Two problems related to gas recirculation valve (egr valve) have been reported for the 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 65 mph, the valve spring failed and was sucked into the engine. The engine failed and the entire vehicle shut down. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The cost to replace the engine is $7,500. The purchase date was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 100,000.
On Monday September 17th while idling in park my 2003 Dodge ram with 42,000 miles began to shake, make noise like there were rocks in the engine, and then shut off. I had it towed to century Dodge in taylor michigan on telegraph road at roughly 9am on Tuesday September 18th and was told at roughly 4:55pm that they had not had a chance to look at it. At 9:30am on Wednesday I again spoke to the service department and was told they would have an answer for me by the end of the day. At 8:30am on Thursday September 20th my wife called and was told that they again have not had a chance to look at it but they would have an answer to her by lunch time. They did call her at 11:30am and from what I understand, the valve spring in the number 7 cylinder head broke which caused the connecting rod to drop. Apparently this is on the left side of the cylinder head. Chrysler is replacing the left cylinder head, the lower block, and the exhaust intake. Chrysler however will replace the parts in the right cylinder head that failed on the left side with new springs. I am no mechanic but common sense tells me that the same springs that were used on the number 7 cylinder valve were used on the other 7 cylinder valves. Am I going to be stuck with a $6,000 engine repair at 71,000 miles? all I am asking for is Chrysler to replace all the defective parts whether they have failed or not. Or extend the powertrain warranty to 83,000 miles which will prove to me that the valve springs have and will last for more than 42,318 miles. For someone that has owned Chrysler products all his life and believe that they are the best products out there this has left a very sour taste in my mouth and actually considering going to either chevy or Nissan for my next truck purchase which hopefully isn't 30,000 miles from now. If Chrysler truly stood behind their products it would be something they would have suggested rather than tell me that they will only replace parts that have failed.