Possible manifold bolt casualty

[RamHemi18]

Well I think I am going to be a casualty of the broken manifold bolts. 52000 miles. Noticed a loud tick on start up yesterday morning that quieted as it warmed up. I am guessing it is the bolts. Taking it in next month, hard to find a rental these days. Truck is an 18 so I am guessing it will be covered under warranty. Going to have them look at my delaminating radio as well. I swear its always something these days! Here's to the first break of the new year

 

[EdGs]

When it is cooled off, reach in through the wheel wells and grab hold of the heat shield and give it a wiggle at each corner.

If it's loose, broken bolts it is.

Good that you have a warranty.

However, if the dealer just replaces the manifold, it it very likely to happen again, as the stock exhaust manifolds are known to warp.

Milling the existing manifold flat is the best fix for these (other than headers....lol).

Keep us posted.

 

[bchap05]

Yep like EdGs said when mine broke you could just grab the heat shield and easily feel and even see the broken bolt. Apparently the back corner is common which is the easiest to see.

 

[RamHemi18]

RH side 2 manifold bolts broken. Covered under Powertrain warranty! I'm guessing it will happen again on the LH side soon. Of course they will only cover them when they break, preventative measures would make too much sense

 

[DILLIGAF]

This is why you break a bolt on the other side before going in That way you get both sides fixed at the same time under warrenty.

After that you go home rip it all off and install LTs.

 

[blackbetty14]

Good luck! I’m about to put eBay shorties on mine as I pulled my stock manifolds to try ****** black heart shorty headers and they cracked like 5 times before I returned them in less than a month. The new shorties are a clone of a better type and very beefy. I had to put my stock manifolds back on (no leaks) but used remflex gaskets instead of the stockers with the heat shields. Fast forward a few years and I’m at 38k and want to do the shorties before I get a manifold bolt break which seem to happen around the 40-50k mark. When I had my manifolds off I blasted and coated them Bc why not and I don’t have the heat shields anymore for the valve cover. They were already not flat at 18k and I suspect they have prob gotten worse but I did coat the inside and outside with ceramic coating so maybe they wouldn’t warp as much idk. Anyways I got the new headers and just blasted and ceramic coated them and just need to install. It’s preventative for the bolt breaking and I gained about 1mpg with her hookers and I suspect these might be alittle better.

I also have the delaminating issue in my 18 and Ram basically told me to go F myself and it would cost me $1080 for a new radio installed. My radio has progressively gotten worse in the last few months now that the goats ghost touches have rendered the radio basically useless and I have to make a decision. They said the warranty is only 2yrs for the non drivetrain stuff.

The stock manifolds warp with heat over time, replacing them once warped just restarts the process with the new manifolds so you have 40-50k miles again. Planing the used pre warped manifolds is the best solution or get headers with softer flanges and solve the problem forever.

 

[Rav3ncroft]

I also have the delaminating issue in my 18 and Ram basically told me to go F myself and it would cost me $1080 for a new radio installed. My radio has progressively gotten worse in the last few months now that the goats ghost touches have rendered the radio basically useless and I have to make a decision. They said the warranty is only 2yrs for the non drivetrain stuff.

I'm not sure who you spoke with regarding the warranty but that's not true from my experience. I worked with RamCares who hooked me up with Uconnect. My radio was covered and replaced under warranty (3 year 36,000). I was over in years by a few months and under 32K miles.

Lots of others on the forums have also had their radios replaced. There have been a few that received the same kind of treatment as you though.

 

[blackbetty14]

I was almost 4 years and around 36-37k. They told me 2 years warranty as I got it in 2018 December and warranty expired 2020 December. I said why wouldn’t that be covered for 36k especially if it was a leased vehicle and they assured me it was 2 years which made no sense to me. I would not be purchasing a 1k radio in a leased vehicle. I could see if Ram cares can do something but I’m not interested in going around to Ram dealers during this day and age.

 

[RamHemi18]

I had a case open for my delaminating radio with RamCares. I was basically told to kick rocks as it is out of the 3yr 36000mile warranty and there is no current recalls. If I replace it and a recall is opened at a later date I could get reimbursed. At this point I will not give FCA a dollar towards this radio. I was planning trading in my wife's equinox for a Durango in the next few years. I will probably not be doing that now since they use the same radio as the Ram and I will most likely have to deal with it in that vehicle as well.

Now I need to figure out what part number replacement screen I need and I will just replace the screen myself and move on.

I was hopeful as I saw many people out of warranty get this covered, I am quite disappointed in how this was handled. I work for a CAT dealership, when things are out of warranty we try to goodwill it with CAT and typically split it with the customer. I would have accepted that.

