2018 Problems??

[eeeehaw]

My 2016 1500 Laramie ED has about 27K mi, and about to get it's second oil change next week. No problems so far. Just had to take it into the dealer service for recalls, which is why I'm going again next week. I track my fuel mileage (FuelLog app for Android phone) and I've averaged 22mpg mixed driving since new. Have towed pop-up tent camper at 80mph a couple times on full-day trips during hot summer in the desert (no problems overheating transmission or engine), and I have hauled 2+tons of cargo in a utility trailer for 30mi
on a few occasions. So far, this engine and the entire vehicle are doing great, and SO much more reliable than the Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 3.0L Daimler diesel it replaced (LOTs of engine problems with that one). Yes, the proper oil for this engine (just like the Daimler one) is pricey, which is my only complaint so far (Shell Rotella Platinum).

 

[eeeehaw]

I have a 2016 Limited with Banks Derringer Tune and S&B Cold Air Intake. Stock the truck runs like a dog but not it runs like a hemi and can smoke them. The 14s and the 15s are the only ones that I am aware that had any issues. I have 44k miles on mine with no issues and have had the tuner on installed for 30k miles. I drive my truck hard like spin the tires every time I take off. I average 20 mpg in the city and I average 28 to 32 mpg on the highway depending on hills, on the flat road its 32 mpg. I would highly recommend a tune of some sort the turbo lag and the doggy 3.0L motor is enough to get you into a wreck if you pull out into traffic and have to wait 5 or 10 seconds for the turbo to spool up to go.

Wow, that's a pricey tuning package, what I've found in online stores so far. I've not experienced any problems driving my 2016 ED so far. Yes, there's turbo lag, and more of it compared to the Daimler 3.0L diesel I had in the Jeep Grand Cherokee it replaced, but it's not been a danger for me, averaging about 2-3secs for this Fiat engine. Would I like to eliminate as much of the turbo lag as possible? Yes, but not with those dollars. Altho I've built and owned many American muscle cars, a street rod, and a few fast foreign sports cars, fast speed and acceleration is not something high on my priority list for my daily driver, which is what this truck is; high reliability and fuel efficiency are most important, and so far this truck is delivering satisfactorily for both of those.

Now, if that tuning package were under $100...

 

[GWolf]

Hey all, first post here. I am considering purchasing a leftover 2018 ecodiesel Laramie 4x4 when I return to the states (been living in Europe for bit). Are the FCA engine problems still an issue with the 17-18 model years? I never read about a specific fix, but any thing I find specifies 14-16 were affected.

My main advice is to avoid the military overseas auto sales racket. They say tax free but you lose the ability to negotiate completely. Getting $10-12K off sticker is pretty standard and buying now at the end of the year and model style you could do much better. Just have your credit union send you a preapproved check for what you want to spend. You are guaranteed to find what you want the first day with dealership websites showing actual inventory.

About the ecodiesel, I must have gotten a Tuesday model. Not a single issue and I’m running 34” MIckey Thompsons. I get 27 highway and about 18 pure city. Zero complaints coming from 12mpg best case in my 2012 Hemi w/3.92. Towing is amazing at around 15 highway fully loaded. I either pull a 31’ Airstream or 14’dump trailer with an undisclosed yet extremely safe feeling load. I might upgrade to airbags after the 100,000 mile warranty is out. There are several good suspension upgrades too that won’t void the warranty. What enfuriates me is what passes for leather in the high priced Laramie coming from the smell good Limited.

Acceleration is great but you may notice the turbo lag until you get used to the vehicle and understand that it isn’t a hemi and there are plenty of ways to spool it up sooner if you are sitting at a blind corner. My thinking is that it’s forcing me to drive less aggressively. BTW most tunes void your warranty I think.

Good luck and welcome home.

 

[SignGuy]

Limited towing/hauling at first. But I’m the next year or two the wife wants to get a travel trailer (26’ at most). I love everything I read about the ED, especially the gam mileage.

I'd go for it. I picked up a 2018 Bighorn 4x4 at a great price and absolutely love my ecodiesel. I took it on trip first thing from Everett WA to Missoula MT and got 24+ mpg for the 1000+ miles and my last tank of 640 miles with 40+ left in reserve averaged 25.1 mpg. I bought it for the MPG's and later to get a house trailer about the same as what you are looking at. I have no doubt I'll be enjoying it for many years and the highway mileage is what really shines on this truck. I only have bout 2500 miles on it and picked it up mid Sept.

And Thanks for your service!

 

[eeeehaw]

Creep, you didn't say where you are returning to here in the USA, but you should at least get a price quote from Dave Smith in Kellogg ID to wave in the face of any dealer during negotiations They are the largest Ram dealer in the USA, with such high volume that they consistently come in many thousands $$ under most other dealers. They saved me $6K over the already heavily discounted and FCA incentives from a large local dealer nearby at the time I bought my Laramie 1500 ED. They have buyers flying into Coeur d'Alene ID or Spokane WA and they pick them up a the airport there for free for the drive to Kellogg, since you save more on the truck purchase compared to cost of airline tickets from just about anywhere. While I was there, a movie studio in Burbank called to buy 160 Rams identically equipped with after-market accessories, which I overheard while waiting in their accessories building for my new truck to be finished being outfitted (bed spraying, tonneau cover, side bar steps, mudflaps, Weathertech mats, and more). I also spoke with another waiting customer from Texas. Plus, no pressure as their salespeople are not commissioned, they're salaried in order to provide better sales advice based on customer use, and are evaluated on customer survey feedback.

The point is: a previous poster is correct that any tax savings you may get overseas will pale in comparison to most dealer price quotes, especially at Dave Smith.

 

[F. P. Thompson]

I have a good one. My 15 eco has close to 49,000 miles and has never given me any issues. I have towed an 8000lb camper from western Pa. to Maine and back as well as many miles towing my flat and box trailers. I used to haul oversized equipment and know the extra caution needed when hauling. My truck does not lag on acceleration, it gets going. I change oil and filters myself but do keep records and receipts, I use only Rotella T6 oil and change at 8000 miles. I replace the fuel filter every other oil change but have found by examining the used filters you get a lot of gunk in American diesel. I am quite happy with my truck but do hope they keep a good resale value down the road.

 

[TC Diesel]

F.P, I like the your comment extra caution, I've pull GVW 14K Truck/Trailer and I use extreme caution, its saves My Bank Account form seeing extreme withdrawals... or worst .....Yep I care about My fellow Man on the Road Ways of America, and every drivers skills & knowledge are different, I tend to post in the areas of the risk VS the benefit, It get's the Rambo Drivers all wound up, but every time I drive by a crash I hope that no one was injured or worst. I would like to see the OP pulling his wagon with the 2500, but its his decision and in all Fairness the more informed Humans are the better for ALL of us on America's roadways.

 

[Brewster]

I have a '17 Big Horn ED 4x4 with 3.55 gears. 20K miles to date and have towed my 25' TT (5000# dry) over 10,000 miles. Ave mpg towing is 13.8. Only downer is towing into heavy wind. Mileage really takes a beating. Plenty of power. So far 2 trips to dealership for oil changes and recalls. No problems experienced to date (knock on wood) Based on my experience towing with gassers this truck is awesome. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. The rear suspension is really soft, so I installed airbags to help when towing. That does the trick.
Good luck with your new ED.

