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My reluctor wheel failure story

12281 Views 72 Replies 23 Participants Last post by  1shadowsabre
So I've been running the pre EPA GDE hot tune and trans tune since July 2019 and have driven around 35000 miles with it. Not having the EGR active was a big comfort to me and I had the mindset that since it's closed off I likely won't ever have the EGR cooler failure due to thermal fatigue.

Well this winter I had begun smelling unfiltered diesel exhaust in the cab when remote starting the truck to warm up but it would go away after the engine warmed. One cold morning in March this year I smelled coolant so I popped the hood and with a flashlight I spotted a couple drips of coolant coming off the EGR cooler.

I had been hoping to avoid the recall but I had a week long camping trip coming up and I'd be pulling a travel trailer so decided I'll get dealership to perform the EGR recall. I opted to not keep my original ECU so I knew this meant I'd either need to upgrade to the EPA complaint GDE Tunes or try buying a used ECU and programming to my truck. I chose to just get the EPA tune and move on.

I first used my GDE trans flash tool to return the truck trans back to stock tune so that my tool could be used for the EPA compliant tune I would be purchasing.

My service department at the dealership where I factory ordered the truck was great. They ordered the EGR parts under the recall, performed the repair and of course flashed my truck to their newest software. The whole process took only one week.

The newest software as you all know included the "band-aid" fix to allow the engine to continue to operate if the reluctor/tone wheel fails.

Well spring break arrives and we hit the road starting the 8 hr drive to our destination. The wife and I decided on traveling at night so our 8 month old daughter would sleep thru most of it. 3 hours from home @12:15am we were pulling into a small town in the middle of nowhere, the highway came to a stop light, when it turned green I began to take off and the truck lurched forward and stumbled dramatically then the dash lit up with warnings and went to limp mode. We were fortunate enough to be close to a gas station and I was able to limp into the parking lot. 12mph was as fast as I could go.

I checked the codes with my reader and it was crank sensor error. I immediately knew it was the reluctor wheel that failed and our trip was over. Ended up having to tow the truck and the travel trailer 170 miles back home.

Long story short if I hadn't just had the recall done I would have been stuck in the middle of an intersection with a trailer.

My dealership was quick to order the $42 reluctor wheel for me, only took a week. Unfortunately it was $1350 in labor to replace it due to having to drop the transmission to access the part. If you're curious what a failed reluctor wheel looks like here are some pics. The magnetic tape around the wheel had fractures all throughout and a couple chunks finally let loose just under 118000 miles.
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Shouldn't this have been covered under the recall?
Unfortunately the current recall is just a software update to allow the truck to continue to run in limp mode by using the camshaft timing instead of crankshaft. I have kept my receipt in case sometime in the future RAM decides to create a recall that will cover the part replacement instead of just a software update to keep the truck from dying when the part does fail.

I can confirm if you've had the recall #W58 performed you are able to restart multiple times while in limp mode caused by tone wheel failure. However, it takes longer, 3-4 seconds of cranking before the engine will start.
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Glad to hear most importantly you and your family were out of harms way, when something like this happens seconds count to get yourself to safety. It's frustrating to hear Ram's lack of commitment to its customers to prioritizing this issue they clearly know which trucks are affected, this is a safety issue there should be no cost to those impacted. Thank you for providing the details. Hope you get some form of reimbursement.
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This fail is interesting. I examined one a while ago that was caused by rust jacking... This seems to be a fatigue failure.

If its cracked all over, its likely that heat cycles have caused the cracking of the reluctor tape material.

All in all just a terrible design on multiple fronts. Crap part and utterly stupid location. There is no reason this couldnt go on the front of the engine on the harmonic balancer.

This is no doubt the work of the FCA accounting department. They saved $.20 per vehicle Wiring harness w shorter wire and smaller reluctor.

Jacka$$es.
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It was obviously a change of manufactures or design and material since the first ones havent had any problems and are not part of the recall.
Its still really fcking stupid to put this inside the bell housing. Literally no legit reason for it other than saving a few pennies.
Unfortunately the current recall is just a software update to allow the truck to continue to run in limp mode by using the camshaft timing instead of crankshaft. I have kept my receipt in case sometime in the future RAM decides to create a recall that will cover the part replacement instead of just a software update to keep the truck from dying when the part does fail.

I can confirm if you've had the recall #W58 performed you are able to restart multiple times while in limp mode caused by tone wheel failure. However, it takes longer, 3-4 seconds of cranking before the engine will start.
Greetings TexasRam,
Can you send us a message with your VIN and dealer info? We would like to look into this for you.

Rob
Ram Cares
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Interesting. I would have bought an EGR cooler delete kit and not have had to buy another tune. That said it would have done nothing for the reluctor wheel. When my reluctor wheel failed I checked but my particular engine was not included in the recall so I was not able to get my repair costs reimbursed.
Greetings TexasRam,
Can you send us a message with your VIN and dealer info? We would like to look into this for you.

Rob
Ram Cares
Message sent! It’d be great if this out of pocket repair was covered under the recall.
Interesting. I would have bought an EGR cooler delete kit and not have had to buy another tune. That said it would have done nothing for the reluctor wheel. When my reluctor wheel failed I checked but my particular engine was not included in the recall so I was not able to get my repair costs reimbursed.
What was the B date of your truck ?
Where do I find the B date? Is that truck or motor related. I presume motor and the white stickers?
Where do I find the B date? Is that truck or motor related. I presume motor and the white stickers?
I was referring to the birth date of the truck. It should be on the sticker by the drivers door or b pillar. I have a Grand C so I'm not familiar where it is on the trucks. I also was assuming you were talking about your original engine but maybe not ?
Message sent! It’d be great if this out of pocket repair was covered under the recall.
Hi, we responded to your DM, please take some time to review it and get back with us at your earliest convenience.
Rob
Ram Cares
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Hi, we responded to your DM, please take some time to review it and get back with us at your earliest convenience.
Rob
Ram Cares
Can you tell me (us?) why if you didn't get the AEM update, you get a reluctor wheel replacement but if you did get the update, all you get is a firmware/flash update? It seems like you'd want to replace the bad parts for everyone. I know at the end of the day it's probably about the cost to replace the reluctor wheels but it seems strange to me.
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Can you tell me (us?) why if you didn't get the AEM update, you get a reluctor wheel replacement but if you did get the update, all you get is a firmware/flash update? It seems like you'd want to replace the bad parts for everyone. I know at the end of the day it's probably about the cost to replace the reluctor wheels but it seems strange to me.
There's no software update available for the non-AEM trucks. Those trucks are not EPA compliant so FCA cannot update the software. This is why they get a new part. AEM trucks get the software update to keep the truck running in the event of a tone ring failure. If the ring fails, FCA will likely cover it under the AEM extended warranty.

It's a safety recall and FCA is doing what is required. Nothing more, nothing less...
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I'd just as well pay for a new reluctor wheel and labor to avoid the hassles of being stranded or worse yet, harmed. Is the part available?

From what I've read its about a days labor to remove transfer case and transmission. Replace the part and then reinstall.
Shouldn't this have been covered under the recall?
The recall covers only the sensor, not the wheel. Been there, done that. Ours required 18 days in the shop because we had other issues (radio amp and heated seats) that required attention.
I'd just as well pay for a new reluctor wheel and labor to avoid the hassles of being stranded or worse yet, harmed. Is the part available?

From what I've read its about a days labor to remove transfer case and transmission. Replace the part and then reinstall.
Good idea. A a former aircraft mechanic we replaced components based on hours of use. No pull off lanes in the sky. No way of telling if or when it will fail.
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