Update page 3: Tire pressure factory recommendations.......

[TNrob]

I'm trying to get Ram to do something about the danged TPMS on later model 2500s. I understand that the TPMS used to have a toggle, that the pressure recommendations used to be for heavy and light loads, and that up until just a couple of years ago the computer could be reprogrammed to "ding points" other than factory.

Would you guys please help me compile a small list of factory inflation recommendations over the last decade or so?

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

If the dealers can not change the TPMS on the newer trucks no one can. Unless they have the ability to over write the BCM to add the ability to change the TPMS. You are never going to get a dealer to do this do to the liability issues.

Don

[Grit_dog]

Id say keep on keepin on tnRob but, yeah simmer down and accept it. No sense trying to control something that is out of your control.
One suggestion, if you can find a shop, maybe a company that runs a fleet of Rams and has the Witech software, they may be a ble to re program them for you.
It was possible back in 2014-15. I had the software and did it to many trucks. But in the last year? updated software has negated the ability to change the tpms thresholds.

Or try a tire or off road shop that does a lot of big aftermarket tires and lift kits. They may know someone around who can still do it. That's how I found a cooperative dealer to get my F250 reprogrammed as most dealers gave me the run around or just refused.

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

So do you think GM or Ford is willing to reprogram their 1500/150 2500/250 trucks? Nope so if this is such a big deal sell your truck and buy a 3500/350 of the brand of your choice.

You should find a real cause to get behind like drug addiction or mental health issues. You would make a great advocate for any worthy cause.

Don

[S_Davis]

Well I don't know about the newer trucks but my local dealer reprogramed the TPMS in my 09 chevy 2500HD for a lower pressure.

[TNrob]

You're right. I am going to irrational extremes in my complaint over a dash warning light that is functioning as designed. My issue isn't with the light or the single ding that accompanies it when I start the truck. It's not the poor ride if I decide to follow the recommendation.

The only reason I decided to bother is that there are many dozens of complaints all over the internet. There have been reports submitted to safercar.gov from quite a lot people about poor ice traction, poor wet road traction, and even poor dry road cornering, dating back to 2014. These complaints represents only a small number of the owners who are even aware of the issue. I would suppose that those who know enough about the issue are a minority of truck owners, the rest of whom are bouncing about the highways on over inflated tires. Now, sometimes I'm sharing the road with them in a 7,000 pound truck that's fairly capable of surviving an unfortunately timed slip of the tire and most ensuing accidents. Some of the time I'm tooling around in a 2,000 pound Mazda Miata that's 25 years old and utterly ill equipped against an assault from 7,000 pounds of RAM driven by an uniformed truck owner who knows no better.

Again, you're right, I'm over reacting. But at least now I'm 100% certain that there is at least some small record in place if ever a lawsuit is required to win justice in a wrongful death suit when one of the monsters rolls into a smart car in an easily avoidable accident. Improper tire inflation is is a leading cause of traffic accidents resulting in untold waste of both lives and wealth... simply and easily avoidable but for the recommendations of a corporation that really doesn't seem to give a ****.

The light doesn't bother me. The tire wear doesn't bother me. The facts of the whole bloody affair is what bothers me, and regarding the facts I'm not sure that I really am over reacting. But at least I did indeed react, and there is a record of it.

[Cummins12V98]

Agreed^^^

I run full EB ALL the time with a yellow symbol glowing on my dash. Still drink just one beer a day!

[IdaD]

TNrob wrote:
Well, I talked with a person at Chrysler Headquarters. He's the guy who deals we people who complain, I guess. I've seen his name a time or two around the internet. So, after hearing me whine, he offered not a solution but advise.

Chrysler Corporate will always default to the position, "follow the recommendations found in your owners manual." Utilize your four free oil changes that come with the vehicle, build a relationship with a servicing dealership of your choosing, and ask them to measure and record the tread wear. Maintain tires at recommended pressure and monitor. If the dealership measures a pattern of unusual wear they will inspect for mechanical issues and repair under warranty. If no such mechanical issues exist they will report to Chrysler Corporate. We at Corporate will hear a dealership service department and try to work with you at that time because you have a service record that indicate that you followed the recommendations found in your owners manual.

If you don't follow the recommendations Chrysler Corporate will dispute any claim because you failed to follow the recommendations.

