JimmyO
Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2018
- Posts
- 35
- Reaction score
- 28
- Location
- Orange Park, FL
- Ram Year
- 2017
- Engine
- Hemi 5.7
On July 11, 2025, my '17 Ram 1500 with factory air ride was to be serviced by the dealership in Orange Park FL. after I had replaced both rear air springs, for the nitrogen refill and to clear error messages.
During this visit, the technician was unable to complete the task, and I was contacted by the advisor who said that the technician would need to perform a full "diagnostic inspection" to determine the cause.
Later that day I was advised that the technician determined that the compressor and/or valve system, (or maybe both), were not functioning correctly. I opted to replace the compressor and valve system myself, because the over $4K estimate for them to replace the compressor was not an option. I returned to the dealership to retrieve the truck. The new rear air springs were inflated when i arrived to bring the truck back home, but the front air springs were completely deflated. Once I got the truck back home and jacked the front end up, I discovered that the front air ride sensors were broken, which may have been why the technician couldn't get the front end to raise, but there was no mention of this included with the "diagnosed" compressor and/or valve system. I purchased and replaced the compressor and valve system, and since I have nearly 137K miles on all the original parts, I decided to replace both front air springs and replace the broken front air ride sensors too.
With all the new components installed, I returned the truck to this dealership again for a nitrogen refill and to clear error messages on July 29.
During this visit, the service advisor was informed of all work performed, but that the new front ride height sensors were not yet bolted to the upper A-arms since the front air springs were not yet inflated, and that the fuse and relay for the compressor and valve system were left disconnected in the fuse box under the hood, so the system was inoperative during transit back to the dealership.
The technician was informed of the front air ride sensors needing to be bolted in place, but not informed about the fuse and relay were not installed in the fuse box by the service advisor. When the technician attempted to begin the nitrogen refill process, the system was inoperable (because the service advisor failed to tell the technician that the fuse and relay were not installed). Because the technician was unable to work on the truck until I spoke with and reminded the advisor to inform the technician to check the fuse and relay, my truck was pushed aside where it sat for a couple days so the technician could (understandably), move on to another customer's vehicle repair. Once the technician was able to get back to my truck and supply nitrogen to the system, the rear left air spring was the technician overinflated the air spring, likely without ensuring it was seated correctly and the new left-rear air spring that operated on July 11, popped out of the truck, destroying the newly installed air spring, and I was informed that I must've installed it incorrectly for this to happen. (Notwithstanding that I had driven the truck from and back to the dealership with the air spring intact, and the alleged "diagnostic" test performed by this technician on July 11 made no mention of any parts incorrectly installed). After more than $920 in just labor costs incurred by this dealership, I then paid $100 to have the truck towed away from their location, to once again buy and replace a rear air spring, and to buy and replace another broken front air ride sensor, which the technician left bolted to the upper A-arms when lowered off the lift, likely breaking the sensor in the process, (which was why they were not bolted to the upper A-arm when i brought the truck to the dealership).
After all this, I asked the service advisor to discuss all this with the shop manager, since this all seemed strange that parts that were new, albeit after-market, when I bought my truck for a nitrogen refill service. The service advisor sent the following: "We would not be able to do anything for it. I spoke to the Foreman. We haven't done any of the work except to fill the bags and adjust the ride height. The parts are aftermarket-sales, which we don't use because they fail all the time. (The tech said that as soon as he added air it popped out because the airbag wasn't seated correctly- not due to over inflation or damage)."
In conclusion, they've determined that the technician is at no fault for over-inflating and damaging the air spring, claiming that I must've installed it incorrectly, and the advisor made zero mention of the damaged air ride sensor.
For further information... The RAM test procedure for inflation of Ram Air ride systems should have included incremental slow inflation, and steps to ensure that the air springs are seated correctly in the lower sockets prior to continuing the inflation process. I believe that if the procedure been followed, or at a minimum, an actual and thorough diagnostic test been performed on July 11, the damage caused by the same technician would not have happened on July 31.
