We had our ecodiesel hauled to the dealer yesterday (Monday). Spent most of the day there. As they checked out the truck, we actually looked at the 2016 2500 RAM with Cummins diesel. This is a much proven power train and with our experience with the ecodiesel, we thought we might want to trade. We expected it to be nosier and hard ride, but it was more noticeable that we even expected. The ecodiesel has spoiled us. And then they presented the $ numbers to us. They wanted us to take $30,000 trade-in on our $47,000 ecodiesel that we have had for less than a year and pay them $49,000 plus for the 2500 that didn't have near the luxury options on it. Bottom line, it would have cost us $20,000 plus tax to trade. The 2500 was a great truck ......but we don't need a 2500 and we use our 1500 ecodiesel as a family vehicle so the soft and quiet ride along with the luxury options serve us well. We considered trade only because of anxiety over the reliability of the ecodiesel and mostly related to the oil cooler issue. Did I mention.....we really love our ecodiesel.
I called the Chrysler Customer Service line related to lemon law and got a very courteous lady who listened to our issues. I wanted to ask why we would have to pay a $20,000 penalty, when we are only trading because of a reliability issue.......could Chrysler do anything to compensate us for the situation. She felt is was worthy of consideration and said the case would be escalated up to a group who works these situations out. They will be calling me in 2 to 3 business days.
Later in the afternoon.....the service adviser informs us that they are fairly confident that the oil in my coolant system and the reserve bottle is residual from the previous oil cooler failure. They are not 100% sure because they can't explain why the engine oil level is was so low. Possibly the new engine breaking in the rings? They flushed the coolant system and cleaned the reserve bottle, added engine oil to exactly the "full" mark and asked us to drive it for a few days. They are ordering a new reserve bottle and will flush again when we come back. The Service Manager spoke to us and he tells us that Chrysler is 100% confident that the oil cooler problems originated with the hybrid OAT coolant that was used originally in the ecodiesel. That coolant attached the solder and metals in the oil cooler. They have switched now to the basic OAT coolant that does not attach the metals. I don't quite understand when this switch occurred. Our ecodiesel had a Jan'15 build date and the failures were occurring all through 2014 models and into 2015 models. Are there a lot of ecodiesels out the that have the old hybrid OAT coolant and have pending failures facing them? Can't get an answer to that? I would wonder why Chrysler isn't recalling all those vehicles in for a flush and new coolant?
Truck ran perfectly on trip home (40 Miles) and this morning I checked the oil level and it's exactly on the "full" mark. The coolant reserve bottle looks terrible with oil, but that "could" still be more residual. Time will tell and the jury is still out I guess. The main challenge for us is to regain confidence that the truck will not fail us in our travels. We spend 7 months out of each year on the road in our RV towing the ecodiesel behind us. Most of it many miles from homebase and our dealer. Then my beautiful wife who is a over zealous Mom and Grandma uses the ecodiesel for 80 mile cross desert trips to visit kids and grandkids. Many times she is on the road before daylight and after sunset. I have to be able to count on this ecodiesel for her safety. If our oil cooler issue is truly resolved.....we will gladly stay with the ecodiesel.
Sharing this only with hopes it might help others .......
