Should I avoid the 2023 Ecodiesel?

[Lori Meyer]

I upgraded my TT and need a bigger truck. To avoid getting a Ram 2500, is the 2023 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel a safe buy?

I have read alot of issues with it. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tron67j]

You have to look at the total weight of your trailer. Fully loaded. If you upgraded your trailer and you think you need a 2500, then you probably need at least a gasser 2500. Without details of your trailer, we have no way to provide any usable commentary, but let's go with a trailer that weighs 8,000 lb and if you use a average tongue weight of 15%, that puts you at about 1,200 pounds of payload capacity required. Subtract that from the high end of PC for that type of truck, generally around 1750, and you have 550 pounds left for people, pets, hitch, gear, running boards, etc. you get the idea. In this scenario, the truck is not capable of the ask. Yes, I know they advertise up to a crazy amount of "towing capacity", but that is an unrealistic value the average person will never reach. Also note, the max PC and possible towing is a sparse Tradesman.

And anticipating the next idea, a diesel 2500 will also suffer in the towing realm due to losing almost 1/3 of its PC to the engine. My 6.4 2500 gasser can tow a lot more than any diesel when running by the numbers (taking travel trailers when proper weight distribution, don't mean any disrespect to those with diesels and for the work I know they can do). While there are uses and arguments for the 2500 diesel, if maximum towing is desired then a 3500 is generally the best tool with DRW for 5th wheels.

Send your TT specs and the team here can help you out.

 

[HuskerRam]

I upgraded my TT and need a bigger truck. To avoid getting a Ram 2500, is the 2023 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel a safe buy?

I have read alot of issues with it. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, you can buy a 2023 EcoD with confidence. A lot of the bad press revolve around the Gen2 motor (2014-2019 MYs). The Gen3 motor (2020-2023) is redesigned and so far pretty reliable. If you're upgrading your TT, I would still highly recommend looking at a 2500. The EcoD is a capable tow vehicle, but it will have less payload and a lower tow rating than the Hemi (if you're set on getting a 1/2 ton, only).

 

[BossHogg]

I upgraded my TT and need a bigger truck. To avoid getting a Ram 2500, is the 2023 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel a safe buy?

I have read alot of issues with it. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

I'll assume the 2019 Cummins in your ID panel isn't.

 

[turkeybird56]

I'll assume the 2019 Cummins in your ID panel isn't.

OP, if U got a truck with a 6.7 Cummins in it, as your Avatar info says, and you upgraded your TT, going down to a lil 3.0 ED not make sense. Further, more than less always better when towing, just saying. But you give zero info ref your TT, so unless we know what you have now, and TT info, impossible to give any real definitive answer.

 

[Lori Meyer]

Thanks for yoru reply. We have a 2025 Surveyor Legend 252RBLE. Door sticker shows 5,832 lbs. dry. Loaded we anticipate 6,400 lbs.

 

[turkeybird56]

Yer gonna get closer to 7K when u add water, propane clothes etc. that is close to maxing an ED with a pin weight like 700 lbs. if u still got the big diesel I sure as heck would not drop down to a baby diesel but that IMHO only.

Your wallet and yer knuckle driving lol. Do as U see fit and be safe.

 

[06 Dodge]

Thanks for yoru reply. We have a 2025 Surveyor Legend 252RBLE. Door sticker shows 5,832 lbs. dry. Loaded we anticipate 6,400 lbs.

No way on gods green earth would I go down to an eco diesel if I already had a Cummins, btw is that a Pembroke or Cardigan Corgi?

 

[BossHogg]

No way on gods green earth would I go down to an eco diesel if I already had a Cummins, btw is that a Pembroke or Cardigan Corgi?

Easy there, I've got both the Cummins and the ECODiesel; the 1/2-ton diesel isn't anything to sneeze at. I've towed 7,500 pounds of a flatbed trailer and a backhoe; it did it easily. Besides, she didn't acknowledge that she currently has a Cummins. She asked if the ECODiesel would tow her new camper or if she should upgrade to a 2500. She did not reference what, if any, truck she currently has.

 

[06 Dodge]

Easy there, I've got both the Cummins and the ECODiesel; the 1/2-ton diesel isn't anything to sneeze at. I've towed 7,500 pounds of a flatbed trailer and a backhoe; it did it easily. Besides, she didn't acknowledge that she currently has a Cummins. She asked if the ECODiesel would tow her new camper or if she should upgrade to a 2500. She did not reference what, if any, truck she currently has.

Well her info below shows/list a 2019 6/7L Cummins so why would I not think or even assume that the OP didn't already had one? And if they no longer have one then they need to update stuff as many go by what's listed for type of engine when talking to a poster...

Junior Member​

JoinedMar 21, 2014 Posts16 Reaction score4 Ram Year 2019 Engine6.7L Cummins

 

[Ritchie_Rich]

Thanks for yoru reply. We have a 2025 Surveyor Legend 252RBLE. Door sticker shows 5,832 lbs. dry. Loaded we anticipate 6,400 lbs.

Not anticipate. What is the trailer GVWR?

 

[Richard Harter]

I can say that I regularly towed my 6000# gross weight trailer with my 2017 Ecodiesel all over the western states and had no real issues. It was a bit slow up steep grades, think more than 6%. My mileage averaged between 13-14 per gallon. In my opinion 6000# is the absolute max that I would tow with my truck. I never want to getr into a tail wagging the dog situation. Besides pulling is generally easier than stopping.
Canyon

 

[farout75]

I upgraded my TT and need a bigger truck. To avoid getting a Ram 2500, is the 2023 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel a safe buy?

I have read alot of issues with it. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

DON"T DO IT! there have been so many problems with that engine it's not worth the risk!

 

[NotSoFast]

I had the earlier Ecodiesel. It towed a smaller trailer than yours, and it sort of OK. Engine breaking and exhaust braking were not great, so it relied mostly on the disc breaks. It was slow up hills, and towing up an uphill onramp always made me wonder about the merge. That said, it got good mileage and used the DEF pretty slowly. I would have kept it but it threw a rod and there were no parts available. I wound up getting into a 2500 with a Cummins. It's towing a slightly heavier travel trailer 70% of the time, and it is night and day nicer when towing. Yeah, it costs more for upkeep and fuel, but it can pass going up a steep hill and keeps total control going down steep grades or in crazy winds, probably partly because the truck weighs so much, and partly because the Cummins is a genuine workhorse. That said, if you only tow occasionally, I would stick with a gasser. The Cummins is built to work, and if you just drive it 20 miles to get groceries and then come back, it isn't going to be happy. Before long you will be spending thousands to replace the Diesel Exhaust Filter or the EGR valve.
Personally, I would steer clear of the Ecodiesel. Stellantis made a good call when they dumped it.

 

[darioa]

I have a stock 2023 EcoDiesel and tow a TT with a GVWR of 6200 lbs. I take it on 11,000 ft passes (I live in Colorado) and have gone to the west and east coasts several times now without a problem, after over 30,000 miles of towing. I can go 60+ MPH up to the highest passes with a fully loaded trailer and 95% truck payload (1459 lbs). I average 30+ MPG on the highway when not towing and about half when towing.

I would not tow a heavier TT, since I would be over the truck's payload capacity or its GVWR (7200 lbs). The tow rating is 9,032 lbs but that does not leave much for payload. I use the 80% max towing rule, which gives me a bit over 7200 lbs max towing capacity.

I would love to have a bit more power and torque that a tuning would give me, but I have not needed it with my current setup.