Buyer's checklist · Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (2014-2019)
Used Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (2014-2019): what to check before you buy
The 6 documented failures of this engine, laid out in the order you inspect a truck: paperwork and VIN, a cold start, a code scan, under the hood, the test drive and a look after it. Each line is the sign as our record describes it, linked to the full failure page. At the end: what each repair costs.
- Before you go
- Cold start and idle
- Scan for codes
- Hood up and underneath
- Test drive
- After the drive
- What it costs
1Before you go
Run the VIN and ask for the paperwork on the campaigns below: a done recall or program is a solved problem, an open one is a free repair the seller has not had done.
- Run the VIN
It confirms the engine and lists the campaigns for that model year. Whether a recall is still open on this VIN: nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Safety recalls on this engine
2Cold start and idle
Ask the seller not to start or warm the engine before you arrive. Most of these only show on a cold engine; then let it idle and listen.
- Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure pump failure (recall 22V-406)
- hard start / crank-no-start, rough running, low fuel rail pressure (P0087 family), power loss under load
- EGR cooler cracking and coolant loss (recall 19V-757)
- white smoke from the tailpipe, sweet exhaust smell, low-coolant warnings
3Scan for codes
A basic OBD-II reader shows stored and pending codes; on a diesel ask a shop for a full scan if you can. These are the codes our records tie to known failures on this engine.
| Codes | Points to |
|---|---|
| P0087 | Bosch CP4.2 high-pressure pump failure (recall 22V-406) |
| P20E8, P20EE | DEF tank / heater faults (frozen-DEF derate cycle) |
What a code means on each engine: trouble codes by engine.
4Hood up and underneath
Engine off, in daylight, with a flashlight.
- EGR cooler cracking and coolant loss (recall 19V-757)
- coolant loss with no visible external leak (microscopic cooler cracks consume coolant through the EGR diffuser path)
To confirm: check recall 19V-757 completion by VIN FIRST - the cooler replacement is free under the campaign
5Test drive
At least 20 minutes, including a highway run and a hill or a load if you can.
- Crankshaft tone-wheel delamination and engine stall (recalls 20V-475 / 23V-411)
- engine stall without warning (in motion), then no-start / long-crank
- DEF tank / heater faults (frozen-DEF derate cycle)
- 'SERVICE DEF SYSTEM - ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART IN 200 MI' warnings, DEF gauge stuck (commonly ~1/4), P20EE/P20E8 codes
- Oil cooler oil/coolant cross-contamination
- rising temps, repeated contamination after flushes - the cooler keeps seeding the system
- Early rod/main bearing failures (bottom end)
- knocking and low oil pressure, mostly on low-mileage early engines (documented under ~20k miles)
6After the drive
Hot engine, parked: the dipstick and the coolant reservoir tell you what the drive did. Then shut it off and restart it hot: some failures only show on a hot restart.
- Oil cooler oil/coolant cross-contamination
- coolant and oil cross-contamination (milky residue, oil floating in the degas bottle)
To confirm: oil in the degas bottle / coolant on the dipstick = cooler before head gasket on this engine
What it costs if you find it
Parts budgets from our repair recipes for this engine: Dave's Auto Center's prices where Dave's lists the part, approximate OEM and maker catalog prices (rounded) for the rest; labor not included. A campaign listed next to a failure may make the repair free on a covered truck: check it by VIN.
Everything on the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (2014-2019)Symptoms on this engineRecalls and bulletins
Built from the failure-mode records, recalls registry and repair recipes on this site; every line links to its source page with tiers and sources. This is a list of documented failures to check, not an inspection: a pre-purchase inspection by a diesel shop sees what we cannot. Years show where a failure covers only part of the engine's run. How we tier and source facts.