15,000 Miles - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

15,000 Miles - 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Long-Term Road Test

Our long-term 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel has clocked 15,000 miles in less than six months. It's a popular vehicle, but what does that mean for the maintenance schedule?

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kirkhilles1

So, was the issue with the DEF fluid identified and/or fixed? You guys were burning through DEF fluid at an alarming rate and then all of the sudden you didn't mention it again. Surprising.

bankerdanny

Just buy it at AutoZone or Walmart, stop wasting money at the dealer.

allthingshonda

Great fuel economy for a large heavy truck. Currently 20% of Rams have the eco diesel. They think they can sell 50% diesels by the current amount of interest and requests for diesels. They will double production of the 3.0 diesel V6.

Many Ecodiesel buyers are new to diesels and may complain if they experience hard starting in winter, This engine has not been in customer hands for a winter yet so it will be interesting to see how these new owners like it on 0 degree icy mornings. The Cummins version is easy, for a diesel, to start since it has an air intake heater, fuel heater, DEF heater and standard auxiliary block heater. Even with all of that if it is really cold and isn't plugged in overnight it can take up to 30 seconds before you can try to start it. Even after it starts if it is really cold the message center will display "Reduced power during warm up" Normal but a big difference if you are used to gas engines.

Hopefully these new owners understand and not score it low on surveys or complain about it to family and friends. I doubt dealers are educating new buyers about starting diesels in the winter. And like the Edmunds editors most people don't read the manual. Maybe the Edmunds editors can let us know if the EcoDiesel has all of the same heating systems the Cummins version has. I doubt it since this version has only one battery where the Cummins has two. With two batteries the Cummins engine has about 1,600 combined cold cranking amps.

ek900

Allthingshonda - Your post is right on the money, and gives me the giggles remembering a neighbor of mine go through fits trying to start his Olds Toronado diesel every November through March. That guy never got out of his driveway in less than 25 minutes.

dgcamero

ek900 said:

Allthingshonda - Your post is right on the money, and gives me the giggles remembering a neighbor of mine go through fits trying to start his Olds Toronado diesel every November through March. That guy never got out of his driveway in less than 25 minutes.

Those converted from gasoline GM diesels were arguably the worst diesels ever produced. One of my earliest memories is recalling the enormous cloud of black smoke that billowed from the dual exhausts of my mom's Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme diesel...after my folks didn't think it was going to start.

pikademon

How much was your 15,000mi service? My dealership is charging me $800. Sounds like a lot having previously owned a Toyota FJ and paying $30 for an oil change every 3k miles and bigger services were usually under $250.

The nice thing is the 7,500 benchmark on the services. This is my trucks second service and aside from the DEF injector/catalyst problem every one of the EcoDiesels had, it runs great! Taking a trip to FL in a couple weeks, approx 3k mi round trip. It'll be the first long distance road trip we go with this truck.