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Dodge Ram Warning Lights and Trouble Codes



  • I have a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500. The emission control light keeps coming on. We replaced the air filter and that helped for a short time. Tokk it in for a diagnostic test and got code P0068. does anyone have any ideas
  • I also have a dodge ram 1500 and yesterday my engine light came on and the truck was making a rattling noise like it was bad gas. I went back home and called to make an appointment and they told me to bring in today. Now it won't start and it makes a funny noise when I try to start it. Can anyone tell me what they think is wrong? They will come tow me Monday, I just hope its not serious. Thanks anyone that can help...Laura
  • karihkarih Posts: 3
    edited October 2010
    My truck had a serpentine belt break and replaced that , now when pullin horse trailer or engine is working at all on hot days temp guage shows almost 280 -300 but is running fine and is full of coolant and seems to not be running hot.Also replaced the fuel pump 6 months ago due to loss of power and running hot on guages up hills or under working conditions .
    headlight out dummy light stays on and wont go off even after replacing bulbs only have lights on both sides with full beams on .passsenger window only works some times on drivers side , occasionally on passenger side.
    Now truck was running fine and stalled on highway no noises no stalling or cutting out just died and wont restart?? any ideas does a 2004 have a crank shaft position sensor? injector pump what all can be causing these problems with no codes on computer??
    Also the air will not blow cold idloing have to be moving to get that to blow cold again
  • You have too many problems to attack all at once. Try to solve one at a time. I would start with the fuse block. The only thing I see in common with all these problems. It can be unbolted and turned upside down to look for burns, etc.
    Once you have it running, find someone to loan you a no-touch temperature gun (parts store, etc, only about $25 if you have to buy). Shoot the radiator hose to determine if you are running hot or if you have a faulty gauge/sending unit. bobwinner :cry:
  • karihkarih Posts: 3
    Thank you for your response I am open to trying anything and was wondering if they all can be related.
  • 06driver106driver1 Posts: 4
    edited December 2010
    Sorry if this is a duplicate... i didn't see my message after posting initially.
    Our Dodge 3500 box van kept dying so the dealership found some codes in the computer. After much ado, they said it was just some needed updates, but weren't sure if that was causing the dying problem. Well, evidently those things weren't related becuase it died again today and will not start.

    Having it towed to a different dealership, very frustrated. A friend said it could be ignition switch. Hope so because new computer is $1700. No warning, just driving along the interstate and truck dies, pull over, but it starts 5 min. later. That happened several times but today it will not start back up. Any advice/comments??

    UPDATE: OK, a system booter was installer and PCM was updated to latest calibration. That's what was done yesterday according to codes that were showing, but truck is dead again today. Any ideas??
  • Bought a used 2008 Ram 1500 a couple months ago. This morning a warning light came on. I could not find the manual anywhere in the truck. The warning light looked like the outline of a horse show or pot with an exclamation pint (!) inside. Can someone tell me what this warning light indicates? Thanks!
  • I meant "horse shoe"
  • corkscrewcorkscrew Posts: 254
    Check the tire pressure. You can find your owners manual here:
  • KCRAM is correct. Tires now have a radio signal device attached to the wheel inside the tire. When air pressure in the tire is low, a signal is sent to the horseshoe looking light ( a slice of a tire) on the dash. Part of the saving fuel philosophy. bobwinner
  • cobrazeracobrazera Posts: 352
    More than saving fuel, driving on underinflated tires is dangerous. These pressure indicating systems came into our lives because of all the Ford Explorers that ended up on their roofs about 10 years ago. Overloaded vehicles in hot weather, combined with high speeds, killed a lot of people - so now the gov't saves us from ourselves. The brake/ shifter interlock came to be because of the Audi " sudden acceleration " lies of 20 years ago.
  • jpbledsoejpbledsoe Posts: 20
    Our church has a 1994 RAM 350 van and it's behaving exactly as you described above (dies and cranks but won't restart for 5 or 10 minutes). Failure is intermittent and unpredictable. It dies randmonly, year-round, in any weather. I usually dies at slow speeds, most often when slightly accelerating. It only dies once every week or so.

