Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options
Dodge Ram: Problems & Solutions
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
In trucks Chrysler makes all of their own engines except for the Cummins Diesel.
In cars, with two exceptions, the engines are either all Chrysler or Chrysler-Mitsubishi joint venture. In the late '70s Chrysler used a Volkswagen 1.7 in the Omni/Horizon/024/Charger/Turismo for a couple of years. The Mitsi 2.6 four cylinder was used in mini-vans for a while, too.
Regards,
Dusty
Yeah, I've heard stories just like yours.
You don't say if your or a Dodge dealer did the last repair, but I have been told that the Chrysler gasket set, as opposed to aftermarket, is generally the permanent fix.
Generally.
If not installed correctly, the repair won't last. Great care must be used in getting the gasket surfaces clean and installing the gasket just as instructed in the service manual. Since the new replacement gaskets are improved, when done correctly the repair should last indefinitely.
Best regards,
Dusty
I'm looking for a take off Pickup Bed in excelent condition in Patriot Blue, Long Bed.
Can you gave me any idea where too look.
I found a white one for $1500. He said he hold
it when I call back it was gone. It cost about $1000 to get one painted in my color.
I look under Truck Bodies and Junk Yard.
I had a dead tree fall across the black of my bed.
Robert
regards,
Dusty
I have owned this truck for less than a month and it almost ran over my son last night and nearly tore the door off the passenger side by hitting a parked car, causing serious body damage.
Thanks for the reply. A Dodge Dealer did the last repair. That was about 3 years ago. I have not put much mileage on the truck over the past three years since the repair. I pretty much use the truck for hauling wood and home repairs. Do you know if Dodge was using the improved gasket 3 years ago?
Thanks,
Lee
Could be that yours was repaired just before the new gasket.
Of course, even if they used the newer one it doesn't mean that it was installed correctly, sorry to say.
Best of luck,
Dusty
With the key off, push and hold the odometer/reset button in. Turn the key to on (don't go to start). Watch the gauges do a self check and see if you get a 00 00 display at the end. This does a self check of the instrument cluster.
Steve
miles so Dodge wouldn't help with the overhaul.
There had to be sand in the engine from the factory which was in Mexaco City.The reason I say this is at 2000 miles I changed out the gear lube in the rear end and got a double hand full of sand
out of the rear end.This truck has had AmsOil lubricants in it since the first oil change including the transmission,so I know it wasn't an oil related problem.After a complete engine overhaul at around 150,000 by an independant I had a blackout on the instrument panel.The dealer had to replace the complete wiring harness around $2000.Truck now has 179,000 with no problems
Also, with most chrysler products, taking the key form off,on,off,on,off and back to on (without going to start) will display any powertrain control Module (PCM) codes.
Good luck, I'm dealing with my own "christine" with my 03!!
Steve
Thanks
have you had the tranny fluid changed recently? if not it might be time...
almost sounds like the torque converter clutch is locking/unlocking abnormally...?
You probably have a 46RE. Another common problem are the electrical connections at the transmission. These are prone to corrosion at the electrical terminals on older units.
Believe it or not, I think we just fixed a similar problem with a good friends '98 RAM 1500 that was producing almost the same symptom. His was cured by replacing the spark plugs, plug wires, rotor and distributor cap. I'm not kidding. High voltage arcing can cause the PCM or other vehicle computers to go a little crazy.
Best of luck,
Dusty
Dodge may be different, but my Chevy exhibited similar symptoms and replacing of the switch corrected it.
Mine was very subtle. I only noticed it around town when I could hold speed between 45 to 55.
Thanks
Regards,
Dusty
Regards,
Dusty
The other day I lost all gauges on the dash. They don't move. Everything else works great; lights, radio, environmental...just cant see how fast I'm going, how much fuel I have, temp, pressure or tach. The odometer just flashes and doesn't count the current miles I'm putting on it.
I checked all the fuses, dash and under the hood, and disconnected the battery for a couple of hours to "reset the computer" I was told.
