2014 Ram 1500 Tradesman/express on 2040-cars

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Ram updates 1500 and Heavy Duty trucks for the new model year

Happy Labor Day weekend, and happy 2020 Ram truck news day. The changes for 2020 aren't huge, mostly limited to aesthetics, starting with a Night Edition package to the Big Horn and Laramie trims. A Black Appearance Package was offered for 2019, but this one is a little different. Those who choose the Night Edition won’t be limited to black paint only, meaning you can get all that black trim along with a contrasting exterior color. ItÂ’ll have a black grille, badging, exhaust tips, headlight/taillight bezels and wheels (20-inch for Big Horn, 22-inch for Laramie). The white Ram 1500 pictured here is equipped with the package. A Black Appearance package is coming to the Rebel trim, too, with 18-inch wheels, a front skid plate, front spoiler, lighting bezels, badging, tow hooks and exhaust, all finished in black. YouÂ’ll also be able to option a driver assistance package on the Rebel for 2020 that includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, auto high beams and forward collision mitigation. The 2020 Ram Heavy Duty adds a couple nice tech features. Lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, enhanced connected services and dual auxiliary camera support are all added as options for the new model year. Additionally, there are two new paint options: Olive Green and Hydro Blue. The Power Wagon doesnÂ’t change much, but there will be a new black wheel option for 2020. One final note of change for 2020 is the addition of “eTorque” badging on the hood of so-equipped Ram 1500 trucks. Previously, Ram made 1500 eTorque models indistinguishable from their non-electrified brethren.

444,000 Cummins diesel Ram trucks recalled for water-pump fire risk

NHTSA recently acknowledged a recall for nearly 444,000 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500 trucks built between 2013 and 2017 with Cummins 6.7-liter diesel engines. The issue is that the water pump might do the exact opposite of keeping the engine cool. According to documents from Fiat-Chrysler and NHTSA, Concentric-brand water pumps without vent holes could suffer bearing failure, as well as start leaking coolant. This exposes coolant to hot parts of the engine, and the pump itself can become a hot part. Not all Cummins-equipped Ram trucks will be affected. If your Ram has a water pump from a different brand, or it uses a Concentric pump with some kind of vent holes, you shouldn't have any issues. In fact, the fix will be to replace the non-vented pump with a vented version. Owners with affected vehicles will be able to bring their trucks into a Chrysler dealer, where the water pump will be replaced at no charge. FCA will begin notifying owners of the issue starting on Nov. 1. Owners can also get in touch with Chrysler's customer service department at 1-800-853-1403 and should ask about recall "T51." Related Video: Featured Gallery 2013 Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty View 22 Photos News Source: NHTSA Recalls RAM Auto Repair Truck Diesel Vehicles

FCA delays Grand Wagoneer and next-generation heavy-duty Ram trucks

The upcoming Jeep Grand Wagoneer has had a tumultuous gestation thus far. At one point it was essentially confirmed, but later it was rumored to have been cancelled. In that context, the latest report from Automotive News is something of a mixed blessing. According to the publication, the Grand Wagoneer has simply been delayed, as has the next-generation Ram heavy duty truck line. This does not seem to affect the fully redesigned Ram 1500, which was previously reported to have been pushed back slightly to 2019. Automotive News says the information came from unnamed sources at the company. Nothing was said about how long the vehicles would be delayed. The publication also conjectures that FCA is delaying the models to save some money to help cover the company's $7 billion of debt , since re-tooling both the heavy-duty truck plant and eventual Grand Wagoneer plant will be expensive. View 6 Photos We reached out to Chrysler for more information on the subject, but the company wouldn't comment on the report. Even so, we wouldn't be too surprised if FCA is indeed delaying these products. The company has delayed a number of vehicles in recent years. In fact nearly every major FCA truck and SUV, including the Grand Wagoneer and Ram line, were delayed about a year and a half ago. We certainly hope the company doesn't delay the Grand Wagoneer for too long, since it's possible it will have a price tag of over $130,000. The profit margins on an SUV with that kind of MSRP would go a long way to helping to pay down the company's debt. Related Video: