Starting to consoder noy buying a new Ram

[Zeronet]

Just saw reviews on Edmund's and it seems Ram has some serious issues with the 2019. I am. a huge Ramnfan and have 2011 that I'm ready to trade. Considering the eco diesel and how FCA is still selling those, I have lost almost all confidence in buying a RAM. I have had very few issues w mine over 135K miles. Everything on the 2019 was around on the 2018 suns the uodated uconnect and etorque, expected fewer issues

Just read through the 12 Edmunds reviews and most are happy with the truck. One of the reviewers was just down on Rams because his 4th gen had a transmission failure after 100k miles. There was one review noting poor a/c. Another had a blown engine after 3000 miles, I’ll call that an outlier since these are the same engines put in hundreds of thousands of fca vehicles, oh and he claims they will not cover the engine under warranty, there must be more to that story. Another has problems with the uConnect system but that review is a month and a half old and maybe before the recent updates.

Just my take on what I read. More info is a good thing and thanks for pointing us there.

 

[Davidmurphy02]

I ordered my truck in May, at that point there were very few in owners' hands yet so not many real world experiences reported. As more took delivery and started to report issues, I did get a little nervous. But I have a fairly basic Lonestar and have had zero issues with it and absolutely love the truck. It seems like a lot of the more annoying issues are with some of the new options on the higher trims, but stuff like the brake squeal and steering clunk are more likely to be at any trim level. No way to know how prevalent the problems are, but like you I needed a truck now and so far it has turned out well for me.

 

[19llhpb]

Good points, balanced perspective.

BTW, what is the build date on yours? I'm sure you've stated it here someplace, but it's too difficult to comb thorough & find.

Also, have you already posted new photos of all of the mods/accessories you've installed?

Thanks.

My build date is early July. Most of the mods and accessories can be viewed in my thread “All fixed up” in the accessories/mods section. Thanks!

 

[VectorZ]

Just stopped by the F-150 forum. Here are some current threads. This is only going back THREE days on the forum. Do I think the F150 is a terrible truck? Not at all, I had a 2016 Platinum that had a few issues, but it wasn't a bad vehicle. The point being, is that there are many many trucks that do not have any issues. The best thing you can do is take one home over the weekend and really drive it and inspect it.

Frozen door latch Recall
Cooling Seats issue and TSB feedback
Rear window defrost not working
Clunk from rear of truck
SHAME on you FORD!! How many other 2018 guys are dealing with this...
Does everyone's ecoboost surge or shudder
Dash and console rattle
2016 Transmission Grinding
Leak Issues!!!
Panoramic Roof Nightmare Saga
single "clunk" when starting the engine
Grinding noise coming from front end
2017 w 14k miles, terrible build quality
2018 Dash fixed?

 

[slivoman]

I don't know. I bought mine two weeks ago, it was a June build date. I have 700 miles and have zero issues. The AC could be better, but other than that no issues. Every manufacturer will have issues, especially the early runs. I came from GM and this truck is leaps and bounds better. Remember, we live in an age with a crap ton of rules and regulations and on top of that we all want the greatest tech. All of this affect these vehicles. If you are afraid of being an early adopter, give it a year. I do IT for a living and I'm surprised the systems in these vehicles last as long and have little issues.

 

[XDBrad]

If you look at the ratio of forum members (~1320) to the number of problem trucks (guessing 25-30) were seeing less than 3% of the trucks being problematic. Not to say there hasn’t been more than 25-30 trucks with issues but many of the issues were quickly resolved by dealers (such as my center cluster). We are only a fraction of the total numbers out there but I’d guess were a valid sampling and say the entire release of the 5th gen is below 5% problematic. I’d stack this up against GM or Ford for sure. Also, look at it this way... compared to folks saying they had or have problems, how many do you suppose are out there that have had zero issues? People like to vent and not brag on a product that meets expectations.

 

[Atcje]

How many folks are having problems that have never been to a forum? I have people in my family that have no clue what a forum is.....

 

[troutspinner]

I’ve seen many complaints about the tech. I do not wish to offend, but many people just didn’t understand how it works. Once educated, they move on but it’s regarded as an issue when in reality, it was a pilot issue.

 

[SpeedyV]

If you look at the ratio of forum members (~1320) to the number of problem trucks (guessing 25-30) were seeing less than 3% of the trucks being problematic. Not to say there hasn’t been more than 25-30 trucks with issues but many of the issues were quickly resolved by dealers (such as my center cluster). We are only a fraction of the total numbers out there but I’d guess were a valid sampling and say the entire release of the 5th gen is below 5% problematic. I’d stack this up against GM or Ford for sure. Also, look at it this way... compared to folks saying they had or have problems, how many do you suppose are out there that have had zero issues? People like to vent and not brag on a product that meets expectations.

Careful...1,200 of us are still waiting on our trucks

 

[John813]

I find on forums is that a good amount will just join to either find out info about a vehicle and then rarely post after purchase or they are posting because they have an issue with the truck.
Especially when talking about a non specialty vehicle.

You know how many Rams are out there on the roads with owners who never join a forum?

These first year trucks always have some type of glitch/first run issues. Most of the time the fixes are simple as an software update or a day or so in the shop*.

You may or may not get a truck with issues. There's a warranty. Use it.

*If they actually have the part in stock.

If you can wait and feel better to see if the 2020 Rams have less issues, then do so. Nothing wrong with that either.

 

[BobVance]

My rear left seat doesn’t recline, which is minor and an easy fix. Truck has been rock solid for 1500 miles so far.

 

[Bwarren2]

FWIW, almost bought a rebel yesterday, think that's the way I am going, the Rebel is pretty sick!

