2013 RAM 1500 Complaints

OUR 2013 RAM 1500 SUDDENLY LOST IT'S POWER STEERING. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVING FINE BUT HAD A "RUBBING" NOISE WHEN TURNING. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND SAID "THIS IS TYPICAL OF RAM'S". WONDERING IF THAT WAS PRECURSOR TO ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING (EPS) UNIT TO FAIL. SON HAD DRIVEN TRUCK TO SCHOOL WITHOUT ISSUE. WHEN STARTED TO COME HOME SERVICE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON DASH AND HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. LUCKILY THIS FAILED WHILE PARKED, BECAUSE LOSS IF POWER STEERING ON SUCH A LARGE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. AFTER INVESTIGATION, THIS IS A NOTED PROBLEM WITH RAM 1500 AND HAS EVEN RESULTED IN RECALLS FOR OTHER MODEL YEARS BUT NOT 2013. 2013 WAS THE FIRST MODEL YEAR FOR EPS AND IT IS CLEARLY FAULTY. WITH A REPLACEMENT PART COSTING ~$2100 WITH LABOR AN ADDITIONAL $600, THIS IS A COSTLY REPAIR FOR AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT FOR SAFE DRIVING. THIS REALLY SHOULD BE UP TO FIAT-CHRYSLER AMERICA (FCA) TO OWN UP TO THIS DEFECT AND ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY/DEATH OCCURS.

MY TRUCK FAILED THE STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE 2 EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD BROKEN OFF AND WERE INSIDE THE CYLINDER HEAD WITH NO WAY TO GET THEM OUT. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO A MECHANIC UPON DISCOVERING HOW DEEP THEY HAD BROKEN OFF WITH NO SUCCESS AT REMOVING THE FIRST ONE AND THE MECHANIC WAS ALSO UNABLE TO REMOVE THEM. THEY HAVE NOW BEEN DRILLED OUT BY THE MECHANIC WHICH CREATED A COOLANT LEAK OUT OF ONE OF THE BOLT HOLES AND IT LOOKS LIKE I'LL NEED A NEW CYLINDER HEAD. I'VE READ IT'S A COMMON ISSUE AND NOW I'M EXPECTING THE DRIVERS SIDE TO DO THE SAME ANY TIME IF THEY AREN'T BROKEN ALREADY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S DOORS BEGAN TO LOCK AND UNLOCK INDEPENDENTLY AND THE ENGINE STARTED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ELDER CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (1798 TX-31 BUS, ATHENS, TX 75751, (903) 677-2292) AND PAID $300 TO HAVE THE KEY FOB REPLACED AND PROGRAMMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. *BF*JB

28 OCTOBER 2019 I WAS IN A SERIOUS VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH MY 17 YEAR OLD SON IN THE TRUCK AND NEITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *TR*JB *DT *TR

HEAT BLOWS OUT OF THE PASSENGERS SIDE VENTS AND DEFROSTER BUT NOT THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS CREATES VISIBILITY PROBLEMS AS THE WIND SHIELD FOGS EASILY AND FREQUENTLY.

TRUCK HAS 66K MILES AND OIL CHANGES DONE REGULARLY. VALVE SEAT DROPPED INTO CYLINDER CAUSING PISTON TO SEIZE. NEW ENGINE NEEDED AS A RESULT.

MOST OF 2013 RAM 5.7 LITER ENGINE HAS A VALVE TRAIN PREMATURE WEAR RESULTING ON A LOUD TICKING ENGINE NOISE FROM WORN OUT CAMSHAFT MOST VEHICLES BARELY OVER WARRANTY

WHILE DRIVING 35MPH, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. MY WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS NOT LONGER STRAIGHT. I WENT TO A ALIGNMENT SHOP AND THE TECH SAID THE RACK AND PINION IS NO GOOD, THE BUSHINGS ARE WORN AND THEY CAN NOT ALIGN THE VEHICLE. RACK AND PINION BOLTS ARE NOT STRAIGHT. BUSHINGS ARE WORN. PICTURES ARE ATTACHED.

WHILE STARTING MY VEHICLE IN THE MORNING, IN NEUTRAL IDLE, A CLICKING SOUND WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE CLICKING SOUND INCREASED AS I ACCELERATED THE VEHICLE. ONCE I PULLED OVER AND INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THE NOISE COMING FROM THE MANIFOLD BOLTS THAT HAVE BROKEN/SHEARED OFF. NOTICED BOLTS ON PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE ARE BROKEN.

DASHBOARD FROM TIME TO TIME WILL GO COMPLETELY OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS AND REBOOT WHILE DRIVING. DURING THIS TIME NO DASHBOARD INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. IT IS HARD TO REPRODUCE BECAUSE IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY.