The DT Achilles Heel (If your having problems read this)

[Rob5589]

Very interesting, thanks for posting.

 

[riccnick]

I would love if someone took pics of their truck with this ground issue so we could all check our own trucks. Wondering if this is causing some of my issues.

It's in the Recall document. It's just the ground that goes from the negative side of the battery to the body.

 

[Dusty1948]

For those worried about a long-term reliable repair, obtain some anti-oxidant grease used for outdoor electrical power connections. Disconnect the ground wires, clean the terminals and threaded stud, and coat the stud and terminals with the anti-oxidant material. Should last for the life of the vehicle and enhance confidence in the connection.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Silver Billet Laramie, Quad Cab, 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, 18 inch wheels. Build date: 17 April 2018. Now at 018358 miles.

 

[VaderRebel]

For those worried about a long-term reliable repair, obtain some anti-oxidant grease used for outdoor electrical power connections. Disconnect the ground wires, clean the terminals and threaded stud, and coat the stud and terminals with the anti-oxidant material. Should last for the life of the vehicle and enhance confidence in the connection.

Best regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Silver Billet Laramie, Quad Cab, 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, 18 inch wheels. Build date: 17 April 2018. Now at 018358 miles.

Now if FCA had just done that from day one... we wouldn't be discussing this.

 

[Edwards]

Ok, this is a long post. But based on what I experienced I feel this would be able to help someone, somewhere. Since I bought the truck in May, I've had AC issues, the mysterious "bump" coming from the transmission/rear end, hard 5-4 and 2-1 downshifts, ANC noises, and UConnect going unresponsive. It's up to date on recalls and has it's service intervals at 5,000 miles. It is my pride n joy.

Majority of the issues came back as normal operation (eyeroll). But then I was in Orlando for a conference. While there, I lost my power steering in the parking lot twice. I knew about the recall and double checked that mine was completed. So I took it into the dealer. I was shocked by what I found out. Based on what happened, the codes that popped up (but no check engine light) and what the tech told me directly. I think I found the problem with so many of the trucks. The Achilles heel.

According to the tech. My main ground connection known as G2A and the ground strap for the PCM were heavily corroded and had high resistance. (There is 6,207 miles on it). The cable was scortching hot to touch. According to the tech, this fools the PCM into thinking it's getting the right voltage, but ends up overcharging the system to 15-16V. Sending that type of current to all of the accessories in turn causes the issues. This was confirmed with diagnostic testing of the battery and charging system. He told me that he looked through my vehicle history (AC fan cutting out, transmission having the dreaded 2-1 shift and the bumping from the rear end, the AC not blowing cold enough, and my unconnect issues were all because of this. This is also why a check engine light never came on (The PCM thought everything was normal) even though it stored 6 high or low voltage DTCs. He removed paint (there is not supposed to be any) and debris from the contact points, cleaned the connections, replaced the ground wire and buttoned it all back together with some grease and torqued it to spec. Drove it home 203 miles and I don't have ANY OF the problems I had before today. No more transmission shifting issues, no more "bumping" from the rear end, the drone noise and screeching in the ANC system is gone, and my AC is blowing a lot colder.

I'm not sure if it's snake oil, the real deal, or getting fed BS. But he did the work and now my truck is better then it ever has been before. I included the copy of the shop order/tech comments.

If you're in Central FL. Central FL CDJR was where I went.

Today I unbolted this ground and no corrosion or other suspects so I put it back together and test drove. I was shocked at how smooth my transmission was! But after an hour it remembered how to do crappy up and downshifts. I'm going to start a new thread on that but I suspect your transmission shifting got better simply because they disconnected the battery. Please report back if you have lasting transmission smoothness or not so we can figure it out.

 

[Rob5589]

Today I unbolted this ground and no corrosion or other suspects so I put it back together and test drove. I was shocked at how smooth my transmission was! But after an hour it remembered how to do crappy up and downshifts. I'm going to start a new thread on that but I suspect your transmission shifting got better simply because they disconnected the battery. Please report back if you have lasting transmission smoothness or not so we can figure it out.

