5thGenRams Forums

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Check your doors for alignment. Quality Control

Lawn guy

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2019
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
I own a 2019 Ram Rebel with the same exact problem on the same exact door. Waiting for the dealer to repair it hopefully they fix it. How does something like this get past assembly line. I read an article the plant that builds these trucks is having major problems keeping up with demand. They're probably just pumping them out without doing any quality control
 

Lawn guy

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2019
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
So I noticed after a wash that my rear crew cab doors don’t match. Add this to the list.

Passenger side seems fine. This is the top back corner.
View attachment 14882

This is the driver side. The whole top back corner is sunk in. No accidents or anything like that. I’m sure I drove it off the lot like this. Luckily it’s sealing ok.
View attachment 14883
 

Attachments

  • 15649558301858965328784273555222.jpg
    15649558301858965328784273555222.jpg
    90.5 KB · Views: 192

Lawn guy

Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2019
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
So I noticed after a wash that my rear crew cab doors don’t match. Add this to the list.

Passenger side seems fine. This is the top back corner.
View attachment 14882

This is the driver side. The whole top back corner is sunk in. No accidents or anything like that. I’m sure I drove it off the lot like this. Luckily it’s sealing ok.
View attachment 14883
So I noticed after a wash that my rear crew cab doors don’t match. Add this to the list.

Passenger side seems fine. This is the top back corner.
View attachment 14882

This is the driver side. The whole top back corner is sunk in. No accidents or anything like that. I’m sure I drove it off the lot like this. Luckily it’s sealing ok.
View attachment 14883
Upper corner pushed in. Bottom sticks out.
 

Attachments

  • 1564955891350385573738855617194.jpg
    1564955891350385573738855617194.jpg
    57.1 KB · Views: 178

Brisoup1

Active Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2019
Messages
161
Reaction score
135
I own a 2019 Ram Rebel with the same exact problem on the same exact door. Waiting for the dealer to repair it hopefully they fix it. How does something like this get past assembly line. I read an article the plant that builds these trucks is having major problems keeping up with demand. They're probably just pumping them out without doing any quality control
True, since many of the workers are forced to work mandatory overtime, fatigue sets in and assembly quality slips.
 

Jakecukich

Active Member
Joined
May 13, 2019
Messages
55
Reaction score
26
you just joined the long list of people that had door alignment issues , check past post ,most were out not in though. The quality control for this year seems to be quite lacking. my prior years at the warren plant were good. they need to get there act together two of my neighbors just bought trucks and they are not happy campers.
Warren doesn’t make these trucks anymore.
 

timtlu

Active Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2019
Messages
187
Reaction score
202
Upper corner pushed in. Bottom sticks out.
I've got the same exact thing. Slight but very annoying road noise that I thought was coming from driver door over 60 mph. Thinking it may be related to this now. For those that got dealers to fix. Did you complain about alignment or about noise?

 

Moparluver

Active Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2019
Messages
48
Reaction score
13
Add me to the list. Drivers rear. No noise, but sticking out at the bottom. Appt on Wednesday to fix it.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
 

RamCares

Spends too much time on here
Joined
May 3, 2018
Messages
4,382
Reaction score
1,458
Location
Michigan
I own a 2019 Ram Rebel with the same exact problem on the same exact door. Waiting for the dealer to repair it hopefully they fix it. How does something like this get past assembly line. I read an article the plant that builds these trucks is having major problems keeping up with demand. They're probably just pumping them out without doing any quality control
Add me to the list. Drivers rear. No noise, but sticking out at the bottom. Appt on Wednesday to fix it.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

Hi Lawn guy and Moparluvr,
We regret to hear that you have both experienced this. If you would like any additional assistance while working with your dealerships, please send our team a private message!
Alex
Ram Social Care Specialist
 

Hapsmig

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2019
Messages
8
Reaction score
1
Consider yourself lucky. Many of us have it much worse. Honestly, does not look bad at all, in a month or so you won't pay attention to it.
Seriously! I bought mine as they were still coming out, back in early May 2018. I have the whistling noise, the startup clunk, the misaligned doors, the low output A/C and the noise cancellation bass drone sound.
 

airgas1998

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2019
Messages
266
Reaction score
124
Location
Iowa
my front passenger side fender was not flush. didn't catch it prior to buying. didn't think i had to exam the fitment, never had any issues with various mfgs in the past guess i was wrong. body shop corrected it.
 

BlckDT

Active Member
Joined
May 15, 2019
Messages
191
Reaction score
286
Location
Metro Detroit
This is very interesting. I work in the Metrology field (quality control using technology) for automotive. Many automotive plants have solutions at final assembly to check for gap and flush prior to the vehicles coming off the production line. These solutions are typically automated systems that measure specific locations on the vehicle as it moves down the line. In the case of our trucks, measured locations typically include (left and right side) fender to hood, a-pillar to door, door to rocker panel, door to roof, door to door (3 locations bottom - mid - top), door to rear fender, tailgate to body (bottom and top). The gap/flush measurements are then compared to a known, accepted, value. If there is a problem that unit (vehicle) is flagged.

