Any known problems with late-model 1500's?

Sold the Dakota and really want to get back into a full-size.
Looking for an '09? to maybe a '19 (if the right deal pops up) 1500 crew in a 4x2.
Anyway, any known problems or years to avoid? How does the 3.6 perform in a truck? I know it's pretty peppy in the wife's Challenger but have no idea about one in a truck. Not really planning on doing any kind of towing but leaning towards a Hemi. Not really interested in the EcoDiesel.

Thanks,


Tim

The one you want will have the 8 speed, I don't recall the first year it was in trucks but know it was at least '13. Test drove a '13 Trademan when new and was really impressed. That test drive led to my '13 300S as I discovered the loaded 300S was far less than a loaded 1500 and had more features. I hope to get back into a Ram one day.

Several people I know with late Rams and 5.7 Hemi report a really annoying throttle lag i.e. step on the throttle and nothing happens. Seems the factory is in denial and only an aftermarket tune will cure it.

You can find people who have all sorts of issues with the trucks but I have a 2004 Ram 1500 with the 5.7 that I bought new and I've never had any major problems with it. The truck had to be reflashed back when it was new due to a factory firmware upgrade and then around 100,000 miles the EGR valve went out and it had to go to the dealer for that. All in all pretty minor things for 16 years of driving.

How late model were they, John?


Tim

I have a 14 1500 have had to replace an exhaust manifold . Bolts are very prone to breaking. Dealer said that they have had problems with bolts breaking and the manifolds then warping. Great truck though! good luck with your search!!

Did the Dodge Boys finally get the rear pinion bearing issue solved? Mine went bad on my 1996 at about 80k. I started leasing new Rams in 2006 & after going through 5 leases, I finally bought a new 2017. I didn't have problems with any of them, but they never got old or had many miles on them. Planning on keeping my 2017 for many years.

Roller cam lifter failures are all over you tube.

I looked at a 2014 and it had been to the dealer for electrical diagnostic checks many times according to the carfax report, and it only had a little over 30k on it, I suspected it may have been a lemon and that is why it got traded in cuz it looked like brand new.

I had the same problem on a 1995.
Pinion seal leaked twice more.

Was it about year 2010 that Chrysler redesigned the 9.25 to use ball bearings instead of tapered roller bearing?

Chrysler promoted this as slightly improving fuel economy,
but when I first read of it I thought
“I hope they fixed the failures. Diffs should go 200,000 miles, not 60,000 miles.”

1980s 9.25 diffs lasted longer than 1990s 9.25 diffs

I always suspected it was a “crush sleeve” problem.

You weren't kidding, were you? I watched a couple of videos but they mainly focused on diagnosis. Has a reason been found for the lifter failures? Both videos I watched said all maintenance had been done on the vehicles with oil changes every 5k.

Looked for 3.6 problems and only found one that had a cracked head at 200k miles.
Anyone have a V6 Ram? Problems? Good many videos on youtube from satisfied owners. I'll search a little more there to see what comes up. Thanks, Neil. Never thought about searching youtube for this kind of info.

My thoughts were a 50k or less with clean carfax report.


Tim

I ordered a 13 Ram crew cab with the 3.6 / 8-speed. I love it. I drove it 42 miles one way to work until I retired. It now has 100,000 miles on it.
It has been mostly trouble free. A damn squirrel chewed some wires one time. That cost me $600 to get repaired. It still starts and drives like new.
It runs like a V-8. On freeway entrance ramps, I can hit 75 to 80 mph at the blend area. Shifts at about 6500 rpm. Pulls hard all the way.
It rides better than many cars and handles pretty good, too.

2014-16. I believe the problem affects the 2012-18.

Now as far as the 3.6L Pentastar motor, I'm on my 3rd Chrysler 300 with this engine & I think it is a FABULOUS motor. However, I just met with a customer of mine last week & he has a 2018 Ram with the 3.6 engine, & the power is good enough he said, but he thinks the fuel mileage suffers because of the big Ram / little motor / get it moving syndrome. I recently read an article about the Pentastar 3.6L motor, & basically it is now considered a world-class motor. There are fleets with them that have routinely logged over 600,000 on them, & Chrysler has torn down numerous motors, & the internals show virtually no wear - even the cross-hatch pattern is still present on the cylinder walls. That is amazing. Not to mention they are rated at 290 HP. I'm looking at getting my wife a Durango & it will be a 3.6L.

Thanks for the replies.

I'm tickled to death with the wifes Challenger. I think I'll go drive a Ram with the 3.6.


