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Comments
package, white/silver, taupe int.
Things I've noticed.
Pros. 4.7V power, smooth, rear seating.
Overall size.
Love the stereo( got cd/cass/eq/inf. speakers package)
Cons. front seat lack of upper body support and
I'm 5'8". Long trips my upper back/neck hurts.
My other car is a 1998 Toyota Sienna, the seats
are GREAT in it!
The interior material is not up to par with Toyota.
Pops/squeaks? in front end that I can "feel"
in the steering wheel?(low speed)
The front window seems low, the sunvisors are cheap
and block my view when down.
I've got 40/60 bench, hate the cup holders(to low).
I wish the front seat had the back seat cup holders also.
Just noticed the oil guage, at speed it reads
3/4, at idle it reads less than 1/2. Is that normal?
It's one of those things I should have noticed
with 4800 miles?
I'm using synthetic 5w-30 Amsoil now.
I received a recall on seat belt mounts.
Overall I'm pleased with my new truck, I plan
on keeping it many years. I'm thinking about
purchasing the Dodge extended 7/70k warentee?
Any thoughts. $1200 @ $100 p/mon, no interest.
I choose the Dodge over the Tacoma Double Cab
because the Toyota was just too small, now if
Toyota had a Tundra Double cab??????
But the Tundra was too BIG, for two vehicles
in my garage,,,,,,,,so. We went Dodge, and
the $2,500.00 rebate sure helped:)
Yes, I agree with you on the seats, I am 6-4 220 and they are without a doubt the worse seats I ever exprienced in a Chrysler product.
Oil pressure is fine. Recall the 4.7 is OHC and needs higher oil pressure to keep the camshafts properly lubricated.
yes, I get the pop in the front end plus a rattle in the steering column going over a gravel parking lot or a brick road at speeds under 20 MPG. Does not seem to affect the steering but it sure does make the overall truck seem "cheap"
Hopefully you will have a better experience overall that I have had to date. Good luck.
been interested in installing a super charger in my q/c.The article stated that the
only company currently making a blower for the 4.7 was KENNE BELL .Does anyone have any experence with this product /company and or supercharging this motor pros/cons?
?
There are some other SCs available for the 4.7L that have NOT reported the auto tranny restriction. (apparently some reprogramming of tranny is part of kit.)
Let us know how you make out with this!
As for your inquery into the MOPAR PCM.... my understanding is that it has been "withdrawn" due to EPA pressure. (any reprogramming of the PCM requires the manufacturer to completely and totally re-test the emmissions package and pass all of the tests.... just the TESTING process takes months and lots of $$ any failures require a re-programming and start the testing all over again...and again.... and again.. ) wait a few more years... or consider aftermarket reprogrammers such as JET.
Have you ever noticed how much POWER your truck seems to have on a cold morning?
There has been some positive power improvments with just a simple resistor network on the IAT (intake air temerture sensor) that "tricks" the PCM into thinking that the incoming air is colder than it really is. Some folks have posted graphs of the IAT response to different tempertures and then calculated a modified response curve.
STILL NOWHERE NEAR +100HP LIKE A SC!!
Saw on NHTSA site they have defect investigation on 1999 Grand Cherokee for "inadvertent rollaway in reverse park". Saw something on TV about people getting crunched when jeep suddenly jumps into reverse from park. Not sure if this is in fact for the 4.7L or not.
Anyone hear whether our Dodge's are likely to have same problems? Mine is fine so far, but figured I'd ask what I hope is a stupid question...
Thanks.
Dave
I think this is another unecessary item because a few people are so stupid they leave kids unattended in a running vehicle.
I rented a Mazda that had this interlock and knew nothing about it. The car was stuck in the middle of the street because I couldn't get it out of park. If they try to make this one law I will be writting a lot of letters protesting it.
There is no runaway, people are just not using common sense. Put the thing in park and shut it off if you are getting out. It is that simple.