So, if I want to pursue this further toward anything at all like a satisfying conclusion I will have to suffer the ride, watch as my brand new truck consumes a perfectly good set of tires from the center out, and then scream and yell at the top of my lungs when they reject any ownership of the result.

I guess at that point, if I'm truly pissed off enough, I can trade for a 1-ton from another manufacturer. And sling absolutely true feces all over the internet.

I'm not sure where I'm going to go from here.

If it bothers you that much get some electrical tape or matching black paint and cover the light. I think you're really blowing this out of proportion - it's just a stupid little light.

[jus2shy]

3500 rams are over 10000 gvwr. So they don't fall under the tpms regulations. I don't even have a tire pressure screen on my truck. Newer ones can see pressure, but no warnings if low air.

[minnow]

coolbreeze01 wrote:
My truck doesn't have TPMS. Is the system still left off 3500's?

On my 2016 3500 Ram, I have a screen where I can see what each tires pressure is but I have dropped the pressure and have not had the yellow light come on. My truck's tires came aired up at 80 psi. I dropped the rear's to 55 and the fronts to 60 and no nag light was activated.

[coolbreeze01]

My truck doesn't have TPMS. Is the system still left off 3500's?

[TNrob]

Well, I talked with a person at Chrysler Headquarters. He's the guy who deals we people who complain, I guess. I've seen his name a time or two around the internet. So, after hearing me whine, he offered not a solution but advise.

Chrysler Corporate will always default to the position, "follow the recommendations found in your owners manual." Utilize your four free oil changes that come with the vehicle, build a relationship with a servicing dealership of your choosing, and ask them to measure and record the tread wear. Maintain tires at recommended pressure and monitor. If the dealership measures a pattern of unusual wear they will inspect for mechanical issues and repair under warranty. If no such mechanical issues exist they will report to Chrysler Corporate. We at Corporate will hear a dealership service department and try to work with you at that time because you have a service record that indicate that you followed the recommendations found in your owners manual.

If you don't follow the recommendations Chrysler Corporate will dispute any claim because you failed to follow the recommendations.

So, if I want to pursue this further toward anything at all like a satisfying conclusion I will have to suffer the ride, watch as my brand new truck consumes a perfectly good set of tires from the center out, and then scream and yell at the top of my lungs when they reject any ownership of the result.

I guess at that point, if I'm truly pissed off enough, I can trade for a 1-ton from another manufacturer. And sling absolutely true feces all over the internet.

I'm not sure where I'm going to go from here.

[hawkeye-08]

Yes, it is on my wish list to have a selectable pressure range, but as long as common sense is not common, we are stuck with the government thinking for us.

[TNrob]

The federal regulation requires a TPMS that notifies the driver of an under-inflation condition of 25% below factory recommended pressure. I'm not asking for Ram to side step the regulation. I'm asking Ram to change the recommendation to something more reasonable.

No federal regulation establishes specific required tire pressures; that is left to the vehicle manufacturer.

And yes, it is a losing battle, but now it's a battle that involves letters to members congress rather than just to FCA. Won't be much longer it will involve letters to newspaper editors, consumer advocacy groups, and public safety watchdogs.

Still won't matter, but what the heck? I have a bit of time that I can afford to waste.

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

What is the MIN PSI as posted on the door sticker? Whatever that is the where the warning light will come. I know if I air down to 35 PSI the warning lamp comes on and there is a chime one time. when the tires heat up and go above 36 PSI the light goes off.

As was mentioned by Grit Dog "since the system and its operational parameters were determined by the NHTSA, not the individual mfgs." So there is not a thing Ram, Ford or GM can do to change those parameters.

Remember the Firestone/Ford fiasco when Ford demanded a lower PSI setting then what was marked on the tires! All in the name of "ride quality"! Didn't work out very well for anyone did it? Not Firestone, not Ford and certainly not the people that where killed and injured.

We now live in a world of nannyism do to a few people that can't or won't fallow simple rules. Just look at the mess we have with diesels and all of the EPA mandates. Why because trucking and bus companies won't maintain their vehicles and redneck hillbillies want to "roll coal" and be cool. Now we get to pay the price.

Same holds true within the RV community. How many people think it's OK to dump their gray water on the ground. Their are even a few that think it's all right to dump their black tanks on the ground.

As for the OP you are fighting a losing battle Rob. The manufactures can not side step the Feds.

Don