Ram manifold bolts, and customer service is garbage.

[smitty21]

So we all know the known issue with Rams and the manifolds warp or the bolts leaving a big pain in the owners butt.

Its sad when you take the truck to the shop and it was supposedly fix under warranty (max care) in January 2018. To grind the issue has come back in August of 2020 and that the first fix was only done to one side and not both like planed.

Obviously no warranty left and now both manifolds gaskets and both are bust again and the dealer wants to charge 1300 for something that should have been fixed the first time and wasn't.

After calling to ram customer service and filling a case they decline to help any anyway to fix the know issue with the manifold/manifolds bolts.

What a shame after 2 rams and 2 Dakota. It might be time to move on. Not a great way to keep loyal customers.

Sorry for the rant.

Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk

 

[jejb]

I've own a Cummins Ram, so don't pay a lot of attention to the Hemi threads. But in the 6 months or so I've been on this forum, I've seen a LOT of complaints about this issue. Blows me away they have not come up with some fix for this issue. Better exhaust manifold design, better cooling, etc.

 

[Walter Conrad]

So you think another manufacturer is going to be any better??? I was an auto technician for 40 years (now retired)
and was a huge GM fan until 1997 nothing but Pontiac cars and GMC trucks till they pissed me off.
Tried GM again in 2008 on a new Pontiac.....Never again will I be a GM owner unless I am forced to be.
Worked for a Ford dealer as a technician.....that cured me of ever wanting to own a Ford product.

No matter what you purchase there will always be issues....choose wisely,
believe it or not FCA is one of the best there is in affordable mass produced vehicles,
are they chowder heads sometimes, YEP! Better than Toyota, better than Honda, more affordable and easier to repair.

 

[Wild one]

So we all know the known issue with Rams and the manifolds warp or the bolts leaving a big pain in the owners butt.

Its sad when you take the truck to the shop and it was supposedly fix under warranty (max care) in January 2018. To grind the issue has come back in August of 2020 and that the first fix was only done to one side and not both like planed.

Obviously no warranty left and now both manifolds gaskets and both are bust again and the dealer wants to charge 1300 for something that should have been fixed the first time and wasn't.

After calling to ram customer service and filling a case they decline to help any anyway to fix the know issue with the manifold/manifolds bolts.

What a shame after 2 rams and 2 Dakota. It might be time to move on. Not a great way to keep loyal customers.

Sorry for the rant.

Sent from my SM-G986U1 using Tapatalk

Go buy a GM then,they break the manifold bolts just as much as the Hemi's do.It's not just a Hemi problem,and it's not new.FE Fords were famous for cracking the manifolds way back in the 60's,lol. Either put headers on it,or take the stock manifolds off and re-surface them so they're flat,and re-install with new hardware.Don't buy new manifolds,as they'll do the same thing all over again,have your original manifolds re-surfaced as they've taken a set and once set,they usually don't warp again. Buy yourself some 6022 Remflex gaskets to,they'll absorb more manifold movement then the stock gaskets

 

[ronheater70]

I dont think its necessarily Ram, I mean the Hemi is their Marketing Scheme, but known to have weak points.. My 6.4 ticked and smoked for 17K mile sbefore I got rid of it.. Did all the little things on here about oil with mor emoly etc.. and between that and a noisey rear diff that everyone said was normal. I let it go.
But you will find problems with Ford and GM as well, I had a Ford f 150 ecoboost prior to my 2016 Ram 2500 6.4 Hemi. I bought both trucks new.
Now the ford was mostly more trouble free, but did have a few instances of needing some dealer attention. It was absolutely zero hassel, unlike the two Ram dealers I dealt with on my 2500 that were close to my home. Ford asked few questions, took care of it and got it back as promised. The Ram dealership service department was dismal by comparison.

I say all this because Im sure in other parts of the country people have had stellar service from their Ram dealership and absolutely horrible from the Local ford dealership. Sometimes it can be wise to shop the dealership as much as you shop the brand. The brands are all fairly equal now in terms of power, performance, room and capabilities anyway. If I see local Ford dealer with hundereds of 4 and 5 star Service reviews, and the local Ram with hundreds of 3 and 4 star reviews it may push me to a Ford. After all, the right dealer and service department can go a long way with helping to get something handled by corporate.

Im very Happy with my 2018 3500, I bought it from a dealer who actually tried fix my issue and at least listened to my concerns.

In my experince, Ram Trucks are kinda the Kia of the bunch. They get the Job done, have some flashy gadgets..Typically are cheaper than a comparable truck of another manufacturer, yea, Kia. Of course, Kia now, produce a pretty decent vehicle.. But a few years ago...