CAUSE: FLASH MODULE
08194496 VEHICLE PERFORMANCE; COLD START
HESITATION - TSB 18-08-96
152 W40
1 4275086 LABEL - GENERAL INFORMATION
1 4669020 LABEL - AUTHORIZED SOFTWARE
FC: FM
PART # 4275086
and at the bottom:
26306 (CHK IDLE) FLASH MODULE 08194496 .5 TSB 18-01-01 FLASHED POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE
"flashing" simply put, is reprogramming your control module on the spot, with "new" or updated software to tell the engine how to work. (Like your computer BIOS can be flash updated)
BUT, as mentioned, NEW is not always better. Read posts here and in maintenance for comments on how this particular flash affects the engine.
Sorry to hear about your problems, but I have most of them too (misery does love company).
I just got a Q/C 4.7 and really like the truck, but with less than 1,600 miles on it, I am concerned about how long this thing will last.
I have experienced the shaking/rattling steering column; have a really annoying somewhere in the back seat; and going over speedbumps or pot holes, even slowly, I wonder if the rear end is going to still be with me. And, my thermometer is also about 4 degrees off from what most of the other outside thermometers are reading.
Posting any TSB #s for any or all of your ailments would be a great help to me when I get fed up enough to go wrestle with my local service department.
Hope everthing gets resolved!
Good luck at the dealer. What is the problem with your temp... did I miss somthing?
May I ask which dealer you prefer in the BTV area?
I thought about running in there this morning naked thinking I would get their attention but back out at the last moment.
Ahhh such is the joys of dealing with coporate america. WIll keep everyone posted since I know my posts are read with due diligence! ha ha
bpeebles, I don't care for any of the dealers around here, that is why I bought my truck on-line. But now that I am in their system at Goss Dodge they don't give me any grief, helps to know the service manager too I guess. As for the light bar, it might make some wind resistance but it pays for it when traffic is real heavy... just flip the switch and everyone moves over... no waiting...J/K! Everyone complains we drive fast until it is their house on fire, then it is "What took you so long!"
Well you described pretty much to a T how my rig runs now after the FLASH update back in April.
Main thing is, no more stalling at stoplights and cold starts. Call me anal, but I expect a fuel injected engine to run steady and smooth. Not like my 75 Dart with a Slant Six that stalled oh about 20 times before it was warm. But that was a carb and that was then this is now.
Have I lost HP? Dunno, truck still feels as strong as the day I bought it. I never dyno'd it out to actually find out what it makes at the rear wheels so I have no answer to that quesiton.
I hope your tranny learns to shift to your satisfaction. I gave up on mine. I have 19K on it and it sitll shifts like crap. Maybe when it blows I might be so lucky as to get a new one and be done with it. Till then I chug along and let the chips fall where they may.
refer to bpeebles for the physical changes brought about by the flash, which accounts for my acceleration change for instance.
Glad to hear you are getting things resolved..
So the analogly to carbs was not that they cannot be adjusted (I've done it plenty of times over the years)nor are they inherently bad but none of my vehicles in the past with carbs every really ran what you would call "well". So I compared my $$22K truck to my old dodge dart which ran poorly when cold and still had a problem surging and stalling when warm (1975 emissions controls were not exactly state of the art).
You can bet I'd rather turn a screwdriver anyday than have to possess a PHd just to figure out how to change the plugs! Yet when all the electronic razzmataz works, it is indeed a marvel. But when it doesn't...........well, I head for the beer cooler and work on reducing stock!
VW has been fuel injected since the mid 70s and ran flawlessy. (Water cooled with totally MECHANICAL fuel injection!!)
Now here we are 30 years later and Dodge still cannot have flawless idle until after SEVERAL attempts at different programs in the ECU.
I partially blame the EPA regs. 30 years ago... a vehicle DID NOT have to meet any emmissions standards during warm-up. Today, there are emmissions standards for the entire warm-up period as well as at normal operating temp.
