AMP Research Power Steps

[01_Cummins_4x4]

I bought a set of brand new 3rd gen Dodge AMP Research Power Steps and the Tyca Industries 2nd gen conversion kit to mount them on my 01. 

 

The magnetic switches that come with the Tyca conversion kit was wired as instructed - solid purple to left door magnetic switch, and purple/yellow to right door magnetic switch, and then the 2nd wires from each magnetic switch went to a known good ground. Neither step is working from them, so I pulled those POS magnetic switches out. 

 

For the 3rd Gen Dodges, they use a posi-loc terminal to tap into each door ajar switch at each door - solid purple for left front door, purple/grey for left rear door, purple/yellow for right front door, and purple/white for right rear door. 

 

The instructions state that the steps are looking for a "ground" signal to make them work.

 

According to the 01 Dodge ram manual, the left door ajar switch has a tan, white, and black/green wires on that side, with the black/green being the ground wire. Is that correct?

 

It states that the passenger side door has a black/light blue wire, and the black/green wire is the ground wire for that side as well.

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

So if this is true then look for the wire that has +12V when wire is disconnected from the door switch this is the interior light lead. When it's hooked up the door pin gives ground to the interior lights to complete the circuit to turn on the lights. 

[IBMobile]

Your door switch wire colors are correct with the black/light green wire at both doors going to ground.

[01_Cummins_4x4]

I did connect the driver's side power step wire to the black/light green wire, and it doesn't do anything. 

 

Which color are the wires on each side that feed to the Dome light?

 

Is it supposed to be the tan sense wire on the driver's side, and the black/light blue wire on the passenger side?

 

How do you remove the door jamb switches to investigate which colors are doing what?

[IBMobile]

The tan wire art the driver's door is the signal wire for the central timer module to sound the buzzer if the head/park lights are left on with the ignition off.

 

The white wire at both the driver's door and the passenger's door switches go to terminal 13 at the headlight switch and are for grounding the dome light through the headlight switch.  

 

The black light blue wire at the passenger's door switch goes to the central timer module for door ajar in the high-line trucks.

 

There is no power, 12V. to any of these wires.

[01_Cummins_4x4]

So, how does the door jamb switch at each door trip the Dome light to turn on then if there isn't 12v power at the door jamb switches? 

 

Is it at the CTM?

 

I'm used to old Square body Chevy with a 12v feed wire at each door ajar switch.

Edited July 25, 2023 by 01_Cummins_4x4

[Mopar1973Man]

There is 12V at the door pins. The interior lights are power by the IOD fuse in the cab then pink wire runs to all lights the the ground leg which is the wire color that mentioned by @IBMobile that is the ground leg and will complete the circuit when the doors are opened and the pin pops out to connect to ground.

[IBMobile]

2 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

There is 12V at the door pins.

Which wire has 12V at the door pins (switch)?  The way I read the wire diagram in the FSM, pages: 8W-44-3,4,5 and 8W-45-10, the switches ground the CTM and headlight switch.   

[Mopar1973Man]

 

So if you follow the pink wire from the fuse to the interior lighting that is 12V + then just on the dome light you'll see the yellow wire leaving which is 12V+ yet. Then hits the joint connector and changes to tan wire still that tan wire is 12V+ yet when the door is closed or the door pin is disconnected. Now if you touch the tan wire to the ground the lights come on because you provided a ground path to complete the circuit. Again just look for the 12V+ lead that is hot and that is your wire to hook too. Because the black/light green wire is ground and wouldn't work the steps would never close.

[01_Cummins_4x4]

How do I remove the door ajar switch so I can verify which wire is hot? I've never changed them in a Dodge yet, only the screw in style in the old square body Chevy's I had years ago.

[IBMobile]

From page 632 of the 2001 ram FSM:

REMOVAL (1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. (2) Grasp the body of the door ajar switch with a pair of pliers and move the switch gently back-andforth while pulling it out of the door hinge pillar mounting hole. (3) Pull the door ajar switch out from the pillar far enough to access the wire harness connector (Fig. 3). (4) Unplug the door ajar switch from the wire harness connector. INSTALLATION (1) Install the door ajar switch to the wire harness connector. (2) Push the door ajar switch into the pillar. (3) Connect the battery negative cable

[01_Cummins_4x4]

For the driver's side door, I should be able to tap into the Tan wire?

 

For the passenger side door, I should be able to tap into the white feed wire that comes from the left side?

 

Thanks!

[Mopar1973Man]

Yup that should work.

[01_Cummins_4x4]

My pickup has the IEM wiring. 

 

The driver's side door ajar switch has the tan wire, black/green wire, and the white wire that feeds the power to the passenger side door ajar switch.

 

I patched the passenger power step motor to the white wire, and the driver's side power step motor to the tan wire.

 

Both power steps activate with the driver's door ajar switch because it feeds the passenger side door ajar switch at the same time. At first I was hoping to make them independent of each other, but it really doesn't bother me that they both activate at the same time.