2020 Ram 2500 Engine Problems
17 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (17)
Your truck's engine has been damaged by a failed high-pressure fuel pump that leaked diesel fuel into the engine oil, causing severe contamination and internal wear. You experienced misfires, loss of power, and knocking noises, and an oil analysis confirmed fuel dilution over 10%, which thickened your oil and damaged engine components. Even though Chrysler has recalled this fuel pump for similar trucks, your vehicle wasn't included in the recall despite showing all the same symptoms. Fixing this will likely require fuel pump replacement, engine oil system flush, and possible engine rebuild or replacement.
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Your engine is leaking oil significantly, which is a known problem affecting many vehicles of this model. Additionally, a grid heater bolt can fail and cause engine damage. The oil leaks create environmental concerns and leave residue on roads.
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Your DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) pump has failed twice, causing your truck to be limited to 5 mph after a countdown timer expires, making the vehicle undrivable at normal speeds. The dealership discovered that a clogged exhaust system led to the DEF pump failure and also caused your turbocharger to need replacement, though it's unclear if these problems are connected. Your truck is currently in the shop waiting for parts, with some components on backorder for potentially months. Repairs will likely involve replacing the DEF pump, turbocharger, and related fuel system components, as well as properly sealing and resetting the exhaust system.
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Your check engine light came on due to a P0542 code related to a heating element relay, which your dealer confirmed is a known issue with a technical service bulletin available. The dealer is refusing to cover the repair under your powertrain warranty, even though the warranty should still be active. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the faulty relay or related heating element components in your engine management system.
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Your truck is displaying diagnostic code P2609, which relates to the diesel glow plug grid heater system. This issue appeared at 38,000 miles and needs repair to prevent potential fire risk, similar to problems that have triggered recalls on other model years of this vehicle.
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While driving at highway speed, you heard a knocking noise from the engine and your check engine light came on. The dealer found that the engine grid heater overheated and damaged the engine, requiring a complete engine replacement. This happened at 300,000 miles.
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Dealer unable to get recall parts since the inception of the recall. Dealer says they only receive a couple of DIPSTICKS a month. Long waiting list. I called Chrysler to no avail. Ridiculous wait for a dipstick!
There is a known issue with the vehicle surging during normal driving situations. Doge has an article about this but will not address or fix the issue. Their article states that it’s possible that this will not create a code. I have 42000 miles on this engine.
Cracked Exhaust manifold, cracked bolts, broken. 17k miles
06/??/22 I CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ISSUE.SERVICE DEPT. STATED THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER NEW PUMP , WOULD BE IN AUGUST,, & TAKE 2 DAYS TO COMPLETE..WAITED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2022 TO CONTACT AGAIN ABOUT RECALL, BASICALLY HUNG UP ON. CONTACTED AGAIN A FEW WEEKS AGO . LEFT COMPLETE MESSAGE STATED ALL THAT TRANSPIRED SO FAR W/ VIN # & CALL BACK # NO RESPONSE A FAILURE OF THIS PART CAN CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE...
I have tried to get a new fuel pump from the dealer. No such luck yet. Now my truck is not drivable. It has multiple misfires and sounds just downright horrible. This truck has been serviced religiously. I have done everything the truck needs done at the times it needed done. Now the truck again is not drivable. The engine sounds like it is about to blow. I need someone to tell me what I need to do now. I do not have thousands of dollars to put into this truck, all because the fuel pump has not been available.
FCA started a recall in October of 2021 for the high-pressure fuel pump on 2020-2022 Ram 2500 trucks with the 6.7 Cummins turbo Diesel. This recall can and has been catastrophic to the fuel systems and engines. As of 3/30/2022 there still is no remedy. I am experiencing engine shutter and shaking and hard starts on a vehicle with only 24,000 miles on it which i believe is due to the failing fuel system and fuel pump. i would like to know if this recall can be expedited and the problem corrected before catastrophic failure happens.
