Engine hours... what i didnt know...

[Hemi832]

YUP, reset there somewhere. No way in 216K miles U have only 32 hours idle, lol. Heck of a number tho. OP do not sweat it. U bought truck, get it serviced now and service it regularly. Since U R in city, a lot of stop/go, I would not go past 7,500 on oil changes, I personally do 5,000 mile changes and since your truck in NYC, I would do 5,000 mile intervals too. But, do as what pleases you.

I've had the truck since 75k. Pictures don't lie!

 

[Jane S]

So I just bought a 2020 limited ram truck with 34,000 miles.
This is my first truck. Not knowing about engine hours I sign all the paperwork...
So a few days later I discovered how to see my engine hours... and this is what I saw

IDLE 839
RUN 1325

2,164 total engine hours!

Well I think I stepped in it this time.... from what I see online this is quite high for 34k miles...

It should be illegal not disclosing this info.

1 hr idle time = 30 miles.

You truch has 59+K miles on it. If you knew this, you could probably have gotten a lower price on it.

 

[Jane S]

I did buy it in NYC area so probably allot of city driving and traffic. .. but yea.. I'm super bummed

Was it a fleet truck? That usage profile makes me think so.

 

[greecegreens]

As others have said, the hours are not that bad if maintenance was done. If the display bothers you, AlfaOBD can change them to whatever you like.

What's alphaobd?

 

[ramsare4real]

Those hours are not bad, but the the truck had a lot of idle time (39%) and low speed driving with the previous owner. I would throw an oil change with Redline or HPL for engine cleaning purposes.

 

[Tulecreeper]

What's alphaobd?

From what I can gleen from these conversations, it's a device you can buy to plug into your onboard system and reprogram things.

 

[Dean2]

AlfaOBD

Please Read!!! Supported years: 2013 to 2018 Make a backup of your original BCM configuration before making any changes. While we have a few BCM configs to compare with, there is nothing like comparing to your own pre-changes. Instructions: Uploading System ID (BCM) Information: Thank you...

www.ramforum.com

There re dozens of other threads on here but this is the longest.

 

[zrock]

so you did not check out the info when you were looking at it and your made at the dealer? When buying its your responsibility to check everything over.

 

[Dean2]

so you did not check out the info when you were looking at it and your made at the dealer? When buying its your responsibility to check everything over.

I think he already knows that. Kind of why he is kicking himself. Not real helpful to point it out at this stage.

This was a good learning and the issue is no big deal so cost to learn was low. Good thing all around in my books.

 

[huntergreen]

So I just bought a 2020 limited ram truck with 34,000 miles.
This is my first truck. Not knowing about engine hours I sign all the paperwork...
So a few days later I discovered how to see my engine hours... and this is what I saw

IDLE 839
RUN 1325

2,164 total engine hours!

Well I think I stepped in it this time.... from what I see online this is quite high for 34k miles...

It should be illegal not disclosing this info.

Take a look at the mopar extendecd warranties. Buy on line not the dealer . Then you’re covered.

 

[REDinAZ]

only scenario I'd be concerned of is if former owner was completely lax on the oil change schedule. a little insurance may be doing a few initial shorter interval oil changes to get engine cleaned up. for example maybe 3 in your first year of ownership.

 

[chri5k]

What's alphaobd?

Oh boy, did you step in it!

Alfaobd is a software tool that allows you change many aspects of your truck. It is like a gateway drug that has cost me thousands in upgrades like auto-dim rear view mirror, power folding mirrors, 8.4" radio, 7" gauge cluster and auto climate control.

There is a massive thread here https://www.ramforum.com/threads/alfaobd.123982/.
The first post has an index to some of the more popular mods. You will need a security gateway bypass cable to use it with a 2020. Changing cluster hours is one of its' capabilities.
Pay heed to the advice in the first post about making a backup copy of your current config before making any changes. There are numerous posts with "Does anyone have the stock config for ...." I accidentally hit a wrong button or something.

 

[greecegreens]

Take a look at the mopar extendecd warranties. Buy on line not the dealer . Then you’re covered.

Yea it was a certified truck with 7 year powertrain warranty.. so I kind of got over it.. lol. Just a kick in the pants initially... Def a learning experience

 

[Ronald E Shelton]

A "CARFAX" is not necessarily accurate either. There exists zero requirement (legally) for any reporting to "CARFAX".
Think box of chocolate!

 

[boblonben]

the Run hours randomly reset on these trucks, so the number of run hours displayed can be meaningless. Mine reset when the hours were in the 1000's. I currently have ~66K miles on my truck but it displays 400 - something Run hours.

No, do not believe they reset. Seen too many where that simply is not true.

 

[BuschLatte420]

I save all my trucks invoices, i put them in a shoe box

When i sold my 2009 Dodge Ram in 2016, i handed the box to him & explained what it was.
I don't know if he really cared or not, but he does have the full history, if he should need it.

If he does check it out, he may be surprised to see the number of times, that i have the oil changed, some months it was changed twice, my business was going real good

I keep all my invoices and Reciepts as well, added up my 2001 tahoes once, wish I never did…that hoe costed me a lot of $$$ to keep perfect.

 

[RamYaker865]

Fleet trucks sometimes have to be left on while reps are doing things other than scheduled visits and stops. They log it somehow. Friend of mine used to stop by and see me when his route brought him through Knoxville. He’d have to leave his truck running since it wasn’t a scheduled stop. That would definitely skew the hours. I wouldn’t worry about it. Enjoy your truck, do the maintenance, and just fix stuff if it breaks.

 

[Ronald E Shelton]

I am currently driving a 2018 RAM 3500 that I bought 3+ years ago with 9532 actual miles on the odometer and the hour gage was reasonably close so I didn't say anything.
Today (Jul-03-2023) and the truck now has 51448.3 miles on the odometer, and the hour meter shows Idle = 72, Driving = 1178, and Total = 1250. You be the judge. My limited math skills tells me that the EVIC does its own thing and resets randomly and at will.
My truck (since I have been driving it) has NEVER been in the shop and/or on any ODBII Reader until recently with the "SERVICE ELECTRONIC BRAKE SYSTEM" just in the last 3 weeks. . . . .and that is my own INNOVA 5610 Reader/Scanner. In shop early next week for them to read the same code and order the "back ordered" part!

 

[rvance]

I bought a 13 new and the hours never did make any sense. Nor do they on the 17 I bought used. Ignore it.

 

[Heatheroo]

No, do not believe they reset. Seen too many where that simply is not true.

Guess I’’m either deranged or a liar then….your pick