My ECO Diesel experience

[SSW]

In 2015 I purchased a Ram BigHorn 1500 Eco Diesel from a dealer in southern Idaho. I live in western Nevada and do quite a bit of highway miles each year ( about 20K ). This truck had performed very well for us in spite of 6 or 7 recalls over the years. In march of 2020 when the pandemic was starting to shut everything down, I made a major mistake one morning and while distracted I put DEF in to the Diesel Tank, about 2 gallons. Yes, my fault and I take full responsibility for doing it. The result was, the nearest dealership , 30 miles away was shut down by the State. The next closest at 65 miles away was available for emergency repairs . The truck was towed to the dealership and I was told that everything in the entire fuel system would have to be replaced due to the DEF contamination. The result was a repair bill of $10,500, insurance didn't cover any of this repair since I was at fault. After the repair the truck ran fine for another 22K miles. About a month and a half ago I had a check engine light come on, I took it to the nearest dealer and had the issue diagnosed, the intake manifold was damaged and would need to be replaced, while the dealership had the tuck for repair I received a call that the tech had damaged one of the cylinder heads and now that would also need to be replaced ( on them ) however the replacement cylinder head would have to shipped from Italy. They estimated at least 60 days. By the way, they said that the truck body would have to be removed from the frame to do the repair. The service manager and I discussed options and he said the Generation 1 Eco Diesels usually only lasted about 80K miles but the New Generation motors had fixed all Generation 1 issues. This truck had also had the water pump replaced twice and the Catalytic converter. The dealership bought the broken truck from me and sold it at auction. I am now driving a 2021 Ram Laramie. I was not ever unhappy with the Eco Diesel but I am enjoying the new one. Just a thought, maybe the Fuel and DEF inputs should be a little further apart like a couple of other makes do.

 

[WXman]

You had a Gen 2 and now you've got a Gen 3. I don't believe Gen 1 was ever sold in the U.S.

I've often wondered how people are able to pay for $10,000 repairs out of pocket. I must be doing something wrong. If that happened to me I'd have to sell and eat the loss.

You hit on something I hadn't thought of with the DEF location. My father's 2017 GMC Duramax has the DEF fill under the hood. We've talked about how incredibly stupid that is, and why would people want to pop the hood every time they need DEF? Especially in the dead of winter. Screw that. I noticed that GM has now put the DEF fill next to the diesel fill. BUT...having said all that, having to pop the hood to access DEF would at least prevent making the mistake of putting DEF or diesel into the wrong hole.

 

[SSW]

You had a Gen 2 and now you've got a Gen 3. I don't believe Gen 1 was ever sold in the U.S.

I've often wondered how people are able to pay for $10,000 repairs out of pocket. I must be doing something wrong. If that happened to me I'd have to sell and eat the loss.

You hit on something I hadn't thought of with the DEF location. My father's 2017 GMC Duramax has the DEF fill under the hood. We've talked about how incredibly stupid that is, and why would people want to pop the hood every time they need DEF? Especially in the dead of winter. Screw that. I noticed that GM has now put the DEF fill next to the diesel fill. BUT...having said all that, having to pop the hood to access DEF would at least prevent making the mistake of putting DEF or diesel into the wrong hole.

I think that the Eco Diesel was first offered in 2014 for the Ram and then it was discontinued in 2016 or 17 and not offered again for 2 model years, I assume to workout design problems. When I made the mistake with the DEF in the Diesel tank, the truck was worth more than double the cost of repair, so it was hard to walk away at that time. The new 2021 Laramie that we now have is a 5.7 HEMI and its amazing the difference that 6 model years make. By the way, the fill holes for Diesel and DEF are different sizes, Diesel is bigger, so you couldn't put Diesel in the DEF but nothing stops you from doing the reverse, DEF in the Diesel . My mistake was at a gas station miles from home.

 

[AdamChandler]

Just for the sake of others, 2015 is an EcoDiesel Generation 2 not the motor available to us 5th Gen RAM Owners which is the Gen 3 EcoD.

Sorry for your trouble though!

 

[Malodave]

Last time I filled my Truck, The woman in front of me was about to
put Diesel in her Gasser Minivan. I caught her before she could
insert the nozzle. I have heard of others that thing the Green Nozzle
is for the Eco Gas. Got to save the Planet you know!

Malodave

 

[WXman]

Last time I filled my Truck, The woman in front of me was about to
put Diesel in her Gasser Minivan. I caught her before she could
insert the nozzle. I have heard of others that thing the Green Nozzle
is for the Eco Gas. Got to save the Planet you know!

Malodave

Except BP stations....around here those use green handles for gasoline, black for diesel. It drives me nuts.

 

[Cogito]

In 2015 I purchased a Ram BigHorn 1500 Eco Diesel from a dealer in southern Idaho. I live in western Nevada and do quite a bit of highway miles each year ( about 20K ). This truck had performed very well for us in spite of 6 or 7 recalls over the years. In march of 2020 when the pandemic was starting to shut everything down, I made a major mistake one morning and while distracted I put DEF in to the Diesel Tank, about 2 gallons. Yes, my fault and I take full responsibility for doing it. The result was, the nearest dealership , 30 miles away was shut down by the State. The next closest at 65 miles away was available for emergency repairs . The truck was towed to the dealership and I was told that everything in the entire fuel system would have to be replaced due to the DEF contamination. The result was a repair bill of $10,500, insurance didn't cover any of this repair since I was at fault. After the repair the truck ran fine for another 22K miles. About a month and a half ago I had a check engine light come on, I took it to the nearest dealer and had the issue diagnosed, the intake manifold was damaged and would need to be replaced, while the dealership had the tuck for repair I received a call that the tech had damaged one of the cylinder heads and now that would also need to be replaced ( on them ) however the replacement cylinder head would have to shipped from Italy. They estimated at least 60 days. By the way, they said that the truck body would have to be removed from the frame to do the repair. The service manager and I discussed options and he said the Generation 1 Eco Diesels usually only lasted about 80K miles but the New Generation motors had fixed all Generation 1 issues. This truck had also had the water pump replaced twice and the Catalytic converter. The dealership bought the broken truck from me and sold it at auction. I am now driving a 2021 Ram Laramie. I was not ever unhappy with the Eco Diesel but I am enjoying the new one. Just a thought, maybe the Fuel and DEF inputs should be a little further apart like a couple of other makes do.

Unfortunate story but with a happy ending. Is your new RAM an EcoDiesel? I'm happy with my 2020 Bighorn. Many years ago I had a pre-EcoDiesel era 1500 Hemi. Liked it, too, but not the fuel bills.

 

[Camelot]

So far I really like my EcoDiesel (2021)