Need input; We may switch our work trucks to Dodge.
 

I'm not trying to start a brand war, im just stating what we are experiencing. We are currently running a small fleet of Ford F350s, about 12 of them. They are 6.0 and 6.4 models and most are up on warranty. We are looking to change to some thing new/better. Here is why: none of them have the original motors. One truck has had 3 engines within 99,000 miles and is now just out of warranty. Every time we take one in to the dealer its almost always a $2,000 repair. This is a good dealership with knowledgeable techs and they treat us well. We are in a constant cycle of "take a broken one to the dealer and pick up the fixed one". The company a few doors down has switched over to new/newer 3500/4500 dodges and the equipment manager loves them. He said he has had a lot less problems and less $$$$ problems.
Here are my questions:
What have been the issues with the new Dodge/Cummins trucks?
Are people experiencing catastrophic failures like people with 6.0/6.4 trucks?
Im really excited to try some, but want to be armed with good info as to how they are holding up.
Thanks

The switch would be a big one in regards to switching to a real diesel engine vs one that needs glow plugs to ignite the fuel.

The Cummins engine uses nothing but high compression to ignite the fuel which is a good thing if you have experienced a lot of glow plug issues over the years with the Fords.

The Cummins engine is also a Medium duty engine designed for a larger truck whereas the Ford diesels are light duty engines designed for the pick-up trucks and as such not as strong as the Cummins engines.

The early 07.5 and 08 trucks had some issues when they first changed over to the DPF engines but most of that was ironed out in a year or two.

I don't know how you use your fleet but I believe you will find the dependability to be higher and less failures than the Ford engines overall.

Are you going with cab & Chassis model trucks? The 4500/5500 are C&C models only and the 3500 can be bought either way as a pick-up or as a C&C model. The C&C models since 2010 have had to use DEF (Urea) so Cummins and Ram have had a lot of experience with the use of DEF and I believe they have not had the issues that Ford and GMC have had using DEF. These trucks have been built to haul and run day in and day out without an issues.

Good Luck

Jim W.

Thanks. I know first had how the Dodge/Cummins has been. I have owned a few.
and the truck I drive at work is an 02 3500 Cummins, its our only dodge, and its the only thing that stays running.
I just hope the people "in the offices" at work let us get something different (Cummins).

There have been very few (maybe two?) catastrophic 4th gen 6.7 failures reported on here, and none on stock trucks. Ditto for the 68RFE trans. A few of minor issues, like emissions codes and collapsed brake lines and such. Not saying failures don't happen, but by-in-large the 6.7s are quite reliable especially when maintained properly.

(John P. will reply with rebuttal below)

We cant go 3 days with out these fords being an issue. Pretty much since the first of the year, we've had a constant cycle of "take broke truck to dealer, pick up the fixed one." Getting $$$$$$$.
Its going in cycles: first, we had a ton of EGR cooler failures, got fixed. then all the trucks were losing head gaskets, got fixed. Then losing entire engines, got fixed. Then turbos, got fixed. then rear ends were going out, then we had like 4 or 5 that needed new radios. Lately is been a plague of "sensors'' that have need to be replaced.
I gave them a chance. but I have one word now: JUNK.

oh, and the drain plug to drain water out of fuel filter housing is made of steel, we have had several rust and strip threads out of the housing. Brilliant idea Ford.
and Who the hell makes a truck where you have to crawl under a truck and use an allen wrench to remove the drain plug to drain water out of fuel??? bad idea.
Several times I got called out on field service call and had to crawl under the truck in snow or mud to remove water, but only to later find out it was a faulty sensor, making the "water in Fuel" light to come one.
Im done complaining.

F ix
O r
R epair
D aily

[coffee]

exactly!!!

I work for a friend who owns a small AAA towing company, approx (9 trucks). We have 3 Dodge trucks. He has owned Fords (6.0) and Chevy Duramax's. He perfers the Dodges mainly due to the least amout of down time. The only issues we've had are emissions related, i.e sensors. This will most likey plague any of the newer Diesels trucks coming out now and the future. But the Dodges are not having any major engine related failures. The Asian transmissions are also problem free at this point. But the trucks are only a couple of years old. But the Cummins are doing the best out of the three (for him) fuel wise. We average 10 mpg all local driving towing. So time will tell.

I have an 11 5500 ram c & c with 102000 miles on it. Since day one this truck has been at max weight--has a crane and work bed on it and weighs in at 19200 lbs. I have only had a couple of little issue like stated with sensors--no transmission or rear end problems yet. My truck is averaging between 11-12 mpg mixed driving and ideling for extended periods of time--while i'm using the crane. I drive the truck hard!