2000 Dodge Ram 1500- Rough Idling Problems

crh2

I have a 2000 Ram 1500 Quad Cab (3000 miles) with
the 5.9 V-8 (Gas). I have had it in the shop twice
the dealer agrees that it is idling rough but
showed me to other new trucks on the lot that had
the same miss while idling is this normal ???? Also
a noise with the Air condition compressor while at
very slow speeds... Any help with be appreciated

4daughters

OK here I go again. Perfection in motion but this time it may be legitimate. On my 4X4 Quad, Auto, 4.7L, when I go to use the intermittent wipers I get more of a sporadic delay. No matter where I put the switch, slow delay or fast, the wipers go on and off at their own discretion. Does anybody else have this? Here in (Western) Washington State I am in great need of this feature and for it to work correctly. Does this thing have a "rain" sensor that needs turned off?
Oh by the way, the whining going on under the hood, after some study, is only happening during cool/cold days. The truck sat on a warm day for 8 hours once but upon starting it and driving off I never heard the noise. But again the next cool morning it was back. ??

bpcambar

I have a 2000 Ram 1500 Quad 4x4. I have only owned it for about 2 weeks. I had a phone installed today and they called me and said that the pad under the carpet on the drivers side was soaking wet. I checked it out and sure enough it was dripping wet. There is no visible water damage on the carpet. It rained here 2 days ago and this is the only time that it has been around water. Has anyone else had this problem? If so will they replace the entire carpet? Also, how much time do you have before you can return the vehicle to the dealership and tell them you are not happy with it? Is there a time limit??

floboss

I have a '98 Ram 1500 4x4 with the 5.9 liter engine and have had a rough idle from the day I took delivery. I, too, drove another '98 Ram and it had the same problem. It appears that most, if not all, have it to some degree.

The mechanic who looked at my truck supposedly talked to a Tech. Rep. at Chrysler whose response was that the emissions had been tightened up for the '98 trucks and that was probably the reason for it. The Tech. Rep. said that if they received enough complaints, a service bulletin might be issued on it. So, my only advice to anyone who has this same problem is to keep complaining to your dealer as I have, and maybe enough voices will get the problem fixed, if a fix is possible.

fury126

For those of you with water leaks, I have a '94 Ram reg. cab. I had 2 separate water leaks, both of which were caused by a defective rear window. My original rear window let go 2 months after I bought it. A pinhole leak around the rear window seal. They fixed it, including replacing the carpet (as it was soaked!) The second time the rear window leaked was just before the warranty was up. This time my headliner as well as my carpet and window were replaced. The body shop tech recommended an aftermarket window with a metal frame, this seems to have fixed the problem (knock knock).

My idle problem is when I let off the gas and it is cold and/or damp. The engine almost dies (sometimes it has) I tuned up the truck (it only has 22,500 miles) and this took most of the flat spot out, but not all. Next time I am buying a Toyota or Nissan crew cab.

klm1962

Engine miss?? Nawwwww.....no way!! I have had an engine miss/rough idle since day one. Also in the V-6 SMPI motor is what Daimler Chrysler calls a normal characteristic of this motor. I have an engine vibration between 1000-1500 RPM. A vibration or out of balance condition will cause premature engine failure. ie; crankshaft will break in two, camshaft, thereby damaging the other internal components as well. Hopefully it won't happen to me as I travel to work on I-40 and a large truck is behind me. Lots of squeaks and rattles and no customer service what-so-ever.
If anyone else has the Ram 1500 with the V-6 please post a reply to this or e-mail me at Klassicone@AOL.com

klm1962

As I stated up above in a previous posting, I too have an engine miss and rough idle in the V-6. I test drove several V-8 trucks as well and ALL of them experienced the same symptoms. Chrysler states it is just because of tighter emissions. BS I have driven Fords, Chevys, and without any motor vibrations, rough idle, or engine miss. They probably define the problem as a "normal characteristic" of this motor....correct? Just because everyone of the motors has the same problem DOES NOT MAKE IT NORMAL !!!!! They have serious problems with their onboard computers and will not recall EVERY ONE of them for repairs. Your best bet is to keep on them about it. IT IS NOT NORMAL!

