Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives 2020 Ram 2500 gasser known issues?

There are some attractive prices on 2020 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 gas engine.

I've never owned a Mopar!

10 years ago or so, they had front end issues. Did that get resolved with the more current models?

I'm specifically looking at the 4x4 Crew Cab with the 6'4" bed in the Tradesman package at sub $40k.

Anyone have any feedback for me?

I have a 2017 Power Wagon with the 6.4 gas engine. 52000 miles and no issues. Haven't heard about any problems. You may want to check on some of the Ram forums to get a better idea of any issues.

Bob

The most uncomfortable in ergonomic vehicle on the road. Inside pops and squeaks driving down the highway. Sucks down a lot of gas. The only advantage is that it's a 3/4 ton, crew cab pickup for under 40K. We have four of them at work.

If they still have the 545rfe in them I would run away.

I have an 18 with 6.4. It averages about 16 mpg. I don’t have a lead foot. It will get 18+ going down the interstate. I don’t think that’s too bad for a 3/4 ton truck. I like mine.

In about '12, they redesigned that one into 3 new ones for different purposes. I'm not a transmission man and don't know anything about them but that one has been gone for a while.

I have a 2018 Tradesman, crew cab, 6.4 gasser, 4.10 gears. Its been an excellent truck. There are two gearing choices, 3.73 and 4.10. I strongly recommend the 4.10 for hills and towing. I get 16 mpg on freeway cruises at 70 to 72 mph, and about 9 mpg pulling a loader tractor on a 14k equipment trailer, weighing 13,500 pounds. When towing heavy, the truck needs to rev to around 3500 rpm to get on the power band for hills, will cruise on flat ground at 2000 rpm in 5th (Tow/Haul mode).
The gasser will suffer in high altitude heavy towing versus a diesel with a turbo, but new emissions diesels are another can of worms.

I have a '14 Laramie with 92k miles. I had always been a Ford guy and have owned 4 F-150s of which 3 had the 5.4L V8 and 1 3.5 Ecoboost. The Eco is the only one that is close to the Ram in my opinion. The biggest factor is wind and your right foot. Driving about 1000 miles at 78 mph average I got about 12 mpg with severe winds. Without the wind last summer going to the Bighorns I got about 17. So that's without wind and summer fuel. If you can get non ethanol gas that is 87 or better that is best. It uses 0w-40 Pennzoil Ultra Platinum Oil which is upwards of $7 per quart, 7 quarts with filter so oil changes are expensive. I wouldn't use anything but that either to avoid any upper engine issues.

I wanted a 6.7 Powerstroke or Cummins and ended up with this truck. I am not hooked up 90% of the time and this was much nicer truck than the diesels I could find in my price range. If this truck had a diesel I would drive it till the wheels fall off. I still want a diesel but I'm much happier with it than any half ton. I did the smart thing and bought the gasser as I don't need the diesel. The ride and mileage are great for what the truck is. I have 3.73 gears but like I said I don't tow a lot. This truck does everything I need it to and I have no complaints.

Buddy has a 2019 3/4 2wd with a service bed. He loves it.

Said the gas mileage is bad, about what he got with his previous Chevy 2500 with a 6.0. 12ish mpg. He drives like a jackass though.

I like the newer Dodges. They seem like much more truck than the rattle box’s of 20 years ago.

I own a 2016 Ram 2500 with the 6.4 Hemi with 4X4 over 50,000 carefree miles..

Now thats FUNNY..Not one squeak rattle in my Ram 2016.Leather seats are very comfortable..I do agree with the gas part around 13-15 mpg.mixed city/highway driving..

A 2020 truck 6.4 hemi will have the 8 speed automatic trans by ZF. Reports have been good on reliability and has closer gear ratios for towing.

Damn good trucks - the 6.4 paired with the 8 speed and 4:10 gears is a beast - shift points are exactly were they should be. I did put takeoff laramie wheels on mine. 23k trouble free miles and you can really get these tradesmans loaded.

I'm with Hiaring8, I just traded my 2016 Ram 2500 with 6.4 for a 2020 Tradesman, with 6.4 and the new 8 speed A/T. IT. IS. AWESOME... I am most impressed with how smooth the new tranny is. I haul a 19 1/2' Aluminum hull deck boat on a galvanized trailer and I literally don't even know its there. They have improved the interior (seat comfort especially) the touch screen, and the smoothness of the ride most notably. I added after market mud guards front and rear, vent visors, a Tonneau Pro cover, and Husky floor mats. The thing drives and tows like a dream. I average about 11.5 miles per gallon, but hey, it ain't a Prius!! The biggest difference I noticed is the HUGE improvement in the ECO engine system. When the truck is in ECO mode now and you step on the throttle, there is ZERO hesitation when the other 4 cylinders kick in. I'm happy with mine, ( had it since mid Sept. 2020). The only thing that Dodge get's wrong is equipping their new trucks with those POS Firestone tires. Be ready to replace them at 20-25K. My 2 cents...

