Dodge Ram: Problems & Solutions

busterw

I have a 2002 quad cab with the 4.7 liter engine.
When I am sitting at idle I hear a ticking noise similar to a lifter tapping. I have taken it to the dealer to be checked out and the explanation given to me is Dodge uses an oil filter with a valve that keeps the oil from draining out of the top end when shut off. Has anyone else heard of this? Also has anyone else had this problem. Any help would be appreciated.

emale

almost all oil filters have an anti drainback valve...and all manufacturers are okay with them. and to the best of my knowlege they don't cause engine noise!

as for the tick...it might not necessarily be a valve. many things under the hood or even in the cab can make a ticking noise. i've noticed that some fuel injectors make a slight tapping noise...especially when cold. even heard an interior fan make that kinda noise. anyway you've got lots of warranty left if indeed a valve is the culprit...

jkulp42757

Same thing happened to me, we just got our first snow.

Design flaw I suppose.

______________________________________
2002 Ram QC 4x4 Sport
20inch wheels
Black Exterior
Dark Slate Gray Interior

dustyk

BusterW,

This is the first I've heard of any engine noise on a 4.7, especially valve train. Lifter clatter on start up can be caused by a drainback valve in the oil filter sticking or leaking, low oil pressure, wrong viscosity oil for the ambient temperature, or some engine defect that allows oil to drain down or a defective valve lifter, among other things. But I think you are indicating that this noise is present most of the time, so oil filter drainback valve isn't the problem in that scenario.

Make a pest of yourself until its resolved!

Good luck,
Dusty

kenm33

I posted last week regarding a complete power loss to the dashboard on my 2002 Ram Quad Cab. Turns out the instrument cluster was bad. From talking to the dealer it seemed like this is a known problem.

Also I asked them to check the tire hop and they gave the old standby line " checks OK at this time".

One last thing - radio clock was running fast. They replaced the radio but this seems to be a known problem also.

jetgirl98

My '01 truck is doing the same thing--I'll turn it on and have no gauges, no tail-lights, no mileage, all the warning lights on. I've taken it to the dealership four times in the past three months and they've done everything from replacing the instrument cluster to trying to convince me that a fuse "fell out". Riiiight. The latest diagnosis was "a bad connection behind the instrument cluster", but I doubt the problem is actually fixed. Any other suggestions on what could be the actual problem, and how to get the blasted dealership to actually FIX it?

peppe1

I have noticed a puddle of power steering fluid under the truck in the morning and checked to find out that the return hose on the rack slides all around on its port(the one with the corrugated protection). This hose is clamped with a CV boot crimp clamp is this common. Anyone else have the same clamp and play in the hose?
Should I just put a gear clamp on it and be done with it?

joffficer

Hi, I have a '95 1500 SLT SB with the 5.2L. After 75k miles it's has been problem free. This past week (it's been getting cold, 20-40 degrees) it's taking longer to start when cold. It turns over fine, and the battery isn't that old (2 years). When it's warm it starts right up as usual. I've been putting off changing the distributor cap (where the hell is it . I haven't been using it every day like I did when new.... it might sit for a week between use.
Any other ideas, other than the cap?

dustyk

Before I suspected the distributor cap and rotor, I'd first look at the spark plugs. I don't know what the plug service interval is on your '95, but sometimes spark plugs can contribute to hard starting and not yet have reached their service interval.

Good luck,
Dusty

newport61

I've got a 95 SLT 4x4 5.9 Extended Cab Long Bed,
it just broke down with what seems to be a clogged converter, I had the same problem in Jan 02, had a new thermostat, O2 sensor, and temp sensor installed along with a new converter, sinse then the truck has run about 3000 miles. It dispays a sudden loss of power under load then stalls, will not restart until allowed to sit for 15-20 min, it will then run for 15min. If allowed to sit for several days the problem will not occur until being driven over 90 min. Anybody got any ideas?

dustyk

Newport,

Well, it sounds like you know what the problem is, but not the cause. The most common cause for premature catalytic converter failure is an engine that is running too rich. There could be a number of reasons for this, including a faulty computer or problems with your injectors.

