Mirrors caused check engine light....

[zogg]

Towing mirrors caused check engine light!!!!!
I decided to remove the towing mirrors and replace them with regular rear view mirrors. My truck is a 2013 2500. I bought a pair of mirrors off a guy who had a 2012 2500...everything fit perfectly.

A coupe of says later, the check engine light came on and the temperature display said minus forty degrees. The tranny started shifting funny, slaming into second, and hard down shifting at a stop. I was sure the computer was going bad at 3500 miles!

Took it to the dealer who said the mirror swap caused the problems, because the temperature sensors for my truck are in the mirrors. Ugh....

I swapped the mirrors back, disconnected the battery to clear the check engine light, and all is back to normal....

By the way, I did pay a diagnostic fee of $125.....ouch

Who would have thought????

I had no idea how sensitive the newer computers really are....I guess I can change the oil....ha

[noteven]

BurbMan is correct

The temp sensor provides the ambient temperature reading to the engine control module (ECM). The ability to display the outside temp in the cab in 2 scales of measurement is a handy side benefit of needing the instrument to provide info to the ECM.

I asked a guy with a Kenworth where the temp sensor is and he said driver side mirror. Best place for it away from vehicle heat and reflected heat apparently.

[BurbMan]

X2...not sure WHY you would remove tow mirrors if you tow a TT....

I can guess the reason for the temp sensor in the mirror is to keep it away from ambient engine heat and give a true picture of what the temp really is outside.

[45Ricochet]

Stefonius wrote:

45Ricochet wrote:
Most likely a EPA thing :W
Still can't figure out why one would take off towing mirrors unless you don't tow anything :H

There may have been a collision involved. Dead truck = parts!

Did you read the thread?????? 2013 2500 Ram with a bump pull in his Sig.
Just me but if I had a collision I'd want the same OEM mirrors installed. Reading skills are sometimes questionable on this forum.

[dodge_guy]

You gotta love how they design cars nowadays!

[1995brave]

Turbo Diesel Dude wrote:
My Ram keeps telling me that Oil Change Is Due when I just had it done and tried resetting by just turning on the ignition and pushing on the brake pedal three times. No workee.

I does work. You have to push the gas pedal down slowly three times.

[Stefonius]

45Ricochet wrote:
Most likely a EPA thing :W
Still can't figure out why one would take off towing mirrors unless you don't tow anything :H

There may have been a collision involved. Dead truck = parts!

[45Ricochet]

Most likely a EPA thing :W
Still can't figure out why one would take off towing mirrors unless you don't tow anything :H

[Ozlander]

redsb3 wrote:
That placement doesn't seem very intelligent. So if your mirror gets damaged in a parking lot or wherever, your truck may stop working? I don't know what they were thinking, out of all the places they could put it, they decided the mirror was best?

Well, it is a Dodge. :S

[camperforlife]

Interesting, sorry for your problems but you answered a question that I have wondered about: "where is the temperature sensor for the thermometer?"

[Turbo_Diesel_Du]

My Ram keeps telling me that Oil Change Is Due when I just had it done and tried resetting by just turning on the ignition and pushing on the brake pedal three times. No workee.

[redsb3]

That placement doesn't seem very intelligent. So if your mirror gets damaged in a parking lot or wherever, your truck may stop working? I don't know what they were thinking, out of all the places they could put it, they decided the mirror was best?

[zogg]

Agreed....

My truck has the option of setting the computer for light or heavy electric tow vehicle brakes, or hydraulic brakes....

Took two of us and a call to the dealer service dept to make the appropriate change for my trailer...had to use a combination of the dash screen display and the uconnect radio....ugh!

[stus__family]

I have never looked at the owner’s manual that came with my new cars or trucks until I had a problem probably two or three years after buying them.
It only took about two days after purchasing my 2013 F150 that I realized I had better study the manual in detail. These things are so smart now that they are scary. I have decided to drive and not touch any of the computer presets, heck I tried to dim the dome lights and it took me a hour of reading to figure how to turn it off.. I wonder how long it will be before the hackers decide to wreck havoc on the computer controls.