The vehicle continues moving on the line to the next station what they call fitter station where the problem gap/flush areas are shown on a big screen and an operator can manually adjust the doors/hood/tailgate to the proper spec as the vehicle enters their station. If the fitters don’t get information from the screen then they don’t touch the vehicles.

Ram 1500 final assembly has this system in place. The plant is pumping out 1400+ Ram trucks per day. They are very busy right now. The measurement system is in place and “should” be running. I say “should” because there are many other constraints that can occur in a manufacturing plant to put something on hold.
 
Last edited:

DraKhen99

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
277
Reaction score
180
Wow, I hadn't even noticed this thread before, but I'll add my experience.

While washing my truck for the first time back in May, I noticed that my driver's side rear door didn't sit flush with the cab like the passenger side rear door. I texted a couple of pictures to my salesman, and he told me to contact service and they'd take care of it. I had a scratched A pillar trim from the PDI, which I noticed prior to taking delivery, so I already had a "we owe" for that. I took it in, showed the service writer, and they took a few days but got it back to me perfect.

On a side note, I never noticed any extra wind/road/tire noise, but I did notice that the sound that misaligned door made when you closed it, was different from the other 3. After fixing it, all 4 doors make the same sound when closed.

I have a coworker who had a loaner Big Horn, same color as mine (billet silver), and that truck's driver's side rear door had the same issue.

-John
 

JRadford43

Active Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2019
Messages
64
Reaction score
31
I have checked as well and my passenger rear door and even front driver door stick out a little bit. But it looks to line up at the top and sides, but half way down the doors they start to stick out. I didn't really notice until I thought I left a door partially open to then realize that it was a door alignment issue.

********
Also, I noticed this yesterday as well but my bumper and the fender that wraps around and goes under the headlight is uneven as well. The gap on one side of the bumper and fender vs. the other side is definitely different. I can slide my fingers in the gap on one side and on the other I can't get my fingers into the gap at all. After that I went on the forum and facebook group page and crazy enough I started noticing this on many of the members posts when they show off their truck. A good chance many on here have that misalignment in the bumper to wrap around fender and haven't noticed yet.
 

airgas1998

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2019
Messages
266
Reaction score
124
Location
Iowa
yeah noticed this front bumper/headlight assy gap as well. other side had it as well so just assumed that's the way it's assembled. I did think it looked a little sloppy though.
 

Moparluver

Active Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2019
Messages
48
Reaction score
13
I got my doors (driver side front and rear) adjusted yesterday. Came out perfect! It scared the hell out of me when I saw my truck shaking, I walked over to see what was happening, and the Tech had a mallet wrapped in a shop rag in his hand.. I seriously thought that he was using it to bend the edge of the door flush! I about had a fit :)
Then I realized he was just using the mallet to move the striker :).

For those that are interested, I saw wrench marks on the hinges, so i'm sure the loosened those and the striker to get everything aligned.
It took them 1/2 hour to take care if it.
 

Rototerrier

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
349
Reaction score
375
Ok fellas, I finally decided to tackle this issue myself. It is SUPER easy.

You need a T45 star bit. I bought a set from Harbor Freight for 24 bucks. Then you need an impact wrench. I am using a 18v Ridgid from Home Depot, but any impact will do. You just need something that will easily break the bolts loose.

I was originally thinking this "whacking" of the latch was to bend something. Not at all. I took the latch completely off just so I could see what the bolts screw in to. Turns out, the nuts on the inside of the body are affixed in such a way that they float. With the bolts about 3/4 of the way turned in, or 1/4 of the way out...both bolts, I put a piece of wood up against them and gave them a light tap. I could then see those backer nuts move a little. I continued to tap them until I got them moved a few mm more inward toward the cab. Lots of folks are suggesting the dealer is "whacking" the latch. You could do this, but then you can't really see the backer nuts move and you are just guessing at how far things are shifting. You could just loosen the bolts and take a few whacks on the latch, but you can't really tell if it's moving. By removing the latch first and then just tapping the bolts, you can clearly and visibly see just how far those nuts are moving inward and not over/under do it.

Pulled out the bolts, reinstall the latch, tightened it all back down and the door now closes tighter and farther into the cab and removed all of the misalignment.

So, for those of you that aren't completely dependent on dealers to fix everything and have some tools laying around to do the job, this is a simple 5 minute fix you can do yourself. Nothing is getting bent and nothing is getting excessively whacked with a hammer. I literally just barely tapped and things shifted right to where they needed to be. For everyone else that likes to argue that they shouldn't have to work on their own vehicles out of principle or spite or whatever....then you guys can just keep waiting on your dealers and/or live with the misalignments. I prefer to take the bull by the horns and just knock these little things out.

I can only attest to this fixing my particular issue where my drivers side rear door was sticking out at the bottom. Obviously having the door shut further into the cab is a logical and obvious solution. Any other misalignments may not be resolved with this method and your mileage may vary.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Top