    I hardwired a timing light on one of the plug wires and drove around town until it finally failed one day. With the timing light I verified that there was no spark when it failed. That's good because I've eliminated fuel problems as possible culprits.

    Now, I have an account with for schematics and functional information for this van. I believe the ASD relay (automatic shutdown relay) is de-energizing.

    The ASD relay normally provides power to fuel injectors, the coil, and the fuel pump. If the computer (PCM) detects a problem with crankshaft or camshaft sensor signals, it (the PCM) decides "game over" and de-energizes the ASD relay.

    We've spent over $1,000 on this problem already. At least 2 mechanics have helped us spend lots of money that didn't fix the problem. Neither mechanic had it in the failed state long enough to perform a real investigation so they just guess at the cause and install replacement parts.

    So, I've decided to monitor some of the crankshaft and camshaft position sensors' signals. I hope to monitor signals with an oscilloscope or a data acquisition system. (My biggest problem so far is figuring out how to provide reliable power to the scope after the engine dies.) I'll have to instrument the signals, then drive around until the scope triggers when ASD relay de-energizes. Then, with the trigger delayed, I can look at the state of key signals right before the trigger.

    Anyway, did you resolve the issue with your van? I'd like to know before I embark on this data-gathering crusade I'm planning.


    Jeffrey Bledsoe
  • Did you check your computer readings?

    I had a 95 Dodge ram van with similar problems as yours I could not figure out the issue, finally I looked at the computer readings and it was the alternator, when I changed it it got all fixed.
  • jpbledsoejpbledsoe Posts: 20
    I have not scanned the PCM. It's hard to find an OBD 1 scanner. Autozone can't scan OBD 1. O'Reilly's will let me have a scanner for 48 hours if I leave a $400 deposit. Since the failures are so rare, it's not likely I'd have a failure in that 48 hour period.

    I've read the codes by switching the key on 3 times, then counting the number of 'Check Engine' flashes. I read code #55, which means there were no faults. I didn't know you could read the codes this way until a few days after the van failed. Next time it fails, I'll immediately read the codes.

    There's nothing in my account showing that a failed alternator would be a 'no start' situation. The only failures that cause a 'no start' are failed crankshaft position sensor or failed camshaft position sensor.

  • corkscrewcorkscrew Posts: 254
    edited July 2011
    When the van is running, do you have problems such as low battery voltage, rough idle, stumble, hesitation, or surge?
    If so, check the ASD relay circuit here:

  • jpbledsoejpbledsoe Posts: 20
    Assuming you mean a code for low battery problems, again, I haven't captured any codes but will the next time it happens.

    The van engine sometimes idles a little rough; not bad though.

    I intend to instrument all inputs and outputs to the ASD relay; they're available at the computer. I just received my order of EZ-HOOK XJL insulation-piercing probes and plan to use them to tap into several signals.

  • a few weeks back my girlfriend rolled my 2000 1500 5.9 up on the pass side. we rolled it back on its wheels and it started but needed trans fluid. after filling i drove it home with no problem.after checking it out i found it had cought fire and burnt the o2 sensor wires on pass side.after repairing the wires it wouldn't start. my obd11reader just comes up error turn key off for 10 seconds and retry.when you turn key one by one dash warning lights go out except odometer. it then flashes 4 times then reads Nobuss.also the fuel pump doesent come on and no spark.after the rollover truck isn't worth much but its my i don't want to spend alot but need to fix it. thankyou
  • ram36ram36 Posts: 2
    The problems that I have are no bus code, fuel,abs, check engine,airbag, all of these stay lite every time I start the truck and they don't go out. Can someone help or tell me how to fix this.
  • jpbledsoejpbledsoe Posts: 20
    You have a warning lamp that's called "no bus code" ?

    What year is your van?

