# Tipm - 3 gen ownerns must read!!!



## DAFFMOBILEWASH

TIPM=TOTALLY INTERGRATED POWER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM!!!!!

If you have a plow on a 3rd or 4th gen truck then keep this note in the back of your head !!! The fuse box under the hood of your truck has no relays. It is all one big circut board. Had a small wiring issue on the plow side of the truck which was caused by salt making a bridge from negative to positive and creating a dead short in the wiring. It only took a few minutes but the result has been very costly.

So far, the dealer wanted over $1000 plus taxes for the part. I found a used one for 375 and all was good. For a few miles !!!!! Now I think the issue lies farther and deeper. The turn signal switch needs replacing too for it will do irratic things too now. 

Worst off all this whole thing could of been prevented if the installer would of used some electricial grease on all the connections. Dry connections will cause havic in time!!!! Also this problem can be caused by trailer wiring too so watch out!!!


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## DeereFarmer

I went through the same issue a few weeks back. The right turn on my trailer plug wasn't working. Traced the wire all the way back to the fuse box and had no power there as well, but the fuse was good. The dealer (like in your case) wanted over $1000 for the new fuse box. I ended up doing some fancy wiring in the rear of the truck and made my own wire harness for the trailer plug and everything is working fine. Saved $975 doing it too. I read on other forums that many people have been having simple wiring problems turn into a major headache.


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## Dig-it Landscap

I just went through the same thing in my 2006. It smoked the headlights. From all the reading I did I found that the TIPM has 15 amp circuits for the headlights, tail lights, turn signals, etc. If you go over 15 amp draw 5 times it shuts down the function of that board forever. Dealer costs $1,200 to install new and flash with software. I was told without the flash the truck will continue not to work right.

As for your turn signals I have also fought with Dodge on this for my 06. If they are flashing right when you press left, and left when they should be right occasionally. It is the multi function switch. Dodge placed a recommended replacement on mine but not a full blown "recall". This just means you have to pay the dealer to do diagnostics before they will replace it. These diagnostics cost more than the part! I tried and tried to get Dodge customer service at a national level to void the diagnostic cost with no success. So I just replaced mine for the 2nd time in 130k.

They sure weren't thinking with these TIPM's!


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH

I was running mine for some time with no LHS high beam. I knew there was an issue but was unaware of the severity untill the truck went into the dreaded "no bUss" mode. Then the truck would stay running untill you turned off the truck. Then nothing. Did some messing around to get her running again but then the truck ran so bad.... Then stalled out completely. 

Turned out when the headlight burned out the internal circut board melted a copper conductive strip which separated itself from the board. Then in time the strip delaminated itself and fell into the other circurs causing mass issues in the trucks wiring.

These boards are very sensite and will break more frequently over time. They are also known to be bad in some of the newer Chrylser minivans. 

Deere Farmer you might of cheated the system this time but now you are running the trailer lights through the tailight section of the board. This system will overload in time expecially if the trailer has many lights. My suggestion is to copy the part number off the board and do some searching. Ask the auto recylers to find a fuse box for your truck, they are plug and play. I bet you can find one for 200-300... Keep it in stock untill the board has another failure. I plan on looking for another for my truck and keeping it on the shelf at the shop. I have a feeling that these boards will become hard to find in time.


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## RacingZR

They still using this setup on the new Rams (4th Generation)?


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## festerw

Yes as well as every other Chrysler vehicle, other manufacturers are using it also.

Here's a list
http://www.auterraweb.com/aboutcan.html


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## DeereFarmer

DAFFMOBILEWASH;1272775 said:


> Deere Farmer you might of cheated the system this time but now you are running the trailer lights through the tailight section of the board. This system will overload in time expecially if the trailer has many lights. My suggestion is to copy the part number off the board and do some searching. Ask the auto recylers to find a fuse box for your truck, they are plug and play. I bet you can find one for 200-300... Keep it in stock untill the board has another failure. I plan on looking for another for my truck and keeping it on the shelf at the shop. I have a feeling that these boards will become hard to find in time.


I'm one step ahead of you. Already have a few calls into my local junkyards and they are keeping an eye out for me. I know its only a matter of time until something else goes wrong with it, so this time I'll be ready.


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH

Deere Farmer. It is a good idea to get an actual part number from the dealer. In fact there is a series of the TIPM boxes which will fit your vehicle. By asking a service rep for this list will help alot. In fact there were about 10 which would fit mine. With the gassers the list of options is much greater. I think a 1500 series truck would work for you too !!!! If you get a list of vins from the wrecking yards they can match one up tha way too. That how they found mine. Most yards will not include these fuse pannels in thier inventory lists and almost none use TIPM....


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## DeereFarmer

Good call DAFF. I'll have to get on that.


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## plowguy43

Your lucky you don't have a 4th gen with the stupid "fob key" or whatever you want to call it. Basically there is no physical key, its just a plastic fob that goes in the dash and the sensors recognize each other and allow the truck to start (its from Mercedes actually). Well these decide to stop talking to each other at random and will leave you stranded wherever you are. The only way to fix it is to reprogram the key and computer to each other but generally both need to be replaced - this all includes getting the vehicle towed to the dealership.

