Dodge & Ram Service
Dodge Repair in Royal Oak, MI
Dodge and Ram are Michigan cars and we see a lot of them. Three known issues account for most of the work, and two of them are far cheaper caught early than diagnosed by the noise they eventually make.
- HEMI lifter and camshaft diagnosis
- Electrical faults traced, not guessed
- Trucks, vans and fleet units welcome
- Limited lifetime warranty on most repairs
Known Patterns
What brings a Dodge or Ram in
These are the specific faults, in roughly the order they cost you money.
A tick or tap from the top of a HEMI
Lifter and camshaft wear, associated with the cylinder deactivation system. This is the important one. Caught as a tick it is a serious but contained repair. Left to run, the debris goes through the engine and the conversation changes entirely.
A ticking that sounds like an exhaust leak when cold
Broken exhaust manifold bolts, extremely common on the 5.7. It often quiets as things expand and warm. Annoying rather than dangerous, but the broken studs get harder to extract the longer they sit.
Electrical faults that make no sense together
The TIPM, which is the integrated power module, is a known weak point across a lot of these vehicles. Fuel pump running constantly, wipers with a mind of their own, no start conditions. It needs testing rather than swapping.
Shifting that has become harsh or indecisive
The eight speed responds well to correct fluid and a proper adaptation reset, and badly to being ignored. A lot of shift complaints here are maintenance rather than mechanical failure.
A vibration through the floor at highway speed
Driveshaft and carrier bearing wear on the trucks, particularly the longer wheelbases. Straightforward to diagnose on a lift and usually a bearing rather than the whole shaft.
Steering wander or uneven front tire wear
Front end wear on the trucks: ball joints, tie rod ends and control arm bushings. These carry weight and take a beating on Michigan roads. Alignment afterwards is part of the job, not an extra.
- Ram 1500
- Ram 2500
- Ram ProMaster
- Charger
- Challenger
- Durango
- Journey
- Grand Caravan
- Dakota
- Dart
- and older models too
Doing It Properly
The HEMI tick is the one to act on
If a HEMI develops a tick from the top end, get it looked at. Lifter failure on the cylinder deactivation cylinders is well documented, and the difference between addressing it at the noise stage and addressing it after the lobe has worn down is the difference between a large repair and a replacement engine.
We diagnose it properly, which means listening in the right place, pulling the data and inspecting rather than quoting a camshaft job off a description over the phone. Sometimes the tick is a manifold bolt, which is a far smaller bill, and those two sound similar to an owner.
On electrical faults the same principle applies. The TIPM has a reputation, but plenty of things get blamed on it that turn out to be a ground or a connector. Testing costs less than a module.
Worth knowing
The Hemi tick is usually not an exhaust leak
A 5.7 that has developed a tick is very often a lifter on the cylinder deactivation system rather than a manifold bolt or a gasket, and the two sound similar from the driver's seat. The difference matters, because one is a morning's work and the other is a camshaft if it is left. We listen with a stethoscope and look at misfire counts per cylinder rather than guessing from the driveway.
What We Do
Everything your Dodge needs, in one shop
Questions
Dodge and Ram questions
My HEMI has developed a tick. How serious is it?
Why does my truck tick when cold and quiet down?
What is a TIPM and why does everyone mention it?
Do you service Ram trucks and ProMaster vans?
Is the eight speed transmission reliable?
Do you work on diesel Rams?
Also Domestic
Domestic makes we also look after
Or see every make we service, grouped by where it was built.
Book It
Do not drive out a HEMI tick
29444 Woodward Ave, Royal Oak. Bring it in and we will tell you whether it is a manifold bolt or something that needs dealing with now. Free written estimate.