Was the body surface bare metal?

 

[rrbhokies]

Today I unbolted this ground and no corrosion or other suspects so I put it back together and test drove. I was shocked at how smooth my transmission was! But after an hour it remembered how to do crappy up and downshifts. I'm going to start a new thread on that but I suspect your transmission shifting got better simply because they disconnected the battery. Please report back if you have lasting transmission smoothness or not so we can figure it out.

When you put the bolt back on, did you use a torque wrench and torque it to the 14ft lbs that it says? Also, why does the service bulletin say that if you can't torque it, to do something else? I'm afraid to try doing anything myself for fear of screwing it up.

 

[Repsol69]

Ok, so its not supposed to be on a painted surface but if its "BARE" metal wouldn't it rust??

 

[leeghoti]

Ok, so its not supposed to be on a painted surface but if its "BARE" metal wouldn't it rust??

That's what the anti oxidant grease is for.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Edwards]

Was the body surface bare metal?

It looked to me like Ram screwed the deep nut on before painting. The outside (of everything) is painted but when I removed it, both the inside of the nut and where it seats against the bolt are bare metal. There were two wires bolted there and everything had clean, bare metal on metal. so from the outside, it is painted but I can see nothing wrong with how it is making electrical contact.

 

[Edwards]

When you put the bolt back on, did you use a torque wrench and torque it to the 14ft lbs that it says? Also, why does the service bulletin say that if you can't torque it, to do something else? I'm afraid to try doing anything myself for fear of screwing it up.

Yes, torqued to spec. I was slightly concerned over the mention of replacing the bolt if it can't be torqued but since I'd already hand tightened it months ago after the recall first came out (and mine was finger loose upon my inspection) I figured it was worth a shot.

If you got the recall done promptly, and can see no external corrosion, you're probably better off to just leave this alone. I didn't see any signs of corrosion so it was just an academic exercise.

 

[Repsol69]

Yes, torqued to spec. I was slightly concerned over the mention of replacing the bolt if it can't be torqued but since I'd already hand tightened it months ago after the recall first came out (and mine was finger loose upon my inspection) I figured it was worth a shot.

If you got the recall done promptly, and can see no external corrosion, you're probably better off to just leave this alone. I didn't see any signs of corrosion so it was just an academic exercise.

So if i didn't get a recall just leave it?? Thats what your saying??

 

[Edwards]

So if i didn't get a recall just leave it?? Thats what your saying??

Yep.

You could keep an eye on it for corrosion or loosening, unless you just want to disconnect it for peace of mind. I'd just tend to leave it alone since they mention in the recall the possibility of replacing the bolt because that's a mess I'd rather not deal with if I didn't know there was a definite problem to be fixed.

 

[jdmartin]

Also, 14lbs of torque isn't much. That's a little past finger tight. If you don't have a calibrated arm, or a torque wrench, finger tight it and give it another 1/8 of a turn or so; that should get you close. Remember, torque figures are usually not a big deal outside of some specific things like cylinder head bolts. A bolt that holds a ground onto a body frame, the only thing the torque rating is really for is to be a compromise between not being so loose that it's not making good connection, and being so wrenched that it strips out the opening on the body frame.

 

[Edwards]

Also, 14lbs of torque isn't much. That's a little past finger tight. If you don't have a calibrated arm, or a torque wrench, finger tight it and give it another 1/8 of a turn or so; that should get you close. Remember, torque figures are usually not a big deal outside of some specific things like cylinder head bolts. A bolt that holds a ground onto a body frame, the only thing the torque rating is really for is to be a compromise between not being so loose that it's not making good connection, and being so wrenched that it strips out the opening on the body frame.

Right. When I loosened mine I immediately noticed that the dealership torqued it far beyond 14lbs. Felt like more than double. I actually tightened mine beyond 14 once it clicked so easily.

