Total and complete loss of electrical power

[NorCal Bighorn]

2021 Ram 1500 bighorn crew cab, 5.7l hemi 12,438 miles
Rough country 3.5 inch lift
Go Rhino BRB 5.5 winch bumper
Milemarker 12k winch

Hey all,

I've been searching the threads as well as the interweb since 5 am this morning. Can't find anything that describes my failure. Just a couple of threads that peeked my interest, and caused me to climb all over my truck before calling the tow truck.
About a week ago, I had a strange electrical gremlin appear in my rig. Heater/a/c fan would increase rpm and decrease rpm for a few minutes, then stop and act normal. When this would occur, my headlamps and tail lamps would flicker as if a bulb was loose or failing. Every time this would happen, i would monitor voltage on my dash and it would fluctuate 1/10th of a volt between 14.2 and 14.4. ( averaging at 14.3) No run ability issues and no starting issues. Truck sat for 3 days while on a little family trip this past weekend. Choose to take wife's F150 (lol) because I hadn't had time to dig into the issue my truck began having. This morning, truck started fine, nothing abnormal noted. Let it warm up a min, then made the 6 mile drive to work.
Upon arrival at work, backed into my parking space and noticed headlights were again flickering, hvac was turned off as it was a beautiful 70 degrees so I had windows down. I let the truck idle for about 2 minutes when it shutdown as if I pressed stop button. Strange thing is, all electrical power was gone. Headlamps were off, dash display and infotainment was blank, no dome lights, nothing.
I disconnected battery and performed a battery test with my Snap On micro VAT. Surface voltage of battery was 13.6. After test, battery voltage was 12.9, and load test was 101% with 744 available CCA. Checked all power and ground connections, and all electrical connections I could locate.
Being unsuccessful on locating issue, truck was loaded onto a tow truck and taken 80 miles to the dealer. I am anxiously awaiting a phone call as to what the malfunction is and how long my truck will be down.


Does any body have any insights as to what may have decided it did not want to work anymore.

 

[bigdodge]

2021 Ram 1500 bighorn crew cab, 5.7l hemi 12,438 miles
Rough country 3.5 inch lift
Go Rhino BRB 5.5 winch bumper
Milemarker 12k winch

Hey all,

I've been searching the threads as well as the interweb since 5 am this morning. Can't find anything that describes my failure. Just a couple of threads that peeked my interest, and caused me to climb all over my truck before calling the tow truck.
About a week ago, I had a strange electrical gremlin appear in my rig. Heater/a/c fan would increase rpm and decrease rpm for a few minutes, then stop and act normal. When this would occur, my headlamps and tail lamps would flicker as if a bulb was loose or failing. Every time this would happen, i would monitor voltage on my dash and it would fluctuate 1/10th of a volt between 14.2 and 14.4. ( averaging at 14.3) No run ability issues and no starting issues. Truck sat for 3 days while on a little family trip this past weekend. Choose to take wife's F150 (lol) because I hadn't had time to dig into the issue my truck began having. This morning, truck started fine, nothing abnormal noted. Let it warm up a min, then made the 6 mile drive to work.
Upon arrival at work, backed into my parking space and noticed headlights were again flickering, hvac was turned off as it was a beautiful 70 degrees so I had windows down. I let the truck idle for about 2 minutes when it shutdown as if I pressed stop button. Strange thing is, all electrical power was gone. Headlamps were off, dash display and infotainment was blank, no dome lights, nothing.
I disconnected battery and performed a battery test with my Snap On micro VAT. Surface voltage of battery was 13.6. After test, battery voltage was 12.9, and load test was 101% with 744 available CCA. Checked all power and ground connections, and all electrical connections I could locate.
Being unsuccessful on locating issue, truck was loaded onto a tow truck and taken 80 miles to the dealer. I am anxiously awaiting a phone call as to what the malfunction is and how long my truck will be down.


Does any body have any insights as to what may have decided it did not want to work anymore.

needs a battery

 

[NorCal Bighorn]

needs a battery

Not to be facetious, but could you elaborate on the battery replacement theory.
Being a heavy equipment mechanic for over 25 years, I have seen batteries do some strange things, but to have a battery pass a stand alone test with the results I had, seems highly unlikely that it is the cause for my breakdown. Modern heavy equipment and semi trucks use very similar multiplex computer systems and resistance ladder multi function switches, and I have never had a total complete loss of electrical power, past the battery connection terminals with a known and tested good battery, as I have had with my Ram. My suspect is the TIPM, unfortunately being at work as well as still being well within my warranty, I did not take the time to dive deeper into the issue.

