Fit and Finish Issues

[MJP]

Wow! That's very interesting. Mine is just to the left of the 12 inch screen and it's in the leather. It almost looks as if the sheet of leather was folded or creased at that point prior to them fitting it into the dash. You hit the nail on the head when you said when the Sun hits it it's most apparent. I totally agree that I do not want the dash swapped out although the dealer did offer this as an option. I think Ram should reimburse us for the full cost of the dash and installation expense. I am open to other suggestions buy Ram. My dealer offered to have an interior specialist look at it which has not been done yet. If it definitely can't be fixed in a satisfactory way Ram needs to make good on it. Maybe a lifetime extended warranty?

Btw, this is what my dash defect looks like. Curious if yours looks the same.

 

[DarkKnightRT]

I had similar fit and finish issues, my truck had a scratch on the trim above the radio screen, the dealer said when they sold it to me that they’re giving me such a good price that I basically needed to take it that way and take my chances with claiming it under warranty. I took it to service, they said there was no way it was gonna be covered and that it should have been covered by the selling dealer. It also had other scratches and dents in the interior.
I had a defect on one of the 20 inch chrome clad rims that came with the sport package, ram did not want to warrantee it. After I complained that it was a material defect and the service writer agreed with me they offered to do it if I paid a $50 deductible. I went ahead and paid because I wanted it done. I had other issues with it when it was delivered it had a few dings here and they’re on the body, a nick and chip under the right headlight on the body color plastic piece between headlight and bumper. I took the jack out once and dropped the spare tire and the panel on bumper that covers the hole to access the mechanism to drop spare will not seat right anymore because the tabs are to soft and bend, as well as the panel on the side of the passenger seat that covers the jack, the tab that holds it in place broke so I have to tape it to keep it in place; so don’t get a flat because these panels are one time use.
My driver side map light didn’t work from day one, I took in after a month and warranty replaced it.
I recently got my 90 day survey a couple weeks back, I really laid into them with my “concerns” , I have not heard a peep or response from anyone at Ram. I’m so disappointed with this purchase.

 

[MJP]

I had similar fit and finish issues, my truck had a scratch on the trim above the radio screen, the dealer said when they sold it to me that they’re giving me such a good price that I basically needed to take it that way and take my chances with claiming it under warranty. I took it to service, they said there was no way it was gonna be covered and that it should have been covered by the selling dealer. It also had other scratches and dents in the interior.
I had a defect on one of the 20 inch chrome clad rims that came with the sport package, ram did not want to warrantee it. After I complained that it was a material defect and the service writer agreed with me they offered to do it if I paid a $50 deductible. I went ahead and paid because I wanted it done. I had other issues with it when it was delivered it had a few dings here and they’re on the body, a nick and chip under the right headlight on the body color plastic piece between headlight and bumper. I took the jack out once and dropped the spare tire and the panel on bumper that covers the hole to access the mechanism to drop spare will not seat right anymore because the tabs are to soft and bend, as well as the panel on the side of the passenger seat that covers the jack, the tab that holds it in place broke so I have to tape it to keep it in place; so don’t get a flat because these panels are one time use.
My driver side map light didn’t work from day one, I took in after a month and warranty replaced it.
I recently got my 90 day survey a couple weeks back, I really laid into them with my “concerns” , I have not heard a peep or response from anyone at Ram. I’m so disappointed with this purchase.

Wow. Sounds like you are in the same boat I am except my dealer has been fantastic addressing everything. I am fortunate in that regard I guess.good luck with everything. Mine is sitting at the dealer into week 2 waiting for Chrylser to figure out my etorque issue.

 

[1997pgt]

Unfortunately i too can relate to fit/finish issues and dealer damage. My local RAM dealer that i normally deal with didn't have a Bighorn on their lot that had the options i wanted (Pano roof/Alpine/Nav) so they DX'd one in from a dealer in Maryland. I signed the papers that night before seeing the truck and then they went to pick the truck up from the dealer in Maryland the next day (Saturday). Saturday rolls around and the dealer they were picking it up from said the truck wasn't ready so the runners that picked it up didn't get it back up to Delaware until about 8pm and it was raining its butt off when it got here. First issue i had was the truck was delivered with 721 miles on it, wasn't mentioned to the dealer i purchased through or myself so bad start there. Then the next day when it stopped raining i discovered a ton of damage on the truck, missing paint, gouge in the bumper, dent on the side of the bed, scratches all down the bumpers/cab corner it was an absolute mess. My dealer immediately sent the pics over to the dealer in Maryland and they seemed like they were going to make good on it at first but then the email traffic stopped and they tried to blame the dealer i bought it from for not having the runners inspect the truck prior to picking it up, which we explained it was dark and raining but they didn't seem to care. To make matters worse my dealer originally said they recommend sending the truck back to the dealer in MD and getting a new one but if i do i'll lose the lifetime Max Care warranty i have on mine since FCA no longer offers the warranty. Pretty sad a brand new $56,000 truck looks worse than most 3 year old use cars on the road. My 2016 Laramie was perfect when i bought it and it had sat on the dealer lot for 6 months before i picked it up, definitely disappointing.