 

[Dusty1948]

It looked to me like Ram screwed the deep nut on before painting. The outside (of everything) is painted but when I removed it, both the inside of the nut and where it seats against the bolt are bare metal. There were two wires bolted there and everything had clean, bare metal on metal. so from the outside, it is painted but I can see nothing wrong with how it is making electrical contact.

I believe you are correct as all of the 5th gen (DT) Rams 1500s I've looked were the same. During vehicle assembly after paint they had to remove the nut and install the ground wires. The recall seems to be addressing paint that may have flowed between the nut and stud base potentially causing a poor ground connection. In my mind that means the nuts were not tightened completely during the paint process and allowed paint to interfere with a good electrical connection.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Silver Billet Laramie, Quad Cab, 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, 18 inch wheels. Build date: 17 April 2018. Now at 018460 miles.

 

[Diamondback]

Here is a decent shot of one properly done :
(all 6 surface facings should be metal-to-metal contact) - back of nut, either side of both cable ends, and body stud.

 

[rrbhokies]

Here is a decent shot of one properly done :
(all 6 surface facings should be metal-to-metal contact) - back of nut, either side of both cable ends, and body stud.

View attachment 31992

And what if after all that was installed, they painted over the thread and the nut? I took mine off to see underneath. It looks like it's all bare metal underneath, and they painted everything after it was all assembled. Could any of this "overspray" be the culprit?

 

[Diamondback]

You can paint over it once it is installed .. no worries .. help protect bare metal.

 

[RamRamRebelMan]

Ok, this is a long post. But based on what I experienced I feel this would be able to help someone, somewhere. Since I bought the truck in May, I've had AC issues, the mysterious "bump" coming from the transmission/rear end, hard 5-4 and 2-1 downshifts, ANC noises, and UConnect going unresponsive. It's up to date on recalls and has it's service intervals at 5,000 miles. It is my pride n joy.

Majority of the issues came back as normal operation (eyeroll). But then I was in Orlando for a conference. While there, I lost my power steering in the parking lot twice. I knew about the recall and double checked that mine was completed. So I took it into the dealer. I was shocked by what I found out. Based on what happened, the codes that popped up (but no check engine light) and what the tech told me directly. I think I found the problem with so many of the trucks. The Achilles heel.

According to the tech. My main ground connection known as G2A and the ground strap for the PCM were heavily corroded and had high resistance. (There is 6,207 miles on it). The cable was scortching hot to touch. According to the tech, this fools the PCM into thinking it's getting the right voltage, but ends up overcharging the system to 15-16V. Sending that type of current to all of the accessories in turn causes the issues. This was confirmed with diagnostic testing of the battery and charging system. He told me that he looked through my vehicle history (AC fan cutting out, transmission having the dreaded 2-1 shift and the bumping from the rear end, the AC not blowing cold enough, and my unconnect issues were all because of this. This is also why a check engine light never came on (The PCM thought everything was normal) even though it stored 6 high or low voltage DTCs. He removed paint (there is not supposed to be any) and debris from the contact points, cleaned the connections, replaced the ground wire and buttoned it all back together with some grease and torqued it to spec. Drove it home 203 miles and I don't have ANY OF the problems I had before today. No more transmission shifting issues, no more "bumping" from the rear end, the drone noise and screeching in the ANC system is gone, and my AC is blowing a lot colder.

I'm not sure if it's snake oil, the real deal, or getting fed BS. But he did the work and now my truck is better then it ever has been before. I included the copy of the shop order/tech comments.

If you're in Central FL. Central FL CDJR was where I went.

Doesn't sound like snake oil at all... Interestingly, after having the V71, DT ORC Power-Down recall FLASH performed on y truck on 8/13/19, with only 4,773 miles, I'm having many of the same issues. I went in today to report all the issues I'm having and they are having me come back tomorrow. I never even mentioned the power steering issue as it only happens very intermittently, but that and the not cold A/C are other issues of mine. Thanks for the post!!!

I'll update after my service appointment in the morning.