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severe 29 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Among the 10 model years of RAM 2500 in our records for engine problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
The leaking water pump can increase the risk of an engine compartment fire.
The 2017 Ram 2500 diesel engine exhibits a pattern of chronic failures across multiple systems. The most damaging is the grid heater bolt breaking loose and falling into the intake manifold, lodging in cylinder 6 or 7 and destroying the piston, cylinder wall, and crankcase—documented by multiple owners at 35,000 to 123,000 miles with engine replacement costs between $3,000 and $20,000. Owners report this as a known defect dating to 2007 model year Cummins engines, with recalls on newer trucks but not yet applied to 2017 model year.
Turbo actuator failures occur without warning at 61,000–82,000 miles, cutting power to 20 mph and eliminating the exhaust brake—a serious hazard when towing or on steep grades. Dealers acknowledge this as common; owners note it should have a recall or TSB but none exists.
DEF injector malfunction triggers limp-home warnings and causes the vehicle to shut down to 5 mph; a recall reprogramming doesn't fix the injector itself, and the injector replacement risks damaging the SCR pipe—leaving owners $4,000–$8,000 out-of-pocket despite extended warranties.
Cooling system issues include fan shroud material entering the radiator, EGR failure with excessive coolant consumption, and cooling fan inoperability during recalls. Owners report untreated diesel exhaust entering the cabin during regen cycles—dealerships confirm they cannot diagnose or reproduce it, and manufacturer response indicates this is "normal."
Multiple NHTSA recalls have issued but parts remain unavailable for months after recall notice. Oil leaks develop at 46,000 miles, and one vehicle experienced an engine compartment fire from a faulty relay. Warranty denials from Mopar and extended warranty companies are frequent.
Same RAM 2500 engine reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018 · 2019
The bolt securing the intake air grid heater loosens or breaks due to heat and corrosion, falls through the intake manifold into cylinder #6, strikes the piston and cylinder wall, causing severe internal engine damage including piston failure and crankcase breach.
When: 35,000 to 123,200 miles; some narratives indicate this is a chronic defect present since 2007 model year
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light (code P2609 air intake heater); Loss of power under load or at highway speeds; Engine misfire and violent shaking; Engine will not start or start and shut off; Ticking noise from engine; Flashing check engine light
Codes mentioned: P2609
Repairs/costs cited: Requires complete engine rebuild or replacement; owners cite $3,000 to $20,000+ in repair costs; some vehicles awaited parts for months
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recalls exist for newer model years but not yet applied to 2017 model year; manufacturer aware of issue since 2007 models; no extended warranty coverage offered
Untreated diesel exhaust gases enter the cabin through the windshield air vent or side windows, coinciding with DPF regeneration cycles. Occurs at low speeds or idle, recurring every few days for 2-5 minutes. Dealerships unable to reproduce or diagnose; manufacturer response reports this as normal condition.
When: Periodically during ownership; timing correlates with regen cycles
Symptoms owners cite: Strong smell of untreated diesel exhaust in cabin; Exhaust smell at front of vehicle under hood; Occurs when ventilation fan is on or windows are open; Happens at low speeds or when vehicle is stationary
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership troubleshooting unsuccessful; no repair implemented; owner workaround is to disable ventilation fan
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership unable to diagnose or reproduce; some reports indicate Chrysler response is that this is a normal condition and recommends disabling ventilation
Turbo boost actuator fails without warning, resulting in loss of boost pressure and loss of exhaust brake function. Occurs under load such as towing or driving down mountain grades.
When: 61,000 to 82,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of power and acceleration limitation (truck limited to ~20 mph); Loss of exhaust brake function; Check engine light illuminates when failure occurs; No advance warning before failure
Codes mentioned: Codes related to failed actuator (specific codes not stated)
Repairs/costs cited: Actuator replacement required; labor and parts cost estimated at $8,000–$10,000; dealers acknowledge this as a common problem
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers acknowledge as common issue; one owner notes dealer stated 'should be a TSB or recall'; no formal recall or technical service bulletin mentioned in narratives
EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system fails, causing the vehicle to consume coolant excessively and triggering low coolant warnings. Vehicle hesitates during acceleration.
When: 93,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Hesitation during acceleration when pedal is depressed; Low coolant warning light illuminated; Excessive coolant consumption
Repairs/costs cited: EGR system replacement required; cost not stated; owner did not complete repair due to expense
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware of failure; no warranty coverage or TSB mentioned
Solid-state intake heater grid relay malfunctions, causing flames to erupt from engine compartment during remote start. Fire entered cabin as smoke before owner extinguished it with a hose.
When: 94,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke coming from under hood; Flames visible in engine compartment; Smoke entering cabin during remote start; Fire hazard
Repairs/costs cited: Fire extinguished by owner; vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired; owner suspected faulty solid-state intake heater grid relay
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware but provided no assistance; no warranty claim or repair completed
Cooling fan fails to operate; burning odor detected while driving followed by smoke in engine compartment. Correlates with unprocured recall parts (NHTSA 19V818000).
