine as long as I was using it often. Then on a trip towing the 27 ft. trailer I stopped for gas and it did want to start but after a few tries it was good. This happened a few times, then I noticed the battery voltage gauge was dipping to around 11 when it didn't start. But it started anyway every morning, and a number of times all day after a couple hours. Then after I got it home it sat for a few weeks and once again it wouldn't start, even with the battery charger on starting setting. I got it started, went to an appt., tried to start it up and dead again. I got a boost from a starting service and it started, I let it run and everything looked good. About 5 mins. driving it completely died. As in nothing. Got it towed home and put it back on the charger, this time both batteries to 100%. I could start it but the next morning dead again. Put it on the charger and it said the battery was sulfonated, so I left it on desulf overnight, in the morning it said can't desulfate. Charged it up again and nothing. Switched batteries and the other one also went down to 11 volts and wouldn't start again. Took the battery to Les Schwab and they did a 10 second test and said 98% and 14 volts. But they've done that before so I took them to get load tested and was told to get new ones. I had already done that and drove maybe 1000 miles on them.

So after more digging I see that the alternator may not be charging during driving, there may be a parasitic drain (I changed the IOD fuse twice and it wasn't fried). So it's down to the alternator or the TIPM. Now I suspect both are failing, and/or there's a parasitic drain. Whatever else I do I'm sending in the TIPM because the various electrical problems all point to it failing. But I don't know if I need an alternator, and I would apparently need an actual tester which does stuff that my little handheld doesn't. Which is also out of the budget after what I think the TIPM will cost. Obviously I can't take it to an auto parts store for them to test it, and from what I'm reading it would be a minor miracle if they knew WTF they were doing. My wife took her squealing car which was "perfect" according to them, took it to a shop which turned it on and off and said dead turbocharger (which was correct).
So what are my next steps? Wait until they diagnose the TPM? I don't have any way to remove the alternator and obviously can't take it to anyone who could.

 

What does the volt gauge have to say with the engine idling?

 

I may not have said this but the truck can sit for months at a time, I drive the car when I don't need it. However it did just fine for 13 years. Yesterday I decided to take the TIPM out to send it to MAKs for a rebuild. Then I figured might as well rip it apart. t blew everything out, pulled all the fuses and modules, looked for corrosion (there was some very minor residue on a couple fuses), contact cleaner on everything, I saw the big 60 amp fuse and found it on the cover, IOD fuse which is supposed to detect a parasitic drain? It looked weird (like there were 2 tiny dots of solder on the wires) so I got a replacement, put that in, charged both batts to 98%, gauge was at 14, waited 4 hours, it started right up. Note that it didn't start at all under any of these conditions before the new fuse & TIPM teardown. Drove it a few miles like an idiot, put it in neutral and slammed down the pedal, hard stops and starts, gauge still sat at 14. Let it sit for 6 hours, gauge was at 14, started up.

As of 10 mins ago, 18 hours later, the gauge was hovering around 11, click click click no start. I immediately tried again, it had gone up a bit (maybe 11.5), it started immediately. Tried a couple more times, still started. The gauge now says 12.5 engine off which I have read is normal? I'm going to wait until tonight and try again. I'm 99% sure it has nothing to do with the batteries, I had switched them 2 days ago when the charger on the left battery said sulfated and then said couldn't desulfate it. So I'm starting off the old secondary batt which was just fine. It's a little odd how the fuse wasn't mentioned anywhere that I can find. But, driver's seatbelt lock didn't work so I get seatbelt unlocked on the panel and it won't go away. So I might have screwed something else up on the tipm. I had pulled the fuses one at a time, so I got them back in the right slot. There's some kind of door lock module somewhere? I can't find where that would be. I see vague references to this like locking and unlocking 3 times in 10 seconds, didn't try that. Also, key fob lock/unlock does nothing (with a new battery), using the buttons in the door gets drivers side unlock, and passenger side lock. Getting the TIPM cables plugged in was a huge PITA so there's a chance I bent something. I also se suggestions involving a PCM, ECM(?) I don't even know where that would be.

ANYWAY I'm thinking that the IOD fuse was causing one issue or another, or ripping apart the TIPM fixed something. BTW the charger has said alt low for ages, well before all this started. All I have is the stupid little LCD voltmeter which someone had said was a throwaway and won't give good readings. So next step is to try and get a good read on the alternator with it running, I don't have the tools or skills to pull the alternator and bench test it. I won't take it to Oreillys etc. to get codes, l already have them:

P2509 intermittent problem with the power input signal to the Electronic Control Module (ECM)

P14C the oxygen sensor (O2 sensor) on Bank 2, Sensor 1 is responding slowly or not at all. This means the engine control module (PCM) isn't receiving a normal signal from the O2 sensor, which can lead to incorrect fuel mixture adjustments

P0562 "System Voltage Low" issue, meaning the engine control module detects the vehicle's voltage is below the acceptable range. This could be caused by a faulty alternator, voltage regulator, or issues with wiring, battery cables, or fuses. This looks plausible.