 

[blackbetty14]

I reached out to a company that replaces and repairs the screens and u can’t get the screens. They are not the same as as our defective units as in they fit but they are updated with the new 2019 classics and newer models which don’t have the defective screen adhesive. They basically swap in the new 2019+ screen and your back in action. Ram will replace the whole headunit as they don’t do the screen repairs. So the delaminating won’t happen again as they fixed the issue which is actually an LG problem Bc they made the screens. Replacing the head unit is easy physically but you need to activate it for the truck as I think they use pins or codes. So don’t think it’s gona be a easy peasy swap or job. Getting the parts is hard enough right now.

 

[novelmike]

Mine is going in next week for manifold bolt. Left side was around 60k miles. Right side now at 130k.
I wonder if the bolts are more likely to break in the colder winter months. I know my two breaks did.

 

[CamperMike]

I had a case open for my delaminating radio with RamCares. I was basically told to kick rocks as it is out of the 3yr 36000mile warranty and there is no current recalls. If I replace it and a recall is opened at a later date I could get reimbursed. At this point I will not give FCA a dollar towards this radio. I was planning trading in my wife's equinox for a Durango in the next few years. I will probably not be doing that now since they use the same radio as the Ram and I will most likely have to deal with it in that vehicle as well.

Now I need to figure out what part number replacement screen I need and I will just replace the screen myself and move on.

I was hopeful as I saw many people out of warranty get this covered, I am quite disappointed in how this was handled. I work for a CAT dealership, when things are out of warranty we try to goodwill it with CAT and typically split it with the customer. I would have accepted that.

I'm pretty sure they only agree to cover those close to warranty expiration. You probably just have too many miles. I sure hope mine doesn't break but if it does I have no expectation they'll fix the radio since I have over 60k miles. Oh and I've also had the passenger manifold bolts break... at 57k or so.

 

[RamHemi18]

I'm pretty sure they only agree to cover those close to warranty expiration. You probably just have too many miles. I sure hope mine doesn't break but if it does I have no expectation they'll fix the radio since I have over 60k miles. Oh and I've also had the passenger manifold bolts break... at 57k or so.

Which I understand to an extent...yes it is out of the mileage cutoff.. But if RAM truly Cared...they could cover it, or at least work with me. I work for a CAT dealership. In scenarios like this we try to get it goodwilled with CAT, typically we end up splitting it with the customer if CAT wont cover it. I didn't even get an option like that. I was basically told here's a middle finger, now look at it. I refuse to pay $1200 for a radio I am not confident will last 3 years. I will fix it myself or upgrade to something different. Hopefully you don't have issues too. 52k and my first set of manifold bolts went and were covered under MFG powertrain warranty. I have extended 7yr 100K. I'm hoping I have to do the other side before my WTY expires.

 

[CamperMike]

Which I understand to an extent...yes it is out of the mileage cutoff.. But if RAM truly Cared...they could cover it, or at least work with me. I work for a CAT dealership. In scenarios like this we try to get it goodwilled with CAT, typically we end up splitting it with the customer if CAT wont cover it. I didn't even get an option like that. I was basically told here's a middle finger, now look at it. I refuse to pay $1200 for a radio I am not confident will last 3 years. I will fix it myself or upgrade to something different. Hopefully you don't have issues too. 52k and my first set of manifold bolts went and were covered under MFG powertrain warranty. I have extended 7yr 100K. I'm hoping I have to do the other side before my WTY expires.

Small world. I work for Caterpillar (IT). Glad to hear the dealer is treating the customer right.

I do know some dealers are helpful. Our other car(2018 pacifica) had the same troublesome radio. We were too far out of warranty but our dealer really did cut us a very fair price for replacement.... and it will probably help them as well need another car soon as my son will be getting his license. They are likely to get our business.

 

[RamHemi18]

Small world. I work for Caterpillar (IT). Glad to hear the dealer is treating the customer right.

I do know some dealers are helpful. Our other car(2018 pacifica) had the same troublesome radio. We were too far out of warranty but our dealer really did cut us a very fair price for replacement.... and it will probably help them as well need another car soon as my son will be getting his license. They are likely to get our business.

That's good to know your dealer did you right. The fact they weren't even willing to work with me was frustrating. Were looking to trade our 2016 Equinox in within the next few years and we were going to look at a Durango. I am now a bit hesitant with a Durango because in 2-3 years, that will need a radio as well. Might just go with a traverse. It's hard to be brand loyal when the brand doesn't want to stand behind their product. I will say every time I have taken our equinox in for service, the service department has always knocked money off the bill. They will likely get our business again. Customer service is quite important to me.

 

[CamperMike]

The radio issue really is just a 2018 problem. Other years don't have the same issue. Mopar changed radio mfg that year and added carplay/ android auto. They had the delamination issue with the new supplier. It was fixed in 2019 model year.