 

[BoostN]

I have a '17 Big Horn ED 4x4 with 3.55 gears. 20K miles to date and have towed my 25' TT (5000# dry) over 10,000 miles. Ave mpg towing is 13.8. Only downer is towing into heavy wind. Mileage really takes a beating. Plenty of power. So far 2 trips to dealership for oil changes and recalls. No problems experienced to date (knock on wood) Based on my experience towing with gassers this truck is awesome. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat. The rear suspension is really soft, so I installed airbags to help when towing. That does the trick.
Good luck with your new ED.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Retired Bones]

I have a '15 ED, with 71,000 miles. Of that I have towed 6,500 lb. travel trailer over 13,000 miles. I have covered all of the western States, north to south and back.
Arizona has some interesting roads into and out of Phoenix.
I went north on 17 to Flagstaff with no major issues. If you get a new one at least get a Laramie with the engine monitoring option, so you can scare yourself on oil temperatures. In the cold of morning north bound it is normal to see 265 degrees on oil temperatures, even a flash of 270 on the tougher grades.
It is designed that way to evaporate the diesel out of the engine oil. The computer pumps diesel into every exhaust stroke in the engine to light off the emissions exhaust system, for those of us that stayed with the stock system.
So far, I have never had a dash light tell me any warning about anything, I figure it is because I live 14 miles outside Olympia, in a rural environment.
Every time I go somewhere, the system gets well exercised, heated to operating temperatures in every way, regeneration of the exhaust just happens normally.
I get about 8,500 miles out of the DEF tank. I refill DEF at the Pilot station half way to Olympia, when I need about $5.00 worth, half a tank.
Somewhere in this forum there is excellent reading article from an Amco engineer about diesel in motor oil. He explains why it is done by design, and how oil viscosity(yah spell check) is designed and maintained at higher temperatures.
Other places in this forum cover the Engine top end issues. Fiat has determined they can put the overhead cam shafts and sprocket drives together without a "key" by hot / cold pressure construction.
Guess what, some fail. The exhaust sprocket tends to spin on the valve shaft/cam. That they replace the engine up to 100,000 miles on warranty is nice.
My question is why not design for the long haul with a keyed sprocket. Even cheep skate Henry Ford did it in model "T's".
I see people changing oil before 10,000 miles. Some with testing go further. Why, to both?
FCA, has issues, but they back their motor. I have had good luck so far so I feel the need to continue as they ask.
My concern now is antifreeze. What is the recommended change interval. Is anyone out there using the new nonwater based coolant, Evans, is the brand name? I am very interested.

 

[ICF Guy]

Limited towing/hauling at first. But I’m the next year or two the wife wants to get a travel trailer (26’ at most). I love everything I read about the ED, especially the gam mileage. My commute from home to work will be about 20 mile drive, 16 of that on the highway. When the family and I move back to the states, we will need a vehicle quickly (we are shipping hers back) so I like the idea of ordering new and having it waiting for me (military autosource maybe?) rather than searching for one in the first few days back.

I have a 2014 Ecodiesel and the GM for my company has a 2016 Ecodiesel (we also have a bunch of Dodge 2500, 3500 & 5500 trucks, all with the Cummins engine ... I am a lifetime Mopar guy). Both Ecodiesels have required new motors ...the 2014 at 119,000 km, the 2016 at 30,000 km. It is VERY expensive to replace if it is out of warranty. We have never had problems with the Cummins.
Having said that, the Ecodiesel was a pleasure to drive and great on fuel. Never had any other major issues with the truck.
In regards to towing, I towed a 22’ Titan car hauler with my Ecodiesel all over Ontario and Northern USA, carrying my ‘68 Hemi Roadrunner to shows. Total trailer weight was close to 7,000 lbs. It handled that with ease. The truck never seemed stressed, and was able to handle interstate highways in high gear without a lot of gear hunting. In hilly areas I would drop it down a gear or two, and just kept the rpms around 2,500 max. My previous truck was exactly the same, but with the Hemi w/6 speed auto. The Ecodiesel tows better without all the constant shifting up & down.
I also tow a 27’ Forest River Surveyor, dry weight about 4,600 lbs. Most of the time you wouln’t even know it was there. The trick is to get trailers with a low overall height. The wind resistance of higher trailers is a real killer when you have a smaller motor.

The 1/2 is just NOT enough Iron to pull 8000LBS, People do all the Time.

 

[ICF Guy]

Great engine if you get a good one, not so good if you get a bad one. I don't think FCA has made any improvements to date as all model year Ecodiesels are experiencing failures to a certain degree. Rumor has it the 2019 model will incorporate bottom end improvements.

