MACS Monthly Newsletter - 2020 - MAR6

any qualified opinions, it does at least appear they did
their homework on bypassing faulty TIPM fuel pump
relays with several kit variations and extensive information about each of their options. Their focus is on
the plague of fuel pump relay failures. What about
bypasses for other internal TIPM relays that can also
fail? This is a possibility, but all depends on the circuit
itself.

Factory Fuel Pump Relay Recall (courtesy FCA)
New Safety Recall Advanced Communication - V62
(11/21/2019)
FCA US LLC has announced a safety recall on certain 2011
through 2013 Model Year (WD) Dodge Durango and 2011
through 2013 Model Year (WK) Jeep® Grand Cherokee vehicles.

FCA - Tight Lipped on TIPMs

There appears to be a stark contrast to the abundance of aftermarket TIPM info on the web compared
to what the OEM has to share. Search the factory service manual ("FCA's Tech Authority") for TIPM problems and metaphorically speaking, there's a photo of
MAD Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman saying, "What,
me worry?" I searched numerous FCA models and
model years for TSBs. Not much beyond the less than
helpful recall listed below. One would presume that
FCA's aftermarket accessible "Tech Authority" must
have some omissions compared to their dealer only
"Dealer Connect"? Either that or FCA keeps their own
dealer technicians somewhat in the dark as far as their
ESI goes. So, in the spirit of investigative journalism,
I made a call to a Dodge dealer's parts department.
This Dodge dealer counterman was a good company man. While he was reluctant to be overly candid
with answers, he was very skillful at helping me to
read between the lines regarding the status of TIPM
back orders, TIPM failure rates and the Mopar factory
"blessed" bypass kits. As of late last year (due to limited supply) the factory TIPM fuel pump bypass kits
are now only available for certain VINs (Figure 8).

VINs identified as being involved in this campaign are currently live and searchable. Stop sale is in effect for the aboveidentified vehicles. Vehicles impacted by a stop sale are eligible for reimbursement allowance through the Recall Floorplan
Reimbursement Policy (RFPRP), which can be requested
upon recall claim submission.
The recall continues with a description of the common problems associated with the TIPM's fuel pump relay. The recall includes the statement, "The remedy for this condition is not currently
available."

Customer's Vehicle Not in the Recall Window?

FCA

What about the other Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles NOT
listed in the safety recall? Do the TIPMs fail on any other models? Failures may perhaps not be as frequent on other models,
but as we all know, TIPMs and their PC board relays do fail.
How likely is it that a TIPM failure effects A/C? Considering the
fact that the same style of PC board integrated relay is used for

Figure 9: When the service manual's theory of operation is not clear on how the system works, a trip to the
related module's connector pinout may give you an indication. The connector pinouts for the HVAC module /
control head on this 2013 Dodge Caravan with automatic
HVAC show there to be no dedicated "A/C Request" circuit. Therefore, the proper assumption is a CAN IHS
(Intermediate High Speed) data bussed message (circled)
containing this information. If you're diagnosing a rear
blower motor inop condition, however, you would need
to check the dedicated circuit (non-bussed) between the
HVAC module and the TIPM.

Figure 8: Chrysler's STAR Center (dealer technical assistance center) had numerous cases of fuel pump relay
failures on various models of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeeps
equipped with a TIPM. Since the relays were embedded on
the TIPM's PC (printed circuit) board, the choices were to
either replace the entire TIPM (which are known to sometimes be in short supply / high cost) or to modify the existing TIPM by adding an external relay and fuses as listed on
the first page of this document that accompanies the relay
bypass kits.

March 2020

MACS Service Reports

MACS Monthly Newsletter - 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MACS Monthly Newsletter - 2020