PDC Bad? ECU Maybe?

[Dash]

I've been searching all morning everywhere and I'm leaning toward a bad Power Distribution Center or ECU - but they are pricey so I'm hoping to get another opinion or 20.

Here's my specs:
2004 - Ram 1500 Hemi 5.7 Laramie Trim

Here's the symptoms:
About a year ago the wiper speed control was randomly changing speeds - one day I unlocked my doors with the fob and the wipers came on for one wipe - the switch was off on the column. Still has random speeds - especially when the lowest speed is selected on the switch. Fluid pump stopped working for a day or so - works fine now. Expecting this all to be a problem in the column or switch but I didn't troubleshoot it.

I have power running boards and they worked intermittently for about the last year. For about the last 2 months they don't work at all and the D-side is stuck half way.

Within the last week - the E-Brake light is lit up on the console along with the ABS light. Random dings chime with no other warning lights coming on. No the e-brake is not pushed in even a little bit - those lights came on while driving down the highway for a while and I never use my e-brake.

Within the last week - Cruise control won't turn on.

Within the last couple days - the speedo bounces between 0 and about 25 while going under 25 - once I hit about 25-30, it picks up and works fine.

This morning - I left a stop light and the engine cut for a split second. Not like a fuel sputter. It happened really fast and I didn't notice if all my gauges went to zero or not.


What say you gurus?

 

[MegaMouseGW]

First STOP DRIVING THE TRUCK. now that I said that you maybe correct with the power distribution center going bad. Take it to the dealer and have them diagnose it immediately before you get into something you will not want to be in.

 

[Dash]

OK - I'm sufficiently freaked out. Got an appt. Monday AM at the dealer.

Tech on the phone didn't have any inclination in any direction but that they'd have to go through everything that I listed. No check engine light and most of the earlier issues are totally random and hard to troubleshoot. Dealer price for a new PDC is $660... bleh!

Thanks!

 

[MegaMouseGW]

Yeah the prices are outrageous. But safety is priceless. I would rather buy from the dealership and have the correct part I needed than buy from some aftermarket possibly shady distributor. With some parts failure is not an option.
I always follow this one rule: buy cheap buy twice. And I do not like buying twice.

 

[Redtruck-VA]

Just being curious, I'd pull the PDC out enough to flip over and see how it looks. They have an open bottom. Grounds and loose wiring can also present these type of problems. Break it down into individual promblems to fix and get busy...

 

[Dash]

I suppose I have nothing to lose in doing that. Pulling the PDC and giving it a good exam, possibly cleaning up the connectors is about all I can do since I don't have manuals to point me to specific relays or circuits. I'm comfortable with electronics but without diagrams, I'm going in blind.

Thanks!

 

[Redtruck-VA]

There are several places you can download service manuals.

My Dodge: Dodge Owners Service Manuals - Dodge Cars, Minivans, SUVs

 

[Dash]

Didn't manage to pull apart the PDC this weekend. I did manage to get to the car wash and I washed out the engine compartment pretty well especially around the battery and TIPM. About an hour later the power running boards started working. WTH!?

So I brought it to the dealer this morning "oh by the way the running boards are working now good luck tracking that one down" - Tech though the Body Control Module might be a problem. Dunno - I've been searching for similar problems and known fixes for at least 8 hours over the weekend. I've found many posts on several forums with guys having similar symptoms but no fixes... I guess guys are getting to the shop and not posting what the fix was... If there was a fix.

I'll check back in later and post what I learn from the dealer.

Thanks for the manual link Greg!

******************
Dealership called.. A bad speed sensor is all they found and couldn't get any other symptom to happen or codes to come up. This will supposedly fix the trouble lights on the dash, the cruise control should work again and the speedo should behave itself. It may also explain/fix the engine cutting out. It doesn't explain the running boards or wiper issues. I'll be able to pick it up tonight and they'll lighten my wallet for $700. (Speed Sensor, oil change, synth dif. oil, fuel system flush, TB cleaning and a new PCV) I'm gonna need a beer...

 

[Redtruck-VA]

A battery disconnect and reboot probably fixed half of the issues.

 

[MegaMouseGW]

Eletrical gremlins are always hard to pin down. It could be any of a dozen things and almost always the last thing checked.

 

[Dash]

OK so for the ABS and Brake warning lights - the new speed sensor seems to have fixed that. I didn't check the cruise control yet but I've got to get down the highway at lunchtime so I can check it then. Finally, the speedo is stable at all speeds.

Now for the bad news. The speed sensor was covered in metal shavings so they pulled the diff. cover.... Bleh!!!! They called me up and had me come over to the shop. The trac-lock keeper pin failed, slid out of the housing and machined away about 25% of the carrier bearing cap. So it seems that I'm currently driving a grenade. Dealer quoted $1990 to install a remanufactured 9.25. Got some research to do.

When it rains it pours.

 

[rustydagger]

You have tools? I would buy a new remanufactured 9.25 rear end for $800-$1,000 and install it yourself if you feel comfortable doing that.
If you wanted to grab the rear end from a 2500 you could do that also and have a stronger setup.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

 

[Redtruck-VA]

OK so for the ABS and Brake warning lights - the new speed sensor seems to have fixed that. I didn't check the cruise control yet but I've got to get down the highway at lunchtime so I can check it then. Finally, the speedo is stable at all speeds.

Now for the bad news. The speed sensor was covered in metal shavings so they pulled the diff. cover.... Bleh!!!! They called me up and had me come over to the shop. The trac-lock keeper pin failed, slid out of the housing and machined away about 25% of the carrier bearing cap. So it seems that I'm currently driving a grenade. Dealer quoted $1990 to install a remanufactured 9.25. Got some research to do.

When it rains it pours.

Some years ago I was talking to a dealer mechanic who specialized in drivetrain repair and your problem is far from being unique. He said he had simply replaced the gouged cap with a junk yard cap. Of course the recommended repair is to replace the entire axle housing as the cap was originally matched (machined) with the individual housing but mass manufacturing and the purpose of the cap makes it so it doesn't have to be perfect. He said he had done this on several customer vehicles without a single problem. Anyway it is an alternative you might not have been given to you. Also, if you have the ability you can replace that cap yourself. A remanufacture axle shipped can be bought for about $1100 requiring a core and installation. Your damaged housing may not qualify for the core and would need to be clarified with the seller beforehand.
Good luck.

 

[Dash]

Thanks guys - doing a swap isn't too scary since I've done other trucks, I have the heated garage space and tools to get it done, unfortunately time is not a cheap commodity for me right now and I'll gladly pay an expert to get an expert job done quickly. I couldn't find any remanned axles for $800-$1000 and the 2500 swap is a bit more involved than I have time for right now.

I called a local axle shop to get a rough idea of what my options were.

Redtruck-VA confirmed what I've read all over the place and what this guy said. He does about 2 of these 9.25 axles a week for the past several years, they've all failed at between 110-120k miles. He said that there are several known issues, C-Clips being one of them but the biggest weak link is the Dyna trac-lok so he uses Yukon and has never had one come back.

Out the door rebuild with a new lsd (new - not rebuilt), all new bearings and seals as well as a new bearing housing/cap is $1200. If the gears need replacement, the Chrysler gears are the best and he stocks them... $1495 out the door if I need new gears.

My concerns with a remanned axle assembly are that I don't know what is in it and that I still need to install it as well as deal with the core etc. and the price difference doesn't make up for the labor I'm going to put into it.

Now if I could just find that stack of Benjamins... gotta drive the grenade for a bit - my kid's college tuition got the best of the money tree this month.

Thanks Again Guys!