My 2018 RAM Longhorn

:thumbsup:

The 19 ram I rented to pound almost 2k miles on, the weekend before the new year... I had a similar-ish experience. Rural NC at dark and some hard corner/stop/go maneuvers (not anything too sporty, just harder than normal), I had several seconds of an idiot light that could have been a throttle body symbol and next to no throttle response.

It only happened the one time, and I was so busy tooling around and visiting folks, I never gave it much thought. I would be getting to the bottom of it were it mine though... I was thinking it might be tied to the auto stop/start too. I'd just gone through a weird hook shaped interchange that I hadn't been fully prepared for... so several pedal actions in a very short time span... and I drive with both feet.

Overall, I liked the truck... and would pay $200 to drive the crap out of another one if the need arose. Too much wet, dark, stupid traffic to want to be in an old car. The 'burb was helping me enjoy the domino theory with the cooling system ever since I replaced the timing chain over Thanksgiving.

I love my Ram!

I think the throttle issue problem is tied to the drive by wire acceleration as tir pedsl. I was driving from a dead stop and the gas pedal seemed like it was blocked and wouldn't depress. I re as liked that the gas pedal was resting on the floor. While this was going on I received a giant red warning on the dash that said service accelerator something then it just started to act weird. In neutral or park the engine raced to 4000 rpms and then die down to about 1000 and then surge back to 4000. I was 30 miles from home and the dealer. So it acted like it was in limp mode. No acceleration control at all. Holding the pedal to the floor and it would get up to 50 mph in about 2 miles on flat ground very slowly. I have never experienced anything like that before. I stil kn say it's the throttle body or the drive by w in re pedal.
 
I just got a call from the dealer. They said they had to recalibrate the throttle body and now everything works fine.
 
I just got a call from the dealer. They said they had to recalibrate the throttle body and now everything works fine.
Nothing against you, but all the auto makers, screwed the pooch on this one. Had they left the throttle cable in place, they would not have to re calibrate the throttle body.
 
F259F62E-7F30-4A80-B0A4-26811C4E3C3D.jpeg
Nice truck...question because I'm not up to speed on the newest tech.
Does it turn itself off at traffic lights? I hate that.
You’re talking about the “stop start” feature. Our new ‘18 Wrangler has it and I can’t stand it either. Fortunately there’s a button on the dash to disengage it.
 
Well, I got her back. Seems good to go.

I may wait awhile before hooking up the Pedal Commander. It is easy to install. Just plugs into the top of the pedal controller so I could unplug it and put it back in stock configuration in 15 seconds if I had a future problem
 
Recalibrate means they don't know what's wrong. I just started working on its own.
Studebakers used to have that feature.
Not to be disrespectful to anyone but, being a tech at a dealer has got.to be worse than ditch digging, septic tank pumping, truck driving, whatever. They drop these systems on you that are overly complicated and when it does not perform as it should the company is no help because they have never had this problem either. Take my wife's Jeep GC with that air suspension under it. If I had no knowledge of how it is suposupp to work from truck suspensions, with a dealer looking at it I would have been at $1000 to diagnose and get it to ride height, all that is wrong is it leaked the nitrogen out of the tank after 13 months, then blew it's fuse because the compressor is no good. So I have to charge it every 8-12 months, like a wayward A/C system charge in the spring good all summer. Compressor is still no good.
 
Not to be disrespectful to anyone but, being a tech at a dealer has got.to be worse than ditch digging, septic tank pumping, truck driving, whatever. They drop these systems on you that are overly complicated and when it does not perform as it should the company is no help because they have never had this problem either. Take my wife's Jeep GC with that air suspension under it. If I had no knowledge of how it is suposupp to work from truck suspensions, with a dealer looking at it I would have been at $1000 to diagnose and get it to ride height, all that is wrong is it leaked the nitrogen out of the tank after 13 months, then blew it's fuse because the compressor is no good. So I have to charge it every 8-12 months, like a wayward A/C system charge in the spring good all summer. Compressor is still no good.

There are a lot of computers on my Ram. It seems like every system is controlled by it's own ECU.

I have heard from a couple of guys in Canada that say the air suspension Rams are shunned up there because the suspension freezes up and doesn't work well in the sub zero winters.
 
Just about all cars made now are throttle by wire except junk made in Korea and other similar car producers.
 