    Sounds almost like the lamp-test driver is stuck in the on state. If it's a 94 RAM Van, I can prbably find the answer from my schematics.
  • KCRamKCRam Mt. Arlington NJPosts: 3,516
    NO BUS generally means the dashboard has lost communication with the computers, and that would also explain why all the other lights are on (no feedback to tell them anything other than a fault).

    Have the computer tested... if it's ok, then your dashboard communication is the culprit.

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons/Vans+Minivans Host
  • Thank You for responding to my question about my Dodge Ram Kcram. I will apply what advice you have given me. Ram36
  • Okay, it's been hot here in Texas so I've had limited chances to test the van, especially since the A/C is not working @ 100% and I really needed the A/C to cool my oscilloscope as it sits atop the engine cover. As of this posting, it's cooled down a lot here; lows have been in the 60's, highs in low to mid 90's. So, anyway, for several weeks I was doing test runs early Saturday mornings and late some evenings, i.e., when it was cool enough that the A/C could keep up with the heat coming into the van.

    At first, I configured the wiring and the scope to monitor: Crank Position, Cam Position, 8V sensor power & return, and the automatic shutdown command from the van's computer. I had the scope configured to trigger when the 12 Volt command to the ignition coil and injectors is removed; i.e., falling edge triggering. That 12 Volt signal, which is supplied by a contact on the shutdown relay, was wired into the scope's External Trigger input.

    On Sept 2nd, after several test drives over a period of 4 weeks or so, the van died, the scope triggered, and I saved the data set. I reviewed the data and couldn't tell much about the sensor pulses; I had the timebase set to only 25 ms/div and I couldn't tell for sure what was happening with Crank and Cam Position signals in the ~ 1/4 second before the scope triggered. I could tell that the 8V sensor power and return were good before the computer removed 12 V was removed.

    On Sept 3rd, I tried again, setting the scope timebase to 250 ms/div. This time, I really got lucky; the van died in the parking lot at idle, then wouldn't restart, and then a few minutes later it did start. So, with my scope, I was able to capture data for 3 cases: (1) the van died, (2) the van wouldn't start, and (3) the van did successfully start.

    Looking at all the data, I concluded that the Cam and Crank Position waveforms were present when they should be. There was no remarkable difference in the 3 sets of data as far as presence of those pusletrains. I also found that the computer was energizing the shutdown relay during a no-start situation; thus, 12 Volts was indeed available to the injectors and the ignition coil primary.

    So, I reconfigured scope channels #3 and #4 to monitor the computer's low-side driver to the ignition coil's primary winding and the low-side driver to fuel injector #1 (i.e., cylinder #1). I continued to monitor Crank and Cam Position signals just for reference. I also continued to have the scope trigger on the falling edge of the 12 Volt source, same as before. I captured data for when the van was running fine as a reference for later.

    Today (Sept 10th), I made a major breakthrough in this investigation. I captured new data sets for cases when the van died and when it wouldn't restart.

    I haven't anlayzed and graphed the data sets yet. However, during no-start, it looked like the computer wasn't switching the coil primary. The coil driver voltage was steady at 12 V, i.e., via the 12 V source on the high side of the coil's primary winding. Normally, the flyback voltage on the coil primary goes as high as 60 Volts when it's switched. Most telling, I could also see that the computer was continuing to energize the fuel injector for cylinder #1.

    There are only 3 reasons I can think of that would cause this scenario to happen:

    1. Intermittent problem inside the computer (most likely cause, in my opinion)
    2. Bad connection at the large 60-pin connector on the computer (a close second in probability)
    3. An unknown (unknown to me at this time) input is causing the computer to withhold coil swithing while continuing to operate the fuel injectors (that would also have to be a computer logic design glitch. Otherwise, why would the designers want the computer to inject fuel while providing no spark?)

    I'll keep you posted on my findings.


