Opinions please

[DodgeDude99]

Who’s to say the connector wasn’t totally locked in the first place and this just made it come loose.

Dealer should’ve covered it, $146 isn’t worth the hassle or aggravation of a customer making a scene or escalating something to the higher ups.

 

[indept]

Who’s to say the connector wasn’t totally locked in the first place and this just made it come loose.

Dealer should’ve covered it, $146 isn’t worth the hassle or aggravation of a customer making a scene or escalating something to the higher ups.

From what I see most connectors have a red lock tab that has to be released to allow you to move the release tab so basically the OP hit smart ice.....

 

[Rader]

I own a 2015 Eco-D, compared to the many many other 4X4 trucks and SUVs I have owned I was not exactly proud of the job Ram did with routing exposed wires all over the place under the truck. The wires are out in the open at the DEF tank and other places. The loose exposed wires are just begging to be snagged on a stick or bush if you drive on a trail or even pull off on a road shoulder that is not mowed.

 

[Ramaniac]

From what I see most connectors have a red lock tab that has to be released to allow you to move the release tab so basically the OP hit smart ice.....

I agree 1000%. This connector especially should have a double lock like all the other ones that irritate you when you are trying to get them open. Seems a connector of this importance would have some type of shield protecting it instead of being out in the open. I still love my truck, the dealer, not so much.


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[RaftingDave]

This dealer had a chance to make a loyal customer and get great word of mouth for $143 and instead choose to take a hard line on it. Bad move in my opinion. But that's just me. Sometimes its better to bend things a little to satisfy the customer and keep them coming back, but sadly some businesses don't see it that way.

Agree - I think my dealership would have taken care of it. I've bought three vehicles from them, and they know it. If I buy another FCA product, it'll be these guys.

Not everyone has that kind of relationship with their dealer though. Strictly speaking, by the book - I would see this situation as a "s**t happens" kind of thing, and pay for it myself.

 

[wallacemf]

From my perspective, if Ram is placing this plug in such a vulnerable position, it should be fully weatherproofed. Aren’t there plugs with weatherproof seals in them?

Worst case, shield it or wrap it up, something, anything, to adequately protect it from the elements.

 

[DA Smith]

So I have a 17 ecodiesel that I picked up last year in April. It has a hair over 10k miles. Earlier this week in inclement heavy wet snow driving at sub freeway speeds I hit a large patch of slush/ice on the freeway and the truck went into limp mode. It said don't shut the truck off blah blah blah and threw every code in the book.
I drove it to the dealer and shut it off. Explained the situation and was told that they would do what they could for warrranty but it could cost up to an hour labor to diagnose.
They figured out it was a harness connector just under the drivers seat next to the frame rail. Apparently a large chunk of ice had hit it and caused it to become loose. It was one of those lever latch's like the ones on the ecm's. It was full of water and they had to dry it out and put some dialectic grease in it.
So here's the part I would like your opinion on. The Stealer charged me $142 to dry it out and re-connect it. I got in a bit of an argument with them and thought it should be covered under warranty and the service advisor stated it was an outside force and I had even stated that I hit a large puddle of ice and water. He stopped short of saying he felt it was my fault but obviously felt that way.
I said I would check with Ram cares to see what they had to say about it and he said he thought I should do that. So am I expecting too much to have Ram cover it? Seems like a common courtesy thing to have them take care of it for a 56k pickup. Think I may have chosen the wrong stealership. Can't wait to get the service quesitonaire.

That is a warranty item, even if ice did hit the connector and make it become loose that looks like **** poor design from the factory. I think you have a sorry whining little dealership and I wouldn't pay them a penny for the issue. I guarantee you if you paid them they have also filed a warranty claim with FCA and have even paid twice for the work. Crooked bunch of thieves.

 

[DA Smith]

Large chunk of ice hit the connector, knocked it loose. May be a poor location for the connector but an engineer cannot account for every obstacle we encounter for if they could no-one would build anything cause s**t happens.
If it was a defect in material and workmanship it should be covered but none of us are experiencing the same issue so why would there be a recall or a TSB or anything like that. Was a mishap, a one off situation and not a manufacturing defect. If the truck was 10k, 56k or 100k it does not absolve us owners from future costs of ownership for things like this.
I don't see why it would be expected to be covered if it were me but that's just my opinion/perspective. As said above, if it were a pothole...

Like you say it's your option but I say it's BS and it's covered by warranty. If the truck had 65-K miles on it then you should pay because the warranty is out. In this case the dealer will send a claim in to FCA for payment along with screwing the customer out of his ash also. They are a crappy thieving dealership.

 

[DodgeDude99]

From what I see most connectors have a red lock tab that has to be released to allow you to move the release tab so basically the OP hit smart ice.....

I don’t remember though, do the lever lock ones have the red tab though?

 

[mtofell]

Op's ***** is that a connector that is capable of rendering the truck barely able to drive shouldn't be under the truck and really should have been covered. The fact that it was affected by water means it shouldn't be where it is. Why not put the PCM down there too, it would get good air flow.......

I suppose a lot also comes down to how it is presented to the dealer. If you just go in and say my X isn't working maybe they'd be more likely to cover it. If you explain too much about how/why it isn't working and what you were doing when it stopped, I can see them instantly claiming you caused it. We all know Ram dealers don't need any motivation to be unhelpful.

 

[indept]

True, when it comes to info sometimes less is better.

 

[GsRAM]

I suppose a lot also comes down to how it is presented to the dealer. If you just go in and say my X isn't working maybe they'd be more likely to cover it. If you explain too much about how/why it isn't working and what you were doing when it stopped, I can see them instantly claiming you caused it. We all know Ram dealers don't need any motivation to be unhelpful.

Agreed but it shouldn't have to be that way.

I have to ask, where is RamCares in this discussion? They seem to be very selective in which threads they do or do not participate in. Just like when I posted about my park to reverse transmission noise or the rotten egg smell my exhaust has the dealer claims they can't smell.

This seems to be a great opportunity for them to get involved and get the
OPs money refunded to him.

Where are you RamCares? This is a situation you should care about.

 

[j517]

ram care is a joke a had a dealership use my truck with out my permission and they didn't do shoot about it how do i know the idiot that drove it for 100 miles used the gps and did not erase the trip

it was at the dealer**** since possibly sold me a truck that some idiot took home and did not get financing

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[circuitguy]

The dealer will just unplug the connector, let it drain, spray WD40 in each end of the plug to remove any moisture, plug it back together and then test the truck. Maybe 15 min to do this tops. As a customer courtesy they should have done this for free. You can always call customer service.

 

[tomb]

I don't consider it a warranty claim-I do however think that the dealership (mine anyway) would fix it for free. No parts were needed-just a little labor-However,that depends on a few things---Did he purchase the truck from that dealer or a competing dealer that was too far away to take it to-does he have a history with the dealer--did he go in ranting about how this should be covered under warranty? Also he made a faux pas by telling them that he was going too fast and in a lane that was not plowed properly and he should not have been in. Laughable in my opinion. Go in to the dealership (preferably the one you purchased the truck from) explain the issue you are having and most importantly be polite and respectful. No one is going to go out of there way for someone who rants on about something that should be warranted especially when you have admitted that you are atleast partly at fault. and always remember-be nice--very nice.