I was disapointed with my Dak the first few times it stalled... Now I try to remember that many of my visits to the dealer ended up with a WORSE situation... so I live with it. (Like when they dropped that big overhead door on my new truck and dented the roof!)
Personally, I am willing to live with some slight inconvenience if the envrinment is being helped.
Besides... anyone that understands the physics of an IC engine should realize it "is indeed a marvel" that it runs as good as it does.
I have seen too many people start their engine cold and expect 100% out of it immediatly. Treating an engine like this is just asking too much from an inticate machine. There is no oil flowing to the vital parts yet.
Once it is warmed up... I better run PERFECTLY though!
But I would acquaint the stock reduction of the coolers more to a Carb though: First ya gotta pull the choke up (pop the top), then dump a bunch of fuel down (first few gulps), then hope it runs smooth after warming up (ya finish it before it gets warm). Now if we could only get that kind of fluid consumption more like fuel injection..........hmmmm
I tried to finish before it was warm but alas, I was not successful. So my Coors light ended up as Coors empty. I "flashed" another (popped the top)and taking Bpeebles advice, I let her "warm up" or "foam down" before driving off and that technique worked quite well.
All this just to get my Benelli out of the back after some skeet shooting.
Looks like my PCM needs updating!
the point we all make is that in those days we were the computer....the vehicle the patient.
my 00/4.7/5 spd/ has 28,000 miles and the mpgs are still improving....20-21 around town.
have the Big move to texas on 9/1 pulling the 6x12 uhaul trailer.
My 4x4 (see profile for details) usually gets 16.5-17 mpg around town with a light foot. Best was 18.5 mpg with more highway use. Still have not had a tankfull of all highway driving yet.
The mileage has gotten better with more miles. A tad over 5k miles on the truck now.
Bob
Oh yeah, my quad is a 4.7 LSD ATX part time 4x4 with Tire N Handling package. Just thought I'd contribute a little real world mileage figures to the forum. C-ya...
i did raise the tire pressure a little to 36-38 lb's.i also seldom see my tachometer exceed 3000.i do have a mild lead foot but usually cruise between 69-74 mph.
it is a 2wd/5 spd/with lsd...4.7.i love using cruise on highways....and would rather take my foot off the gas than use the brakes.downshifting is good too!
these numbers will all change when i uproot myself from Ma. on 9/1 and move to Tx.pulling a u-haul trailer.
no great secrets.
slr
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
My engine break in time was @ 7K miles. Once I broke the 7K mile mark the MPG jumped about 1.5-2 MPG.
Bookitty
I have to disagree with the testers on one point though... There is no way that a Ford Sport Trac steers better than a Dakota!! I test drove one and absolutely hated the way the wheel felt. I'm not sure what they used to decide, but if I remember correctly, the Dakota had a better radius, as well as better road feel.
My mom has a Ford Expedition, and the steering on that rig is numb as can be, just like the Sport Trac. Perhaps road feel is considered bad?
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/comparison/articles/46966/page022.html
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
Bookitty
Great story comparing 4-door trucks!
GATOR72
A while back, dealer installed new bushings on the torsion bars and supposedly stopped the noise coming from my front end when making slow right turns and applying brakes, yada, yada, yada.
BUT, when I got my '01 QC SLT+ 4.7 T&H back, it had a DIFFERENT noise coming from the front end when going over rough pavement or speed bumps.
Put my QC in the shop this morning. Dodge dealer calls back @ 4:30 pm and tells me that they found the source of the noise: Loose Body Bolts on the front. QC will be ready to PU tomorrow.
Dealer didn't specify exactly where the loose bolts were. NOR, did he specify whether there was any collateral damage caused by the loose bolts. Oh, well. I'll see tomorrow. If anyone has any insight on this, please let me know.
FYI: See my next post about flashing A/C light!
GATOR72