Rich

You are 100% right about those tires. I thought I was going to get rid of them when my wife got a flat in MN and had to get a brand new one. I wish she would have just got a used tire for the spare and put the spare on so we could wear it out. I change to winter tires in October so we have at least one more summer on them.

By 1000 miles I had the factory Firestones sold and replaced with Cooper AT3s - much much better tire.

I have those Firestones on my 2019 Chevy. Noisiest tires I have ever used. Next will be Coopers for sure.

BTW,you guys figuring gas mileage and cost.,factor in that you have to use the more mid grade gas instead of 85 octane.

Is CO gas 85? Here in OK our low grade stuff is 87 with 89 and 91 readily available. Get across the river into TX and 93 is easy to find if you want it. I run 87 in my 6.2 Ford most of the time, if I’m towing is the only time I can tell a difference in mileage when running 91.

They're good trucks. What truck that has some miles on it doesn't need front end work? My Ram had 110K on it before I needed a wheel bearing. I have 106K on my F150 and it's getting "looser" so I'm sure it's due soon. Part of the game when you own a truck.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the seats in the Ram. I drive a lot. 35-40K miles per year. My F-150 is a good truck, but the seats suck ass.

Have accumulated about 460k miles in my 2 Ram Diesels so far, 300k with my ‘03, and 165k with my ‘14. Have spent up to 23 hours in the driver’s seat in both, stopping for fuel, food and bathroom breaks only, on trips out west, and can’t say that either were uncomfortable.

Built the front end on the ‘03 at 247k miles for the first time, and the ‘14 is still original except for the King Racing shocks I installed.

But yeah, the most uncomfortable “in ergonomic vehicle on the road”.

Thanks for all the feedback.

We put a deposit on one today.

The local small town dealer has only diesels, so we shopped long distance.

We shopped dealers in AZ, NM, UT and ID. Strange experience.

We pulled the trigger with Bill Luke out of Phoenix.

Sounds like the deal is locked in and should be delivered to my door around New Years.

Interested to hear more feedback on your dealer experience and pickup when you have owned it for a month or two. I am historically a GMC man, but the Ram is starting to sway me.

My truck showed up a few days ago.

I'm in love!



I stumbled into a somewhat rarely outfitted Tradesman with the Power Wagon Package in the exact color I wanted. It was priced over my limit of $40k, but not much.

Here are my shopping experiences. I didn't have to buy, my '98 F150 has been a very good and reliable ride. I was looking for a deal and I enjoy negotiating. I do it for a living.

I shopped my local small town Ram dealer in Montrose, CO, but they only carry diesel units.

I went to nearby Grand Junction and they couldn't compete with the big dealers. Their best prices were $3-4k higher.

I tried my best to buy two different trucks from Dennis Dillon in Caldwell Idaho, but Bill, my salesman absolutely ghosted me, not once, but twice....while my truck got sold to on-site shoppers. (I mean absolutely stopped all communication. Text, phone, email.

I tried my best to buy a truck from Ken Garf in West Valley UT. It was the classic bait and switch. Elisio was my salesman. Chris the Sales Manager was the stereotypical, "Sorry we've sold that truck, but we can get you into one EXACTLY like it for.....only $2500 more.

I tried my best to buy the most base truck in my search from Peterson Ram in Nampa Idaho. Bailey was my sales lady. RC the sales manager would not return my phone calls......nothing! I feel bad for Bailey.

I hopped on Autotrader and expanded my search to the Desert Southwest region. Bingo Dingo.

Bill Luke in Phoenix had a huge inventory, diminishing hourly, I scrolled through the inventory and for the first time, found the Tradesman trim, equipped with the Power Wagon package. They had 4 of them! 1 of them was in my preferred color of Walnut Brown, so I put a deposit on it.

Communication was excellent. No shady crap. These guys are selling a lot of vehicles.

Shipping took longer than estimated, but understandable, given the Christmas and New Years holidays.

My wife has nicknamed it the Taco Wagon....because it was Hecho en Mexico.

Let us know what kind of mileage you are getting and what gearing it has.

I'm leaning in the same direction, a Tradesman with the PW package.

Here is a strange fact: RAM 2500 owners have more DWI's than all other vehicle owners.

I’ve never been a Dodge guy. But I like big gasoline burners and that is a good looking truck. I hope it treats you well and you get lots of miles out of it.

Congrats!

That is a great looking truck, T Bone!