Frustrated

[JD Martin]

Ram trucks have no more problems than any other truck brand. What matters more to me is how the problems are handled. So far the people at my local CDJR dealership have stepped up whenever we've had issues with the Ram trucks my family has owned. The key is to remain calm and deal with them them in a professional manner. Don't give them a reason to make decisions out of spite. They are not out to get you unless you give them a reason to dislike you. Ram and Stellantis lean heavily on the dealership's diagnosis. I hate to think any dealership would lie but why give them a reason to even consider doing that?

I suspect few dealerships are actually lying to customers as far as back in the repair/service area. I suspect the bigger problem is a lack of qualified mechanics & technicians to properly diagnose problems. These guys today have to not only have mechanical inclination but need to be computer geniuses as well. The old-school guys have no idea how half of this newer stuff works, and the new guys have no instincts when it comes to fixing mechanical things that you have to figure out by logic and deduction and experience and not from a computerized flowchart. One reason I don't do much work on my own vehicles any more is that I'm old school and not willing to spend the time to learn how all the new computerized stuff works. I like turning wrenches and sockets, not figuring out computer code. So I'm not that good a tech any more outside of the same old-school stuff like brakes, swapping hard parts, etc.

That problem isn't just in dealerships either. One time about 5 or 6 years ago I was working on one of my vehicles and brought the old part with me down to Advance Auto so I could compare the parts, since more than once the wrong part was in the box. I don't even remember what the part was, but it was something that was endemic to the vehicle and not the configuration - something like an upper control arm or something. Girl behind the counter asks me Year, make, model, engine size, transmission ETC like the computer makes her ask, even as I tell her only the first 3 matter. She gets into her computer and tells me "That part doesn't exist on that vehicle". "Lady", I said, "I'm holding that part in my hand right now and I just took it off that vehicle about half an hour ago". She insisted that I must have a different vehicle. I had to show her how to use the old-fashioned catalog to look up the part...

 

[coobie]

These new Ram trucks are fraught with electrical/electronic problems. I love my 2024 2500, except for this fact. I tell everyone I can to stay away from these trucks!!

 

[nlambert182]

I suspect few dealerships are actually lying to customers as far as back in the repair/service area. I suspect the bigger problem is a lack of qualified mechanics & technicians to properly diagnose problems. These guys today have to not only have mechanical inclination but need to be computer geniuses as well. The old-school guys have no idea how half of this newer stuff works, and the new guys have no instincts when it comes to fixing mechanical things that you have to figure out by logic and deduction and experience and not from a computerized flowchart. One reason I don't do much work on my own vehicles any more is that I'm old school and not willing to spend the time to learn how all the new computerized stuff works. I like turning wrenches and sockets, not figuring out computer code. So I'm not that good a tech any more outside of the same old-school stuff like brakes, swapping hard parts, etc.

That problem isn't just in dealerships either. One time about 5 or 6 years ago I was working on one of my vehicles and brought the old part with me down to Advance Auto so I could compare the parts, since more than once the wrong part was in the box. I don't even remember what the part was, but it was something that was endemic to the vehicle and not the configuration - something like an upper control arm or something. Girl behind the counter asks me Year, make, model, engine size, transmission ETC like the computer makes her ask, even as I tell her only the first 3 matter. She gets into her computer and tells me "That part doesn't exist on that vehicle". "Lady", I said, "I'm holding that part in my hand right now and I just took it off that vehicle about half an hour ago". She insisted that I must have a different vehicle. I had to show her how to use the old-fashioned catalog to look up the part...

Sadly, this is true.

Back in high school in the late 90s I went to work for Advance Auto. Back then, the store manager made me take a test to determine if I had enough common sense before he'd hire me. I had to do things like identify bolt grades by sight, use the old school catalog to look up parts, demonstrate that I knew how to change a battery, wiper blades, knew how to determine belt lengths, and ask the right questions when a person came in to look for parts. Eventually we'd learn what parts fit on what engines/vehicles without the need to look up parts all the time if it were common. If someone brought in a part, often times we could tell what it belonged to before they even told us. Starters, alternators, etc... "Hey, I need a serpentine belt to fit a 1997 GMC 1500 with a 350." "No problem.... I have these 3 brands in stock. Which do you want?"

We'd even often times help with minor repairs in the parking lot if someone were stranded or it was obvious that they were pinched for money and didn't know how to do it. Alternator replacements, belt replacements, starter replacements, etc.. We just did it.

Nowadays I go in there and tell them the part number for what I need. More often than not they've fat fingered something in the computer and can't understand why the part they pulled doesn't match what's on the counter. Last week my wife's wiper blade broke off her car, so I told her to swing by the part store and have them install a new one. No one in that store knew how and I ended up having to drive 30 minutes to her and change it so she could finish her grocery shopping in the rain. Two years ago my dually batteries died while at a campground. The local part store guys had zero clue how to change them out, so I ended up changing both of them in the parking lot and showing those guys how to do it.

