Heating Issues

[TheDoho]

I started noticing issues on the 2nd. I started the remote start to heat up the truck at night and it was warm but not as hot as it should be for sitting 8-10 minutes. There was frost on the inside of the window that would not dissipate despite the heat being on the entire 15 minute ride home. The heat was warm to lukewarm and would not properly heat the inside of the vehicle. On the 3rd I noticed that there was still frost on the inside of my windshield (and the windshield only) after sitting all night. The heating issue was more prevalent, even blowing cold air for the first 10 minutes of the truck being on. I had it on max temperature and max speed while driving around. It finally warmed up but it was lukewarm at best and anything below a 4 out of 7 speed would make the windows fog up. On the 4th there was still frost on the inside of my windshield but when I started the truck and drove for a couple minutes at max heat and temperature the truck seemed to heat up in just a couple of minutes and started to dissipate the frost and fog. I parked the truck while at work and that evening I came out and discovered more frost on the windshield with most of it on the passenger side. I started the truck (not remote started) and it seemed to heat up fine as it did before work.

I can’t get in until the 15th. Anyone have any issues or potential remedies until then?

 

[HSKR R/T]

Check to see if the condensate drain is clogged not allowing water to drain. Check your coolant level. If it's low it could cause intermittent issues.

 

[c3k]

What was your coolant temperature when this was happening?

Oil temp?

 

[TheDoho]

Check to see if the condensate drain is clogged not allowing water to drain. Check your coolant level. If it's low it could cause intermittent issues.

Sure enough the coolant is low. Any recommendations on coolant brand? I’m not sure if I have access to Mopar brand

 

[Jako]

Sure enough the coolant is low. Any recommendations on coolant brand? I’m not sure if I have access to Mopar brand

I do not have a good answer for "any recommendation on coolant brand" as I could not find one myself. Be careful as far as putting in the correct coolant. More info below in the the thread.

FYI

https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/antifreeze-maintenance.28195/

"FROM EXPERIENCE (first time):
Forget the MS.90032. This seems to be a Mopar secret. It fits in the same category as the torque setting for the oil drain plug and the number for the Mopar oil filter.
The Ram will take MS-12106, it is available pre mixed or as a concentrate.

I added 8 ozs. at a time for a total of 24 ozs. of coolant which raised the level approximately 2 3/4".
For the antifreeze dipstick this works out as following.
The holes are very close to 1 1/8" apart and equates to 9.82 ozs. from hole to hole.

The first picture is towards the bottom of the dipstick and the 2 black marks represent the initial level and after adding 8 ozs. I used medical tape on the dipstick to get an exact reading on the dipstick. If you look through the tape you can see the minimum mark hole and the one above it."

 

[TheDoho]

Thanks everyone. I went to my local dodge dealership and ended up buying the pre-diluted coolant. The heat has been fine since yesterday and seems to be fine so far. I’ll update if I have any other issues

 

[Jako]

Thanks everyone. I went to my local dodge dealership and ended up buying the pre-diluted coolant. The heat has been fine since yesterday and seems to be fine so far. I’ll update if I have any other issues

How much did you have to add?

 

[c3k]

Thanks everyone. I went to my local dodge dealership and ended up buying the pre-diluted coolant. The heat has been fine since yesterday and seems to be fine so far. I’ll update if I have any other issues

Glad the heating issue is resolved...BUT...

The bigger issue is what caused the coolant to get low?

 

[TheDoho]

How much did you have to add?

It was at or below MIN and I filled it to MAX. Maybe 1/3-1/2 the bottle of Mopar coolant

Glad the heating issue is resolved...BUT...

The bigger issue is what caused the coolant to get low?

That’s what worries me too. The frost on the inside doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore but I’m letting it sit for 8 hours at work tonight so we’ll see. I did take it through a drive through car wash around the time the frost popped up and I haven’t been to one of those in years. Maybe water leaked in from there?

 

[BowDown]

It was at or below MIN and I filled it to MAX. Maybe 1/3-1/2 the bottle of Mopar coolant


That’s what worries me too. The frost on the inside doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore but I’m letting it sit for 8 hours at work tonight so we’ll see. I did take it through a drive through car wash around the time the frost popped up and I haven’t been to one of those in years. Maybe water leaked in from there?

Check your oil dipstick

 

[HSKR R/T]

It was at or below MIN and I filled it to MAX. Maybe 1/3-1/2 the bottle of Mopar coolant


That’s what worries me too. The frost on the inside doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore but I’m letting it sit for 8 hours at work tonight so we’ll see. I did take it through a drive through car wash around the time the frost popped up and I haven’t been to one of those in years. Maybe water leaked in from there?

If it was still showing on the dipstick, then coolant level wasnt your issue.

 

[TheDoho]

Check your oil dipstick

What’re you thinking?

If it was still showing on the dipstick, then coolant level wasnt your issue.

The coolant was on the bottom 2/3 of the dipstick. I put the coolant in after driving around in the truck for a little bit. I’m going to check it again tonight after it’s been sitting for a couple hours.

 

[BowDown]

What’re you thinking?


The coolant was on the bottom 2/3 of the dipstick. I put the coolant in after driving around in the truck for a little bit. I’m going to check it again tonight after it’s been sitting for a couple hours.

See if your oil is milky, if so, that's where the coolant went

 

[User_3336]

Straight from the Mopar Chemicals Catalog. The dark color circle represents PURPLE.

 

[TheDoho]

See if your oil is milky, if so, that's where the coolant went

So I’m almost half way through my shift. No frost on the inside of my windshield, oil appears normal for having 65% life and I’m not seeing any puddles underneath or leaks underneath. It’s hard to get pics at night but I will get pics in the morning

 

[bsn0912]

Glad the heating issue is resolved...BUT...

The bigger issue is what caused the coolant to get low?

I just talked to a buddy yesterday, who was a service tech for CDJR, cause I’m having the same heating issue. He said this is common with the 5th Gen Rams, and they leak coolant from pretty much anywhere that coolant can leak from.

 

[Dragonmaster13]

Mine was doing what you described, found a leak in the heater core (sweet coolant smell on the inside of the truck when heat was on), and also found a sweating leak at the front of the engine on the upper driver side from one of the cheap plastic elbows coming out of the front of the block.