So, you have a Dodge Ram that you absolutely love. However, the dodge ram acceleration problems are making you lose your mind. We get it—it’s annoying having to step on the pedal several times to give it an extra push to get the vehicle working.
Don’t worry, though. With our help, you will be able to track down the problem.
Regardless of how experienced you are, we’ll walk you through what you need to know.
We will also cover an in-depth guide on how to fix the acceleration problem driving you crazy. Below is everything you need to know.
Contents
Most Common Dodge RAM Acceleration Problems
Dodge Ram vehicles are top-notch trucks, and any Dodge Ram owner can back this up. However, just like any car, they break from time to time.
Understanding what an acceleration problem looks like is key to confirming that you indeed have an acceleration problem going on.
Otherwise, you could end up wasting money without actually fixing the primary cause.
To help you diagnose some common symptoms that indicate an acceleration problem, here is a list of the most common issues:
01. Corrosion In The ECM Connector
A common issue yet hard to tell that Dodge Ram owners have reported is corrosion on the connectors.
If liquid gets inside the connectors, corrosion can develop over time.
Because of that, the car could sputter a little when driving. However, this problem does not always occur.
There are times when you might only notice this problem when accelerating.
The culprit that causes acceleration problems can be super hard to track down.
Professional mechanics could spend hours doing extensive testing, and they might not find this issue.
So, we suggest checking on the connector and watch out for any sign of corrosion on the connectors.
If you notice corrosion on the connector, you have to replace the wire for a new one. Otherwise, your truck will have a hard time performing.
It’s hard to believe that such a small wire could cause such an enormous mess, but it does happen from time to time.
02. Damaged Transmission
If you notice that the Dodge Ram sputters when accelerating, you have a damaged transmission.
One of the leading culprits why you’re experiencing poor acceleration is a faulty transmission.
A common sign that the transmission went bad is when the truck begins to shake and stutter when accelerating.
This problem might not be so evident at first sight, and some dealers might suggest replacing the motor, and as you might guess — this won’t fix the actual issue.
A faulty transmission is a serious issue. If you don’t replace or repair the transmission, the engine will gradually perform worse if this keeps going for too long.
There are a lot of reasons why your transmission might not be working correctly.
For example, the transmission could be malfunctioning if there is a leak. Or the torque converter could have gone bad.
Either way, you need to fix the transmission as soon as possible to prevent further damage.
If the transmission is completely damaged, you will have to replace it with working again for the car.
03. Faulty Catalytic Converter
So, you got on your truck, and when you stepped on the pedal, you notice you’re having a hard time running the vehicle.
And when the car finally runs, you notice it is not working as intended.
If you’re in a similar situation, there is a high chance the catalytic converter could be the culprit.
Catalytic converters are indispensable to any vehicle. Without them, they would not work.
So, if by any chance the catalytic converter is damaged, your truck will run rough, and you will have a hard time accelerating the vehicle.
It’s safe to assume that the catalytic converter is the culprit if you notice any of the following problems:
- Clogged up catalytic converter—if you notice an abnormal amount of power loss, there is a high chance the catalytic converter is clogged up. To fix this issue, you need to clean the contaminants inside the catalytic converter
- Rattling noise—if you hear a rattling noise coming from the engine, it means the catalytic converter came apart. If that is the case, you need to replace the catalytic converter
04. Whining Noise
If you have a Dodge Ram 1500 whining noise when accelerating, there’s probably an exhaust leak.
Here is an explanation of this problem: when you first turn the truck on, the car seems to be making a whining noise.
And the noise will not go away until you turn the vehicle off.
As soon as you get the whining noise, the RPMs begin to decrease. Some users have also reported that this only happens at certain RPMs.
On the other hand, some RAM 1500 owners have reported that sometimes this problem goes away when the vehicle is idling at cruising speeds.
And that there is no specific RPM for this problem to manifest.
As this problem gets worse, you will experience this more and more. When this occurs, you can’t help it but feel frustrated.
So, what is this exactly causing all of this? An exhaust leak means that the bolts on the exhaust connection between the catalytic converter and the DPF have rusted, equating to an exhaust leak.
To repair the whining noise here is what you can do:
- Get a grinder to remove all the bolts that have rusted
- Crawl under the vehicle and find the exhaust connection between both the catalytic converter and the DPF
- Now you want to remove all the bolts from the DPF side
- Once you have done that, drill a hole to insert the new bolts
- Also, watch out for the gasket as you don’t want to hit it with the grinder
Once you have completed this process, the whining noise should be gone.
05. Delay On The Gas Pedal
Have you ever stepped on the gas pedal and noticed that the truck did not work or took some time before the vehicle did anything?
If that’s the case, you have a broken sensor on the throttle body.
When a throttle body is no longer functioning as it is supposed to work, you begin to notice some obvious problems such as low idle.
This problem can include shaking and stalling. Even if you step on the pedal several times, the truck will have a hard time running.
Delay on the accelerator pedal is a common issue that many Dodge Ram owners experience at some point. Luckily for us, this is an inexpensive fix, and anybody can do it.
To fix the gas pedal delay, you need to find the faulty sensor and replace it.
How Much Does it Cost to Repair an Acceleration Problem For a Dodge Ram?
Knowing how much money you need to spend to fix an acceleration problem will allow you to avoid getting scammed by third parties.
You might also be surprised by how much money you could save if you fixed the car on your own.
We want to clarify that prices might change depending on where you live and who your dealer is.
This guide only aims to point you in the right direction to know how much money you should pay for a replacement.
So let’s quickly get a quick and simple understanding of how much money you need to spend to repair an acceleration problem.
01. ECM Connector Replacement
If the ECM connector got corroded, you must replace it to fix the acceleration problem. The average cost for the Dodge Ram ECM connector replacement is about $40.
02. Damaged Transmission Replacement
If the transmission is no longer working, you need to replace it to fix the acceleration problem.
If that is the case, we’re looking at a $3,400 replacement. That is an expensive fix.
However, we recommend replacing the transmission as soon as possible.
If you don’t take action early on, you could damage the engine of the vehicle. And that is what we’re trying to avoid.
03. Catalytic Converter Replacement
You might not have to replace the catalytic converter if it is clogged up.
If your catalytic converter is clogged up, you can clean all the dirt inside the catalytic converter, and you’re set for life.
However, if the catalytic converter is not working anymore, you need to replace it as soon as possible. A damaged catalytic converter will only do more harm than good.
So, how much does it cost to replace a catalytic converter?
The typical cost for a catalytic converter replacement is about $1,200. And if you have a mechanic replace the catalytic converter, they will charge you about $180.
04. Faulty Sensors On the Throttle Body Replacement
If you want to fix stalling and hesitation when accelerating, there is a high chance that you only need to replace the sensors.
But before you spend money on a new sensor, you need to find the faulty sensor.
If you’ve determined that the IAC connector serves no purpose anymore, you need to replace it. An IAC connector replacement costs about $30.
However, if the TPS is the culprit, you’re looking at a $25 replacement.
Now, if the MAP sensor is no longer working, you’re looking at a $99 replacement. The MAP sensor is the most expensive sensor for the Dodge Ram.
If you have somebody replace any of these sensors, they will charge you about $150 for each sensor.
And as you might guess, this is super expensive if all the sensors went bad.
You have to pay for the replacement and the labor, which adds up at the end of the month.
What Is a Ram Accelerator?
How does a ram accelerator work? The essential part of a Dodge Ram is the accelerator; you wouldn’t go anywhere without it.
So, understanding how it works is absolutely key to tracking problems down.
If the accelerator ever were to stop in the middle of nowhere, you can actually try to find the problem and possibly fix it.
The accelerator itself is simple to understand. I mean, you step on the gas pedal, and the car runs. While that is true, there is more that goes behind the scenes.
When you step on the pedal, you hit the pivot of the vehicle. From there, the pivot proceeds to pull on the throttle wire.
The throttle wire of the vehicle is connected to something called throttle linkage.
When this happens, the butterfly valve begins to do its job, isolating, and controlling the vehicle’s flow.
The car sensors will detect air coming into the system; they will inject more fuel into the engine to get the car running.
DIY Guide: How to Replace a Broken Sensor On the Throttle Body
Ask yourself, do I want to learn a valuable skill, or do I want to have somebody fix it for me? The answer, of course, is—do it yourself.
Replacing a broken sensor on the throttle body is surprisingly easy, and you will be shocked when you replace it on your own.
In this guide, we will cover the steps that you need to replace a broken sensor. If you’d like to know more about this, you’re in the perfect place.
Without any further ado, here is what you need to know:
01. Disconnect the Battery
Before you move any further, you need to disconnect the battery. The idea behind this is to reset the computer. To do this, follow these steps:
- Pop the hood
- Disconnect the negative terminal first
- Once you have disconnected the negative side, you want to disconnect the positive terminal
Always disconnect the negative side first. Otherwise, you could damage the battery. Also, here is a video you can watch to disconnect the battery:
02. Remove the Engine Cover
Once you have disconnected the battery, you want to take off the engine cover. To take off the engine cover, here is what you need to do:
- Remove all the bolts from the surface
- Once you have removed the bolts, proceed to disconnect the side mounts from both sides. By doing this, you will be able to remove the engine cover
- Now you want to start off by applying a little bit of pressure on the passenger side. Most of the time, it is easier to take off the passenger side
If you follow all the steps, you will remove the engine cover in just a matter of minutes.
03. Remove the Air Cleaner
Everything we’ve done so far is quite simple to follow along. Now, this time, we need to remove the air cleaner. Here is what you need to do to take off the air cleaner:
- Once you have removed the engine cover, you should be able to find the air cleaner
- Remove the screws holding the air cleaner together
- Take everything out to get to the canister
- Now you want to remove the canister and place it somewhere you can find it
By removing the air cleaner, you will gain access to the throttle body.
04. Unplug the Sensors
As you can see, there are a lot of different components. But all we care about is the sensors. To remove the sensors, follow these steps:
- Disconnect all the sensors by applying a little bit of pressure
- Be careful; you don’t want to break the sensors by any means
- Once you have disconnected the sensors, use a torque screwdriver to remove the screws
We recommend taking enough to get through this process. Even though unplugging the sensors is quite simple, you want to be careful when handling them.
05. Put the New Sensors Back On
Once you have determined all the sensors that no longer seem to work, you want to get rid of them and install the new ones on the vehicle.
- Install the new sensors
- When you’re installing the new sensors, make sure you hear a clicking sound
- From there, you want to put everything back
- Be careful when putting back all the parts you took off
And that’s how you replace old sensors. Replacing old sensors barely takes any time and can be done by anybody.
Also, if the air filter is dirty, we suggest replacing it. If you need help to replace the sensor, here is a video you can watch:
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
If you need to know more about Dodge Ram acceleration problems, here are three common questions that most people seem to have about this truck:
01. What years did Dodge Ram have transmission problems?
If you’re planning on getting a Dodge Ram, you probably want to avoid the models with transmission problems; here is a list of those models:
- Any model from 2002 all the way up to the 2008 generation experience the same acceleration problems
02. Does RAM still have transmission problems?
We’ve seen how transmission problems have been so persistent throughout many Dodge Ram models. However, both the 2019 and 2020 Dodge Ram have worked beyond our expectations. And so far, they have not experienced transmission problems.
03. How do I fix the death wobble on a Dodge Ram?
If you want to get rid of the death wobble on the Dodge Ram, here is what you can do:
- Check the tires to make sure all the tires are balanced
- Check the brushing
- Check the bearings of the vehicle
- Also, check the steering
Conclusion
Dodge ram acceleration problems can be super frustrating, and as the truck begins to age, the problems only seem to worsen.
So, fixing all these problems as soon as possible will determine if the truck can survive in the next few years.
Once you become familiar with all the truck parts, you will have an easier time fixing any acceleration problem that the truck could run into in the future.
You don’t need any certification to fix any of these problems; as long as you take enough time out of your busy schedule, you can fix these problems on the fly.
