My pretty bad 2018 RAM 1500 Hemi experience, help/advice needed on what to do next

[Sherman Bird]

You could ask them to install a reman engine from an outside source, maybe Jaspar. The rest of the truck warranty would still be good and Jaspar warranties the motor.

I do not know about FCA/Stelanis, but GM or FORD would usually balk at any outside source for replacement parts, due to brand purity, DNA, etc.

The only exception I've ever seen was in the mid- 90's when the Truck small block v-8's couldn't keep a non-leaky water pump and the fuel pumps failed at alarming speeds. We would replace the fuel pump on a new truck in stock, with a factory unit and the trucks often wouldn't make it off the lift! The GMC dealer I was at had stacks of TRW water pumps and Carter fuel pumps in the parts department, and we personnel were sternly admonished to keep these embarrassing facts hush-hush!

 

[jimbofl]

I would also not put to much stock in the RAM “case manager.” My experience has been that is where issues go to die… And you have no recourse. Wont talk to you on the phone, might get a return email stating the decision was up to someone else. Basically a middleman for bad news- in
my experience.

 

[Sherman Bird]

quick update

I called the extended warranty number today (800-521-9922) to see if they could expedite my case or, if that wasn't possible, if they could just buy out my truck. I was told any requests to expedite or buyout have to come from the dealership. I was also told my dealership to date had done everything through email, but that the way to get faster service (or expedite a problem) was for the dealership to directly call 800-782-2668.

I then asked if they could at least give me a loaner while my truck was being repaired. They said I had to call RAM customer service (866-726-4636) for that. I called RAM customer service, and the person I talked to was confused because she thought the extended warranty people should take care of this. This person tried to call my dealer, I guess they didn't pick up. After that, she told me she escalated my request for a loaner car to a case specialist and that I would hear back in a day.

The extended warranty customer service rep told me the cost of the (initial) repair to my truck was $13,435. So I am thankful I have a warranty and I am hopeful that @RamCares and others can either buy me out or expedite my repair process so I can get a working truck again.

Again, I believe I'm not normally a complainer, but in this case I've waited 4 months and now I am back at square 1.

Your scenario is one of many I'm privvy to knowledge of all over the place. Many of my customers are keeping older trucks/SUV's, cars and choosing to fix them instead of becoming both saddled with payments on a new car AND possibly enduring the combination of having it down WHILE paying on it.

I know this is of little comfort for you.

It appears that passing the buck has begun. Good luck!

 

[great blue]

RAM and Mopar have no appreciable customer care. It ought to be renamed Customer Don't Care!. I had a TIPM failure while on vacation and Mopar (call it NOpar) had zero available TIPM units in the entire USA. The local dealer said delivery would be 4-6 weeks with no guarantee it would arrive. There were also NO reman units available in the entire USA. The local dealer offered to sell me a new truck. So I got on the phone, talked to my NAPA repair shop (2000 miles away) and they found a bunch of used TIPM's all over the country. I bought one, had it delivered to the Dealer, they installed it (simple job pop a few connectors) and I was on the road. The dealer of course couldn't be bothered to do the used part search. Cost of a new TIPM quoted by the dealer, $2300, used one $600. The real issue here is that MOPAR has no parts. They used to claim COVID and supply chain issues. These cannot be the case today. So your dealer, has no parts, can't get any, and this is "Customer Care"? I don't think so.

 

[modavis99]

As an FYI I sent a PM to @RamCares and have not heard back. Out of curiosity, how long does it normally take this person to respond?

 

[Hootbro]

As an FYI I sent a PM to @RamCares and have not heard back. Out of curiosity, how long does it normally take this person to respond?

"RamCares" Is a pool of people and not one person. Could be minutes, hours, days or never.

 

[Marshall]

Lawyers?, That 's a good way to really screw things up.
He has warranty, so just take a breath and wait.
If the kid needs a summer car, go have him buy some beater for a few hundred and drive that. The truck is almost 10 yrs old, I have never heard of a buy back on something like that,
Canada we don't have lemon laws, not that it would make any difference anyway.
What motor was put in the first time? a Factory new I would think, or a rebuilt, if a rebuilt, those are the ones that will be on the hook.

 

[Dusty]

I think there may be something else going on.

On a full engine replacement it's required that the service technician submit the list of diagnostics (like a leak-down test) used and those that indicated a major issue requiring an entire new engine on a repair order. This has to be approved by the Warranty Manager. The factory may come back and ask why individual repair parts can't be used to complete a repair.

There is likely a small battle going on between the dealer service and the factory. Usually the labor and parts cost on comeback work is borne by the dealership, and that might be the position the factory is taking even though the dealer is claiming the replacement engine was defective, especially since a defective replacement is relatively rare.

As an aside engines are never taken off the assembly line for field service repairs. However, there is always a quantity built for spares. To the best of my knowledge complete engine spares are not stocked, meaning not at a parts depot. They're held at the engine plant.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 111012 miles.

 

[nlambert182]

I think there may be something else going on.

On a full engine replacement it's required that the service technician submit the list of diagnostics (like a leak-down test) used and those that indicated a major issue requiring an entire new engine on a repair order. This has to be approved by the Warranty Manager. The factory may come back and ask why individual repair parts can't be used to complete a repair.

There is likely a small battle going on between the dealer service and the factory. Usually the labor and parts cost on comeback work is borne by the dealership, and that might be the position the factory is taking even though the dealer is claiming the replacement engine was defective, especially since a defective replacement is relatively rare.

As an aside engines are never taken off the assembly line for field service repairs. However, there is always a quantity built for spares. To the best of my knowledge complete engine spares are not stocked, meaning not at a parts depot. They're held at the engine plant.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33-gallon fuel tank, 18” wheels. Build Date: 3 June 2018. Now at 111012 miles.

This.

As some have mentioned too, OEMs rarely (if ever) allow aftermarket parts for a warranty repair. We went through this on our Expedition. We even asked to have a used low mileage transmission installed once inspected and confirmed good by the dealer. That was a flat out no. We were told that would be at our expense and IF we did it, Ford would void the entire powertrain warranty. It sat on that lift with no transmission nor parts to repair it from June of 2022 to January 2023.

 

[modavis99]

Dealer might be willing to sell you an newer truck and take yours in trade that way they'll be doing the waiting.

quick follow up. This (above) is what I did, so thank you for that advice! The dealer took my truck in a trade towards a new Jeep. I asked for the lower end of the Kelley Blue Book trade-in value and they said OK to that. I thought that was pretty awesome given the truck did not work, would have had 2+ different major engine repairs when finished, and who knows how long everything would have taken. I wound up buying an Anniversary Edition 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe that had $12,500 in incentives.