There are a lot of computers on my Ram. It seems like every system is controlled by it's own ECU.

I have heard from a couple of guys in Canada that say the air suspension Rams are shunned up there because the suspension freezes up and doesn't work well in the sub zero winters.

What tends to happen is the sensors on the frame that determine ride height fail or send false signals due to ice/road grime build up. Temperature doesn't seem to be a factor its more environmental. Bob had you already installed this Pedal Commander gizmo on the truck? I have heard that they cause issues with FCA proprietary software. If the Dealer had to do a re-calibration on the throttle it may be due to losing its position data. If you haven't put the PC on yet I would give the truck some time to see if the issue comes back.
 
There is a recall that involves the PCM and accelerator position sensors

Safety Recall U87 – Powertrain Control Module
Page 2
NOTE:
This recall applies only to the above vehicles equipped with a 2.0L
(sales
code EC1)
,2.4 L I4 DOHC 16V Dual VVT
(sales code ED3)
, 2.4L I4 MultiAir
w/ESS
(sales code EDD)
, 2.4L I4 Zero Evap. m-Air w/ESS
(sales code
EDE)
, 2.0L
I4 DOHC Turbo eTorque
(sales code
EC3)
, 2.4L I4 E22 DOHC 16V Dual VVT
(sales code
ED7),
3.2L V6 24V VVT w/ESS
(sales code
EHK)
,3.6L
(sales codes
ERB, ERF, ERC)
, 3.6L V6 Hybrid
(sales code EH3)
,5.7L
(sales code
EZH)
, 2.4L
(sales code ED6)
, and 2.4L
(sales code
ED8)
engine built from August 30, 2017
through June 27, 2018
(MDH 083006 through 062709)
.
The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) about 1528 of the above vehicles
may have
been manufactured with a suspect voltage regulator chip on the electronic circuit
board. If the powertrain control module fails, you may experience a no-start, a
start-and-immediate stall condition, or an engine stall while driving. An engine
stall while driving resulting in loss of motive power can cause vehicle crash
without prior warning.
The PCM on all of the above vehicles must be replaced and reprogrammed.
IMPORTANT: Some of the involved vehicles may be in dealer vehicle
inventory. Dealers should complete this repair on these vehicles before retail
delivery. Dealers should also perform this repair on vehicles in for service.
Involved vehicles can be determined by using the VIP inquiry process.
Subject
Repair
 
What tends to happen is the sensors on the frame that determine ride height fail or send false signals due to ice/road grime build up. Temperature doesn't seem to be a factor its more environmental. Bob had you already installed this Pedal Commander gizmo on the truck? I have heard that they cause issues with FCA proprietary software. If the Dealer had to do a re-calibration on the throttle it may be due to losing its position data. If you haven't put the PC on yet I would give the truck some time to see if the issue comes back.

Thanks Graham.

No, I haven't had the Pedal Commander on the Ram yet. I have been on ramforum com and most people said as long as you install and set it to Sport 3 and leave it alone that they don't have any issues with it. The people that have probkem with it are contionously playing with the settings while they are driving it.
 
There is a recall that involves the PCM and accelerator position sensors

Safety Recall U87 – Powertrain Control Module
Page 2
NOTE:
This recall applies only to the above vehicles equipped with a 2.0L
(sales
code EC1)
,2.4 L I4 DOHC 16V Dual VVT
(sales code ED3)
, 2.4L I4 MultiAir
w/ESS
(sales code EDD)
, 2.4L I4 Zero Evap. m-Air w/ESS
(sales code
EDE)
, 2.0L
I4 DOHC Turbo eTorque
(sales code
EC3)
, 2.4L I4 E22 DOHC 16V Dual VVT
(sales code
ED7),
3.2L V6 24V VVT w/ESS
(sales code
EHK)
,3.6L
(sales codes
ERB, ERF, ERC)
, 3.6L V6 Hybrid
(sales code EH3)
,5.7L
(sales code
EZH)
, 2.4L
(sales code ED6)
, and 2.4L
(sales code
ED8)
engine built from August 30, 2017
through June 27, 2018
(MDH 083006 through 062709)
.
The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) about 1528 of the above vehicles
may have
been manufactured with a suspect voltage regulator chip on the electronic circuit
board. If the powertrain control module fails, you may experience a no-start, a
start-and-immediate stall condition, or an engine stall while driving. An engine
stall while driving resulting in loss of motive power can cause vehicle crash
without prior warning.
The PCM on all of the above vehicles must be replaced and reprogrammed.
IMPORTANT: Some of the involved vehicles may be in dealer vehicle
inventory. Dealers should complete this repair on these vehicles before retail
delivery. Dealers should also perform this repair on vehicles in for service.
Involved vehicles can be determined by using the VIP inquiry process.
Subject
Repair

Thanks Graham

I asked the service manager yesterday if I had any outstanding recalls and he said no.
 
