2004 Dodge Ram 5.7 Hemi keeps blowing Fuse 23 PCM SKIM CMTC???

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Asked by mpat890935 Feb 05, 2017 at 07:46 PM about the 2004 Dodge RAM 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Has anyone ever experienced Fuse 23 blowing and not allowing your truck to turn over? everything has power. It will start a couple of times but has blown at Wal Mart with my wife driving so I had to have it owed and the garage told me fuse 23 was blown, no charge. They just replaced my ECM in my transmission a couple weeks ago after my airbag was replaced by the dealer for a recall. I read lots of reviews on the 2005 ram would not start and it sounds like a reset by disconnecting the negative cable? well my temperature went from 130 on the directional counsel to what is really is outside today 50 degree's? Don't know if this cleared up the PCM issue? Don't know how a bad starter would keep blowing Fuse 23? If anyone has had this issue or knows what I can do to resolve it. I never realized every fuse holder in the box is used. WAY TOO MUCH ELECTRONICS IN THESE AND MINE IS 12 YEARS OLD.??

23 Answers

20

Nope I had the ECM replaced on my transmission. Then 11 days later my fuse was blown. Fuse 23. My temp reading on the console was 130 when I got it back 11 days ago. Had it towed and garage replaced fuse, that is when I started. I removed the negative battery cable today after replacing fuse 23 again yesterday then again today. Now my temp reading is correct. Is the starter in fuse 23's, circuit. Or does that matter? Being a robot electriCian, this has me scratching my head. Thanks for your input.

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OK, so any idea's how a starter being bad would blow a fuse 23 which does not show the starter on the circuit for fuse 23? Anybody?

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I have not replaced the PCM. I looked at my battery today and it is 12 years old. Same battery that came with the truck. I did the 30 second reset procedure for the PCM as directed on a video. So tomorrow I will replace or at least take the battery to autozone and see if that is causing the problem. I do not have ANY NON OEM parts on my truck at all. I appreciate the information. Starter solenoid, hell a my regular garage should be able to change that out? Starter has never been replaced either. Thanks

160

I am thinking the PCM might need to be replaced or reprogrammed but I am going with the Battery and Starter issue you mentioned first. Thanks

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I have not replaced the PCM, YET. I replaced the ECM inside the transmission about 3 weeks ago before this fun started. My wife drove it again and bam blown fuse, So I changed the fuse without removing the battery cable like I have done 5 time already but this time it arced the fuse and blew it and showed that the transmission was in low gear 2?, so I disconnected the negative cable and put another fuse in and bamm, all was good again. Autozone for battery check, 12 year old battery and a diagnostic check on any error codes in the computer? Maybe a hammer to the starter will be next. Hard to believe, a battery can be causing this havoc? TBD Thanks

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Thanks I will try that, this is what I had replaced on my transmission.45RFE 545RFE 68RFE Shift Solenoid Block Pack Replacement - Install RFE I will remove the fuse 23 tomorrow when I get up at 11 a.m. put the key in and turn the crank? hold it there like I am trying to start it? wait for 2nd chime, then reinstall fuse 23. So it will not erase the EPROM, thanks. Yeah it really did not like it tonight when I tried to put fuse 23 in without the battery cable remove. BAMM blew it up and threw my truck into 2, I could move the shifter but it stayed on 2 until I removed the negative cable put another new fuse in and it was back in D, and started right up.

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OK I removed fuse 23 and turned on the ignition, and got the first beep and waited for the 2nd beep. Then I removed my battery from June 2004, WHAT, yep 13 years old original battery. Took it to Autozone and it tested BAD BATTERY, so I bought a new one and installed it. No issues with the ground wire, had some rust on the negative cable so I cleaned that up back to metal. Put in the new battery, bought the 850CCA instead of the 750CCA. New battery in, hope it was the battery which was starting like a champ but may have had a short. Stay tuned, if it continues? Next is the starter, last decent day in the 20's the rest of the week.

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New battery did NOT resolve it, Resetting the PCM and TCM did not do it ? Wife went to get 2 fuses and it blew a fuse 23 when she got to the auto parts store and another one when she started to back out and drive. ??? So screw it. Dealer diagnostics. I am done with it.