    BTW, this project is a lost cause because the church plans to sell this van asap. If I fix it, we can feel better about selling it to someone. I'm an electrical engineer and I just wanted to do this to help me hone my troubleshooting skills for my job. Plus, I got a chance to utilize my new scope.
  • Recap:

    Our church's 94 Dodge Ram B350 Van has had an intermittent problem for a few years. It dies, then won't restart for awhile. It usually restarts within 10 or 15 minutes but has stranded people a time or two.

    The church has spent at least $1,200 to repair shops but the problem persists. It runs fine when it's taken in for repair; shops just shotgun things as diverse as cam sensors, crank sensors, and fuel pumps. After a few days or weeks out of the shop, the van will fail again.

    The effort to find the intermittent failure:

    I subscribed to and got some good information. Also, a friend loaned me his official Dodge shop manual for his 94 Dakota. I believe the PCM and most of the other systems are common between the Dakota and the Ram Van. Especally interesting is the shop manual's list of signals/components in which the PCM can't detect failures and thus doesn't store a failure code.

    Since early July, I've been trying to acquire data concerning the van's failures. You can see pictures of the wiring, instrumentation, and signal waveforms from this effort at: d45119cc&type=1

    I believe the problem with our van is either within the PCM's coil driver or it's in the wire or connections between the PCM's coil driver and the coil. You can see in the applicable FB pictures of engine shutdown and no-start cases how the coil drive disappears right before the engine dies while injector #1 continues to be operated by the PCM.

    I continue to try and induce the failure by smacking the PCM with a wooden tool handle while the van is running; so far, no luck. The van seems to have a mind of its own and it wants to dies whenever and wherever it pleases. So, while I feel like it's most likely a loose connection inside the PCM or the wire connected to the PCM, I won't be 100 % certain until I can figure out how to induce the failure and record the corresponding data on my scope.

    Please look at the pictures on FB and let me know what you think of this project. Either reply here to this message or leave a comment on FB.


    Jeffrey Bledsoe
  • By all means, if you have any insights into how to induce the failure or any other troubleshooting advice you can pass along, I welcome all the help I can get.


    Jeffrey Bledsoe
  • Last night, I tested the van for over an hour and it didn't shutdown; that's not unusual, given the intermittent nature of this problem. However, for the first time since I started testing it in late June, the check engine light came on. I cycled the ignition switch on - off - on - off - on and read the codes: 12, 27, 55.

    Code 12 means the 12V battery monitor was disconnected sometime in the past 50 key-on cycles. Code 27 is an injector circuit failure. These were not what I expected after seeing the captured coil driver waveforms.

    I drove the van to a friend's shop this afternoon where we tried to induce a PCM failure by applying vibration to the PCM mounting points, the PCM connector's mounting bolt, and the firewall next to the PCM mounts using a steel rod inserted into an air tool; i.e., basically a small jackhammer. The van kept running but the scope triggered so I need to look at that data.

    I'm now wondering if this could be a PCM ground problem. I need to study the grounds to the PCM, especially any splices.
  • I have a 2007 ram 1500. the gascap warning came on, the service center replaced the cap and reset the light, it came back on later that day, the service center said there was a charcoal filter that needed to be replaced, they said there was not a sensor on it but that was the only other thing it could be, any ideas?
  • I looked at my account for my 94 van and couldn't find any diagnostic aids for the fuel cap. Therefore, I'm afraid I can't help much because of the difference in the age of our vehicles.

    You could replace the sensor that's providing the signal that results in the failure code. Wouldn't that be a pressure sensor? There might be a fuel-line pressure sensor and also a fuel tank pressure or vacuum sensor but I'm just guessing.
  • Hi To all the dodge ram guys with passenger side window problem, after six months of trouble shooting the window problem I have fix. It works for me so give it a try, place wedge between the connector plug and the wire harness blue mash snap that holds the connector in the switch plug. I used a large cotter key and behold the window is working and the back windows work again. It must be such a small no contact between the plug and switch blades this is what worked for me. Try it and see what happens. Any ? email me @ put something about windows in Ur email so I know its real.

    Good luck KB500
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