This truck has run great but has had a knocking or ticking noise for as long as I can remember. After moving to a colder climate it got much worse. Also rough idle. After having plugs and wires changed the mechanic told us that it sounded like the timing chain was going bad. They cracked open the engine and found the timing chain was stretched and slapping inside the case. Needs replacement of course Dodge will not cover even though it is not maintenance related. thank god I had mechanical breakdown insurance through Geico. If not it would be a 1400.00 fix.

This truck has been to Safford Dodge in Fredericksburg, Va. too many times to mention. the rough idle sometimes causes it to stall, especially in warmer weather. The dealer service dept. reprogrammed the computer, flushed the combustion chamber (BG flush) and installed a monitor on it numerous times. then when they couldn't fix it, they told me that the particular engine in my truck (4.7 l) was supposed to run that bad and called it a lean burn that the computer turns on to for economy reasons. it has affected the fuel mileage and has made buying a new vehicle a bad experience. this has been going on since the truck had 6,000 miles on it, Safford Dodge (in Fredericksburg, VA) got to the point where they would not return my calls and said there is nothing else they could do. The service mgr. (John Verne) left me with a brand new truck that ran like hell. I will never purchase another vehicle from Safford Dodge (Fredericksburg, VA) again and have spread the word on how they treated me. They have made my dodge buying experience a terrible one. Please post this for all to see.

ENGINE CLUNK, KNOCK NOISE, BANG, AT IDLE, BOTTOM END. BY OIL PAN

AREA. ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD. MAY BE NEAR FLYWHEEL AREA OR? DEFINITELY BOTTOM END NOISE! DEALER THOUGHT IS WAS LIFTERS LAST TIME SO I LET THEM REPAIR THAT BUT IT CAME RIGHT BACK. EVEN WITH NEW OIL! I SURE HOPE I DON'T GET THE "ENGINE SLUDGE" SPEECH LIKE EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO BE GETTING FROM DEALERS, TO AVOID HAVING TO FIX IT ON THEIR DIME...

DEALER KEEPS AVOIDING, "UNABLE TO REPRODUCE NOISE AT THIS TIME" QUOTE....

THEY ACTUALLY REPLACED THE LIFTERS LAST MONTH (THEY HAD TO REPAIR INTAKE GASKET PROBLEM SO THEY WERE ALREADY IN THAT AREA) ALREADY HAD IT APART SO LIFTERS JUST PARTS TO THEM, LABOR ALREADY INCLUDED AS INTAKE PROBLEM...KNOWN ISSUE, INTAKE GASKET IN AND OIL GETS SUCKED INTO INTAKE AREA)

LIFTERS REPLACED, TRUCK RUNS BETTER, STILL KNOCKING PROBLEM. I AM GOING BACK NEXT FEW DAYS TO MAKE SURE THEY FIX IT THIS TIME BEFORE MY WARRANTY RUNS OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY GREAT UP TO THIS POINT WITH EVERYTHING ELSE. NEVER HAD TO FIGHT, I HAVE SUPER DUPER WARRANTY UP TO 85,000 MILES FULL COVERAGE, NO DEDUCT.... WORTH EVERY PENNY I PAID! I BOUGHT MY 2003 RAM IN 2004 OR 2005 AND PAID ABOUT 2800 FOR WRTY, THEY HAVE REPLACE TONS OF STUFF $0 FOR ME.

NOW! HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS ISSUE?KNOCK BANG AT IDLE? IT GOES AWAY IF ENGINE REVS AND MOSTLY GOES AWAY AFTER IT WARMS UP? BUT IT IS SO LOUD AND SCARY. YOU CAN HEAR IT WITH DOOR CLOSED. IT IS GOING TO GET FIXED THIS TIME. MY SERVICE TECH AND MANAGER DUDE THEY ARE ACTUALLY PRETTY COOL, SEEM TO BE HONEST....EXCEPT I THINK THEY ARE JUST STALLING THE REAL ISSUE. MAYBE CRANK OR BEARINGS? I DONT KNOW BUT COULD THE OIL PUMP CAUSE THAT KIND OF NOISE? WHAT ELSE COULD BE CAUSING SUCH LOUD NOISE? YOU CAN HEAR IT FROM HOOD, TOP OF ENGINE BUT IT IS DEFINITELY COMING FROM BOTTOM END

2003 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 quad cab, Junk Junk Junk. Last year the truck stalled during driving almost causing a crash with the family in the truck. This year 2008, a new Fun treat has developed. A rough Idle . Starts but wont come up to proper idle RPM. Then followed by a engine light. This has happened 5 times so far. Local mechanic is replacing the sparks and wires. Hope it does it. Anyone having the same issues? Yes 7 sets of brakes too and blown coils too. Great truck for a asshole. I would like to drive it through the window of the customer reps houses so they can enjoy some of the fun too.