There are a lot of computers on my Ram. It seems like every system is controlled by it's own ECU.
I have heard from a couple of guys in Canada that say the air suspension Rams are shunned up there because the suspension freezes up and doesn't work well in the sub zero winters.
Every problem I have ever had with the air ride on my big truck was in the winter, except for bags separating.
The nitrgen fill should fix that. Their systems must be contaminated with air and moisture. That's why I leave the compressor broken on my wife's Jeep, that way no air and moisture are pumped in the system. Twice a year I buy a case of beer and make arrangements with a friend in HVAC business to swing by and charge it with nitrogen, then help him drink the beer, it's tough but someone has to do it.
 
Every problem I have ever had with the air ride on my big truck was in the winter, except for bags separating.
The nitrgen fill should fix that. Their systems must be contaminated with air and moisture. That's why I leave the compressor broken on my wife's Jeep, that way no air and moisture are pumped in the system. Twice a year I buy a case of beer and make arrangements with a friend in HVAC business to swing by and charge it with nitrogen, then help him drink the beer, it's tough but someone has to do it.

Continental designed system and the compressors were an issue....curious to see if Mercedes has the same issue as they use the same system....
 
..curious to see if Mercedes has the same issue as they use the same system
If the compressor is mounted in that stupid spot it will be a problem. If ours were to try and kick on due to low system pressure it will blow the fuse because it is so stiff and bound up, it draws high amps. Once the fuse blows half the system has no power. If the system holds a charge the compressor will never have to run.
I wonder how many parents would not allow their infant within 10 feet of a fully charged air compressor tank, but their child is inches from that 220 psi nitrogen tank in the back seat. The latch restraints for the car seat are right next to that tank.
 
Last edited:
Nothing against you, but all the auto makers, screwed the pooch on this one. Had they left the throttle cable in place, they would not have to re calibrate the throttle body.
No red X... nut so that I've said it... 2012, electronic stability control became mandatory... From that point on nothing built for this market should have a throttle that actually connects to the pedal and they also should have anti lock brakes.

Better? Maybe, we all know someone who doesn't drive so well. They bug me when I drive them though.

Another BIG reason for throttle by wire is fuel economy/emissions... drivers who like a lot of rapid throttle motions waste gas and pollute. The computer can dampen the effect, which just feels wrong when you want the thing to do something stupid...
 
No red X... nut so that I've said it... 2012, electronic stability control became mandatory... From that point on nothing built for this market should have a throttle that actually connects to the pedal and they also should have anti lock brakes.

Better? Maybe, we all know someone who doesn't drive so well. They bug me when I drive them though.

Another BIG reason for throttle by wire is fuel economy/emissions... drivers who like a lot of rapid throttle motions waste gas and pollute. The computer can dampen the effect, which just feels wrong when you want the thing to do something stupid...

Why do you consider " something stupid " as being something stupid?
 
No red X... nut so that I've said it... 2012, electronic stability control became mandatory... From that point on nothing built for this market should have a throttle that actually connects to the pedal and they also should have anti lock brakes.

Better? Maybe, we all know someone who doesn't drive so well. They bug me when I drive them though.

Another BIG reason for throttle by wire is fuel economy/emissions... drivers who like a lot of rapid throttle motions waste gas and pollute. The computer can dampen the effect, which just feels wrong when you want the thing to do something stupid...
That's what the Pedal Commander is for....

:thumbsup:
 
Why do you consider " something stupid " as being something stupid?
I'm often happy with my stupidity... and sometimes treat my mistakes with "I meant to do that..."

Short of a controlled environment, rubber squealing is a sign of something stupid. That has never stopped it from being called fun.
 
Back
Top