Good luck,
Dusty

kellwhy

Without venting too much anger I will say that my 2003 2500 SLT 4X4 Hemi, my 6th Dodge in 4 years, has a harmonic vibration that the dealer just can't seem to locate. Although it just ticked over 1000 miles I still don't have the truck as it's been in the shop for 23 days now. So far they have replaced/removed both drive shafts and wheels and tires. They "think" it may be the front differential. After 30 days I won't care what they "think" the problem is because I will demand a refund in accordance with Kansas' Lemon Law. Hopefully noone else is having this same problem with the new Hemi.

Kelly

savage7

Well, I can say thus far (after 6,500 miles of driving my new 02-QC short bed 4x4) that I have not experienced any problems or the hop as mentioned (no worse than any other pickup I've owned and have owned several) however, I have the 17-inch tires but don't know if that makes any difference. Nor have I experienced the problem with the 4.7 engine idle or transmission issues (have the 5-speed manual). No mirrors falling off and my tail gate support cables are equal in toughness BUT, I have noticed a door seal issue on the bottom side of all four doors -- when in the mud, the mud splashes up into the door jams. I installed the nerf tubes but now wish I had installed the running boards instead. To limit the mud and water splashing into the door jams, I installed mud flaps all around -- that should help.

Otherwise, I've enjoyed the truck and it rides very nice and performs well. Good value for the money of all the trucks I looked at. I was surprised however, to see that I have a Mexican truck! I've been taking some Spanish lessons to better communicate with her!

mikeram2500

I have been reading several messages concerning the transmissions on the Dodge Ram, but have not come across anything quite like the issue I am having. I have a 03 2500QC w/ the cummins diesel and 4 speed automatic o/d trans. The problem is the transmission wants to be in o/d all the time. This is fine until I get in the mountains and lose all my speed. It won't drop out of o/d until 35-40mph. If I lock out o/d then I lose 4th gear and top speed is 55-60mph. Dealer has looked at the truck 3 times and comes back with same answer; no codes, drives fine, no problem. Any suggestions? I need some help. Problem is worse when towing.

damayor

Hello, Please bear with me, as this is my first posting. I own a 2002 Ram QC and overall I am very pleased with it. Recently, in the last month or so, it has been leaking in the driveway. My 16 year old son (who I don't give enough credit for his automitive knowledge) crawled underneath and said it was coming from the power steering box. So I take it to the dealer (35 miles away) and they have it for a day and tell me they simply had to tighten up a transmission line. Next day it is leaking in my driveway again. Same leak. Dealer gets it back. This time they say it is the power steering box. (How about that). So they put a new O-ring in the line going to the box and tell me problem solved. A week later the leak is back. Today I spoke with the service writer, who really is trying to help. He told me that he checked with Dodge to see if there had been similar problems. Dodge told him that it seems there is some sort of problem with the rack and pinion. So a part has been ordered. He said he would call me when part came in and they would give me a loaner while it is being repaired. Just hope they don't loan me a Neon like last time.
Also, I was wondering if anyone had a problem with the power door locks? When I push the power door lock button it only unlocks the front doors. You then have to reach in and pull the back door locks up so you can open it from the outside.
In spite of my troubles, and there are a couple others which I will put in another posting, I really do like my truck. It is a very comfortable ride. I have had it since Feb. 2002 and already have 17000+ miles on it. Anyway, I would appreciate any replies to this posting.
Steve

peppe1

Look at my post(211) and that was the problem with my power steering leak.
Let me know what part they had to order to fix the rack.
Thanks
tom

ramforceone

Check out this link... http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2002-index-DR.htm. You'll find a TSB to show your dealer for the door locks. Good Luck

damayor

Thanks for the responses. Peppe1, I talked to my service writer today and he said that the part he had ordered for the rack was #52106518AE. He said it should be in either Friday or Monday. He will call me and let me know when to bring it in. I am hoping 3rd time is a charm. It better be!

Ramforceone, thanks for the link. I went right to the part that is needed for fixing the door lock. That is a great website. I made sure to bookmark it for future reference. When I called the dealer, I gave him the part#. He put me on hold a when he came back to the phone he said that was the correct part.

I also told the dealer that the first thing in the morning, after I have let it warm up, I pull away and get up to about 40-45 mph. As I come to a stop sign to take a right turn, I feel a very hard downshift at about 10-15 mph. Sounds like "THUNK". After that I don't hear it any more. I read about this problem on another posting, but I can't remember who wrote it. Sorry.

One more thing, does anybody think the power windows are too slow? Mine seem to take forever. You know how you touch the drivers window switch and it goes down by itself? Most of the time mine will only go 3/4 of the way down and I have to hold the switch to put it all the way down. At that point I hear a grinding noise. Hopefully the dealer can take care of all of this in my next visit.

Once again, thanks peppe1 and ramforceone for your input. If you or anybody else reading this knows about the other problems I mentioned, I would appreciate some more help.
Thanks,
Steve

kellwhy

Well, after 32 days and also replacing the ring/pinion in the front diff. the dealer can't explain the harmonic vibration. I am currently in the process of having the truck "bought" back by Dodge. How sad. I really wish this one would have been a keeper. Good luck other Dodge QC Hemi owners.

ramsquared

I recently had my '02 QC (4.7L, 8000 miles) flashed under TSB 18-030-02. It seems to have cured the engine dying problem. But after the flash, the horn "chirps" once when I open the door (after the truck has sat for at least 10 minutes). I've even seen the lights flash. My truck does not have an alarm or keyless entry. I took it back to the dealer and after looking over her for 2 days, they said they found a "chirp code" in the PCM and removed it. Well, it still "chirps" when I open the door after it has sat for a while. So, it's back to the dealer. Anyone else having this same problem after the TSB flash? I'm afraid that this may be the tip of the iceberg, maybe a short circuit in the making.

utlogger

Thanks, ramforceone, for the link to Ram TSB information. What a wealth of information in that site!

tricialy2

Hi,

The engine in my 98 Dodge Ram needs to be replaced at 60,000 miles (about $3000) - the repair shop said these engines had problems with a small oil intake (or something similar) causing the engine to not get enough oil, but if you check the oil, it shows in the safe zone. - anyone else had that happen.

pally

A friend of mine has a 97' Ram with a 360 and 68000 miles and it just blew up cruising at 70 mph on the freeway. I have read that the 360 doesn't have many headbolts and that headgasket failures are not uncommon. We think that's what happened. $ 3800.00 to replace the motor here in Houston at the dealer and after 3 tranny failures he thinks he's about done with Dodge.

dustyk

Problems of catastrophic nature with the 360 motor are extremely rare. I checked with my two reliable sources in the repair business and both said head gasket failures are almost unheard of on this motor. They both sort of chuckled about the headbolt comment, too. I was reminded that when small block Chrysler motors are raced they have the same amount of headbolts and they survive as good as anything else.

The oil comment drew a blank. Not enough information. The only thing I could think of was a problem with intake gaskets while ago. That would cause oil loss or burning. But nothing related to inadequate oiling, at least in stock form.

Dusty

0patience

pally,
While headgasket failure on the 360 isn't that common, anything is possible.
Most of the engine failures I have seen involved valvetrain failures from an exhaust leak or cracked manifold.

wwhite2

An exhaust leak can cause engine failure?

lariat1

The only exhaust leak engine failure I ever saw was when a guy turned off his engine and it sucked in cold air through the leak and it warped the valves.

mralan

Well my truck is still very new @2 months old and 1500 miles, but I'm amazed that I haven't discovered a single problem. The initial quality is perfect ... not a single defect.

I've owned several brands of new cars before, including many Toyotas, but have yet to have a vehicle that I would proclaim perfect, except for my 03 Ram 1500!

utlogger

My '01 2500 Cummins Ram (6 speed tranny, quad cab, full length bed) has been trouble free after almost 36,000 miles of rough oil field roads, frequent trips through Utah's Uintah Mountains and long trips pulling a heavy backhoe. Mileage is always over 20 MPG (except when pulling the backhoe) and has been as high as 23 MPG! This truck is a joy to drive and has changed my mind about Dodge trucks. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

I have only one minor problem with the truck - the heater fan now makes a low drone sound when it's on speed 3 or 4. On speed 2, it makes a rapid clicking sound. The sound isn't loud, but it is a bit annoying. Any thoughts about what's happening with the fan.

ramasaur

I have a Black 03 3500 Dually 4X4, There is a major problem with the dually fenders. When the vehicle is in the sun, the fenders actually shrink and slide down the side of the truck approx. 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch. I've been working with my dealer to investigate, but haven't heard a fix to it yet. On the dealer's lot, all the 3500 dually were experiencing the same problems. Once the fender cools, it sucks back up. If anyone out there is having the same problems let me know, it really looks trashy on a 40k+ truck to have a white scrapes visible on top of your fenders. Please email dliesman@hotmail.com if your having problems.