davids1

When is this miss occurring? My '99 1500 quad 4x4 with the 5.2 liter bogs down on the 1/2 upshift right after startup. This is the only strange characteristic of my motor, at least up to this point.

klm1962

The miss is occuring at idle, and while driving. What you seem to be experiencing is a problem with the transmission not shifting properly. Does your truck idle rough?? Is there a "ticking" noise coming from under the hood?? If so then you probably have a "miss" too.

elboracho

I have a '00 1500 QC 4X4. The truck I bought, plus two others that I test drove at the dealership, all idled roughly. The problem seems to lessen after the truck warms up, though. Has anyone tried using premium gas or some kind of additive and had any success in smoothing this problem out?

wwhite2

Do not try premium gas or "mechanic in a can" to fix rough idling problems you are just wasting your money! Why would you buy a truck that idles poorly ?

rrichf

Does the truck still idle roughly when you shut off the A/C ?

MercuryNJ

The wife has a 1995 Dodge Neon HL, that she bought brand-new in April '94, it began to idle roughly after 2K miles, she took it back to the dealer and was told that the oxygen sensor had to be replaced as per TSB and diagnostic code, they replaced it and the Neon has never had rough idle ever since.

spinny

I have '00 quad 2wd with that nasty idle problem also. So far, they have replaced the intake manifold gasket, (improvement), then they replaced a air/fuel motor (no help). Morning starts, and quick start and go seems to be the most aggravating conditions.

Anyone worked out lease and lemon law together?
Just bought this truck in March, with a 3yr lease.
Highly disappointed!

baileybegs

Having serious problems with my Dodge at 30k miles. Bought my truck used with 16k and had problems ever since. 1st notice a clinking sound,it was missing and then the cruise couldnt hold speed. Going up hills it would go out after the first hil and refuse to shift down on all the rest. Took it in and they replaced the catalytic converter because they said it was falling apart, replaced all the other usual stuff fuel filter pump etc. Changed the cruise servo.. Latest problem is the cruise still wont shift down and now it shuts the AC off while going up hills. So now going on the 5th trip in less than a year to dodge to now tell them that their latest fix to curb the AC from shutting off isnt working. Anyone having this problem and did you ever get it fixed? Thanks

wc27

2001 5.9L with 3000 miles, dealer told me it was normal for my truck to idle rough,,,,yeah right!!!!

nrd525

Well,I have owned THREE 360(5.9)powered vehicles,ALL of them had a slightly rough idle.This seems to be something they develop.My 74 Roadrunner had it,it was fine,never had any engine trouble.My 77 Power Wagon was a disaster,but not due to a bad idle.Everything else went wrong though.I had a 79 Ramcharger for a couple of days,it looked ok at first,then I put it up on a lift,and found out it had been wrecked and salvaged.I got my money back on it.It shook just like my Power Wagon,and my Roadrunner did.
KLM1962-As far as the 3.9 goes.It's a "crude" V6,just a 318 with 2 cylinders whacked off.Just like the 4.3 Chevy V6.It's NOT GOING TO IDLE SMOOTHLY.My 88 S10 Blazer shook at idle,like they all did.The GM engine has balance shafts now,and it's a lot smoother than it was.The Dodge 3.9 doesn't have balance shafts,and has the old shake common to ALL these "designs".The original Buick 3.8 V6 was the first of the hacked V8's and it shook until they redid the crank(offset journals),and put in balance shafts.ALL these engine were was just a really CHEAP way to make a "V6" from the tooling they had for smaller V8's.The Buick 3800 is by far the most advanced of these designs,the Dodge is the least.
I have to ask,what wee you thinking when you bought a 3.9 Ram?I don't know how anyone could actually buy one.I couldn't take a 3.9 in a Dakota,let alone a Ram!I'm not trying to get you angry,I just don't understand it.I've had a couple of "lesser" powered vehicles in the past,and after a few years,I really hated them,and was happy to see them go...

