2003 Dodge Ram Van 2500 model. Recently, with no warning and after 130 miles of a 200 mile trip, the van seemed to sputter out and act as if it had ran out of fuel. I tried to start it again with the key with no luck. The van will crank but it will not start. Everything else is working fine - except it wont start. It will crank but not turn over. I had it towed in to a local Dodge dealership and I have reason to believe some funny business at the dealership. I was told 'probably the computer'. I could not argue with them because I am not familiar with what a computer is on the vehicle and what happens when it malfunctions. Personally - I thought it was a fuel pump or clog possibly in fuel filter. Here is my question(s): What are the symptoms of a bad computer? Could it happen all of a sudden, and if it does, what is likely to happen? Not once did the check engine light ever come on. The check engine light is not on and it has not came on during the whole issue. If a computer is BAD, WOULD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON? I am not familiar with what the computer is and I am asking the pros (You all @ DodgeForum.com) what is up with a bad computer and what is the symptoms of one acting faulty on a vehicle? Note: The check engine light has never came on during this issue. I had a spark plug go bad and the engine fired funny one time and bang the check engine light was on. The light works and the bulb is not bad on the display. Would a bad computer make the light come on? I really need some help and opinions so I can know if the near future holds a second opinion, at another Dodge dealership.

Your help is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo greatly appreciated!! Thank you Dodge Forum pros!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

No, a bad computer will not necessarily turn on the light. In fact, a bad computer might not turn the light on even if there is a problem somewhere in the vehicle, it depends on what went wrong in the computer.

The general symptoms of a bad computer are the engine runs poorly or not at all. Yes, there is a slew of other things that can cause an engine to run poorly or not at all, with the computer just being one of them. Without running you through a series of diagnostic steps, it would be impossible for us to determine if the computer is the problem. You would have to be in possession of the van for us to go through the steps with you.

 

If your saying I can determine if the computer is faulty myself through some steps I'll go get it and do it. I can haul it. What is the next step? Thank you in advance for your information. The engine has been running great and sounds fine. It revs up sounds well good oil change record etc. All this immediately before it sputtered out and seemed like was out of fuel. It wont start back. How can you tell if they tell you its a computer and it costs a lot of $$$$? Any idea?

 

The first thing we'd need to know is if it has about 45psi of fuel pressure when you turn the key on. Then we'd need to know if it has spark during cranking.

BTW, if you can do the work yourself, you can get a used PCM (computer) for around $150, instead of paying the dealer $700 for one, plus labor. It only takes about 15 minutes to change one and it is right there in front of you in the top middle of the engine compartment.