If you need your factory Ram Air System serviced... I strongly recommend that you go to another Ram dealer. I brought my truck to a different dealership located in Jacksonville which had me in and out the same day, and my truck is riding and operating perfectly.
During this visit, the technician was unable to complete the task, and I was contacted by the advisor who said that the technician would need to perform a full "diagnostic inspection" to determine the cause.
Later that day I was advised that the technician determined that the compressor and/or valve system, (or maybe both), were not functioning correctly. I opted to replace the compressor and valve system myself, because the over $4K estimate for them to replace the compressor was not an option. I returned to the dealership to retrieve the truck. The new rear air springs were inflated when i arrived to bring the truck back home, but the front air springs were completely deflated. Once I got the truck back home and jacked the front end up, I discovered that the front air ride sensors were broken, which may have been why the technician couldn't get the front end to raise, but there was no mention of this included with the "diagnosed" compressor and/or valve system. I purchased and replaced the compressor and valve system, and since I have nearly 137K miles on all the original parts, I decided to replace both front air springs and replace the broken front air ride sensors too.
With all the new components installed, I returned the truck to this dealership again for a nitrogen refill and to clear error messages on July 29.
During this visit, the service advisor was informed of all work performed, but that the new front ride height sensors were not yet bolted to the upper A-arms since the front air springs were not yet inflated, and that the fuse and relay for the compressor and valve system were left disconnected in the fuse box under the hood, so the system was inoperative during transit back to the dealership.
The technician was informed of the front air ride sensors needing to be bolted in place, but not informed about the fuse and relay were not installed in the fuse box by the service advisor. When the technician attempted to begin the nitrogen refill process, the system was inoperable (because the service advisor failed to tell the technician that the fuse and relay were not installed). Because the technician was unable to work on the truck until I spoke with and reminded the advisor to inform the technician to check the fuse and relay, my truck was pushed aside where it sat for a couple days so the technician could (understandably), move on to another customer's vehicle repair. Once the technician was able to get back to my truck and supply nitrogen to the system, the rear left air spring was the technician overinflated the air spring, likely without ensuring it was seated correctly and the new left-rear air spring that operated on July 11, popped out of the truck, destroying the newly installed air spring, and I was informed that I must've installed it incorrectly for this to happen. (Notwithstanding that I had driven the truck from and back to the dealership with the air spring intact, and the alleged "diagnostic" test performed by this technician on July 11 made no mention of any parts incorrectly installed). After more than $920 in just labor costs incurred by this dealership, I then paid $100 to have the truck towed away from their location, to once again buy and replace a rear air spring, and to buy and replace another broken front air ride sensor, which the technician left bolted to the upper A-arms when lowered off the lift, likely breaking the sensor in the process, (which was why they were not bolted to the upper A-arm when i brought the truck to the dealership).
After all this, I asked the service advisor to discuss all this with the shop manager, since this all seemed strange that parts that were new, albeit after-market, when I bought my truck for a nitrogen refill service. The service advisor sent the following: "We would not be able to do anything for it. I spoke to the Foreman. We haven't done any of the work except to fill the bags and adjust the ride height. The parts are aftermarket-sales, which we don't use because they fail all the time. (The tech said that as soon as he added air it popped out because the airbag wasn't seated correctly- not due to over inflation or damage)."
In conclusion, they've determined that the technician is at no fault for over-inflating and damaging the air spring, claiming that I must've installed it incorrectly, and the advisor made zero mention of the damaged air ride sensor.
For further information... The RAM test procedure for inflation of Ram Air ride systems should have included incremental slow inflation, and steps to ensure that the air springs are seated correctly in the lower sockets prior to continuing the inflation process. I believe that if the procedure been followed, or at a minimum, an actual and thorough diagnostic test been performed on July 11, the damage caused by the same technician would not have happened on July 31.
If you need your factory Ram Air System serviced... I strongly recommend that you go to another Ram dealer. I brought my truck to a different dealership located in Jacksonville which had me in and out the same day, and my truck is riding and operating perfectly.