jarndt1

I recently purchased an '01 Ram Quad Cab SLT 4X4 SWB with a 5.2 V8 and a 5spd. I too noticed the rough idle problem right from the beginning. The small block mopar V8's available in the Ram date back to the 1950's when they were designed. They are now computer controlled, CNC machined, and fuel injected, but the major mechanical parts comprising the engine haven't changed much over the years. It is an OLD design and Chrysler knows it. They have stretched its emmissions capabilities as far as they will go, maybe a bit too far which could very well cause a rougher idle than would be otherwise. THAT is why a new engine lineup is in the works due to be introduced within the next year or two. The 4.7L V8 in the Durango is the first of this line. Ford and Chevy have already introduced their new engines, retiring the old designs to make way for tighter emmissions requirements. If you have paid close attention though, you might have noticed something interesting. The new engines reach their peak hp and torque at a much higher RPM than the old engines and Dodge's Magnum series. In addition, Chevy's 270hp rating for the larger of their small V8's is a bunch of BS. Several dyno studies have proved it is in fact much lower. Lower than Dodge's conservative 245hp rating on the 5.9L Magnum. I don't wish to start a war with anyone, but personally, I like the older design better. In fact, I bought my Ram when I did to avoid having to buy one with a new engine design. The old 5.2 and 5.9 pair are tried and true, strong, and reliable engines. I want my hp and especially torque down lower in the RPM band where I can use them, not up over the 5K mark. The Chrysler Corporation is not the bad guy here, they are just trying to make the most out of a very good product. I'm sure they knew about this problem back in '98 when the emmissions restrictions were tightened. They probably simply couldn't make the existing engine burn any cleaner without sacrificing some form of performance, in this case the idle. Just trying to shed a different light on the problem.

davids1

Ram 4x4 X-cab with the 5.2 liter had the rough idle. My current '99 4x4 quad w/5.2 also has the rough idle. The rough idle occurs only at after a cold startup. This is a feature (not problem) I can deal with rather easily. Those of you interested in a Ram should know that the cold start rough idle is a characteristic of the motor and not a problem.

cdean

jarndt1
I've said this other places but, to point, I have a hard time believing GM or anybody can 'fake' horsepower ratings.

Please show us these 'numerous' dyno tests. The only tests I've seen is the Truck trend Chassis Dyno, which shows rear wheel hp, not actual engine.

And the interesting thing about that test was it showed the Chevrolet about 40 hp behind the Ford--a lot. But then Motortrend took the same engines and loaded up with 800 lbs and the Chevy outran the Ford. How can an engine with 40 less hp outrun another?

There are no 'facts' in this arguement.

jcmdie

cdean

The ford was 3.55 rear end and I believe that the chevy was 4.10. That is how 40 HP less can accelerate faster. For some raeson the mags never get comparable trucks to test.

cdean

Jc,

The Chevrolet was a 3.73 gear and the Ford was a 3.55.

Even if it was a 4.10, it would not make up a 40 hp delta. horsepower is speed rating--which is why acceleration tests like that are good proving grounds for. that tests shows engine performance thru the entire rpm range, which kinda equals out ESPECIALLY with the flat torque curves of today's chevy and ford engines.

pmiller4

I bought a new 99 ram 1500 quad cab, The biggest mistake of my life . what a piece of junk! at 18000 miles it left me stranded in s.c. for three days while the Transmission was replaced.( with a used rebuilt one.(dodge would not pay for a new one). Also at 19000 miles engine was torn down due to using a quart of oil for every tank of gas. They had to replace the intake manifold gasket. Also have neumerous electrical problems that have needed to be repaired. anyone looking to buy a new truck don't buy a dodge. (my dealers response to all these problems is We don't make them we just sell them! There customer service is as about as good as their product JUNK!.

jdkan1

I am reading these responses to all the Dodge truck owners with "problems". My question is what in the heck are you talking about? Maybe you live up north where cold weather affects your idleing? I have Been a Dodge owner for ten years. My first Dodge truck was a Ramcharger with the 318 (5.2 Ltr). I currently own a 1998 Ram Quad Cab with the 360 (5.9 Ltr). I had the Ramcharger for eight and a half years, put well over 100,000 miles on the engine, all I ever did was my normal maintenence like oil change, tune ups, etc... My '98 Ram has had new tires and brakes, and I change the oil every 3,000 miles religiously. No problems with Dodge trucks yet. Then again I drove commercial tractor/trailer for seven years, and I understand trucks a little more and have a some common sense about most things. I am not stuck to one particular manufacturer, I just like to stick with things that work for me. My truck has no "idle" problems, and it is much more powerful than my old "throttle body" injected 318. Sometimes I forget I am driving a pickup truck, it rides that smooth! Oh, I have 44,500 miles on my'98 right now. As for torque, that is what pulls, not horse power. The lower RPM you can get your torque, the more you will be able to pull. I have driven All makes of big diesel engines, Cummins, Detriot, and Caterpillar, and most of them were six-cylinder engines with huge huge foot-pounds of torque at low RPM's. I thing the Biggest truck I ever drove was a 1994 Freightliner, and it had 350 Horse Power, that's all! But the engine produced about 1,250 foot pounds of torque. That's how they pull 80,000 pounds. That is what I want out of my Dodge Ram. Lots of Torque, and my 5.9 has delivered (rated @ 335 Ft. Pounds of toruqe). But, it sounds like everyone on here dislikes Dodge, but if you have problems to that extent, buy something else. I had a similar problem with a Ford product (wont get detailed) and it was the first and last Ford I will EVER own.

seabottomm

I have my first & last Dodge Ram ( 1995 ).
I have had uncorrected vibrations since day one on 70 mph highway driving. The brakes are undersized and in the winter the windows will not go down with the slightest moisture on them. Also at 100,001 miles ( policy I bought was for 100,000) the air conditioning died. $1,200 to fix. Plenty of rattles to keep you company.

seabottomm

I have my first & last Dodge Ram ( 1995 ).
I have had uncorrected vibrations since day one on 70 mph highway driving. The brakes are undersized and in the winter the windows will not go down with the slightest moisture on them. Also at 100,001 miles ( policy I bought was for 100,000) the air conditioning died. $1,200 to fix. Plenty of rattles to keep you company.

phatdan

My Ram ha 43k on it and has idled rough when cold evry morning since I drove it off the lot. Been a good truck other than 4 intake gskts and constant pinging( which has been fixed thanks to a new "flash" from Daimler-Chrysler). Would like help on a new problem which has just started. Bad vibration at 40mph and up. Feels like misfire or road bumps. Have installed new plugs, tires, shocks and still have the problem. Local dealer did the portable computer thing and came up empty. I drive 100 miles a day and am starting to get irritated.

merchel

just bought ram 2 weeks ago and it has a major idling problem. i took it to the dealer to get it fixed and he said theres nothing wrong with it and that its a problem with all the 2000 rams. i asked to sit in another one and i sat in a 2000 ram v-8 and 2001 v6 none idled neer as rough as mine.i really thing somthings wrong has anyone had there idling problem fixed yet!

kamel51

At 1,700 miles my brand new 2000 Dodge ram 4x4 started a rough idle. I shrugged it off until one day it chugged and missed between the 1st and 2nd gear shifts, I have a 5-speed manual with a 5.2 V-8. It has done this just about every day. It only does it at start up when it sits overnight. I also noticed that it is worse if it is damp out. Had it to the dealer twice, waste of time. 1st time they said it was probably bad gas or some additive that was put in the gas. I have (3) other vehicles that I buy gas for from the same station. When the service man went to work on my truck he also did the portable computer check and it did act up for him, but he couldn't figure it out. 2nd time at the shop they said there was nothing wrong. It still idles rough, jerks between 1st and 2nd gear but I hate to keep taking it in for service when they don't find anything wrong. Other than this problem I can't complain about the truck. I get 19-20 miles per gallon at 55 - 60 mph and I have the off road package with the 4:10 rear end, and this is no BS.

davids1

Some vehicles are more susceptible to moisture/condensation in the fuel system. Try a safe, non-corrosive fuel system water remover. I tried this in my 97 4x4 Ram club cab and it did seem to help. Let me know if it works for you.

