Putting the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel to Work

We own a RAM 2014 Laramie Ecodiesel ... What a great car! Until one day the problems "Maintenance DEF" coming ... since that day, our wonderful RAM is parked in the courtyard of the dealer until the engineers find a solution ... Yes, urea it freezes! not only that freezes, but it does not support well excessive heat either. When will the solution, especially when we hear about this major problem? No new manufacturer ... no apology or anything. What a disappointment and what a bad crisis management.

I too own a 2014 ecoDiesel but am in south Texas where I've not experienced problems with DEF freezing. Instead I had diesel exhaust venting into the cab and found there is a connection from the catalytic converter that has design flaws. Chrysler has reengineered the part but they have experienced shortages of the new part. I also had to replace the cruise control as well as the headlight sensor control unit - which took 4 visits to the dealer to sort out. Of course the electrical issues were not diesel related but simply added to my general heartburn. Just yesterday I noticed a strong chemical smell coming through the A/C ducts when the defroster was on on the morning. That is just one more thing for me to deal with. I want to like this truck. But what a pain it has been owning it so far.

My comment isn't as much about the Ram 1500 as much as it is about the attitude the Dodge people have after they get your money. I'm having a lot of problems with a Cummins 6.7L and after talking to at least ten dealers and having it in for repair at 2 the response to the cruise and pto not working is, are we supposed to know what to do with that? No new dodge for me, ever

I have had an Eco diesel for about 6 months now. I use it to tow my machines( about 11k). Truck moves them effortlessly around town and in the snow. I have an 04 with the 5.9 and I would rather tow with this truck any day. Although it doesn't have the same stupid power of the cummins it has enough. Awesome truck. Haven't done 11k on the highway yet with my big machine but it did 10 no problem.

I test drove one of these recently. I recently traded in my 2013 Ram 1500 Hemi. I loved that truck but I needed something I could tow behind my mototrhome. Bought a 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara. It's fine and my kids love it. But I really miss having a truck. A friend of mine just bought a 2015 Ram 1500 4wd Laramie Longhorn with a sticker well north of 50 grand. It has every option. He paid about $48,000 for it. He loves it. I can't decide to go completely loaded or a 2wd Laramie with everything but the top end leather from the Longhorn and the trailer brake control. There is about a $9000 difference between a really nice 2wd eco diesel and the 4wd Mack daddy. As soon as I make the decision I am going to do it. Now they're into the second year of production and hopefully have gotten some of the glitches out of the new motor. I have had two Ram trucks previously with the only issue being a broken battery that was replaced under warranty. I made myself wait and not be an early adopter. Hopefully that decision will pay off. This engine should make my favorite half ton truck even better.

Did anyone test the mileage when the truck was towing. Iown an F-150 with a 5.4 and when I tow (about 5000lbs) the mileage is cut in half.
Is this diesel the same?

I'm on 8,000 miles on my 2015 eco diesel traded in my 09 4.7 went from 12 miles per gallon to 20 per gallon around town empty haul a yard of concrete around town went from 8 to 18 empty on high way 32.7 I love this truck

Just passed 8,000 on my 2015 Ram Bighorn Ecodiesel. There is a lot to love about this truck! For me, it has been the perfect combination of fuel efficiency, power, and luxury. I've had no problems so far other than a EVIC warning about the tail light being out when it is not out, but I've read it's an easy fix once I take it in. I do a lot of mountain driving in Colorado and this truck does really well up the hills. I've been averaging around 23.4 mpg, which is hard to believe for a vehicle this large and heavy. Drive one, you won't be disappointed!

I bought one of these eco diesels, and am infactuated so far. The dealer here in so cal is wonderful, and has never complained to me about anything over the years. I guess I'm lucky to live near one of the best dodge dealers around. So far, zero problems with this vehicle. I truly anticipate that this will remain the same over the years. Albeit, I do take very good care of my vehicles, maybe that's a difference ?

I've notice some have questioned the mileage while towing. My 2015 quad cab 4x4 ecodiesel still maintains an average of 19mpg highway with just over 7,000lbs in tow. It's been an amazing truck. No complaints. It tows with ease, steep grades really are no issue. I should also mention that I have modified the truck. It's had a leveling kit(lifted 2-1/2" in the front 1" in the rear) installed and is riding on 35x12.50 mud terrain tires, I was concerned that this alone would significantly decrease my mileage. Still averages 22 overall and 26 freeway and has had no effect on the power. Very very impressed.

I also have a 2015 eco diesel with over 8000 miles on it now and I love it. Some of the concerns I heard about the truck on other web pages is that no one factors in the DEF fluid or the high cost of oil changes. Let me tell you if those are your two concerns/complaints we are all doing good. For my self personally its not even really about saving money with the better fuel economy. Lets face it, it would take us a long time to make the extra $5000 back in terms of fuel savings. However most cars/trucks have you returning to the gas station within about 400-450miles. My eco diesel gets me nearly 700miles before returning to the gas station. That in itself is huge in terms of TIME savings. On a side note I have a friend who had the half ton Toyota. He loves to trailer his bike every year from FL to Sturgis for the bike rally. On the way up he actually ran out of gas because in that truck he was only getting about 150 miles per tank and he hit a long section of highway without a gas station. On the way back he had to buy gas cans so he could pull over and fill up on the side of the road. He later traded the truck for the eco diesel and made the same trip with out needing gas cans. Wile pulling an 8000lb trailer he was able to cover over 400miles per tank. As for the DEF. my truck will make it well into the oil change on a single tank of DEF. I'm not sure how big the tank is but DEF is not that expensive and it will last me at least 10,000miles if not more. The oil changes are a little pricey but once again its only once every 10,000miles. To date I only had to return to the dealer 1 time in 10months of owner ship and that was to have a spray in bed liner installed per ur purchase agreement. Love this truck.