 

[MJP]

Unfortunately i too can relate to fit/finish issues and dealer damage. My local RAM dealer that i normally deal with didn't have a Bighorn on their lot that had the options i wanted (Pano roof/Alpine/Nav) so they DX'd one in from a dealer in Maryland. I signed the papers that night before seeing the truck and then they went to pick the truck up from the dealer in Maryland the next day (Saturday). Saturday rolls around and the dealer they were picking it up from said the truck wasn't ready so the runners that picked it up didn't get it back up to Delaware until about 8pm and it was raining its butt off when it got here. First issue i had was the truck was delivered with 721 miles on it, wasn't mentioned to the dealer i purchased through or myself so bad start there. Then the next day when it stopped raining i discovered a ton of damage on the truck, missing paint, gouge in the bumper, dent on the side of the bed, scratches all down the bumpers/cab corner it was an absolute mess. My dealer immediately sent the pics over to the dealer in Maryland and they seemed like they were going to make good on it at first but then the email traffic stopped and they tried to blame the dealer i bought it from for not having the runners inspect the truck prior to picking it up, which we explained it was dark and raining but they didn't seem to care. To make matters worse my dealer originally said they recommend sending the truck back to the dealer in MD and getting a new one but if i do i'll lose the lifetime Max Care warranty i have on mine since FCA no longer offers the warranty. Pretty sad a brand new $56,000 truck looks worse than most 3 year old use cars on the road. My 2016 Laramie was perfect when i bought it and it had sat on the dealer lot for 6 months before i picked it up, definitely disappointing.

Sorry to hear. This is totally unacceptable. If they dont make good on the repairs ASAP I would go see an attorney.

 

[1997pgt]

Sorry to hear. This is totally unacceptable. If they dont make good on the repairs ASAP I would go see an attorney.

Worst part is the sales manager from the dealership I actually purchased my truck from reached out to me and said they've tried to get ahold of them for about a week and they won't return phone calls or email back so they gave me their number and said i could try to call them myself and see if they would talk to me. Surprisingly they picked up for me (probably didn't recognize my name) and after explaining everything the guy started getting a little combative trying to pass the blame off on my dealer but said they will look into it further next week since they were busy doing end of the month close outs/sales. I feel like at the end of the day I'm going to just get screwed on the deal and i can only imagine getting an attorney involved will be a massive headache, although thankfully i haven't had any experience with attorneys.

 

[MJP]

Worst part is the sales manager from the dealership I actually purchased my truck from reached out to me and said they've tried to get ahold of them for about a week and they won't return phone calls or email back so they gave me their number and said i could try to call them myself and see if they would talk to me. Surprisingly they picked up for me (probably didn't recognize my name) and after explaining everything the guy started getting a little combative trying to pass the blame off on my dealer but said they will look into it further next week since they were busy doing end of the month close outs/sales. I feel like at the end of the day I'm going to just get screwed on the deal and i can only imagine getting an attorney involved will be a massive headache, although thankfully i haven't had any experience with attorneys.

I wouldn't eat the repair cost. Consulting an attorney may be less of a hassle than you think and could get you what you want. Worth talking to one in a free consultation. Just my two cents.

 

[1997pgt]

I wouldn't eat the repair cost. Consulting an attorney may be less of a hassle than you think and could get you what you want. Worth talking to one in a free consultation. Just my two cents.

You might be right. I think a lot of dealers don't see individual issues/people as a big concern but getting someone higher up the food chain involved with having to deal with an attorney might expedite the process, just sad you have to resort to that on a brand new vehicle that i'm sure arrived to them in pristine condition.

 

[MJP]

You might be right. I think a lot of dealers don't see individual issues/people as a big concern but getting someone higher up the food chain involved with having to deal with an attorney might expedite the process, just sad you have to resort to that on a brand new vehicle that i'm sure arrived to them in pristine condition.

Yep. Agreed. I'm looking at going that route once I finally get my truck back.

 

[Cannonball]

@1997pgt You paid $56,000 for a Big Horn?

 

[Badasstripleturbogiantdik]

My bad. Supposed to be rusted brackets and bolts under the seat. Lol.

Now THAT'S funny!

 

[Badasstripleturbogiantdik]

I I'm a Chemist who works for an electroplating facility. If your parts were plated and coated or chromated correctly, they would not have rusted. We subject our parts to a period of salt spray to ensure good quality for the end customer.

Keep us posted on how you make out. I'll be crossing my fingers for you.

I'll probably never spend $70,000 on a vehicle again. I wanted my dream truck before I retired. Hopefully I can get my issues fixed and start enjoying it.

I'm in the same boat looking for a new truck to treat myself that will possibly be my last vehicle purchase. You posted just what I was thinking while reading about rusted interior parts. That's crazy. I have a '98 Volvo V70R since new and the whole car still looks perfect, inside and out. These trucks are big money to not treat/coat parts properly. I'm pretty sure they are not made to be used in only low humidity environments!

 

[MJP]

I'm in the same boat looking for a new truck to treat myself that will possibly be my last vehicle purchase. You posted just what I was thinking while reading about rusted interior parts. That's crazy. I have a '98 Volvo V70R since new and the whole car still looks perfect, inside and out. These trucks are big money to not treat/coat parts properly. I'm pretty sure they are not made to be used in only low humidity environments!

Yeah crazy. $67,000 and rusted seat brackets are an accepted thing. I've had 6 Volvos in my life no such thing. Fit and finish perfect. American manufacturers are unreal.

 

[Lablvr2]

I just bought a 2019 Limited and to be honest this is the 9th Dodge Truck I have owned since 1998. I have had almost 1 or 2 of every generation. Just traded my '17 Laramie and for the most part I am very happy with the truck but like many on this site I have some general finish quality issues. I had my truck shipped down to Houston from a dealer 4 hours from me about 7 days ago. The day it came in I noticed the snap button on the floor mats that hold the carpet insert to the rubber was broken on one mat. I went to the local dealer whom I have used for years and they simply ordered me a new set of mats. Once the weekend got here I took some time to wash the truck and really inspect it. Once I did there were some noticeable things like the left rear 22in wheel has dull spots under the finish where the machine did not paint the wheel properly, the drivers door applique (shiny black trim between doors) was coming off, drivers seat rail cover has a nick in the plastic and the right rear door panel has a weird mark in the texture plastic face but looks like it was from a bad mold. I also noticed there were swirl marks in places like on the left bed side and on the right rear door bottom. My guess is someone at the dealer tried to buff some grime and did a bad job. All of these I think are fixable and I did contact the selling dealer. I offered to drive 4 hrs to them and in return they offered to give me a loaner until they could resolve all my concerns. I told them my preference would be for them to scavenge parts off of a stock unit where possible (they can deal with warranty after), clean the swirl marks and let me get on my way. They are in a small town so I have to wait to take it up on the 17th but I am trying to be flexible since they seemed really genuine in making things right. I will post an update once I get my truck back.

 

[MJP]

I just bought a 2019 Limited and to be honest this is the 9th Dodge Truck I have owned since 1998. I have had almost 1 or 2 of every generation. Just traded my '17 Laramie and for the most part I am very happy with the truck but like many on this site I have some general finish quality issues. I had my truck shipped down to Houston from a dealer 4 hours from me about 7 days ago. The day it came in I noticed the snap button on the floor mats that hold the carpet insert to the rubber was broken on one mat. I went to the local dealer whom I have used for years and they simply ordered me a new set of mats. Once the weekend got here I took some time to wash the truck and really inspect it. Once I did there were some noticeable things like the left rear 22in wheel has dull spots under the finish where the machine did not paint the wheel properly, the drivers door applique (shiny black trim between doors) was coming off, drivers seat rail cover has a nick in the plastic and the right rear door panel has a weird mark in the texture plastic face but looks like it was from a bad mold. I also noticed there were swirl marks in places like on the left bed side and on the right rear door bottom. My guess is someone at the dealer tried to buff some grime and did a bad job. All of these I think are fixable and I did contact the selling dealer. I offered to drive 4 hrs to them and in return they offered to give me a loaner until they could resolve all my concerns. I told them my preference would be for them to scavenge parts off of a stock unit where possible (they can deal with warranty after), clean the swirl marks and let me get on my way. They are in a small town so I have to wait to take it up on the 17th but I am trying to be flexible since they seemed really genuine in making things right. I will post an update once I get my truck back.

Sorry man. I am still still dealing with a number of fit and finish issues too. Chrysler quality control sucks. Or should I say lack of quality control. I've owned 14 new vehicles in my lifetime (no Chrysler products) and never had more than some dirt that needed to be cleaned from the vehicle at delivery.