David

bobw14

I am considering a 2001 4X4 1500 w/5.9L, Has anybody out there purchased the Offroad package? My question is whether it really provides an additional 2" of clearance. If it does than in theory, you should be able to put 33x12.5's on with the stock suspension.
Also, can anyone recommend a good dealer in San Diego? How much over invoice should I expect to pay?
Thanks,
RT

budsiler

I recently bought a 2001 dodge ram 1500 quadcab 155" wb
I am fully satisfied with the way it rides , except on cement freeways.
It has terrible fry hop.
Does anybody know any cures ? I have tried 200#
of sand without results. any suggestions??
tires? ,springs , shocks????

rrichf

jcmdie,
Maybe the reason that the trucks are never the same, there's a hidden (a.k.a. payola) agenda?

Also, was one vehicle 'shifted' for power while the other left in over drive?

budsiler,
Your tires require a different air pressure depending upon the load on the tire. The Dodge specified pressures assume a truck loaded to the GVRW. (For legal reasons.) Get your truck weighed and adjust the tire pressures accordingly.

Rich

uo2b4x4n2

been exceptional....now approaching 17,ooo miles in 8 mos driving and going strong. The 360, 5.9 does not idle rough, auto trans shifts smoothly, no leaks, or rattles, fit and finish is tight. This truck was manufctd in Mexico!!I have changed the oil 4x...tires rotated once. The highway driving speed averages 75-80 mph @5hr intervals and the comfort factor is remarkable. Leather interior w/ cd ,dark tinted glass enhance the experience. Saving the off- road for later.Using only unleaded plus (89octane) fuel. Shop around alot prior to this purchase ,from EB Expedition , Land Rover, Montero , Most bang for the buck with the truck!!

jcmdie

My point exactly. One of the mags had a dodge 5.2 with 3.55 rear end annd the chevy a 5.3 with the 4.10 rear. Gee, I wonder what might happen? There is good info in the mags if you can sift thru the BS and sometimes its hard.

bubbay

try carsdirect.com to evaluate your price. I have found that on the Ram you usually get a price of about $300 less that invoice. Also the Off Road is probably about 2 inches higher. I have a 97 SS/T and have put tires about 1 inch taller on it. 305/55R17 Nitto. It still has room for a taller tire. bubs

joev5

After reading all these comments concerning rough idling and mechanical problems with the new Dodge 1500 series ... I was a bit concerned. I live in Florida and am on the road a lot being a salesman. I really liked the looks of the Quad Cab so I did my own checking. I talked with a lot of local owners plus drove a couple. I ended up buying a 2001 5.2 litre Quad Cab and love it. These idle problems must be from the Northern owners possibly due to the very cold starts. Of all I've talked to and of the 4 I drove ... none of them have this miss. Granted it sounds a bit different than I'm used to .. a deeper growl .. or maybe a unfamiliar mechanical sound ( neither of which is unpleasant ) .. but the performance is excellent! The acceleration is very smooth and powerfull plus it doesn't miss a lick! The growl sounds like the glass packs of my youth ( I'm 50 ). The interior , for a big pickup , is exceptionally quiet and very well appointed. I'm not saying that it's a better truck than any other manufacturers .. but I will say that I'm pleased enough with this Dodge that any differences are personal choices. Just seemed odd that so many owners love this truck and you few have had so many problems. I'll bet most of you have problems with a lot of things in life and just enjoy talking about your misseries. Glad I didn't take any of your advice. Lastly .. I've owned about 10 new vehicles in my life and all of them had a few bugs to work out .... that's why they give warrenties. If you treat the service managers right ... they make things right. Most of you feel you can't get good service ... your right .... your attitude gets in the way. Love my new Dodge! JoeV5

jcmdie

I'm in full agreement there. I have 40,000 miles on my Ram and it runs great.

