Replace PCM?

[trailhead]

My cruise control light was always staying on, but the cruise didn't work.  After much problem solving, I finally took the 2001 Ram 2500 6 speed diesel to the dealer.  Trust me, it wasn't my first choice.  Anyway, they are telling me that the PCM doesn't know that I ever had a cruise control equipped truck.  The tech claims that part of the PCM hard drive is dead.  He wants to replace with new total cost of around $1200.  

 

Truck ran fine, so I'm debating how much I even want cruise control.  Are there cheaper alternatives?

 

Thanks for all the help!

[dripley]

The ECM In my 02 controls the cruise not the PCM. Mine is completely fly by wire. By that i mean there is no solenoid that controls the throtle, it is all electronic. I think the early 01's have the solenoid. It  is located under the driver side battery. Not sure I would believe them if you do not have solenoid. I am by far not the expert on this but the only problem I have ever had with the cruise was cured with a an ECM and not a PCM. I am only speaking for manual trucks with out the solenoid.

 What is the problem you are having and have you checked for trouble codes? Since the ECM cost a lot more than the PCM you just dont want to replace it and hope that was the problem.

[flagmanruss]

At one time, it was pretty common to have corrision problems on the soloniod located under the battery shelf...    

[CSM]

So, the light stays on?  Hmm... I wonder if it is the switch.  I've had switches go bad.  Anybody with a manual truck here, does your light reset every time you start the truck?  

[dripley]

So, the light stays on?  Hmm... I wonder if it is the switch.  I've had switches go bad.  Anybody with a manual truck here, does your light reset every time you start the truck?  

[dripley]

At one time, it was pretty common to have corrision problems on the soloniod located under the battery shelf...    

Edited October 12, 2015 by dripley

[CSM]

Some time in 01 the manual trucks deleted the solenoid and run purely thru the ECM. Mine is that way.

 

It might even have changed in 00, I am just not sure. Easiest way to tell is look under the battery. Another way is this, when I set my cruise the pedal remains at the top and is not pulled down like other vehicles I have owned with the solenoid.

[flagmanruss]

Mine 01.5 is a automatic so not much help.  I can look for the solinoid if anyone needs me to. 

[dripley]

Mine 01.5 is a automatic so not much help.  I can look for the solinoid if anyone needs me to. 

[trailhead]

[trailhead]

It's an 01.5 and it is fly by wire.  The dealership ordered a PCM, but somewhere along the line there was a mistake and they received a PCM for an automatic transmission. Needless to say, they did not install it, and I have since brought the truck home.  I know that I can order a PCM from NAPA for about $450.   I think I would still have to have it programmed, and I'm guessing that would cost something like $200 at the dealership.  I'm obviously getting into territory I've never been before, and I don't really want to take the truck back to the dealership because they've been so poor up to this point.  I appreciate all of the input so far, and thank you for any further advice you may have.  

[dripley]

I am a little delayed on this response, my apologies. Looking at the 2001 FSM it states that on manual diesel trucks the cruise is operated by the ECM. Autos are operated by the PCM. I am not thinking the PCM is going to solve your problem. I hate to see you spend all that cash on something that appears you do not need.

[Rogan]

All three of my trucks (both manual and autos, 96, 97, 01) reset the cruise light to OFF when the ignition was cycled.

[trailhead]

Well, here's an update.  I ordered the PCM from Napa.  If the PCM doesn't control the cruise on a 01 Diesel manual, this tech at the dealership needs...   ANYWAY, the PCM came in and the dealership agreed to install it, labor free, since they'd screwed up so many times.   So, they installed it.   Then I got a call saying they still couldn't get the cruise to respond and had determined it was the instrument cluster.  Cha-ching!  The dealership tells me they can get a new cluster for $790 plus core deposit.   I decided I'd buy from O'Reilly who wanted $330 plus core deposit.  Well, it was supposed to take a month to get the part from O'Reilly.  Nope.  A month later they can't get the part, and they tell me that they might be able to get it if I wait another 4 months.   So, I gave up and told the dealership to order their $790 dollar part.   Three days later (yesterday) they get the part and try to install it.  Tech calls me up, "The part that came in is Canadian, and I can't install a Canadian cluster into your Dodge.   I assume it was due to KMH instead of MPH.   Anyway, I've had it at this point, so I told the guy I just wanted my truck back, and that I will never be back.  Guy ordered (or coincidentally received) the wrong PCM AND the wrong cluster.   He seems entirely incompetent.  After 3 months and almost $1000 nothing has changed on my truck, the cruise light is still on (always) and doesn't work!  

 

I wish I wasn't so dense in this area.  Can the cluster really be the issue?  Can I get one from a junkyard?  Should I keep trying to find one somewhere or can someone just fix the one that I have?     Should I put pressure on the dealership to get back some of the money I squandered with them?    Thanks for all of the advice!

 

Edited to add: The cluster does not throw any codes when tested.  

Edited December 19, 2015 by trailhead

[Mopar1973Man]

Call Module Masters in Moscow, Idaho. They rebuild modules and clusters for a fraction of the price.
Have a excellent warranty on the work too.

[dripley]

I bought a cluster from the junkyard for $100 about 6 years ago. Still sitting on a shelf in my shop.

I am assuming the $1000 you spent was just for diagnostics. I would be plenty pissed if I had to pay them a dime since it seems they dont seem to know what they are doing.