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Premature catastrophic engine failure

Tony2bad

New Member
May 6, 2021
3
0
Truck Year
2016
I am the original owner of a 2016 Ram 1500 ecodiesel with approximately 75,000 miles. I have complied with all recalls, participated in the emissions control reprogramming and settlement, and have religiously performed all required maintenance at my FCA dealer.



On April 21, 2021, while 150+ miles from home, the eco diesel motor failed, oil poured out and the vehicle became non-operational. It was towed to the nearest Ram dealer in Petaluma, California, who later determined that the motor had failed and a piece of the motor pierced the block and oil pan. The service representative at the dealership suggested I contact Ram to see if they could assist in expediting the new motor.



I contacted the Ram call center and a woman there explained that a case manager might not be able to get involved for a few days. I explained my situation [On a family vacation and stranded] and asked if she could try to somehow fast track things. When I called the dealership to notify them I had contacted Ram they said something to the effect that they didn't know what I had done but the engine was now scheduled to arrive on April 29.



Now that is what I would expect in excellent customer service from FCA. However, things at that point stalled. The case manager at the call center, Wesley, called me on Monday, April 26, 2021. He started the conversation by saying that the motor was due on April 30, and that he could not expedite a situation that was less than 5 days out. I explained what had happened earlier. He said, "Well, is there anything else I can do for you?"



After I pondered his use of the word "else" I said I wanted compensation, I asked that the repair be covered by FCA. My thinking is the motor failure is related to the outstanding recall with unavailable parts, the emissions control reprogramming or a design error.



Wesley said he would contact the dealer and get back to me. On 4/28/2021 Wesley called me and left a message that he "had called the dealer and they have no service history of my vehicle being there". I returned his call and gave him the name of the dealership, the City, the phone number and the name of my service representative.



On April 30 I received a second call from an associate of Wesley stating again that the dealership had no record of my vehicle being there. I again gave the information I had given Wesley.



I called another FCA number, hoping to bypass the call center on the morning of May 4, 2021. A very helpful woman in the same call center as Wesley wrote up what I told her and said she would escalate the message to Wesley's supervisor. She said I should expect "someone to reach out to me soon". She gave me my case number.



My damages to date are $13,921.91 for the work to repair the truck, $400 for towing and $500 for car rental. I will still need transportation from my home to Petaluma, Ca. to pick up the vehicle. Paying a little under $15,000 for a motor replacement was not something I even thought possible when I purchased what I thought would be the last vehicle I would ever own.





As of May 6, 2021 the only thing I have heard is the crickets!
 

Tony2bad

New Member
May 6, 2021
3
0
Truck Year
2016
Warranty expired in January. FCA is doing what they did when I tried to get payment on the smog settlement. Three times they have said the dealer doing my repair has no record of the truck being there. Yesterday they lied and said they talked to the Service Manager when he was not present that day.
 

KiheiBob

New Member
May 15, 2021
1
0
Truck Year
2018
I have a 2018 EcoDiesel RAM 1500 with 27,000 miles on it. Yesterday, while driving on a rural state route in northern California, it began to shudder and lost power. I guided it over to the shoulder and got out of the truck, only to discover oil pouring out the bottom through a single stream about the diameter of my thumb. Dealer rep told me that the last ecodiesel with this problem cost $18k to repair. My vehicle is still under warranty, thank God. Dealer even covered the cost of the loaner (@$40 per day).

My question is-at this stage of the repair game, what should I be asking for? Hoping for some guidance as I begin this walk through the repair process from those of you who've "been there-done that."

Thanks
Kihei Bob
 

Tony2bad

New Member
May 6, 2021
3
0
Truck Year
2016
I have a 2018 EcoDiesel RAM 1500 with 27,000 miles on it. Yesterday, while driving on a rural state route in northern California, it began to shudder and lost power. I guided it over to the shoulder and got out of the truck, only to discover oil pouring out the bottom through a single stream about the diameter of my thumb. Dealer rep told me that the last ecodiesel with this problem cost $18k to repair. My vehicle is still under warranty, thank God. Dealer even covered the cost of the loaner (@$40 per day).

My question is-at this stage of the repair game, what should I be asking for? Hoping for some guidance as I begin this walk through the repair process from those of you who've "been there-done that."

Thanks
Kihei Bob


My problem is recent [4/21/2021] and not resolved with FCA as far as any compensation. I was 3 months out of warranty. Notwithstanding, I did file a case with the NHTSA. If there are enough problems this might trigger a recall and maybe you should file too. It is easy to do. I don't know what to do regarding the replacement engine; however, I have one now [and 3 year, 100,000 mile warranty] but my worry is whether I can rely on the truck now and also how the troubles we are experiencing will effect the future value of our trucks. Do you happen to know the part number of your new motor? Mine is 5158048-AD. There is a newer version 5158048-AE. I don't know the difference; but what I have read says the AE comes with the new EGR that the older trucks had a recall out on. My service representative says the AD has that part too; but, one does wonder if that is true or just a convenient response to a concerned customer? Good luck and so much for forever diesels!
 
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