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2020 Power Wagon Noise/Knock Issue and a few others...

D

duncb

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Hi everyone,

I’m a Ram fan but my current truck is testing that statement. I’ve owned…

09 2500 hemi
12 Ram 2500 Cummins
16 Power Wagon
20 Power Wagon

There seems to be a few issues with my current truck.

When I drive over speed bumps, onto my driveway, or come to a stop at a traffic light there’s this occasional knock you can both hear and feel through the steering wheel. It sounds like a clunk or something is loose and knocking into the steering column. It’s driving me insane as the rest of the truck feels very solid. There’s no sound coming from the passenger side, it’s just the drivers side.

This is my main issue and I’ve booked it into a dealer next week but I’m already 99% sure it’ll be returned with “we couldn’t replicate it”.


I’m also noticing a few other issues.

When driving along at 35 mph on city streets there’s an occasional vibration felt through the gas pedal. It happens whether in 8cyl or 4cyl eco mode and again is not happening all the time

My 2016 had an issue with the fan clutch - the fan would get stuck on. My 2020 also has fan issues. I leave the house early and when I start my truck whether it’s cold or hot out the fan activates and it is LOUD - Loud enough my neighbors are complaining. I have no idea why it feels it needs to be one but the last dealer claimed there was a software update to remedy this. If anything it’s actually doing this more now than it was before.

Front Parking Sensors - 80% of the time I get in my truck I get a warning that these are not working within 5 mins of driving due to being dirty. This first happened leaving the dealership on day 1 and the last time I took it in for an oil change they said they didn’t have time to look into it and just turn them off. I’m not using that dealer anymore.

My truck has around 7k on the clock now.


My main gripe is the knocking sound and feel through the wheel but I thought I’d list the other things too in the event anyone else has had the same issues and can help me steer the dealer in the right direction.


D
 
Forgot to add - I've looked over many bolts and nothing appears to be loose! :)
 
Tie rod end. Any 4X4 Dodge Truck I have owned have gone through them like crazy.
If you have to replace one get the HD MOOG with Grease Fitting.
 
on your parking assist are you sure your winch cable pull strap is not flapping around in front of the sensor? That has been a common reason for the warning. Can you lay underneath it while someone turns the steering wheel side to side to see if you have excessive play in any of the steering components? should be easy to duplicate especially if it will do it turning into the dealer lot. I had an issue on a jeep like that and ended up putting a gopro under the rig so I could drive it and see what was going on.
 
Thanks both. Will suggest tie rod ends (would have to have been a dud from the factory). Will also have a look underneath and try steering lock to lock (if I trust the gf not to crush me ;)
 
I checked the winch strap and it’s alwaya pointing straight down. Even drove past the house a few times with people watching to check!
 
duncb said:
Hi everyone,

I’m a Ram fan but my current truck is testing that statement. I’ve owned…

09 2500 hemi
12 Ram 2500 Cummins
16 Power Wagon
20 Power Wagon

There seems to be a few issues with my current truck.

When I drive over speed bumps, onto my driveway, or come to a stop at a traffic light there’s this occasional knock you can both hear and feel through the steering wheel. It sounds like a clunk or something is loose and knocking into the steering column. It’s driving me insane as the rest of the truck feels very solid. There’s no sound coming from the passenger side, it’s just the drivers side.

This is my main issue and I’ve booked it into a dealer next week but I’m already 99% sure it’ll be returned with “we couldn’t replicate it”.


I’m also noticing a few other issues.

When driving along at 35 mph on city streets there’s an occasional vibration felt through the gas pedal. It happens whether in 8cyl or 4cyl eco mode and again is not happening all the time

My 2016 had an issue with the fan clutch - the fan would get stuck on. My 2020 also has fan issues. I leave the house early and when I start my truck whether it’s cold or hot out the fan activates and it is LOUD - Loud enough my neighbors are complaining. I have no idea why it feels it needs to be one but the last dealer claimed there was a software update to remedy this. If anything it’s actually doing this more now than it was before.