0patience

Yes,
Exhaust leaks can pull cool air into the valve area on deceleration.
Add cold air to hot metal and it can snap the valve head.
Fairly common on motor homes. Not sure why, but have seen seven 360/318 engines in motor homes with cracked exhaust manifolds and the exhaust valve had snapped off and been driven clean thru the piston.

bloop22

I have a 94 ram 2500 with a 5speed transmission. The gear shift rattles, mostly when it is cold outside. Has anyone else had this problem and what was your solution?

wwhite2

A dodge trans expert informed me that Dodge Trans do not circulate fluid while in Park but will in neutral . . He stated that the transmission will last a lot longer If you warm them up/ cool down in neutral . He also mentioned that both bands MUST be adjusted every 30 K mi more if you plow or tow just his 2 cents

silverram

I have a '02 Bright Silver 1500 Sport, 20" wheels, 5.9L with approx. 12K miles on it. Absolutely love the truck and still getting compliments on it after a year. It has graphite leather interior with power front seats. I noticed that the front drivers seat (could be the same for the passenger seat, but I don't spend much time there) seems to have some "play" in the seat after it has been set (i.e. it isn't stationary). More specifically it seems that the the seat reclining back has small movement after the seat back has been set. Has anyone else found this? I have tightened everything I can get a wrench or screwdriver on and think it is in the seat mechanism internally. Debating on taking it to the dealer to be looked at but thought I would see if anyone else has noticed this.

Also, being from Chicago, the truck is in the midst of it's first salty winter. I have noticed small (pin head) sized spots of what appear to be surface rust develop. There aren't a lot of them and I can easily remove them with my finger nail after a good washing and waxing/polish, but I find it odd that these develop since I have never found this on any of the other vehicles I have owned. Has anyone experience this? Maybe they are just more easily discovered on the bright silver, most of my other vehicles have been black or graphite.

wwhite2

are you sure they werent always there ? spots like that could be "Rail dust " it comes from the rail cars wheels during transportation from the factory .

silverram

Wwhite2, thanks for the info. I did not notice the spots all spring, summer and fall. It wasn't until the first washing after the truck had been in salty weather that I noticed the spots develope. I give it a good wax every 3-4 months, so I am not sure why these develope after the truck has been in salt.

ezshift5

Torque + fuel efficiency. Anyone out there aware of getting more than 23 MPG?

medolark

I have a 2001 RAM 1500 long bed and standard cab. I've only had it a few months. My problem is the ride is really rough. Every little bump in the road transmits into the seat of your pants. So far, I have reduced tire pressure from about 41 to 32 which helped a lot, and I also flipped the bottom leaf (overload) over on the rear springs. That didn't do much, if anything. Has anyone else experienced this and found a solution? Help please!!

jimpat65

I have an 02 1500 QC with the 4.8. I love the space in the truck but have to say that the suspension is softer than that on my Toyota van. I have just bought a boat and towing it down the road is painful on the kidneys as the truck bounces up and down.

Does everyone else have this problem, and if so what type of shocks have you replaced the original with?

Thanks for the info,
Jim

loncray

Well, I'm getting about 15mpg in my '03 Cummins Ram 2500 - that's all stop and start, using winter fuel, and with a big cap on the back. On the highway I get 18 - 20. Never did get over 21, but the way I drive (I can't have all that power and not USE it!), I'd be getting maybe 7 mpg with a gas engine.