As far as I know, there will be no Ecodiesel for 2019, but it will be back in 2020. Maybe that’s only in Canada.

 

[ICF Guy]

I am approaching 40k on my 2016 with out a single issue so far, and loving the MPGs...I will be very upset however if there is a significant devaluation due to a DOJ/FCA settlement.

My truck was flawless until the engine failed at 119,000 km, so I wouldn’t get too comfortable. Now that my truck has a new 2018 Ecodiesel engine, I’m trying to determine whether or not to keep it. Pretty hard to justify the extra expense when you have to pay $12,000 for a new engine every 100,000 km or so.

 

[ICF Guy]

Yes, If you go beyond safe level(s)....Now what are safe level(s)? Are you going to be pulling at speeds above 55/65MPH , Pulling grades, what about stopping?. You are ALWAYS better off with more Pulling Iron than Trailer.

Hi TC, I agree with you. However, the reality is that most of the time when you are pulling a trailer, it weighs more than the tow vehicle. The trick is to know the limitations of your tow vehicle and your own driving ability. Making sure the trailer brakes are adjusted properly, and employing a good sway control/equalizer hitch goes a long way towards ensuring a safe journey.

 

[flyingpig333]

No, Its simple the motor is Hero / Zero Build. Most OK with some above normal care and driving habits, But its all relative if your the unlucky owner that gets a puker.

There are big discounts on 2018 leftovers, In long term ownership IMO its not worth the risk... Some decision is planned in DEC 18 on the DOJ /EPA case. If precedence is followed FCA will be buying back 2014-16 with owners option to keep. If this happens you can plan on the ED value to diminish greatly overnight.

Rumor has it New Engine in Late 2019.

I've so far have had 2 major engine repairs done on My 2015, last one $2500.00 the other $2xxx.00 in 44K miles. Covered under Warranty, My relationship to FCA is considerably different than most owners.

Other than waiting for the mail, how would we watch for decisions related to the DOJ/EPA matter? I thought that it had been resolved....

 

[Creep0321]

So with roughly 40-45k budget. Not towing anything for at least a year, then after that a travel trailer for a family of 5, (not even positive on the size). Any recommendations?

 

[TC Diesel]

Other than waiting for the mail, how would we watch for decisions related to the DOJ/EPA matter? I thought that it had been resolved....

Theirs a deadline next Month on FCA part , if Not ,the Judge May set a trial date.

 

[ICF Guy]

So with roughly 40-45k budget. Not towing anything for at least a year, then after that a travel trailer for a family of 5, (not even positive on the size). Any recommendations?

If it was me, I would wait until late 2019 and then purchase one with the new ETorque V6 Pentastar engine w/3.92 gears. That will get you good performance and great fuel economy, with enough power to pull a 7,000 trailer when necessary. I personally have lost faith in the Ecodiesel engine and wouldn’t take a risk (after having both of the two I purchased fail) on another one until it was proven to be reliable.

 

[Creep0321]

If it was me, I would wait until late 2019 and then purchase one with the new ETorque V6 Pentastar engine w/3.92 gears. That will get you good performance and great fuel economy, with enough power to pull a 7,000 trailer when necessary. I personally have lost faith in the Ecodiesel engine and wouldn’t take a risk (after having both of the two I purchased fail) on another one until it was proven to be reliable.

Why wait until late 2019? What would you gas mileage with the 3.6L and 3.92 gears is unloaded?

 

[ICF Guy]

Why wait until late 2019? What would you gas mileage with the 3.6L and 3.92 gears is unloaded?

Because you mentioned you wanted to take advantage of the clear out prices on the 2018 models. In late 2019 they will have a clear out of that model year.
Not sure what the mileage would be with the 3:92 gears, but it will give you a bit more spunk when towing. If the rated towing capacity with 3:55 or even 3:23 gears is adequate for you, they will give you better fuel mileage in everyday driving, but worse fuel mileage when towing (because the engine will be working harder).