Front Parking Sensors - 80% of the time I get in my truck I get a warning that these are not working within 5 mins of driving due to being dirty. This first happened leaving the dealership on day 1 and the last time I took it in for an oil change they said they didn’t have time to look into it and just turn them off. I’m not using that dealer anymore.

My truck has around 7k on the clock now.


My main gripe is the knocking sound and feel through the wheel but I thought I’d list the other things too in the event anyone else has had the same issues and can help me steer the dealer in the right direction.


D
Click to expand...

With regards to the knocking sounds, I'm not riding with you so I can't say for sure if it's the same but in my 20 PW I started getting this loud grinding sound if I'd hit any bumps especially when the wheels were slightly turned or more. Took it in and drove the tech around to a spot I knew would replicate it and he heard it. They put frame mics on it and diagnosed it as coming from the body mounts. All of my frame mounts/dampers were replaced about 10k miles ago and I haven't heard anything since.

I also had my front parking sensors turn off a few times earlier in my ownership, it stopped after I got a flash during one of my service visits. No idea if that's what fixed it or just a coincidence but I haven't seen it happen since.

Can't help you with the fan noise.
 
Got my truck back yesterday and thought I'd share the results...

When I first bought the truck I remember looking under the front arches and thinking the springs weren't very straight and appear to be bowing outwards slightly. Well, the mechanic yesterday took a drive, looked underneath and realized the springs had been installed incorrectly at the factory.... they flipped this (right to left etc) and now I have no noise and straight springs. The spring was actually touching the frame under load and that's where the noise was coming from!

Vibration through the pedal - I had the tires rotated and will see if that helps here

Noisy fan - is working as intended. I had this issue on my last one and one day it stuck on and finally broke - I just hope it happens under warranty. Not sure why the software thinks you need a cooling fan on when its 60º in the morning.

Font parking sensors - had a software update for this one - Seems to have done the trick as they stayed on all the way home.

Overall I'm very happy with the service I had - They called me a Lyft to both take me home and pick me up and gave me a large bottle of ice cold water for the ride - If you're AZ I recommend the new Chapman place in Scottsdale. Best part was they managed to find my issue, I was so expecting to get a "could not replicate problem" as usual. :)
 
duncb said:
Well, the mechanic yesterday took a drive, looked underneath and realized the springs had been installed incorrectly at the factory.... they flipped this (right to left etc) and now I have no noise and straight springs. The spring was actually touching the frame under load and that's where the noise was coming from!
Click to expand...

Interesting! Thank you for the update. I experience a similar “clunk” under the same conditions, I figured it was just the transmission still learning and it was just a hard downshift. I was going to give it while before I brought it in. Now ill have to check the springs, I wonder what the odds are its the same issue…..
 
Fishnerd said:
Interesting! Thank you for the update. I experience a similar “clunk” under the same conditions, I figured it was just the transmission still learning and it was just a hard downshift. I was going to give it while before I brought it in. Now ill have to check the springs, I wonder what the odds are its the same issue…..
Click to expand...
Send me a picture if you like - I can take a look. Mine are perfectly straight now, like they are 'sitting on a shelf' straight. They were 'bent' before and bending/bowing out away from the vehicle.
 
duncb said:
Send me a picture if you like - I can take a look. Mine are perfectly straight now, like they are 'sitting on a shelf' straight. They were 'bent' before and bending/bowing out away from the vehicle.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I just looked at them and the odd thing is the part number for both springs is exactly the same: (P)68349071AA 50560A
Passenger:
A5608949-741F-4F15-B48C-10DC1338F43B.jpeg
Driver:
E31D3355-9492-453A-AB0A-89D40BAEBADA.jpeg
 
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The tags are long gone but here's a few pics...

Left
thumbnail_IMG_5258.jpg

Right
thumbnail_IMG_5259.jpg

They're slightly curved towards the rear of the vehicle towards the top but were a lot worse previously.
 
I always though the angle on the sway bar? joint looked a little off too - I checked a few new ones though and they all look the same
 
duncb said:
I wonder if mine just wasn't seated properly.
Click to expand...
A little hard to tell, but in your second picture is looks like its missing the the bottom rubber pad? Is the spring sitting directly on the metal?
 
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