 

[Lablvr2]

@MJP thanks..I dont let it bother me much because compared to some of the other posts in this forum my issues seem barely significant. I know my stuff will get fixed (or hope). Every truck maker has the good and bad but when people post the bad it draws folks to the fire like a witch burning. I love the way all of my dodge trucks have driven and over the years have been really dependable. I remember one year the pinion bolt sheared off in the rear end of my 2009 Lonestar 5.7 and Chysler sent me a check equivelent to a montly car note because my truck sat in the shop waiting for parts. They by coincidence had just issued a recall for that issue so parts were scarce. Someone in another post said it best.. go to a Chevy or Ford forum and you will find complaints on their vehicles too.

 

[1997pgt]

@1997pgt You paid $56,000 for a Big Horn?

No, sticker was $56,040 but I paid $44 and some change for it. (literally has every option minus the Ramboxes)

 

[MJP]

@MJP thanks..I dont let it bother me much because compared to some of the other posts in this forum my issues seem barely significant. I know my stuff will get fixed (or hope). Every truck maker has the good and bad but when people post the bad it draws folks to the fire like a witch burning. I love the way all of my dodge trucks have driven and over the years have been really dependable. I remember one year the pinion bolt sheared off in the rear end of my 2009 Lonestar 5.7 and Chysler sent me a check equivelent to a montly car note because my truck sat in the shop waiting for parts. They by coincidence had just issued a recall for that issue so parts were scarce. Someone in another post said it best.. go to a Chevy or Ford forum and you will find complaints on their vehicles too.

Thanks for the support. I am trying to keep a positive attitude. I have no doubt about the other manufacturer forums.

 

[Lablvr2]

@MJP ..A quick update since my last post.. I drove my Limited 4 hrs back to the selling dealer this past Monday and on day one they had it in the shop, completed all software updates and already ordered a door panel, couple interior plastic pieces, LF window seal, and door applique. Luckily some parts have started to roll in. They did have to submit a warranty review claim for one of my 22in wheels that had a finish defect. They told me it takes a few days to get FCA to respond but if they don't hear back or get a good answer they will try and get me handled even if it means robbing parts from unsold stock unit to get me back on the road. That is a great example of customer service. Now for the funny part.. the dealer is actually in a small town and they sell Ram, Fiat, Jeep and Chevrolet out of one place. Since I have Maxicare I got a loaner to take back to Houston.. it just happens to be a brand new 2019 Chevy Silverado.. as a die hard Ram enthusiast I was slightly offended but I am toughing it out.. I have read a lot of the Ram complaints on this site and after driving the Chevy for about 4 days now I can say with full honesty that EVERY truck brand has issues.. the Chevy had about 200 miles on it when I got it and I have now put 1000 miles on it in 4 days. It has flaws in the trim, rattles from the dash and the trans shifts like a tank. Keep your head up my fellow Ram brothers (and sisters) and know it is not just our trucks that have first year issues too!!

 

[MJP]

@MJP ..A quick update since my last post.. I drove my Limited 4 hrs back to the selling dealer this past Monday and on day one they had it in the shop, completed all software updates and already ordered a door panel, couple interior plastic pieces, LF window seal, and door applique. Luckily some parts have started to roll in. They did have to submit a warranty review claim for one of my 22in wheels that had a finish defect. They told me it takes a few days to get FCA to respond but if they don't hear back or get a good answer they will try and get me handled even if it means robbing parts from unsold stock unit to get me back on the road. That is a great example of customer service. Now for the funny part.. the dealer is actually in a small town and they sell Ram, Fiat, Jeep and Chevrolet out of one place. Since I have Maxicare I got a loaner to take back to Houston.. it just happens to be a brand new 2019 Chevy Silverado.. as a die hard Ram enthusiast I was slightly offended but I am toughing it out.. I have read a lot of the Ram complaints on this site and after driving the Chevy for about 4 days now I can say with full honesty that EVERY truck brand has issues.. the Chevy had about 200 miles on it when I got it and I have now put 1000 miles on it in 4 days. It has flaws in the trim, rattles from the dash and the trans shifts like a tank. Keep your head up my fellow Ram brothers (and sisters) and know it is not just our trucks that have first year issues too!!

Funny about the Chevy as a loaner. I got my truck back today and couldn't be happier. The dealer took care of the majority of fit/finish issues and fixed the etorque battery issue. I have a few minor things left on the list but they will do them when I return for oil change. The dealer has been fantastic and the Service Manager is a class act. I am still waiting on FCA customer service to get back to me about my dash defect but I am confident they'll do the right thing. All in all I'm excited to drive my truck again. Thanks for the update and best of luck with your rig.