Lonely Pastoer
New Member
- Aug 5, 2026
- 2
- 0
- Truck Year
- 2018
I am a small church pastor in SE Texas (Livingston), having only recently moved here from NW Arkansas. My truck is a 2018 RAM 1500 Laramie that currently has a little over 160,000 miles. Until recently, it has been amazingly reliable.
But early in July, while an hour from home with my wife celebrating our anniversary, the truck just quit. Tow and troubleshooting (high-tech... hit on fuel tank and lift pump would try to run), and a new lift pump, and she was back on the road.
Then this past weekend, took a day to visit some friends about 4 hours away - and on the road home, check engine light comes on. I pull off an connect my reader - P0183 - high fuel temp. It wasn't running bad, so I cleared the code to see if it came back on. Sure enough, it is back on, but now with a "permanent code".
Let it sit and tried to drive Sunday afternoon - engine fan comes on like a 747 and truck has no power (limp mode). Pull back in driveway and start researching.
Replaced fuel filter (the "old" one with about 6k miles had a deformed the blue rubber o-ring/gasket - like it was crimped). Hmmm.
New filter in - truck starts and seems to run ok. Get in to take to a church member's mechanic to check it out (since the trouble light still showed and would not stay cleared). Same issue. Checked live data - and the sensor shows right at 5 volts when key is on.
So - assume that means I have to replace the entire fuel/water separator assembly - as the sensor is "built in". I also have watched several videos - and the swap doesn't look too difficult... BUT... that often the aftermarket units don't fix the problem - they either don't actually have a sensor in them (despite having a plug), or they just don't work? So looking at $350-ish for a MOPAR unit.
Meanwhile, a fellow sent me the Chilton P0183 pages - and they give some wiring troubleshooting... but I can't find a diagram for which wires are which for the Fuel Temperature Sensor harness connector (K156) The last thing I want to do is throw $ at this, only to discover it is a harness/wiring issue. So I am out under the truck trying to look for obvious issues (discolored wire, evidence of moisture, broken clips, etc.).
But early in July, while an hour from home with my wife celebrating our anniversary, the truck just quit. Tow and troubleshooting (high-tech... hit on fuel tank and lift pump would try to run), and a new lift pump, and she was back on the road.
Then this past weekend, took a day to visit some friends about 4 hours away - and on the road home, check engine light comes on. I pull off an connect my reader - P0183 - high fuel temp. It wasn't running bad, so I cleared the code to see if it came back on. Sure enough, it is back on, but now with a "permanent code".
Let it sit and tried to drive Sunday afternoon - engine fan comes on like a 747 and truck has no power (limp mode). Pull back in driveway and start researching.
Replaced fuel filter (the "old" one with about 6k miles had a deformed the blue rubber o-ring/gasket - like it was crimped). Hmmm.
New filter in - truck starts and seems to run ok. Get in to take to a church member's mechanic to check it out (since the trouble light still showed and would not stay cleared). Same issue. Checked live data - and the sensor shows right at 5 volts when key is on.
So - assume that means I have to replace the entire fuel/water separator assembly - as the sensor is "built in". I also have watched several videos - and the swap doesn't look too difficult... BUT... that often the aftermarket units don't fix the problem - they either don't actually have a sensor in them (despite having a plug), or they just don't work? So looking at $350-ish for a MOPAR unit.
Meanwhile, a fellow sent me the Chilton P0183 pages - and they give some wiring troubleshooting... but I can't find a diagram for which wires are which for the Fuel Temperature Sensor harness connector (K156) The last thing I want to do is throw $ at this, only to discover it is a harness/wiring issue. So I am out under the truck trying to look for obvious issues (discolored wire, evidence of moisture, broken clips, etc.).