Software Updates

[RiverRunner]

My last truck was a 2008 Laramie CTD Mega Cab. Fantastically reliable truck. Anyway, whenever I brought it in to the dealer for oil changes, etc I'd get the service manager to bring me up to the current emissions software. I never in 140K+ miles had an emissions problem, de-rate or full DPF. Dodge was using their purchasers to run the research miles to see how the new non-DEF systems worked. Some guys had problems right and left, me I think I was just very lucky. But then the Dodge was a vacation, weekend, towing motorcycle truck - very little daily driver. The 'ol Dodge just ran and ran - still does.

So are the 2023 / 2024 CTD HO Trucks pretty stable regarding software by now? Anything else I need to watch like a hawk?

Just picked up a 2024 Limited Crew Cab CTD HO 8 foot Bed. With this new truck - Do I need to pester the service manager for software updates or do updates come over the air? I'm not hearing a lot of DPF or de-rate issues on the forum - Thank God! Lots of people contributed their time and energy to work with RAM over the years to perfect this system - but I'm thinking the result is a power plant that is stable, is easy to work on and doesn't need to lift the cab to change spark plugs or injectors - imagine if you had to pay shop rates to pull the cab cause #8 injector was plugged up. I'm not a mechanic, but in 2007 when I was shopping for the 2008 Mega Beast, I looked under the hood into Fords, Chevies/GMC and Dodge/Ram. The Ram CTD won by a landslide in the simplistic power plant test. Fords and Chevies both looked like you were into hours of disassembly just to get down to the motor. I figured that had to be "Good" for me. A Buddy had a 2007 RAM CTD 5.9 without the EGR crap & DPF - that was a really simple machine - I at first wondered if I should have gone with the 5.9 vs. 6.7. I guess in the end, the 6.7 did me well and brought me back for a '24.

MY24 3500 Limited CTD HO Crew Cab -- MY08 2500 Laramie HD Mega Cab - I will really miss this Old Girl when she sells-if I can bring myself to it. Trying to move to Central Oregon where I'll need a snow truck. I'd like to keep it on the place.
21 SW Desert Fox Toy Hauler -- 900 Watts Solar on Roof, 400 A/H Lithium Batteries - - His and Hers BMW R1200GSA -- His and Hers Plated KTM 690 -- We'll pick up BMW R1300GSA's when they come out.
Retired with a Wife Who Rides Well & Loves It! -- Life Is Good!

 

[Brutal_HO]

Only radio updates come over the Air (OTA).

I can't see them ever pushing a PCM update OTA. There are very specific requirements now to do PCM updates; battery charger/tender in place, etc.

They could potentially push a limited set of module updates I suppose, but don't currently do that AFAIK, You're lucky to get updates flashed at the dealer to fix known issues on some of the problems. Keep in mind the 2008 was very simple comparatively. Not a lot of computers/modules in an 08. My buddy has one that has maybe 250K? on it and still runs and looks great. Pulls his Cardinal widebody and moves RV's around his lot. His 94 12V pulls their boat.

I think they have the emissions issues ironed out in the 24's now but only time will tell. There's plenty of 21-22 guys having DPF regen issues now (big thread on that here) but there's hope they'll soon have TSB/recall/fixes. I think STAR is scratching their heads.