So they have something to do with but there are 10 interpretations on all of them online so I don't know what to believe. Need to get a read again tonight to see if they changed. I read give them 24 hours to reset? I feel I'm closer now but I fear the alternator needs to be replaced. Naturally I want to confirm that if I can without paying $200 for a diagnosis. I'm scared to death that I'll rip my hand off shoving it down there with a probe lol.

 

Forgot to answer your question both batteries test at 12.45 2 hours after I got it to start .

 

Wonder if you have a relay sticking, giving you an intermittent draw.......

If the gauge shows around 14 or so, engine running, then the charging system is working. But, sitting for a couple months???? No, I wouldn't expect it to start. There IS a draw, albeit minor, when the batteries are hooked up. Keep-alive voltage for PCM memory, and such. Given enough time, that will kill the batteries....

 

OK so by that logic you would need external power to keep the batteries charged if it sits for a month? This has never been an issue and it's 13 years old. And when I said months, I should have clarified that to mean no more than a few short drives a month, grocery store and such. Do I need an external power source like a trickle charger? The prices are all over the place on Amazon, are the $50 ones any better than the $20? Will it make up for a stuck relay? I didn't post this, been really busy this week, but the IOD fuse replacement is working. Or, something else was wrong wit the TIPM, like a loose fuse, corroded pin, dirt, etc. This seems to have solved it in the short term. I haven't been able to stop myself from starting it every day, but it's keeping a charge for at least 20 hours.

BUT: once I got to drive it to see if it drains down over a few miles, the driver seatbelt unbuckled is apparently stuck on no, so before I even get out to the street it comes on the display and replaces everything else up. Since the only thing I did was remove and put the TIPM back on, I'm assuming that caused the problem. I don't see anything for seatbelts on the TIPM cover, and can't find anything online that says which circuit I need to be looking at. Does replacing anything in the TIPM help? I see all kinds of hacks but I can't find any replaced to the display, only the chime won't stop, which isn't happening. And hacks are something I avoid at all costs. If it doesn't work then I have a godawful mess to tear out. Once I get that solved (if it's possible) I'll go to the door locks. the fob no longer works, and I can open all the doors with the button on the drivers side and close them with the button on the passengers side. I'll be getting a new fob anyway, my wife lost hers years ago.

 

Battery chemistry gets complicated.... add in dual batteries, and it gets even more fun. If connected when the charging system isn't active, (engine off....) if one battery is somewhat discharged, the other will attempt to equalize the charge... and that doesn't always work. Replacing both batteries with 'new' *should* resolve that...

Think I would be tempted to put an ammeter on it, and see just how much of a draw there is engine off, key out of ignition.

 

Ref my last 2 posts, have a truck that goes dead after a day on a charged battery. I've eliminated the TIPM (ripped it apart and cleaned and cleaned everything with contact cleaner, new IOD fuse just n case), alternator (I drove it 10 miles 2 days ago and the battery didn't dip), this has nothing to do with it drawing at start. No parasitic drain (2.2 mA at the negative terminal, 16 mA with the right side battery disconnected). I don't know what else I can do, it started 3 times over 2 days, I waited a couple days and it's now completely dead, as in nothing when I turn the key. Was fully charged the last time I started it 2 days ago, checked with the voltmeter. So I put the charger on boost, ran in the truck, it started maybe 5 seconds after I connected the charger. 12.4 volts standing, 14.4 V running. Ordered a load tester that will get here tomorrow, but I don't think that will change anything. I'm trying like hell to get out of a repair shop bill, money is tight right now and I need the truck (this weekend, I started playing around with it a week ago) but that probably isn't gonna happen

New problem: the drivers seatbelt unbuckled goes up on the instrument panel right after I get it on the street, and won't go away.

 

Higher with the aux bat disconnected??? That seems kinda odd...

But, even at the higher draw, thats not gonna suck down the battery in just a couple days. My truck will sit for a week or two, and fire right up. (not a diesel though... and only one battery)

I am thinkin' you have an intermittent problem there, and that is gonna be a real bear to find.

 

The draw is 16 mA which I have been told keeps the computer memory alive.