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Symptoms · Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (2014-2019)

Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (2014-2019): losing coolant

2 documented failures on this engine list this among their signs. They are ordered from the most widespread down. Each one shows the signs in its record's own words, how to tell it from the others, the usual fix and any recall or bulletin.

  1. EGR cooler cracking and coolant loss (recall 19V-757) Common · 1 recall/bulletin
  2. Oil cooler oil/coolant cross-contamination Common

Not sure which engine you have, or want the recalls for your exact truck? Check your VIN: it names the engine and lists the campaigns for that model year. Whether a recall is still open on your VIN: nhtsa.gov/recalls.

1 EGR cooler cracking and coolant loss (recall 19V-757)
verified How widespread: Common

How it shows up

  • coolant loss with no visible external leak (microscopic cooler cracks consume coolant through the EGR diffuser path)
  • white smoke from the tailpipe, sweet exhaust smell, low-coolant warnings
Its other signs
  • in the worst case the vaporized coolant/EG mix combusts inside the intake manifold - the fire path behind recall 19V-757

How to tell it apart

  • check recall 19V-757 completion by VIN FIRST - the cooler replacement is free under the campaign
  • unexplained coolant loss + white smoke with no head-gasket symptoms points at the cooler; borescope the EGR/intake path for coolant residue
  • the intake manifold must be inspected per the campaign - coolant pooling there is the fire risk

Usual fix

replace the EGR cooler (campaign 19V-757/VB1 first - free remedy; post-campaign replacement uses the same service part)

Recalls and bulletins

19V-757

Root cause, parts and sources →

2 Oil cooler oil/coolant cross-contamination
aggregated How widespread: Common

How it shows up

  • coolant and oil cross-contamination (milky residue, oil floating in the degas bottle)
Its other signs
  • rising temps, repeated contamination after flushes - the cooler keeps seeding the system

How to tell it apart

  • oil in the degas bottle / coolant on the dipstick = cooler before head gasket on this engine
  • plan a full cooling-system decontamination with the replacement - residual oil keeps causing grief

Usual fix

replace the oil cooler (oil-filter housing / cooler assembly side of the engine)

Root cause, parts and sources →

Other symptoms on the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (2014-2019)

Hard start, long crank or no-start

Everything on the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (2014-2019)Its recalls and bulletins

Order: how widespread each failure is in its record (near-universal, very common, common, occasional, rare), then the number of NHTSA owner complaints that match its keywords. Complaint counts are keyword matches, not a manual review of each complaint. A symptom listed here means the failure is documented with that sign; it is not a diagnosis of your truck. Tiers: verified, aggregated, contested, data-gap. How we tier and source facts.