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OK cannot get into the dealer until Tuesday. Does anyone have any suggestions. Anyway the key FOB's which are on the circuit could blow a fuse? Maybe we should try NOT using them. Bought another 6 pack of fuses? Guess I can crawl around under the truck this weekend and see if any wires, spark plug wires or other wise are rubbed through and could be rubbing on metal? I have a muffler tailpipe that is separated? wonder if that could be causing a short? Any chance a short can be created by the tailpipe bumping together can short out a fuse? ANYBODY OUT THERE? I cannot believe with the millions of Rams SOLD no one has ever had this issue happen.??? PLEASE HELP. Save me from the DEALER$$$$$$$$$

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Oh I will, I cannot believe no one else has EVER had this issue? Thanks for your help. Will update when the DEALER lays it on me.

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OK truck has been in the Dealers garage for 2 days now, Have two hours of diagnostics already still NO answer. Think if they don't figure it out soon I will put a 40 amp fuse and wait for something to melt down. They got one more hour, then $300 is it. FOR NOTHING

2 people found this helpful.
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Well I told the dumb ass service advisor that he could have 1 more hour so they work on it for two more? Then they pulled their heads out of their ASSES and told me I need a new PCM? NO CRAP? So $400 for nothing, not a wiring issue, dahhh. Don't ever go against your gut. They can put a new one in for $1400 MORE? Nope, buying a reconditioned and fully programmed to my VIN code for less than $200 with a year guarantee, 9 months longer than the dealer? wtf. So I will be taking out the pcm, video on YouTube, change it out and put it back together. Will be back in about a week since I have to order the part tomorrow, trying to get it overnighted? Going to be 70 degree's this weekend in KC. Mopar repaired and programmed to my truck. Plug and play. Will use the money I save on a nice dual exhaust system with a glass pack. Will be back when it runs for a week without blowing fuse 23.....

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Service manager reviewed work done and let me off for $175. With a bid of $1450 to replace the pcm. I bought one programmed for my truck and guaranteed for life? for under $200. Will have it hopefully in time to change it out next weekend. Will let everyone know if this works?

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Got the pcm and had it installed in my truck, got the truck back yesterday. Tonight my wife calls me at work at 10 p.m, and says the truck is at Hyvee and will NOT start, well I go up there after work and change out fuse 23 and starts lke a charm. So After the dealer said it was the pcm, I bought a reprogrammed refurbished one and bamm same problem. Now I am going to put the HIGHEST rated fuse in it 60 or 80 amps in the 15 amp spot and see what blows up. Screw it.

157,435

I would sure be interested in what the issue ends up being.

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Still have NOT figured it out. I think when I get back from vacation in South Florida I will change the ground cable, it appeared to have rust on the bolt that secures it to the 1/4 metal frame of the truck? Got to try something, dealer has NOT got a CLUE.

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Drove it to work for a week myself not an issue, 1st day I leave it for my wife to drive and she blows the damn fuse???

157,435

Have you checked to see if any O2 sensor wiring could be shorting out due to being damaged or routed too close to the exhaust?

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Had to have it towed to the garage, they will check that out today along with the starter. I changed the fuse to a 30 amp and it blew the wire off the solenoid? Do not know if that was the issue yet? But I am tired of pick a part replacement. See if they can figure it out today. When I turned the key the CMTC unit in the cab would dim?(go completely out) Could not understand why that was happening and the truck not turning over? More to come.

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OK B and H Automotive listened to what I had believed to be the problem, and removed the TCIM. Acronym is correct? it is the display between the seats in the cab of the truck that displays the direction, mileage mpg of a trip and outside temperature. They also found a couple questionable partially bare wires on the new air bag the Dodge boys replaced under warranty. Well if you ever have this problem and keep blowing fuse 23, remove the TCIM from the circuit. Not the PCM or the key fob control unit. I will be back if I blow a fuse again. The fuse 23 circuit was always hot was the real mechanics clue that it was in that circuit, not a starter or the solenoid which I told them to replace if it tested bad. TBD???? Good luck if this happens to you. Stay away from the DEALER. Anyone want to buy a perfectly good PCM?? for an 04 Dodge Ram with a Hemi?

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NOT TCIM CMTC/ sorry. Acronym mistake. Kind of like the Dodge guys who spent 7 hours on my truck and said it was the PCM. B and H spent more time towing my truck that repairing the real issue.

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