joev5

After I brought home my 2001 DodgeRam 1500 ...I noticed the same exact thing. I checked my tires by having a friend balance them .. but they were fine. I talked to my dealers service manager and told him of the bonce from 38 to 45 mph. The first 2 things he suggested I had already tried so I asked him how long my particular veh might have been sitting before I bought it. He said they got it in May .. and i bought it 10 days ago. I asked if it were possible that the tires had a flat spot from sitting and he agreed that was possible. He suggested I fill all the tires to 42lbs of air ( normal is 32 ) and take it on a long ride on a hot day. He said drive them that way for at least 200-250 miles . I took it out on the interstate on a hot day ... turned on the stereo and drove 4 hrs! When I got home I waited til the next day to lower the tires to 32lbs so they could heat up the belts over night. That was 3 days ago and at least for now the bounce is gone. I think it worked but I'll wait a few weeks to be positive. It is definitly worth a try. Let me know if it helped you. Joev5

wwhite2

I guess the vulcanization process at the tire factory doesnt really cure the rubber compound

rrichf

wwhite2,
There has to be a 'stone joke in there somewhere; but I'm not going to go there.
Rich

rich97

My 1997 dodge 1500 5.2 liter use a quart of oil every 400 miles. It has 66000 miles on it dont see any oil leaks. Does any one know were I might be losing this oil at. It also has a pinging problem to

rrichf

rich97,
If this started happening suddenly I would check the PCV valve.
Rich

rich97

I bought the truck used with 59000 miles. Change the pvc valve already. The truck started using oil about 2 months ago. I think it might be the intake manifold gasket. I have tune the truck up still has a rough idle but I can live with that. The pinging noise is still there.

davids1

As you said, sounds like the intake manifold gasket. These have been notorious on this truck. Get it checked out soon.

markk9

Have a '99 Ram 1500 Quad Cab with the 5.2L and shortly after purchase had a rough idle problem. Brought into the dealer and they replaced one of the O2 sensors (there is 2 on this engine and I believe they replaced the upstream sensor). This seemed to help some but still noticed some rough idle/valve chatter especially when towing. Dealer then indicated there was a Software fix for this but they were awaiting on government approval due to emissions. Checked back every month for about 6 months and got the same story. Finally when I had the truck in for a trailer hitch recall they finally did the Software update (reprogrammed PROM). This definitely helped but still had occasional valve chatter. At this point I started putting 89 octane gas and all is well.

madatdodge

New to the site. I've seen this issue somewhere, but I've got a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 that at 9,000 miles wore out the front brakes and was replaced under warranty. It ran good until I hit 35,000 miles. Had to have it towed in to replace a blown head gasket at 35,000 miles on 2/21/00. It has since been in ten more times and thirty-five days in the last seven months for the check engine light coming on ten more times. The five star dealer here in Charleston, SC has replaced injectors, plugs, plug wires, solenoids, reprogrammed the computer, replaced the intake gaskets and the latest is the the cats. I've tried every brand of gas and octane to no avail. An engine that pings and knocks to the point where the check engine light comes on is not right. Dodge has said all they will do is fix the truck and won't take it back. This is my third new Dodge in four years and will be my last. Any ideas on how to get rid of this piece of junk? Sorry to be so negative but, I've had it. I need a truck that runs everyday, not somedays.

davids1

your state lemon laws. Sounds like your basic warranty period is not up. Some, if not most, states lemon laws are good thru your basic warranty period (i.e. 3 yr/36,000 miles).

madatdodge

Here in South Carolina, the lemon laws are only good for 12 months or 12,000 miles , which ever is the shorter of the two. Dodge has said that they will only repair it, as I'm past my factory warranty of 3 years-36,000 miles and using my extended 5 year-100,000 mile warranty. Thank God I bought it. I can only imagine what all this would have cost me out of pocket. Any lawyers out there for advice?

dubes1

I was just driving down the road with my wife and had the rear end lock up and almost threw us out the windshield. This truck only has 19,000 miles on it. I was told by the dealership that this is becoming a major problem.

davids1

What rear end ratio does your truck have? Is it the limited slip? Enquiring minds want to know.