sdscheffel

Has anyone out there installed a lower degree thermostat. My 96 1500 with 5.9l w/ auto trans runs in the 200 to 210 range year round. It has run that hot since I bought it with 40k miles on it 3 years ago I now have 110k miles. I have a Mopar Performance PCM, Accel Cap(Brass contacts), Rotor, and High voltage Coil. High flow air intake, I run synthetic engine, trans, and rear end lube. MSD 8.5 MM plug wires and Bosch Platinum +4 plugs. My next mods will be a set of Summit Racing truck headers, and a cat back dual exhaust. I am thinking about a JET Powertech 180 degree thermostat. It is supposed to meter the water through the engine better for a more consistant engine temp. I just wonder if it will cause my truck to run in a closed loop all the time. I know that it goes to an open loop(runs off the sensor data and not a preset program) when it gets to a preset engine temp and I don't know if 180 degrees is to low. If any one knows or can give me a good source of info it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

akjbmw

How accurate is the temperature display? Maybe an aftermarket temp sending unit and display for the engine would be a good thing.

randyf42

Have a 1998 dodge ram 3.9 V6 check engine light comes on and code reads #5 cylinder miss fire, replaced plugs plug wires, and coil pack, reset the computer but this code comes back, any one have any ideas

inukeu2

I'll be the first one to admit that not every problem can be solved on the first go 'round. My AC problem has gotten out of hand. Last fall the AC started malfunctioning intermittently. No problem I took it to the service dept. and had them diagnose the problem. By the end of the day they said I needed a new power control module. Two weeks later I had a new PCM. It still didn't work, not even sometimes. I didn't worry because it was now October and who needs AC in Indiana in the winter?

February 27th I took it back in because I thought I would beat the heat. After a day in the service dept. they told me they could not diagnose the problem and it was working when I left. My skepticism rose. "Bring it back in if it happens again" they said. I tried it today, it was 55 degrees out. NOTHIN'! I called and they said bring it back in. I'm sorry but four trips to the dealer for one problem is ridiculous for a truck with more computers than the Apollo spacecraft. Does anybody have any suggestions before May when the heat really hits? I can only be patient for so long!

mike389

Have small amount of oil coming down from behind harmonic balancer and was told the front main seal needs to be replaced. Went to Checker and they did not have a front main seal on computer.Is there a seal or gasket or O ring that can be replaced and what do you call it? Any help would be appreciated. 97' 1500, 5.9 Thanks

angels3

I have an 03' 2500 Quad Cab, love my truck but on some cement roads we have here in Colorado the truck bounces. Has anyone else experienced this problem? if anyone has any suggestions on how to fix this problem, I would appreciate it.
Bernie

utlogger

Bernie, I experience the same bouncing, in my case almost a rocking motion, in my ‘01 RAM 2500 Quad Cab when I drive over older concrete sections of I-15 in central Utah. My softly sprung Japanese wagon also bounces over these sections, but the bouncing is much more pronounced in the RAM probably due to the substantial suspension components Dodge installs in the 2500-3500 series. Granted, the bouncing is uncomfortable, but for me, that’s a small price to pay for the RAM’s excellent handling and control when I tow heavy trailers.

You might try slowing or speeding up a bit to reduce the oscillation reinforcing effect of the regularly spaced and high joints in the concrete. The only other solutions I can think of are lower tire pressure, softer springs or different tires, all of which have significant drawbacks. Fortunately, newer concrete highway construction methods eliminate most of the joints and are much smoother.

Incidentally, you have good taste! The ‘03s look great and from all that I’ve heard, uphold Dodge’s growing reputation of building reliable trucks. If I weren’t so totally satisfied with my ‘01 2500 Cummins RAM, I’d be driving an ‘03 too.

loncray

I was able to get rid of the bounce (most of it, anyway) in my '03 2500 CTD by running a little less air in the tires. Something else you can do is put a lot of weight (sandbags are good) in the bed over the rear axle. Get 300 - 500 pounds and you ought to be a lot smoother.

kle505

The driver side mirror on my 02 4.7L quadcab pop out of its socket this morning as I was folding it. What with these mirrors problems. My rear view mirror is loose and vibrating (easy fix) and the passenger side sun visor w/ mirror does not folds up, I have to push it 3 or 4 times for it to stay up. Back to the dealer again.

kle505

My 02 4.7L quadcab had a ticking sound too. At first when the engine is cold, but then I started to hear it all the time. Took the truck to the dealer, took them 3 days to locate the ticking sound. It was a loose wiring harness, they fixed it and no more ticking sound.
Good luck