Tim

I got a 19 Durango leftover with the 3.6 for the wife in June. She likes it. It replaced a 09 Dakota crew cab with a 3.7. So far it hasn't had any issues.

I have a 2012 1500 5.7 4 wheel drive. It has 113.000 miles on it either driving in the snow or towing 8500 lbs all over the place. Had to replace exhaust manifold studs twice. Second time I put shorty headers on which should stop the issue. Had to replace the oil pan and transmission pan due to severe rust. Replaced the variable valve timing solenoid. Just replaced front unit bearing on passenger side. Lower radiator hose clamp started weeping because haft the spring clamp was broken so less clamping force. Currently has airbag light on because the srs module is dead and at least 4 months ago was on national back order. The integrate trailer brake controller died, replaced it with aftermarket one which is a much better controller anyway. I’m realistic about parts supply issues and parts failures. What I find totally unacceptable is mopar can’t make an oil pan or transmission pan that survives for more than 8 years? My 52 year old 318 oil pan from my other fastback, stored outside it’s entire life looks new! I really like how the truck works, but that stupidity might drive me towards something else next time.

Where can I find the fix? My 2015 SRT 392 has that and is very annoying. You keep pressing the pedal then car takes off almost spinning the tires. BTW I’m on my third ABS sensor at 19,000 miles, stays in a garage

https://pedalcommander.com/pages/pedal-commander-dodge

Thanks for the tip on this. I'm going to Texaco rustproof both pans on my 2017 Ram, along with areas of the brake lines & trans cooler lines. I had a brake line rust out on my 1996 Ram years ago.

I had to replace the oil pan on my 2004 a couple years ago because of rust. I guess that problem has been dragging on for a while.

I can only comment on the Hemi, it has many issues.
1. valve seats fall out
2. exhaust manifold bolts break. (very common)
3. Roller lifter rollers fail.
4. Oil pump failure
Im sure there are more I am forgetting.
I have an 05 but its really low miles (around 60k) so no issues with it so far. A friends 07 had the oil pump go out and locked up the engine. Found most of the exhaust bolts were broke when we swapped the engine out.

Strange deal on exhaust studs and rusty pans. I've seen Ford, Chevy, and Ram studs break along with oil pan rust. Heck I've replaced a ton of GM brake and fuel lines. This is stuff that rusts way quicker now than ever.
Doug

Fortunately that isn't a problem down here. The only time I ever saw serious rust was on northern vehicles that wound up down here.
Did talk to a friend with a '16 4x4. I thought he had a Hemi but it's a 3.6 crew. Said he loves the truck, plenty of power on the road and tows a tractor on occasion. 113k miles. Said at around 100k things started going out. Replaced the rear diff, water pump, radiator, and rear main seal. BUT, it is a truck and he uses it as such and other than the rear diff, I would consider it normal wear and tear.


Tim

be on the look out for the biodegradable wiring insulation in some of the vehicles now, think of tofu as your insulation, not strong and chaffs through easily...part of that euro/rhos crap.

IMO trade every 3 years or before warranty runs out. You DONT want to foot the bill when something fails, which it will. Leasing might be an option also, unless you pay cash you’ll have payments forever anyway. Same as renting an apartment.

At my age this may well be the last truck I buy. Not looking for all the bells and whistles. Just a clean, low mileage truck with a few modern conveniences (and no payments). Hoping to talk the wife into another 4x4 but until we actually go look at one, she's thinking NO.


Tim

2014 ram 1500 5.7 with 66,000 miles no issues yet. Hope i didn`t just jinx myself. LOL

been kicking the idea around of trying a 2000-something with a Hemi in it..... but I cannot find what I want wrapped around that Hemi engine
CONVENTIONAL CAB 8 foot bed (can't find ANY truck like that these days) the 4 door shortbeds are cartoonishly out of proportion. the beds are ridicuously and uselessly short.
A color besides white (all I seem to be able to find in any conventional cab)
STICK SHIFT very much preferred ....... if rest of truck is "all there" I may settle for an auto. If I have to settle, Id rather the auto trans be a 727.
not horribly rotted out
can be 1/2 or 3/4 ton, don't really care if 2wd or 4wd at this point... have had several 4wds and I dont seem to hardly use it.

so in the meantime I will drive my Dakotas and work on restoring my 85 D150..... with its SLANT 6!!!!!!
while I try to get my buddy's early 80s D150, with its 360.....

I have only had payments for 2 years out of the last 10, and I get nice vehicles. Anyone who makes payments forever has never listened to Dave Ramsey or just has money to piss away.