 

[smitty21]

I understand that all other brands of trucks have there issues. I think the part that gets to me the most is the fact that they said they fixed the issue and replaced the bolts and gaskets on both sides in January of 2018. And now 2 years and some months later I find that it was only done on one side and both sides needs to be replaced this time.



Its a 2013 ram bighorn with only 64k on it.
I guess I just expected to much out of the product or the brand.

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[Wild one]

I understand that all other brands of trucks have there issues. I think the part that gets to me the most is the fact that they said they fixed the issue and replaced the bolts and gaskets on both sides in January of 2018. And now 2 years and some months later I find that it was only done on one side and both sides needs to be replaced this time.



Its a 2013 ram bighorn with only 64k on it.
I guess I just expected to much out of the product or the brand.

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We run company GM's and the majority of them have to have the exhaust bolts replaced and manifolds resurfaced before the 70,000 mile mark.We've also had to replace 4 engines before the 100,000 mile mark because of oil pump failures.

 

[Burla]

I'd go straight to an exhaust shop/

 

[NOV87]

I'd go straight to an exhaust shop/

Exactly what I did. $600 and both manifolds resurfaced and HW replaced. A few months later, the one on the passenger side started leaking again. Had to bring it back to the shop and repeat the whole process again (right side only), free of charge. It's been 30k since then. So far so good. Will see what happens during cold months.

 

[GsRAM]

Sorry to hear of your troubles. I would be upset to have it come back 2yrs later also. 1300 this time? No way. Go to a known good private shop and they will take care of you.

Yes a known issue, but good advice given in this thread so far. The OEM manifolds should be pulled and surfaced, then reinstalled with good hardware and new gaskets.

The manifolds typically warp and once warped and surfaced, shouldn't warp again because the steel has been through enough heat cycles by that point, it should stay mostly true.

Or put headers on it as suggested. It's a pita and I feel for you, but I've had issues with all of the big 3 and Honda, yes almighty supposedly reliability king Honda.

As also said, across the board from Mitsubishi and Kia to Ford, in this day and age there really isn't any junk being produced. They are all decent and all have issues.

When they are running they are all good and when they aren't they are all junk. Lol. I think my grandfather told me that one once...haha...

 

[motmcd]

Had mine done at a local exhaust shop about 20 mins southwest of Reading, PA...$169.00 per side including new gaskets, hardware, and resurfacing of manifolds.

 

[Cajnape76]

Exact same issue here with my 2015 2500... Had everything replaced under warranty about 25000 miles ago and just the other day, upon start up, BAM... its back! I about slammed my head into the steering wheel! Called the dealer and since I am now out of warranty with 5 years, but under 100,000 miles, they don't want to stand behind their service and fix the issue. Absolutely ridiculous! And I'd say its not worth the time and effort to call and argue with corporate because ALL corporations are the same when it comes to standing behind their products. They will do whats necessary to satisfy the customer while u der a warranty repair but the second that warranty expires, its hit the road jack and dont dare come back! I guess its time to look into either a local shop or some aftermarket parts... speaking of aftermarket parts...
What has everyone bought to replace their manifolds with?
Not looking to spend a fortune but would like something to complete my 3" dual stainless Flowmaster setup.

 

[Daddyhas2boys]

Its not hard to do yourself, take the short headers to a machine shop to have them leveled and reinstall will never happen again from what i hear or use stainless steel after market headers is what i did...good luck my friend....left handed drill bits and ez outs

 

[bigred90gt]

You say you have Max Care warranty. Isnt that a lifetime warranty? Why would this not be covered now?

 

[RamminMopar]

Are the napa solutions manifold better than oem? Would getting them sanded down and level when new help last longer?

 

[coobie]

You say you have Max Care warranty. Isnt that a lifetime warranty? Why would this not be covered now?

Same thing I was thinking "LIFE TIME" To the OP what gives ??

 

[Docwagon1776]

You say you have Max Care warranty. Isnt that a lifetime warranty? Why would this not be covered now?

IIRC, lifetime wasn't the only option. I have the lifetime, but I recall there being shorter durations at different price points.

 

[bigred90gt]

IIRC, lifetime wasn't the only option. I have the lifetime, but I recall there being shorter durations at different price points.

I knew there were other length/mileage options, I just thought “max care” specifically was the name for the lifetime warranty.

 

[indept]

I knew there were other length/mileage options, I just thought “max care” specifically was the name for the lifetime warranty.

Maxcare is just the highest level or # of components covered

 

[indept]

Would getting them sanded down and level when new help last longer?

The going thought is that they're flat when new but after many heat / cool cycles they tend to warp. Some in this forum say once they remove and resurfaced them they no longer warp & break bolts. Maybe the metal is aged properly by then.