Any idea?
If that's the case I suspect you have lost a ground (or return) circuit or something is wrong on the cluster itself.
I'm not sure you're getting any free miles, though. Just a guess, but I would wager that the distance sensor is still giving pulses to the ECM. that's where the mileage count is actually stored. The odometer reading on the cluster is driven from the ECM.
Regards,
Dusty
In the dash box there is a cluster A and B fuse, and I have checked both of those repeatidly.
I imagine that once this issue gets resolved, the actual mileage will replace the 103282 it currently flashes...at least I hope so, otherwise how do we trust the vehicles we by used?
has 212k on it. I bought with 202k up till now
it has been running great, however the last time
I tried to drive it it will hardly run, I mean
it starts well and idles well but wont take the
gas when I excellerate. I thinking that the converter is stopped up. any other susgestions??
THANKS..
The truck we are buying has 11,300 miles on it.
I just don't want another fiasco like the 94 Chevy K3500 6.5L TD that we have now, major money pit that never stops, kinda like a big black hole that we throw money into.
Thanks.
As the owner of a Cummins 2500, I think the v8 is (for most people) not powerful enough for the Heavy Duty trucks - I hope that's why your old truck was a boil on your bottom!
I am curious as to why a 4-year old truck only has 11,300 miles on it though - I had that in the first 6 months with my Cummins and I don't even drive a lot! Make sure you Carfax that truck before you drop the hammer on it!
The truck is perfect, looks and smells brand new. Only things noticed about it on the 300 mile drive home was the transmission is fussy at certain speeds, there is a rattle under the cab at idle, and the truck is a wanderer. Other than those few things the truck is perfect, got 11.5 mpg in stop and go traffic in 4WD.
We loved our other V10 and I'm sure this one will be no different, bought a warranty with it too. Now if we can just find a sucker, err, someone to buy our 6.5L TD Chevy K3500 we will be doing good.
When outside air temp is below 65 degrees and you start the vehicle, the Alt/Voltmeter gauge stays below 14, interior and exterior lights go bright and then dim, for up to 3 minutes. During this time there is an audible "Clunking" noise coming from the right front engine compartment. After the 2-3 minutes, the Alt/Volt gauge goes past the 14, the lights stay bright and the clunking noise goes away.
Had the truck in Monday (11/10/03) for repair and they said they had to adjust the computer irt the starting/charging circuit. Today, outside morning air at 63 degrees and had problem again.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Called the Ford dealer where we bought the truck (used of course) and told them, they cut us a check for the parts and my brother will fix it for us. Strange, but explains why the truck is such a handful. Didn't notice the problem during the test drive, only when we were headed home.
No biggie, dealer is making it right.
I called my Dodge tech a little while ago and he said that such a problem is not inherent in the 4.7 or could he remember any problems associated with this symptom or a necessary factory correction.
A small amount of condensation does form on the bottom side of the oil fill cap on my 4.7 during the winter months. But it is not any worse than any of our other cars and most certainly better than our Avalon, which does really suffer from this.
Short trip driving over a long period can cause this, as well as extended oil changes, a clogged PCV valve, or a bad thermostat that prevents the engine from coming up to full operating temperature. Any combination of the above can cause rapid and serious moisture build up and severe sludging.
Best regards,
Dusty
Good luck with the new vehicle.
Dusty
kcram
Host
Smart Shopper and FWI Message Boards
Any one switch to Rottella?
THanks
Thoughts?
Could be since you seem to get a reaction when you manipulate the ignition switch.
As with most vehicles nowadays, Chrysler radios have two power feeds. One for the radio itself and another for the display in the radio unit. The radio display gets its power through the lamp circuit. This is to facilitate varying the intensity of the radio display light output with the rest of the instrument panel lamps. The radio itself is fed from another circuit.
I don't know if I can help you a lot beyond that. My Dodge Dakota manual is my only reference at the moment. Although the radios are the same between RAM and Dakota, the instrument wiring may be different.
Best of luck,
Dusty