 

[PorBoy]

To me it’s an easy thing, if you are swayed away from buying no harm no foul. I just don’t see the need to post that you aren’t buying. I wish you well in whatever vehicle that you do end up with and hope that forum treats you well.

 

[go-ram]

I find on forums is that a good amount will just join to either find out info about a vehicle and then rarely post after purchase or they are posting because they have an issue with the truck.
Especially when talking about a non specialty vehicle.

You know how many Rams are out there on the roads with owners who never join a forum?

These first year trucks always have some type of glitch/first run issues. Most of the time the fixes are simple as an software update or a day or so in the shop*.

You may or may not get a truck with issues. There's a warranty. Use it.

*If they actually have the part in stock.

If you can wait and feel better to see if the 2020 Rams have less issues, then do so. Nothing wrong with that either.

What you say is all true, however, many times it is not as simple as "There's a warranty. Use it."

For many owners, the big problem is the poor service experience when they do bring in a new vehicle with issues. If the service department is either in denial, or doesn't know what to do about it, or is being told by their dealership management (or FCA management) to deflect new-vehicle owner complaints, that puts new owners into a state of being both pissed-off and panicked. Pissed-off because the service department is telling them to go pound sand, and panicked because they just laid out $40,000-$70,000 and are worried they got a problem vehicle and no one standing behind it.

 

[John813]

What you say is all true, however, many times it is not as simple as "There's a warranty. Use it."

For many owners, the big problem is the poor service experience when they do bring in a new vehicle with issues. If the service department is either in denial, or doesn't know what to do about it, or is being told by their dealership management (or FCA management) to deflect new-vehicle owner complaints, that puts new owners into a state of being both pissed-off and panicked. Pissed-off because the service department is telling them to go pound sand, and panicked because they just laid out $40,000-$70,000 and are worried they got a problem vehicle and no one standing behind it.

Understood. I've been there dealing with a dealer that is lazy in fixing an issue. 3rd time arguing with them they finally properly found the issue.
This is one of the issues with buying a new truck the first year. Parts aren't available and any issues may be the first time the dealer has seen said issue.
I feel some need to escalate the issue through the dealer, or try another one willing to solve the issue.

 

[Lakewake]

Understood. I've been there dealing with a dealer that is lazy in fixing an issue. 3rd time arguing with them they finally properly found the issue.
This is one of the issues with buying a new truck the first year. Parts aren't available and any issues may be the first time the dealer has seen said issue.
I feel some need to escalate the issue through the dealer, or try another one willing to solve the issue.

Sucks that you are going thru this. I ordered mine thru a dealership that I have zero experience with, but sat down with the service manager last week (my truck ETA is 9/12) and got some assurance that his dept. will not let me down. Glad to see they found the issue.

 

[John813]

Sucks that you are going thru this. I ordered mine thru a dealership that I have zero experience with, but sat down with the service manager last week (my truck ETA is 9/12) and got some assurance that his dept. will not let me down. Glad to see they found the issue.

Let me clarify, the issue I was referring to was for a ford explorer sport. Oil leak that was thought to be from the filter adapter ended up being a bad head even though the truck never overheated. The truck was out of service for almost two months.
Ford even flew out an engineer to find a way to void the warranty.
Did put a bad taste in my mouth but still bought Fords after that.

So far, knock on wood, zero issues with the ram with almost 4k miles.

 

[Lakewake]

Let me clarify, the issue I was referring to was for a ford explorer sport. Oil leak that was thought to be from the filter adapter ended up being a bad head even though the truck never overheated. The truck was out of service for almost two months.
Ford even flew out an engineer to find a way to void the warranty.
Did put a bad taste in my mouth but still bought Fords after that.

So far, knock on wood, zero issues with the ram with almost 4k miles.

Relief

 

[Atcje]

Here's another frustration that isn't with FCA but with the dealership. Got my truck back from the shop and a few days later a piece of body trim flys off going down the road. When I get stopped and look at it 2 of the 3 plastic keepers are broken and gone. The shop employee that worked on it broke those and didn't report it probably to stay out of trouble and basically passes that stress on to me. This is the same shop that I picked my previous truck up from, got home and found a 12 inch rat in the floorboard staring back at me....I couldn't get him out that night or kill it so I took the truck back the next day with the thing now in the headliner. They got it out but left greasy hand prints all in my perfectly clean headliner. From that time forward everytime I cleaned that truck I found remnants of that rat via droppings, **** stains, teeth marks in wires, or blood from where I tried to kill it. Those type experiences leaves me bitter with both FCA and my local shop, FCA for putting me in a situation of having to use my local shop and my local shop for just not caring about others stuff.

 

[Lakewake]

Here's another frustration that isn't with FCA but with the dealership. Got my truck back from the shop and a few days later a piece of body trim flys off going down the road. When I get stopped and look at it 2 of the 3 plastic keepers are broken and gone. The shop employee that worked on it broke those and didn't report it probably to stay out of trouble and basically passes that stress on to me. This is the same shop that I picked my previous truck up from, got home and found a 12 inch rat in the floorboard staring back at me....I couldn't get him out that night or kill it so I took the truck back the next day with the thing now in the headliner. They got it out but left greasy hand prints all in my perfectly clean headliner. From that time forward everytime I cleaned that truck I found remnants of that rat via droppings, **** stains, teeth marks in wires, or blood from where I tried to kill it. Those type experiences leaves me bitter with both FCA and my local shop, FCA for putting me in a situation of having to use my local shop and my local shop for just not caring about others stuff.

Man, I would so be in the grill of the dealership for that. If that gets you nowhere, go to FCA HQ direct. That is a 60k plus truck and if I had to use social media as a last resort, somebody is going to do something for me to make me forget about the rat.