Summary - 2020 RAM 2500 CP4 Fuel Pump failure We departed on Saturday Oct 16, 2020, for a trip from our home in Raleigh NC to Florida for our 35th anniversary. The truck sputtered then stalled on the side of interstate 95 (southbound) in South Carolina about 60 miles from the Georgia border. We were towed to the nearest RAM dealership (Butler Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM) in Beaufort, SC. The earliest we could get a rental was the following Wednesday (10/20) so decided to stay nearby at a local beach. We came back through on Friday to finally get our rental and returned home. Today is 11/4 and we still don't have our truck. I was told the problem was the CP4 Fuel Pump. Apparently it disintegrated (their words) and threw metal shavings all through the fuel system. They told me they had to change everything from the fuel tank all the way to the injectors. The last of the parts are supposed to be in later today, so am looking at driving the 5 hours back down to Beaufort SC this or next weekend to pick up the truck depending on when the repairs are made.
I was driving on the freeway when the truck suddenly began surging the throttle. I began to make my way to the shoulder. By the time I was in the shoulder the truck lost all power. I came to a stop and the engine began shuddering and bogging down before I was able to safely shut it off. Fortunately traffic was light and I didn’t have a trailer, this could have been very dangerous had I needed to accelerate and lost all power to the truck. Dealer diagnosed with a failed CP4 injection pump, a know issue for this model year.
TRUCK DIED IN TRAFFIC. LOST ALL POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC. ALMOST CAUSED A MULTIPLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT, AND LEFT ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC UNTIL I COULD GET ASSISTANCE TO MOVE. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR NOTICE BEFORE THE TRUCK JUST QUIT WORKING. A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE TRUCK DIED AND STATED "EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILURE. SEE DEALER IMMEDIATELY".
LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. LOSING POWER WHEN PUSHING ON GAS PEDAL. MAKES AWFUL NOISE WHEN STARTING. ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE A BAD STARTER
THE 2019 TO 2020 MODEL YEAR RAM 2500 HEAVY DUTY EQUIPPED WITH A 6.7L CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE HAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE A STALL AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. THE BOSCH CP4.2 FUEL INJECTION PUMP HAS A VERY HIGH RATE OF SUDDEN FAILURE LEADING TO IMMEDIATE STOPPAGE ON THE ENGINE AND ENGINE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE PUMP DESTROYS ITSELF AND TAKES OUT THE REST OF THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM LEADING TO REPAIRS IN THE $20,000 USD RANGE. FCA & RAM HAVE ATTEMPTED TO REVISE THE PUMP IN LATE (JULY) 2020 TO SOLVE THE ISSUE BUT THE FAILURES KEEP OCCURRING. FOR THE 2021 MODEL YEAR, FCA & RAM HAVE CHANGED THE PUMP ENTIRELY AND REVERTED BACK TO USING AN OLDER, SAFER, MORE RELIABLE DESIGN. NO PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS OF NEITHER THE PUMP REVISION IN 2020, NOR THE PUMP CHANGE IN 2021 HAVE BEEN MADE. THE ISSUE IS SO PREVALENT THAT THE REPLACEMENT PUMPS AND REPAIRS GENERALLY HAVE A 30-90 DAY WAIT PERIOD WHERE THE CUSTOMER IS WITHOUT THE PRIMARY VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM IS A SUBSTANTIATED SAFETY RISK. ACCORDING TO A TEXAS JUDGE IN A BOSCH CP4.2 LAWSUIT, WHEN ANOTHER AUTOMAKER, GM TRIED TO DISMISS THE CASE SAYING THE PUMP FAILURE IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, THE COURT RESPONDED: "THE WORST CASE SCENARIO OF A TRUCK SPONTANEOUSLY STALLING AT HIGH SPEEDS IS NOT A MERE INCONVENIENCE. NOR IS IT A MERE INCONVENIENCE TO SPEND BETWEEN $8,000 TO $20,000 ON REPAIRS TO MAKE THE TRUCKS FIT FOR THEIR ORDINARY PURPOSE. THE COURT REJECTS GM'S SUGGESTION THAT THE RISK OF SPONTANEOUS ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING IS NOT, AS A MATTER OF LAW, UNREASONABLY DANGEROUS, DEPRIVING THE VEHICLES OF FITNESS FOR THEIR PURPOSE OF TRANSPORTATION.". TOYOTA AGREES: "IF A VEHICLE STALL OCCURS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THIS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH". FCA & RAM HAVE REMEDIED THE SITUATION FOR THE 2021 MODEL YEAR, HOWEVER THE 2019 AND 2020 OWNERS ARE STILL AT RISK. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO FORCE THE HAND OF FCA TO RECALL.