I have 2015 ego-diesal, one thing I like very much is the ride, it don't ride like 3/4 ford I have and the towing my boat that weight in at 6500, not a issue towing that,..DEF $13.00 for two Gal. and tank hold 8 Gal.

Bought our1500 Eco diesel a year ago and it performed so admirably until two weeks ago when the screen indicated a problem with DEF. The dealership replaced the pump and we drove it trouble free for 10 days and the warning re DEF appeared again. This time the truck was driven to the dealership were it could not be resuscitated! The techs. cannot diagnose the problem and calls to Windsor have not been answered yet. There goes our planned trip to the Yukon with family while we wait for answers if there are any. So disappointed. We have been told that Chrysler has never had this problem.

I'm seriously considering buying a 16 outdoors-man mossy oak 1500 with the ecodiesel. I've read the review and I've read the comments I however haven't seen any complaints about the history of timing causing the engine to die. I guess I'm trying to see if the "Bolt" issue has been addressed? and if so when did they start to address it. I'd hate like hell to spend almost 50K and only get 100k of miles.

Nearing 30,000 on my 2015 Ecodiesel. Engine appears to have developed an oil leak in the front. I can't tell if it's a gasket or what. No symptoms were noticed; just doing a routine inspection under the truck. It's at the dealership now being inspected. I hope it's nothing serious. Has anyone else had this issue? I baby this truck, so I cannot imagine what the problem is.

This is for Jason and Kerry regarding DEF.

There's a lot of bad information out there in regards to DEF. Diesel exhaust fluid is API (American petroleum institute) regulated substance that consists of 32.5% pure urea and 67.5% deionized water. Same people that regulate oil standards. Let's start with the DPF as theres confusion on those too. in 2008 the EPA mandated on road diesel regulations to have a substantial decrease in particulate matter (soot). The DPF is a filter that traps the soot so the exhaust is clean. Then when the filter gets plugged heat is required to remove the blockage. The engines then go through a regeneration process which essential dumps raw fuel into the exhaust, the fuel hits the diesel oxidation catalyst, produces temperatures about 1100 degrees F, that heat burns the soot out of the filter and turns it into an invisible gas, therefore cleaning the filter. When diesel burns the significant by products (besides awesome) are nitrogen oxides NO2, and particulate matter. NO2 = acid rain, particulate matter= our lungs don't like it (basically, I'm not a chemist). Increasing the combustion temperatures will more fully burn the fuel which will reduce the soot (soot is kind of unburned fuel). When you increase the combustion temperatures you successfully produce less soot and the end result is higher NO2 emissions. So, 2008+ manufactures used DPF's to catch the soot, then ramped up the combustion temperature with an air intake butterfly valve. This means theres less need for regeneration, though it pushes the NO2 emissions up substantially. Luckily, prior to 2008 there was a NO2 emissions EPA regulation which is what put EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) systems into our diesel. So, with added NO2, via the goal to decrease regeneration needs by decreasing soot, they increased the amount of EGR. EGR is dumb as it puts exhaust into the intake manifold which is... well, dumb. Well, here comes 2011! EPA says you diesel engine manufacturers need to decrease your NO2 outputs dramatically. Oh, no... now what?!. SCR!!! Sorry this is so long, I just want to help people understand what these systems are for. SCR stands for selective catalyst reduction. The diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) reacts with the diesel fuel to make high amounts of heat to clean the DPF (diesel particulate filter). The SCR system in 2011-current (except 6.7 Cummins, they're so awesome and efficient they didn't have to use SCR until like 2014) diesels consists of a catalyst as well. The catalyst in the SCR system reacts with the NO2 that the diesel produces and converts it to hydrogen and water. The DEF does that as well. I think the catalyst and the DEF work together to produce an acceptable decrease. I think... Im confident... Certainly theres specifics in all of this but in a nutshell this is why we have what we have.

So, to recap; Diesel burns, makes power, soot, and nitrogen oxides. Soot and NO2 are bad for everybody and everything. The leaders that try to do the right thing and set the standard for the rest of the world (America and I guess European Union) decided that we need less soot and NO2. The DPF was born to trap the soot. The SCR (DEF) was born to decrease the NO2. Diesels are now more efficient, and less of a hinderance on the environment than gas engine.

All this emissions stuff can be bothersome at times. Sometimes problematic since there a lot of sensors and wires and algorithms that could hiccup. Sometimes when you remove those emission systems and retune the ECM's, you get an unbelievable amount of potential out of engines that are otherwise choked down. Some places you can get away with it, some can't.

What rearend gear ratio would be recommended to pull a 7000# trailer occasionally?

2015 Dodge Ram 1500 pick up owner here. I have had my Truck since 2015. Good fuel mileage. Truck is now over 200,000 miles. I have no had many major issues with it. I live in the High deserts in Northern Arizona on weekends and work in Phoenix, Az. The only issue I have is the black paint on my truck is starting to fade and look patchy. Other than that, general maintenance when it’s time, and the interior is holding up. I have the Limited edition. The truck has treated me good.