The TIPM is nothing new and have been around for awhile. Its really not a bad idea, but the placement is horrible. Its basically like taking your laptop and placing it in the engine bay and hoping for the best.


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## sno commander

the 3rd gens have something similar, theres a chip in the key, if it goes bad your truck will only start for a few seconds then shut off.


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## DeereFarmer

What ever happened to the trucks pre 2000s that you could unlock you manual doors, turn your metal key, and fire up your V8?


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## plowguy43

Yes the chip keys have been around forever, my 1991 TransAm had a chip on the key. Those. Worked well with very little problems, I can't tell you how many keys and modules we've replaced on cars and trucks with only a few thousand miles on them all the way up to 30k+. The problem is that in todays cars there are more computers and modules then ever before and they all have to be working right or it causes big issues.


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH

Seems to me my old 95 2500 CTD Dodge just keeps getting more valuable.

No chips or computers running the injector pump. Good on fuel and will allways start. Only 650k and running strong. I hope the frame and body makes it to the 1 000 000 mark..... I know the drive line will.

Back to the turn signal issue on the 06. Happened to be the tilt wheel cauasing the problem. Moved it up and down and the turn signals have worked flawless ever since. Keep this trick in mind if yours seem to be acting strange.


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## dm5.9

I have the same problem with mine, no drivers side head light, doesnt work at all. Reading on some of the cummins forums some guys were able to get the dealer to reprogram the board and that worked without having to replace it


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## justme-

sno commander;1273160 said:


> the 3rd gens have something similar, theres a chip in the key, if it goes bad your truck will only start for a few seconds then shut off.


Sort of- it's an RFID chip in the key- they almost never go bad, the Sentry Key system in the vehicle fails. When the Sentry Key detects an unauthorized key is is supposed to turn off the engine and require a dealer reset to function again. Sentry keys are permanently paired to the PCM and the PCM can only learn 6 keys so once you have lost key #6 it's time for a new PCM.

Wife's Intrepid has it. I agree, I like my old 12V - It will run with the ignition off if you know what you're doing.


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## mike13

My left side and brake light for the trailer was overloaded. so i went on line to starscam programing site an found out that it the tipm can be reset 5 times before you have to spend 598.00 on a new one. i needed to update the tipm to 17.5 amp so it wont trip at 15amp and if it did trip it wouldnt affect the trailer lights. i went to 1 dealer an told them what i needed done they took the truck.they came back 15min later and said they cant do it do to to many codes all of them were the ones i told them of but a new 1 popped up (evap code) i laughed at them and told them to check gas cap. they looked at me and said they would need to diagnos it ($98)i turned the cap an the light went out. then they handed me a $51 bill for looking at it for 15 min. they also handed me a quote for a tipm an told me im lucky they hv 1 in stock haha. i left pissed an $51 lighter. the ni went down the road 15 miles to another dodge dealer told them the issue and they listened and fixed it in 20 min cost me $98 bucks but very happy. then i went back to other dealer showed the big boss of the dealer he then in turn said so sorry an tried to give back money and free oil change an full tire change /balance/align package i told him to keep it an left. sorry for being long winded. dont let them tell you they cant reset it.


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## KSikkema

The amount of electrical issues that we have seen come through our shop in the last number of years has increased dramatically. Everything is computer controlled where a simple relay used to do the job. And as mentioned, many times those relays or circuits are part of a module that cannot be serviced separately. Many times the dealer is the only option you have as buying used is a very large gamble, especially on the Dodges since they seem to have the worst module failure rates. If you replace a module for one reason, the used one may fail for another reason shortly after. And all these modules are not pre-programmed anymore, they have to be dealer flashed with the specific vehicle information, as differing options on your vehicle versus the donor vehicle may cause false codes as well. The manufacturers (all of them) are trying their best to make it harder and harder for you to purchase parts anywhere but through them.


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## mike13

i went to my uncles shop for him to do it sense hes the guy the dealers send there cars when the dealer cant fix it but he didnt have the chrysler software. so he called his programmer tool dealer and with all his tech on his truck he didnt have it. he told me that no one but the dealer has the starscan mobile programmer in my area. 

ps if you have not had any problems yet go get it flashed and updated for a 100 bucks instead of 700


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## RODHALL

there is a work a round for the TIPM most trucks do not use all the "loops" on the board. it is just finding a Dealer Tech that knows what he is doing enough to do it correctly...

There is also a work around for the Grey (Chiped) Key as long as you have one working grey key.


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## Mopard

I'm on my 3rd TIPM now. Both times I lost headlight(s) permanently. 
The part # has been superceded numerous times (6 or 8 times, idr ... I posted the actual number in a similar thread earlier ... at the time) as they continue to try work this mess out. I know mine was (re)programmed each time also.


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