15 Ram 1500 w/front end problems (new truck)

2015 Ram 1500 5.7L Hemi. Drove off the lot with 35 miles, two days before thanksgiving. 1450 miles current.

Hey guys!
New to owning a truck, but I've been around them my entire life being originally from Montana. Finally decided to make the change since I own a house now.

Test drove my Ram with about 20 miles on it. During the test drive I noticed 3 things: there was a service tag in the window for some reason, the center console lid was getting stuck halfway when opening, and the front end shook while on the highway. Being a new truck, I figured the gearing in the console lid needed to be broken in, and the shaking was from a highway I'm not used to driving (the shaking isn't overpowering).

Next day I realized the truck was really shaking no matter the highway, and the lid wasn't going to fix itself. I then realized there was a grinding feeling in the floor and sometimes the steering wheel, especially with 4x4 auto active. I was hoping the tires just had a flat spot from sitting in the lot too long. No luck...Made an appointment with the same dealership I bought from to have it looked at, and they couldn't get me in for another week. I finally got to pick it up after a week of waiting for the center console parts, and the service writer tells me his tech could not get it to duplicate the shaking and the wheels were almost perfectly balanced, the grinding "noise" (it was never a noise) was the eco mode turning on and off, and the center console was fixed. 1 for 3 is not good in my book when the main problems aren't fixed.

My next move is to take it to another dealer, and see what they say. It's under warranty after all. I just wanted to see what the community says.

What could cause shaking on the highway in a new truck? (My insides literally get jossled around)

What could cause this grinding I'm feeling, mostly during acceleration, NOT in WOT? Seems to be more prominent during slight or medium turns. Can happen during 0 mph + or even 30+. I can't pinpoint exact times, actions, or what I'm doing to cause it.

What could cause low mpg's in a new truck? I'm getting between 15 and 16 mpg avg according to the computer, so you know it's lower. I drive about 60 miles a day, taking 3 highways to work and back home.


Lastly, I've been smelling what seems to be burnt oil. It gets to be strong enough after longer drives, that I have to turn the air off and open a window, because it gives me a headache. I know it's not another vehicle I'm driving around, as I can still smell it on the outside of the truck when I park at home.

I realize without a proper diagnosis, or experiencing the truck, you guys can't give 100% accurate answers. I also realize the cause for each of these issues could be anything. I simply want to see what your experience has been. I'm pretty pissed a new truck/vehicle is giving me problems. The service tag was never explained either. The service writer said there was no record in the computer for it coming into service.

Thanks for any help!
Shawn

that's sucks, with a new truck. may be your transfer case of front dif with low or leaking oil. Just guessing. If you have an appointment already, I'd keep it with your original dealer. make sure they make it right. You shouldn't have to hunt around for another dealer. If the original dealer won't help, then go to another dealer and definitely elevate the situation.

No offense and not trying to rub salt in the wound, but if I test drove a truck, felt vibrations, had interior parts not working and a mystery service tag, I would have walked away immediately.

Check the Xsmn & Eng oil levels .
Keep the service tag. Did the service tag have any info at all?

Wow. That's unfortunate. I'd definitely continue to push them to looking into it. Last thing you want is to have your front end fall apart while you are shaking down the highway.

Maybe the front differential never got oil added .
Standard answer for way to many dealerships is , could not duplicate, that's normal or um I don't hear Nothing .

Oh , and the guy you see or talk to first in the SVC dept usually isn't capable of even changing his own oil , so do yourself a favor and get past that first guy " service writer" as soon as you can .

R.L.K. said:

Maybe the front differential never got oil added .
Standard answer for way to many dealerships is , could not duplicate, that's normal or um I don't hear Nothing .

Oh , and the guy you see or talk to first in the SVC dept usually isn't capable of even changing his own oil , so do yourself a favor and get past that first guy " service writer" as soon as you can .

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Haha nothing like a cold slap to the face to the boys manning the counter ha.

Lol indeed guys...The dealership I bought it from didn't give me a lot of hope, as the service dept was in what seemed to be old farm out buildings. They literally put lifts in single spaced open makeshifts. Not trying to go back there again lol. I want to get a real evaluation done, and turns out there's a dealer down the road from my work. I'm going to take any findings back to the original and slam it on his desk.

