2022 ram 1500 Laramie 40,000km ( Canadain truck ) coolant colour and grime ! Please help !!!

[Ramanski]

Hello,

I’m reaching out for some advice regarding my 2022 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie with 40,000 kilometers.

I recently noticed a faint coolant smell coming from the outside of the engine area when the engine is warm. It does not come through the vents inside the cabin, only from the engine bay.

I checked the coolant dipstick and it was completely dry. The dipstick itself had a chalky brown residue on it. I also opened the radiator cap (with the engine cold), and there was a slimy buildup around the edges. The coolant inside appeared to be a reddish-brown color. I’ve attached photos for reference.

Can anyone provide insight into what might be happening or how serious this could be? I do have an appointment with Ram service next week, but I’m wondering if it is safe to drive the truck until then.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[LaramieGrrl]

My 2022 Ram w/41,000mi is currently in for service and the radiator had a reddish-brown sandy grit that looked similar. Have the radiator flushed. The dealer told me that the "sand"/grime is leftover from the casting when the radiator was made. A flush will remove that.

 

[Wild one]

My 2022 Ram w/41,000mi is currently in for service and the radiator had a reddish-brown sandy grit that looked similar. Have the radiator flushed. The dealer told me that the "sand"/grime is leftover from the casting when the radiator was made. A flush will remove that.

You'll want them to flush the whole system if you have a sandy grit feel to the coolant,as that stuff will plug your heater core eventually,and it's a fairly big/expensive job to replace the heater core

 

[Ramanski]

Ok.

Makes sense .Also is it possible for the coolant to oxidize and turn browny if the radiator cap isn't holding pressure?

 

[rzr6-4]

Also is it possible for the coolant to oxidize and turn browny if the radiator cap isn't holding pressure?

If the cap has any sort of leak you will be able to see it around the cap. But the coolant turning brown happens no matter what.

 

[Ramanski]

question:

“I just had a complete coolant flush done at a Dodge dealership yesterday. Now, when my 2022 Ram 1500 Laramie 5.7 Hemi (non-eTorque) warms up, I notice a faint coolant smell at the top of the radiator area, but only outside the truck — never inside the cabin. The system shows no leaks and holds pressure normally. I’ve actually noticed this same light smell occasionally for months even before the flush. Is it normal to have a faint coolant smell around the radiator when the engine warms up, and could it just be leftover coolant evaporating or a harmless residue on the radiator?”

 

[Curmudgeon]

Here is a pic I took a year ago or so. There was nothing wrong with the truck, I took the pic for another thread. The color sounds OK.

 

[Wild one]

question:

“I just had a complete coolant flush done at a Dodge dealership yesterday. Now, when my 2022 Ram 1500 Laramie 5.7 Hemi (non-eTorque) warms up, I notice a faint coolant smell at the top of the radiator area, but only outside the truck — never inside the cabin. The system shows no leaks and holds pressure normally. I’ve actually noticed this same light smell occasionally for months even before the flush. Is it normal to have a faint coolant smell around the radiator when the engine warms up, and could it just be leftover coolant evaporating or a harmless residue on the radiator?”

Probably just the oder escaping from the overflow bottle,if you have no leaks.

 

[Wild one]

Ok.

Makes sense .Also is it possible for the coolant to oxidize and turn browny if the radiator cap isn't holding pressure?

Not really