 

[Cbty2050]

It doesn't use a TIPM, more likely RFH.

 

[bigdodge]

Not to be facetious, but could you elaborate on the battery replacement theory.
Being a heavy equipment mechanic for over 25 years, I have seen batteries do some strange things, but to have a battery pass a stand alone test with the results I had, seems highly unlikely that it is the cause for my breakdown. Modern heavy equipment and semi trucks use very similar multiplex computer systems and resistance ladder multi function switches, and I have never had a total complete loss of electrical power, past the battery connection terminals with a known and tested good battery, as I have had with my Ram. My suspect is the TIPM, unfortunately being at work as well as still being well within my warranty, I did not take the time to dive deeper into the issue.

it has been proven post after post that when the issue you have stated has happened

it has turned out to be the battery

there are 4 or 5 threads about issues and they have always turned out to be the battery.

do you have the e-torque?

 

[NorCal Bighorn]

it has been proven post after post that when the issue you have stated has happened

it has turned out to be the battery

there are 4 or 5 threads about issues and they have always turned out to be the battery.

do you have the e-torque?

No, this is not the e-torque.

 

[bigdodge]

No, this is not the e-torque.

if it turns out not to be the battery come back and let us know what it was

 

[bigdodge]

2019 No Start but Battery Tests Okay.

2019 1500 that after being parked for about an hour wouldn't start as if it had a dead battery. Accessory power came on like normal but the starter would click once and do nothing and a CEL came on. Used a jump pack and the truck started up just fine. I then drove home, turned the truck off...

5thgenrams.com

 

[jl13]

2021 Ram 1500 bighorn crew cab, 5.7l hemi 12,438 miles
Rough country 3.5 inch lift
Go Rhino BRB 5.5 winch bumper
Milemarker 12k winch

Hey all,

I've been searching the threads as well as the interweb since 5 am this morning. Can't find anything that describes my failure. Just a couple of threads that peeked my interest, and caused me to climb all over my truck before calling the tow truck.
About a week ago, I had a strange electrical gremlin appear in my rig. Heater/a/c fan would increase rpm and decrease rpm for a few minutes, then stop and act normal. When this would occur, my headlamps and tail lamps would flicker as if a bulb was loose or failing. Every time this would happen, i would monitor voltage on my dash and it would fluctuate 1/10th of a volt between 14.2 and 14.4. ( averaging at 14.3) No run ability issues and no starting issues. Truck sat for 3 days while on a little family trip this past weekend. Choose to take wife's F150 (lol) because I hadn't had time to dig into the issue my truck began having. This morning, truck started fine, nothing abnormal noted. Let it warm up a min, then made the 6 mile drive to work.
Upon arrival at work, backed into my parking space and noticed headlights were again flickering, hvac was turned off as it was a beautiful 70 degrees so I had windows down. I let the truck idle for about 2 minutes when it shutdown as if I pressed stop button. Strange thing is, all electrical power was gone. Headlamps were off, dash display and infotainment was blank, no dome lights, nothing.
I disconnected battery and performed a battery test with my Snap On micro VAT. Surface voltage of battery was 13.6. After test, battery voltage was 12.9, and load test was 101% with 744 available CCA. Checked all power and ground connections, and all electrical connections I could locate.
Being unsuccessful on locating issue, truck was loaded onto a tow truck and taken 80 miles to the dealer. I am anxiously awaiting a phone call as to what the malfunction is and how long my truck will be down.


Does any body have any insights as to what may have decided it did not want to work anymore.

Was your issue resolve, was it a battery or is it still at the dealer. mine also 2021 and just 1 year and 5 months ownership
Same issue with mine this morning, no center dash, no lights, no accessories. Not even locks or unlocks.
I used my secondary vehicle so will probably not look into my issue until the weekend.
But the way my carport and the entrance is, it will be a difficult task to tow it

 

[Ryno_81]

Was your issue resolve, was it a battery or is it still at the dealer. mine also 2021 and just 1 year and 5 months ownership
Same issue with mine this morning, no center dash, no lights, no accessories. Not even locks or unlocks.
I used my secondary vehicle so will probably not look into my issue until the weekend.
But the way my carport and the entrance is, it will be a difficult task to tow it

Just had the issue. What was your fix?

 

[jl13]

Just had the issue. What was your fix?

new battery, replaced under warranty.
and replacement battery just died 2 months ago. This time I replaced it with Walmart's everstart platinum agm h7. Average life span on my 2 oem batteries was 18 months or so.
Some members here move up with an h8, I would have done that since it can be done and it fits by removing a plastic piece but it wasn't in stock around my area