The salesman grabbed the ticket out of the window before we started driving, and I assumed it was to clear my view, but now I'm not so sure. At the same time, they have a lot of trucks on their side lot, so knowing this one in particular was jacked up ahead of time doesn't seem likely on his part. I agree, I should have told him I wanted a different truck, but he came at me with no charge for the Ram boxes since they didn't have a lower end 4x4 model I wanted. That part is definitely my bad. I'll take the transfer case oil issue to them and see if that's at least part of it. Thanks guys!

Good luck ! I hope you get this resolved , I know your new to truck ownership but I'll tell ya this . I have a 2014 RAM 4X4 QC with 30 k on it , it rides better than a 2015 Chevy Malibu ( I think ) anyway a nice 320 total miles Chevy 4 door car I rented while on a trip a few months ago !
So do accept anything but a fantastic ride my friend .

you need to put about 4-5k miles on these trucks before you start to see proper fuel economy out of them. being that you only have 1450 miles on it you still have a bit to go, not to mention the winter blend fuel right now is also more then likely giving you a 1-2 mpg loss. if the dealer is claiming that eco mode is causing a grinding noise, the simple way to verify that is the use the +/- gear buttons to select the highest gear on your transmission, which would be either 6 or 8. this will prevent the truck from going into 4 cylinder or eco mode.

theres a lot of different things that can cause a shaking at highway speeds. it would be almost impossible for anyone to tell you without driving the truck. you may need to have a tech take a ride with you so you can duplicate the issue. if your not getting the answers you like from the service department, call chrysler and open up a case. keep taking the truck back and/or try anther dealer. keep your paperwork in order in case you have to lemon law the truck. chances are the dealers attitude toward the situation will change once they realize thats the direction you may be headed.

..... During the test drive I noticed 3 things: there was a service tag in the window for some reason, the center console lid was getting stuck halfway when opening, and the front end shook while on the highway. Being a new truck, I figured the gearing in the console lid needed to be broken in, and the shaking was from a highway I'm not used to driving (the shaking isn't overpowering). ...........

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Did new truck fever blind you to the "tells"?

Sucks to hear regardless. Get use to the week wait thing for warranty work, that seems to be the norm.

Hootbro said:

Did new truck fever blind you to the "tells"?

Sucks to hear regardless. Get use to the week wait thing for warranty work, that seems to be the norm.

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Yeaaaa, it really did. I'll admit it was stupid to jump the gun. Should have told him no as soon as I saw the service tag in the window.

Anyone know if there's a way to legally make a dealership tell you what previous work was done?

I tried to make an appointment with a dealership right by my work, but the guy told me it would be a 5-7 day wait without a loaner, regardless of when I dropped it off. "Can I drop it off next week or the week after?" "It'll still be a 5-7 day wait and you'll have to leave it with us." Ummmm what??? I used to work as a service writer, and I've never heard of a practice like this.

TheSteeze said:

Yeaaaa, it really did. I'll admit it was stupid to jump the gun. Should have told him no as soon as I saw the service tag in the window.

Anyone know if there's a way to legally make a dealership tell you what previous work was done?

I tried to make an appointment with a dealership right by my work, but the guy told me it would be a 5-7 day wait without a loaner, regardless of when I dropped it off. "Can I drop it off next week or the week after?" "It'll still be a 5-7 day wait and you'll have to leave it with us." Ummmm what??? I used to work as a service writer, and I've never heard of a practice like this.

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I do not know if there is any "legal" requirement for them to disclose what was done pre-delivery of a new vehicle. I would suspect that would probably differ between states anyways. Also, a lot of stuff like this is done off the books and may not even be a record of any repairs before delivery regardless. If not already done, register on the Mopar Owners Connect website and see if there is any records attached to your VIN for maintenance.

As to the dealer still wanting you to drop it off and wait, that is just shady and lazy scheduling practices. Basically they want to do it whenever they get around to it and not at a specific date and time.

Also, taking it to a non selling dealer for warranty work puts you at the bottom of the list with cash paying non-warranty work customers and warranty work of customers who bought from said dealership ahead of you. That non selling dealership has made no money off you and while obligated to do warranty work if requested, their give a f*ck is low.