Ratio of Idle to Driving

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PolarisCobra

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Happened to scroll to the hours display the other day. Interesting milestone, running time is 3000 hours. I did notice that the ratio of idle time to running time was just 20%. I would not have thought the truck idled that much. I park in a garage most every night, don't use remote start much, and if I do, it is only for a couple of minutes.

Is this typical for most trucks? Or is your idle time a much lower or higher percentage of total runtime?

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Choupique

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That's probably less idle time than most people. Mine is somewhere close to 30% and I feel like even that is a bit low. I spend a lot of time on the highway.

You spend a lot more time than you realize at stop signs and red lights.
 

CanuckRam1313

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Happened to scroll to the hours display the other day. Interesting milestone, running time is 3000 hours. I did notice that the ratio of idle time to running time was just 20%. I would not have thought the truck idled that much. I park in a garage most every night, don't use remote start much, and if I do, it is only for a couple of minutes.

Is this typical for most trucks? Or is your idle time a much lower or higher percentage of total runtime?

View attachment 520079
If I may, don't count on that being correct in any way.

Mine has changed three different times in the last 3 years and 9 months of ownership; both the drive time and idle time.

As it turns out, this is a 'thing' with our vehicles.
 

HEMIMANN

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Yeah, there were some other threads about the EVIC hours readings when we were trying to assess the possible impact of high idle hours on valve lifter and cam failures due to low oiling.

There was all sorts of crazy stuff how EVIC didn't match odometers - somebody posted something like having to have gone 200 mph or some such. I don't recall any solutions, maybe the thing resets itself somehow? Too much g'damn software.

Anyway, my EVIC shows something ~ 10% idle hours, if any of that is to be believed.
 

Bigskyroadglide

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My 14, is ~9%. Truck is not idling much. It's been ~9% since purchased used.

My 16 is ~7%, and is only driven on long trips and occasionally locally when I'm taking recycling to the dump or to get something at home depot. I bought the truck new.
 

indept

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Mine is about 8% . As mentioned in an earlier post here many have had their driven miles reset to zero and I don't think the idle resets at the same time if at all.
 

joesstripclub

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I can't remember the exact percentage but mine is under 10% as well. I make an effort to not idle much if possible.
 

BuschLatte420

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At 33 miles mine had a few hours of idle time already when I purchased my truck, wasn’t very happy about that for the break in period
 

mdc1990zr1

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At 33 miles mine had a few hours of idle time already when I purchased my truck, wasn’t very happy about that for the break in period
You gotta remember the truck is idling while it is awaiting transport onto the car carrier/train and then at the various destinations. Don't forget about the PDI (pre-delivery inspection) performed at the dealer delivering the vehicle. I can see a couple/few hours being tallied, but anything more than that and salespeople were probably sitting idling at a drive-tru.
 

EdGs

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As I understand it, idle and drive time are separate. Add them together for total hours, then divide the idle time by the total to get the percentage.

I have read here that some members have had situations where one counter had reset. Definately weird.

My 2015 SLT QC 5.7L 2WD 3.21 w/165683 miles has not done this AFAIK, and has 420 Idle hours and 4754 drive hours.

420 ÷ (420 + 4754) = 8.2 %

165,683 miles ÷ 5174 total hours = 32 mph avg.
 
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BuschLatte420

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You gotta remember the truck is idling while it is awaiting transport onto the car carrier/train and then at the various destinations. Don't forget about the PDI (pre-delivery inspection) performed at the dealer delivering the vehicle. I can see a couple/few hours being tallied, but anything more than that and salespeople were probably sitting idling at a drive-tru.
The way my truck came, I doubt a PDI was even done unfortunately
 

mdc1990zr1

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The way my truck came, I doubt a PDI was even done unfortunately
I don't think that they would skip the PDI. When I worked at Infinity, there was a time when the mechanics were all complaining about the vehicles being short on fluid. In one case it was a run of low transmission fluid. The mechanic's thought was think about how much money Nissan saved by shipping everything a quart low. Now it became the expense of the dealership to bring it up to delivery ready.
 

06 Dodge

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Not sure if the dealers still get paid to do PDI but I recall when I did some of the PDI back in the day on Dodge Chasses ( shop was paid by Dodge to do the work) that form time to time, but not often we found front end parts lose or front the end out of alignment, low gear oil, so even if a Dealer is not paid to do PDI IMHO it would be very stupid on there part not to do it, I'm sure they don't want customers to test drive vehicles that have the front end out of alinement, low on gear oil, trans fluid or engine oil as that would make them & the brand look very bad....
 

BuschLatte420

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Not sure if the dealers still get paid to do PDI but I recall when I did some of the PDI back in the day on Dodge Chasses ( shop was paid by Dodge to do the work) that form time to time, but not often we found front end parts lose or front the end out of alignment, low gear oil, so even if a Dealer is not paid to do PDI IMHO it would be very stupid on there part not to do it, I'm sure they don't want customers to test drive vehicles that have the front end out of alinement, low on gear oil, trans fluid or engine oil as that would make them & the brand look very bad....
I just would have thought they would have caught a lot of the stupid things I found wrong with my vehicle, and it was just very dirty. I got the call that it came in and it seemed like they rushed it to get it out the door. I would hope they wouldn’t skip it though. But if anything ever dies because of low fluid, they signed off on it!
 

8_ball

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I am wondering if the idle time includes time accumulated at stoplights at 0 MPH or if the transmission must absolutely be on the park position... just asking...
 

jimmyfjk

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And FCA/Ram will use excessive idling numbers to deny warranty engine work. they claim that excessive idling leads to the lifter and cam failures so many have experience.
 

jimmyfjk

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although FCA says that idling while in gear does not add to this number it is bs. I have tested by sitting in gear while idling and it still adds to numbers.
 

farout75

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Happened to scroll to the hours display the other day. Interesting milestone, running time is 3000 hours. I did notice that the ratio of idle time to running time was just 20%. I would not have thought the truck idled that much. I park in a garage most every night, don't use remote start much, and if I do, it is only for a couple of minutes.

Is this typical for most trucks? Or is your idle time a much lower or higher percentage of total runtime?

View attachment 520079
my 17 RAM 1500 has 127,899 miles and the hours are this 765 idle 3034 driving and total is 3799. I have had no issues with the engine or anything else. But gone by the book on being maintained. I have the MPOAR unlimited mileage Max Care warranty. good until Oct. 24
 

farout75

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And FCA/Ram will use excessive idling numbers to deny warranty engine work. they claim that excessive idling leads to the lifter and cam failures so many have experience.
My dealer just told me that this is not accurate. If the vehicle is maintained properlt they honnor the warranty.
 
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