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Ignition Run Only fuse keeps blowing

29K views 63 replies 2 participants last post by  brad12kx 
#1 ·
Hi I have an 04 Dodge Ram and and the "Ignition- Run Only" fuse keeps blowing everytime i turn the ignition on... It is the pink 30 amp fuse..

Does anyone know what this fuse does?? The truck still seems to start fine..
I did notice the AC controls seem non responsive.. not sure if this is related but i think it is..

Any help with this problem or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks for your time and help.
 
#33 ·
Well that leaves us wondering....

Just to verify that we are not going in the wrong direction, can you -
a) Disconnect the battery
b) check for continuity between the Pink/Yel at the ignition switch and Fuse 37. Also check the continuity between that very circuit and ground. I'm of the feeling the IPM has some strange wiring, so want to make 100% sure we don't chase ourselves in circles. LOL
 
#35 ·
The other option is to pull the IPM....which we'll will likely do anyway.
Have you ever remove it before?
 
#37 ·
You bet.

Here is the quick blow by blow -

First thing - disconnect the battery.....both leads.
Then remove the battery cable and accessory cable from the IPM

(engine side).

Then remove the 2 mounting screws/bolts.
The first is located on the front of the IPM, engine side. It is a vertical

screw. I believe it is a 10mm socket or T25 torx.
The second is on the front fender side. This is a bolt (horizontal) to

the fender.

Then pull the IPM toward the engine and lift up.
 
#39 ·
The connector of interest on the bottom is C5. I believe it is green.

Here is a diagram of the underside -



Depress the locking tab and rotating the connector arm outboard to release the connector.

Once C5 is disconnected, check for 'ground' on the Pink/Yel at the steering column.
 
#41 ·
You may have to disconnect some of the other connectors to get to C5. this is not a problem, as cycling the connectors is actually a good thing to do while you have it out. There have been many intermittent issues that have been corrected by this procedure. :)
 
#42 ·
Leave the battery disconnected.
 
#44 ·
That is bad news......unless moving the IPM moved the harness enough to remove a ground short.
Look along the harness and see if you can see where it might have rubbed through and shorted the Pink/Yel to ground.
 
#46 ·
Rats! Well, before I jump to conclusions, you'll have to reconnect C5 and run the ground test. I sure hope it shows open......IPM's are expensive. :158:
 
#48 ·
:woohoo: That's good!
 
#50 ·
Still don't know what's wrong, but at least it didn't go huge expensive this early in the game.
 
#51 ·
Start re-assembling peice by piece and running the ground test.
 
#53 ·
Possible....Hmmm....hadn't thought of that option.
Since I can't get drawing on the IPM, and still haven't found anyone to sell me a bad one to play with, I can't comment based on knowledge of it's internal wiring.

But it is electronic and a computer to boot, so....Yup....possible. LOL
 
#55 ·
The Pink/Yel wire from the ignition switch travels through a huge multipin connector (C219) on the firewall (AKA bulkhead connector) to the IPM and connects via C5-pin1.

Computer attitude aside, I am concerned that the problem could be in the wiring harness and/or the bulkhead connector, and the operation of removing the IPM pulled enough on the harness to relieve this ground short. It could be in the harness, as there are ground wires in the harness too. I could be at the bulkhead (far shot, but possible) where something got into the pins and caused this problem.

Right now I'm hoping it goes back together without issue, and the original problem never returns....but then again....I would not know for sure what the issue was. Rock/Hard Place. :dork:
 
#56 ·
I say....give it a go... :4-dontknow:
 
#58 ·
Skip the airbag fuses for now. Make sure the truck works and the fuse doesn't blow.
 
#59 ·
ok after i put all the other fuses back in.. ground came back :(

i removed 36 the one that was showing ground on both sides.. and the ground went back away.. do you think it's just "seeing" ground but its not really ground??

because before when i removed 36 it still showed ground..
 
#60 ·
Fuse 36 is for the fan, so will likely look like ground, but for testing purposes, leave it out until the truck is running and Fuse 3 is staying intact.
 
#62 ·
you have NO IDEA how grateful i am to you.. if i was a billionaire you would have a couple million being sent to you.. unfortunately im not lol

but i put the fuse back in.. including 36..

and it showed ground but when i gave it ignition it stayed on power :)

the only fuse i have to put back in is the airbag fuse.. any tips on getting that yellow thing down?

isnt it REALLY late over there??

please email me or contact me somehow so I can try and reimburse you somehow.. maybe if you have paypal?? ill PM you my email so we can discuss that portion privately.

Thanks again SO much. you are literally a lifesaver..
 
#61 ·
:doh:...you don't have a diesel do you!?! LOL
Fuse 36 is for the A/C Heater Control.
 
#63 ·
The safest way to install the airbag fuses -
Disconnect a battery cable and touch it to the other battery cable. This will drain all the residual power in the system.

Then plug in the airbag fuses (since the system is void of power, you can fiddle with it and not worry about what might happen. :) Then re-connect the battery and test the truck.
Take note of the airbag check light when you first turn the truck on. I should light for a while.
 
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