For years, Ram heavy-duty vehicles had been among the many best pickups to work on electronically. If you happen to owned a pre-2018 mannequin, plugging into the OBD-II port — that small connector underneath the sprint present in each fashionable automotive — gave you wide-open entry. You might clear a cussed test engine mild, recalibrate for bigger tires, and even load a customized tune with EFILive. That simplicity, and the openness it allowed, is a part of what made Cummins vehicles a favourite for DIYers and small diesel retailers.
That modified with the 2018 mannequin 12 months. Ram launched the Safe Gateway Module (SGW), a system that turned the once-open OBD-II port right into a half-locked door. Studying information like increase strain, gasoline vary, or bother codes nonetheless labored, however the SGW blocked any makes an attempt to switch the system. FCA/Stellantis stated the SGW was launched for cybersecurity and emissions compliance, however many homeowners felt like they’d misplaced management over techniques they used to entry freely.
The reply the diesel group turned to is what’s now referred to as a Cummins bypass cable (additionally referred to as an SGW bypass harness or a safety bypass cable). The cable would not tune the truck by itself, although. As a substitute, it merely reroutes your diagnostic device across the SGW and restores the identical degree of entry that pre-2018 vehicles had. Scan instruments like AlfaOBD, EFILive, and JScan (normally paired with an OBDLink adapter) deal with the precise diagnostics, tuning, and coding — from flashing CSP5 tunes and adjusting speedometer calibrations to enabling distant begin or modifying mileage settings.
A easy cable returns full management on 2018+ Ram vehicles
Formally, Stellantis desires you to undergo AutoAuth, a cloud-based login system that quickly unlocks the Safe Gateway for registered scan instruments and apps. It does the job, but it surely’s aimed toward dealership-style service environments and should not assist the instruments that smaller mechanics and tuners choose. The Cummins bypass cable exists as an offline, hardware-based workaround. The official route by AutoAuth additionally prices about $50 per 12 months, and it solely works with scan instruments that assist it, like these from Snap-on, Bosch, Autel, or ThinkCar, which have subscription prices of their very own.
The bypass route, in the meantime, requires a one-time {hardware} buy plus the price of an OBD adapter (just like the OBDLink MX+ or EX) and an Android gadget with whichever diagnostic app you intend to make use of — most run on Android or Home windows. The cable plugs into the SGW’s two connector sockets and relocates the OBD-II port to a extra accessible spot underneath the sprint. Putting in the cable normally entails eradicating the manufacturing facility OBD connector and mounting the brand new one as an alternative. SGW bypass cable distributors like Fish Tuning even word that the harness is supposed to be “put in and left within the car.” That new port turns into your entry level for diagnostics and coding.
With the bypass in place, Cummins homeowners report efficiently disabling seatbelt chimes and test engine lights, reprogramming tire measurement, and altering TPMS thresholds. A bypass cable additionally permits adjusting DRL/headlight settings, and even programming alternative key fobs to open and shut automotive home windows. These are all capabilities that might in any other case be blocked with out AutoAuth.