When: 385,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine vibration at idle; Burning odor while driving; Smoke in engine compartment; Cooling fan inoperative
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired; cooling fan part unavailable despite recall notice six months prior
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA recall 19V818000 (Equipment, Engine and Engine Cooling) issued but parts not available; manufacturer made aware but provided no remedy
Camshaft lobe rounds off unexpectedly, causing sudden loss of power and engine misfire on cylinder 7. Damage to camshaft causes low compression in cylinder 7 and secondary damage.
When: Unknown mileage; event occurred during highway driving; mechanic noted this as well-known issue with Hemi engines
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden violent shake and unexpected speed loss at highway speeds; Choppy acceleration and steering wheel vibration; Engine misfire on cylinder 7; Check engine light illuminates; Ticking noise from engine; Low cylinder compression
Repairs/costs cited: Rebuilt engine replacement required; estimated cost $8,500; several months delivery delay for parts
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mechanic reported this is a well-known and common problem with Hemi engines; no manufacturer response or warranty coverage mentioned
DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) injector fails; check engine light displays warning of 150 miles before engine shutdown to 5 mph. Recall (NHTSA) issued to reprogram DEF system, but reprogramming does not resolve injector failure. Replacement of injector may damage SCR/STR pipe.
When: 4 months of ownership (vehicle purchased August 2023, failure January 2024); approximately 35,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light with 150-mile limp-home warning; Engine restricted to 5 mph operation; Warning persists after recall reprogramming
Repairs/costs cited: DEF injector, sensor, and one nut replacement quoted; risk of SCR/STR pipe damage during injector removal; owner facing $4,000–$8,000 out-of-pocket despite extended warranty purchase; extended warranty approved only partial repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA recall issued; dealership completed recall reprogramming per recall instructions but problem persists; extended warranty company approved only partial component replacement
Particulate and NOx (nitrogen oxide) sensor fails; parts no longer manufactured, creating permanent repair obstruction.
When: 34,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illuminates and remains on
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer informed parts are no longer manufactured; vehicle not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer assistance; parts discontinued
Oil dipstick becomes unsecured and loose in engine compartment on multiple occasions, indicating potential design or retention defect.
When: 95,000 miles (noted on two separate occasions)
Symptoms owners cite: Oil dipstick not seated or secured in place; Recurs after reinsertion
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted; issue managed by owner reinserting dipstick
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was contacted but no resolution mentioned in narrative
Oil leak develops and drips across engine and undercarriage; oil loss creates smoking and burning smells; causes engine oil pressure loss and shutdown while driving.
When: 46,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Oil dripping from engine onto undercarriage; Smoking and burning smell from engine; Loss of oil pressure; Engine shuts off while driving on highway; Issue reported as common in 6.7 Cummins engines
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle under warranty; Mopar refused to repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty claim denied by Mopar; no repair covered
Rubber section of cooling fan shroud comes into contact with fan during operation, sending shroud material into radiator. Causes catastrophic coolant loss and rapid engine temperature rise.
When: 35,893 miles; first towing after water pump recall completion
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of coolant while towing on highway in high traffic; Multiple alarm and warning lights; Rapid engine temperature increase; Appearance of engine compartment fire (actually steam from coolant loss); Urgent requirement to shut down engine
Repairs/costs cited: Occurred after water pump recall was completed; suggests potential assembly or interference issue from recall work
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Water pump recall (NHTSA) completed but fan shroud interference issue not addressed
Multiple owners unable to obtain parts for issued recalls over extended periods, ranging from months to six months after recall notice. Dealers confirm parts unavailable through normal channels.
When: Varying timelines; some recalls outstanding six months or longer after notice
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle unable to be serviced for recall remedy; Continued exposure to underlying defect (e.g., cooling fan failure during recall delay)
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs completed; vehicles remain in unsafe condition pending parts availability
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA recalls 17V562000, 17V821000, 19V818000, 20V036000 issued; parts distribution failure; VIN tool confirms parts unavailable at multiple dealers
Engine develops misfire condition, shuts off, and will not restart. Check engine light flashes. Requires towing to repair facility.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Engine misfire; Engine shuts off and will not restart; Flashing check engine light
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle required towing; diagnosis and repair not specified in narrative
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No information provided
Head gasket failure suspected and repaired by independent mechanic.
When: Unknown mileage
Repairs/costs cited: Head gasket replaced; cost not specified
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer involvement mentioned
Vehicle suddenly loses power and ability to accelerate, limiting speed to 20 mph without warning while pulling into traffic on state highway. Dealer unable to reproduce after test drive but failure recurred after vehicle was returned.
When: 35,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of power and acceleration capability; Limited to 20 mph speed; No advance warning; Check engine light illuminates after event; Failure does not reproduce during dealer test drive but recurs after customer takes vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle waiting for unknown part to arrive in December; dealer unable to pinpoint failure cause
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware and opened case; manufacturer provided rental vehicle while awaiting parts
Synthesized from 29 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
It's a meaningful issue. 29 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $3,100.
Across the 13 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 35,000 and 95,000 miles, with the median around 82,293. A quarter of owners report trouble before 35,000; a quarter make it past 95,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover engine issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.