For dealerships, a lot of the time they aren't lying. They too use a computer system to look up the parts and often the parts folks have little to no skill either in repairing vehicles or working at a parts counter. For the techs, a lot of them are just part changers. They have to go by the book and don't have the skills to diagnose problems without a how to to read. As the older generation phases out, the new generation of part swappers comes in to replace them. If the book doesn't say do it, they don't know what to do. Couple that with the fact that vehicles have become increasingly complex and it's a sad state of affairs.

 

[DanAR]

My best auto parts story is when the wife of my friend with a Hemi Road Runner went to Advance Auto to get a rotor for their distributor, which she described correctly as she is very auto savvy. The kid rummaged around in his computer a bit, disappeared in back for a few minutes and returned and plopped down a brake rotor on the counter.


But yeah, avoid RAM because they are so fraught with electrics/electronics problems? I’m afraid that probably is going to apply to all new makes of trucks.

 

[dsherman26]

I suspect the bigger problem is a lack of qualified mechanics & technicians to properly diagnose problems. These guys today have to not only have mechanical inclination but need to be computer geniuses as well. The old-school guys have no idea how half of this newer stuff works, and the new guys have no instincts when it comes to fixing mechanical things that you have to figure out by logic and deduction and experience and not from a computerized flowchart. One reason I don't do much work on my own vehicles any more is that I'm old school and not willing to spend the time to learn how all the new computerized stuff works. I like turning wrenches and sockets, not figuring out computer code. So I'm not that good a tech any more outside of the same old-school stuff like brakes, swapping hard parts, etc.

Absolutely. I have little faith in service techs. When the Chevrolet dealer tech was all set to charge me $1500 for a new body control module to fix the power mirrors on my Traverse, I bought the 3-day Helm subscription, looked at the schematics for the power mirror circuit, and figured out a) the BCM didn't control the power mirrors at all, and b) the tech was clueless. The same tech couldn't identify the correct fuse for the power mirrors when I mentioned the fuse was blown but he insisted it was good. I took it back, had the bad mirror switch narrowed down in about 20 minutes. Cost to fix? $30 for a new switch and new fuse. But yeah, let's throw in a new body control module.

 

[Hudson]

Heck, might as well go back to horse and buggy and avoid technology altogether.

Can I get that in a BigHorn Edition. I need a Saddle warmer and reins heater

The question I ask myself, Is it Quality Control that has suffered so greatly post Covid, or is it design issues?

 

[nlambert182]

Can I get that in a BigHorn Edition. I need a Saddle warmer and reins heater

The question I ask myself, Is it Quality Control that has suffered so greatly post Covid, or is it design issues?

I think it's a combination of everything.

1) Supply chain problems because folks were sent home. Thus, drove a need at all of the suppliers to the OEMs to speed up production to recover, which often meant cutting corners because of a need to increase production with less staff to keep the doors open (and of course this chain reaction happened all the way down to the raw material suppliers).

2) Process control at the OEMs who (just like #1) are trying to recover missed schedules due to supplier delays. I'd almost guarantee processes were bypassed if it meant saving a day or two on an already late delivery. Also likely more unskilled labor being brought in to put butts in seats when some decided they didn't want to go back to work, or they want a $20/hr raise.

3) The need to drive up sales by trying to rapidly produce the next shiny object to peak interest and convince people to spend money to keep the doors open. Often times I would assume that thorough R&D was skipped to get things out the door.

4) The need by dealers to sell those shiny things to keep their doors open. Then, difficulty making repairs because of #1 and because they too struggle to fill technician seats.

 

[EdGs]

OP, you need to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING that has gone on so far, just in case you have a lemon law claim.

Dates, times, who spoke with, questions asked, answer given, when dealer serviced, how long, copies of invoices, etc., etc.

DO NOT mention the word 'lawyer' at any point, as that will only add to the issue.

Hopefully, your problems have been resolved. I wish you the best.

 

[GTyankee]

Stellantis laid off or transferred many of their U.S. Vehicle Engineers.

When the trouble shooters at the Assembly Plants report a problem, it is sent to the Engineers at the Foreign assembly plants.

One of the biggest issues lately, is with Jeep Wiring, the Electrical wiring Pigtails are too short.
It does not show up on flat ground, but as soon as that Jeep is out in areas where the Jeep FLEXES, the Pigtails that were made too short, disconnect in one way or another.

By the Way, Stellantis closed 2 VW Plants & the Vauxhall plant.
They knew that they could not meet the EV mandated dates