Looking to figure out what may be causing my trip meter to reset itself everytime the truck is turned on.

 

List of things I have done:

Load tested batteries

Cleaned all battery connections 

Checked all fuses

Cluster test

 

 

The trip counter works perfectly fine while driving, no errors on the cluster test, my clock never resets time, only the trip meter. Everything else works fine. Has my cluster gone bad? It's as if the cluster is losing constant power. Any help/input appreciated.

If you shut the truck off, and then turn the key on without staring, does the trip still reset?

 

Were the batteries tested individually or were they still wired in parallel?

Edited December 19, 20195 yr by kzimmer
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IOD fuse? (Ignition Off Draw) Fuse...

Batteries tested individually, all cells full, both hold full charge and never give any starting issues. IOD fuse also good, I did try pulling it out before,  but when i do I lose interior lights, so I'm sure it's working

 

Also I should mention that sometimes it does not reset, last week i got about 6 startups with it not resetting and now ever since it has done it everytime except not once today

I've heard of the plug not the back side of cluster working itself lose, easy to check. Maybe pull it out and plug it in again.

Mine. does the same thing. It's weird have to watch main mileage trading to be sure I'm calculating fuel mileage correctly but I'm not sure I trust it either

 

Has your indicator light changed color. Low washer fluid light. I swear mine has.

6 hours ago, Dieselfuture said:

I've heard of the plug not the back side of cluster working itself lose, easy to check. Maybe pull it out and plug it in again.

Yea I'll have to check it out, my old plug pins tend to push out when connecting a scan tool, I have to hold them from the back as I plug it in

8 hours ago, Evan said:

Mine. does the same thing. It's weird have to watch main mileage trading to be sure I'm calculating fuel mileage correctly but I'm not sure I trust it either

 

Has your indicator light changed color. Low washer fluid light. I swear mine has.

My indicators have not changed color at all, everything else on the cluster works as it should.

 

On 12/19/2019 at 8:13 PM, LK89 said:

Also I should mention that sometimes it does not reset, last week i got about 6 startups with it not resetting and now ever since it has done it everytime except not once today

 

This still sounds like voltage is dropping too low during cranking. I had this problem when I had one bad cell, and the one bad cell could only be seen while load testing the battery individually, with the cell cover off. The one cell would boil/gas off.

 

Could be a damaged/weak starter (lost a brush or pair of brushes?) Causes excess current draw leading to excessive voltage drop. Could be damaged or corroded positive or negative cables or terminations (lugs, crimps, etc).

 

If it happens more on colder mornings, could be the near 200A draw of the grid heaters over an extended warmup period is too much for the batteries. I know you said you load tested the batteries, but I think you should really consider a charging system issue. These trucks are cranky that way. You might be shocked how start-able and drive-able our trucks are with charging system issues, but weird symptoms like this start to arise. Anything else happening that doesn't seem quite right?

Edited December 21, 20195 yr by kzimmer
Spelling

14 hours ago, kzimmer said:

 

This still sounds like voltage is dropping too low during cranking. I had this problem when I had one bad cell, and the one bad cell could only be seen while load testing the battery individually, with the cell cover off. The one cell would boil/gas off.

 

Could be a damaged/weak starter (lost a brush or pair of brushes?) Causes excess current draw leading to excessive voltage drop. Could be damaged or corroded positive or negative cables or terminations (lugs, crimps, etc).

 

If it happens more on colder mornings, could be the near 200A draw of the grid heaters over an extended warmup period is too much for the batteries. I know you said you load tested the batteries, but I think you should really consider a charging system issue. These trucks are cranky that way. You might be shocked how start-able and drive-able our trucks are with charging system issues, but weird symptoms like this start to arise. Anything else happening that doesn't seem quite right?

I hear ya on this, I have put 4 alternators in the truck since I've owned it, 1 failed of normal use, 1 failed of oil spray all over it from a failed head gasket, 1 burnt the positive terminal right off and this last 1 has been good for about a year right now, charging @14.1v tho I have not done an amperage output test yet. Both batteries were replaced at the same time about a year and a half ago, when I tested them I used our digital snap-on tester at work, they are 730cca batteries and both put out 685cca @12.6v. I will have to try a carbon pile perhaps. I've noticed that it more doesnt do it when I jump in the truck and start with the key as I rarely let the grid heater cycle, but when I remote start my truck, the heater cycles. As for any other weird symptoms, no, none that I've noticed. Thanks I will look into that side of things more!

Edited December 22, 20195 yr by LK89

Ever since I did the W-T ground wire mod and the PCM protection fuse mod I've stopped all the alternator failure issues now on my truck. 

8 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Ever since I did the W-T ground wire mod and the PCM protection fuse mod I've stopped all the alternator failure issues now on my truck. 

Is there link to these mods? I still havent had a chance to further diagnose my issue?

38 minutes ago, LK89 said:

Is there link to these mods? I still havent had a chance to further diagnose my issue?

Go to the articles section, 2nd gen 24v, engine, electrical and scroll down. About 12 or 15 articles down. Sorry I cannot link it on my tablet.

On the lap top now here is the article.

There is alot to read there but the mod is pretty easy.