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Dodge Ram: Problems & Solutions
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http://autorepair.about.com/cs/faqs/l/bl654h.htm
I tried re-wiring them and it worked for a shortwhile before it started missing again, so I at least touched on the problem, im going to keep trying.
I have a 2004 1500/ 4.7 Dodge Ram Quad Cab Truck. I have a 3" body lift and have leveled the front end. I have a 3:90 rear end gear/ 285/70/ 17 tires and have K&N Performance air filter systems installed. My loss of power occurs during hot weather. Just going up the slightest of inclines causes my truck to loose power and shift into high gear. Sometimes on a straight stretch of road with a small head wind my truck will loose power and shift about 15 times during a twenty mile stretch. I have noticed during cool weather and during the evening hours, the truck runs like a champ. What can I do to correct this problem and is all the shifting bad for my automatic trans ? I was considering buying a performance computer to try to remedy the problem. I really love my truck but I have come to the conclusion if nothing can solve my problem then my last measure is just to trade it in...
same here cruise control stopped working.
For around $30 you can buy a hand operated vacuum pump such as the Mityvac with which you can test the vacuum actuators that operate the various HVAC doors.
Tools are always good to have, and it's certainly a cheaper alternative to spending $600.
You made the mistake of buying a new truck with a vibration problem that showed during the initial test drive. You should have at least insisted that they first eliminate the problem, and if it was minor, such as a badly balanced wheel, then buy the truck if the condition was corrected.
I made this mistake once and will never make it again. In 1985 I bought a new For Mustang GT that had a vibration problem during the first test drive. I asked them to take care of it, and they rebalanced the wheels and the car did not vibrate during the second test drive (up to 90 MPH). So I bought the car. Around the 600 mile mark the vibration gradually came back with a vengeance - and worse than ever before. Nobody could fix it, the tires were balanced at least six times, front ones replaced, suspension checked, no solution. Finally, they told me the same BS that they told you - that this is normal for this car. I got rid of this vehicle at 10k miles because quite frankly I hated driving it.
When I test drive any new car or truck and I feel even minor vibration in it, I simply walk away from it. And I strongly advise others to do the same thing. Chances are, that it will develop into a much worse problem, and never be fixed. I learned my lesson and do not want to learn it again. Many dealers simply do not have techs experienced enough to be able to solve some tough vibration issues. After they try a few fixes and they do not work, they will try to get rid of you and disgust you to the point where you simply get rid of the vehicle to retain your sanity. Sad but true. My advice to all: simply go somewhere else or test drive another vehicle and if you do not see anything wrong, buy that one. Persistent and annoying vibration is very unpleasant thing to live with, no matter what the vehicle is.
In your case i would recommend trying balancing the wheels and brake rotors on the truck as a unit. There are wheel balancers that can do this. Balancing is done with the wheels still mounted on the truck. You may need to find an independent shop to do this. I also recommend ahving the wheels balanced on a Hunter 9700 model road force balancer that can detect defective tires with excessive road force variation. I have seen instances where dealers balanced tires wrong over and over again. And the bigger the tires, the higher the probability of this happening.
Because you like this truck otherwise, I would recommend trying different tires. I have heard complaints about these 20 inch Goodyear tires and even if they replaced them, they may not be much better than the original ones. Michelin LTX M/S is about the best SUV/pickup tire out there. I do not know if they make it in the 20 inch size, but Dodge uses them as standard equipment on many Dodge pickups, including heavy duty trucks.
Try at least the following the see if you note any improvement in ride: Buy 15 of 40 lb bags of top soil from WalMart (about $1/a piece). Place these bags in you bed, mostly over the rear axle (total 600 lbs). Then drive the truck and see if the ride improves. You can always dump the dirt on your lawn later, and $ 15 is not much to spend.
I still suspect the tires and the way dealerships balance them. I would take the truck to an independent tire shop that has the Hynter 9700 model balancer and give it a try.
BTW, when vibration is cuased by front wheels being out of balance, you generally feel it in the steering wheel. Unbalanced rear wheels will cause vibration in the seats and floor of the truck.
My '06 Silverado rides smoother with about 200-300 lbs of load in the bed. Less bounce. And my truck has no vibration problem.
Any competent radiator shop can remove the radiator and flow test it, determining whether or no not it needs replacing.
Is proper 50/50 antifreeze/water mix in the cooling system? Antifreeze has higher boiling point than water.
Are there any signs of the engine overheating? The temerature gauge sender can be defective too.
New e-mail
ssandrolini@cox.net
I really cannot understand this. Is it that difficult to offer a complete heavy duty towing package, i.e. heavy duty frame hitch, wiring harness with pigtail, heavy duty transmission oil cooler, finned aluminum transmission pan with extra oil capacity, oil temerature gauge in the instrument cluster, and tow mirrors.
And for Cummins engine trucks, exhaust temperature gauge (pyrometer) should definitely be a part of the heavy duty tow package.
Can't Daimler Chrysler figure out that providing a transnmission oil temperature gauge and pyrometer as standard equipment would actually save them money on warranty repairs?
And please do away with the archaic, clunky shifting 4 speed auto and use a 6 speed Allison. Then you will have a truck that is really something.
However, if the manufacturers had their way the only instruments would be a fuel gauge and a speedometer. That would cut way down on warranty work with customers complaining about low oil pressure or overheating. As long as it can struggle through its 36months/36k that's all it needs to do. :sick:
Not running right. MAP sensor is reading 3 at idle, I feel this is low. What are the proper specs at idle and other rpms
Thanks,
Hugh
As for gauges, Cummins requires numbered gauges on the dash (all other Rams just have the "Low" and "High" markings). I agree that the trans and pyro gauges would be welcome for towers, but there's really no room for them in the cluster. Most aftermarket gauge sets (usually trans temp, boost psi, and pyro) are mounted either on top of the dash, in the cubby under the radio/HVAC, or on the A-pillar. If there are too many gauges, inexperienced drivers can/will become distracted trying to constantly view them, and liability is far more of an issue to a manufacturer than warranty repair.
kcram - Pickups Host
Thanks
I rather doubt that it did happen all of a sudden. I'd guess that these various problems have been patched up as they occured, until it became obvious that it was shortly going to collapse into a heap :sick: . That was probably about the time that the previous owner decided to unload it onto an unsuspecting buyer, before he had to pick up the tab.
I suggest that you return to the seller with the dealer's diagnosis and negotiate a refund. The dealer is saying that the lift pump is working inefficiently, the injector pump is faulty and is installed out of correct adjustment, that for whatever reason one or more cylinders have problems and a replacement long block is required, and that the turbocharger is inoperative. If all of that is correct, then a complete replacment engine would be the way to go. It would probably cost about the same and would come with a warranty.
Sadly, the only positive thing I can say, is that there isn't any way you could have caused these problems just by driving the vehicle for a short period.
Good luck!
Sandro
The best info I can get says towing capacity of 7550 lb. and payload of 1420 lb. Can anyone confirm this?
I also do not know if I have a heavy duty tranny cooler. The truck came with a "trailer tow group", but it does not say anything about a transmission cooler.
Any help is appreciated! Thanks.
Lately it tends to rumble (in the rear) on take off. It does not do it every time I accelerate, just here and there. Level ground or hills make no difference from what I can tell. When it does rumble, it seems to take a second or two before wanting to accelerate. Other symptoms include when I am stopped with my foot on the brake, it "bumps or lurches" as if someone taps or pushes it from behind. Same thing when I am pulling in at low speed.
Transmission fluid levels are fine, good color. Oil changes are regular.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
Dale