MajorCommonEngine

RAM 1500: Cracked exhaust manifold and broken manifold bolts (DS, DS Classic and DT 5.7 HEMI V8)

Cracked exhaust manifold and broken manifold bolts (DS, DS Classic and DT 5.7 HEMI V8) is a common engine fault on the RAM 1500 on the 2009 onward cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $900 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 22 documented faults on the RAM 1500.

Vehicle: RAM 1500
Engine: 5.7L
Years: 2009 onward
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the RAM 1500 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All RAM 1500 faults22 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Exhaust manifold yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The cast-iron exhaust manifolds on the 5.7 HEMI expand and shrink at a different rate from the steel bolts holding them to the aluminium heads, so over many heat cycles the rear bolts snap and the manifolds warp or crack. The result is an exhaust leak that ticks loudly from a cold start and often goes quiet as the metal warms and closes the gap, which is why it is easily confused with the more serious HEMI lifter tick. Stellantis TSB 09-011-22 (September 2022), superseded by TSB 09-001-24 (January 2024), covers 2019 to 2024 DT Ram 1500 5.7 and 5.7 eTorque trucks with a cold ticking noise, and has dealers fit new manifold kits with longer bolts and added tie bars; this was warranty-only and does not help an out-of-warranty truck. On DS and DS Classic trucks the same failure is widely reported and fixed with aftermarket manifolds. Left alone it gets louder, can set lean or oxygen-sensor codes and lets exhaust fumes into the engine bay, and broken bolts that must be drilled out of the head make the job much dearer.

What you would notice

Sharp ticking or tapping from the side of the engine on a cold start that fades after a few minutes
Ticking that is loudest under light throttle when cold
Exhaust smell in the engine bay or cab at idle
Black soot marks around the manifold where it meets the cylinder head

How to check it

Where to look. Exhaust manifolds on the outer side of each cylinder head, rear bolts nearest the firewall on both sides of the V8

Ask the seller not to start the truck before you arrive, and put your hand on the bonnet to confirm the engine is cold.
Start it with the bonnet open and listen at each side of the engine just behind the front wheels: a crisp tick that is loud at first and fades within a few minutes as the engine warms points to a manifold leak, while a tick that stays or gets louder when hot points to the lifters instead.
Use a phone torch to look down past the heat shields at the back of each manifold for black soot streaks or a missing bolt head.
Smell for exhaust fumes in the engine bay at idle.
Ask whether the manifolds or bolts have ever been replaced and on which side.
If a workshop inspection is possible: have the heat shields removed on a cold engine so the manifold can be checked for cracks and snapped bolts, as TSB 09-001-24 describes, and ask for a scan for lean or oxygen-sensor codes.

Parts involved: Exhaust manifold.

What it costs to put right

$900 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Have the exhaust manifolds or bolts ever been replaced, and on which side?”
“Does it tick on a cold start, and does the tick go away once warm?”
“If it is a 2019 or later DT, was the TSB 09-001-24 manifold kit fitted under warranty?”

Now check the RAM 1500 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Stellantis TSB 09-001-24 'Cold Engine Ticking Noise', 2019-2024 (DT) Ram 1500 5.7L HEMI and 5.7L eTorque (supersedes TSB 09-011-22), NHTSA MC-10251862
BD Diesel R&D blog: 'Ram 5.7 HEMI Exhaust Manifold Leak and Broken Bolts (2009-2022): Symptoms, Fixes'
Powertrain Products: 'Diagnosing The Hemi Tick: Exhaust Manifold Leaks Vs. Roller Lifter Failure'

RAM 1500 buyer questions

Is cracked exhaust manifold and broken manifold bolts (ds, ds classic and dt 5.7 hemi v8) serious on a RAM 1500?

We rate it major and common on the RAM 1500. The cast-iron exhaust manifolds on the 5.7 HEMI expand and shrink at a different rate from the steel bolts holding them to the aluminium heads, so over many heat cycles the rear bolts snap and the manifolds warp or crack. The result is an exhaust leak that ticks loudly from a cold start and often goes quiet as the metal warms and closes the gap, which is why it is easily confused with the more serious HEMI lifter tick. Stellantis TSB 09-011-22 (September 2022), superseded by TSB 09-001-24 (January 2024), covers 2019 to 2024 DT Ram 1500 5.7 and 5.7 eTorque trucks with a cold ticking noise, and has dealers fit new manifold kits with longer bolts and added tie bars; this was warranty-only and does not help an out-of-warranty truck. On DS and DS Classic trucks the same failure is widely reported and fixed with aftermarket manifolds. Left alone it gets louder, can set lean or oxygen-sensor codes and lets exhaust fumes into the engine bay, and broken bolts that must be drilled out of the head make the job much dearer.

How much does it cost to fix on a RAM 1500?

$900 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which RAM 1500 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2009 onward RAM 1500. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Ask the seller not to start the truck before you arrive, and put your hand on the bonnet to confirm the engine is cold. Start it with the bonnet open and listen at each side of the engine just behind the front wheels: a crisp tick that is loud at first and fades within a few minutes as the engine warms points to a manifold leak, while a tick that stays or gets louder when hot points to the lifters instead. Use a phone torch to look down past the heat shields at the back of each manifold for black soot streaks or a missing bolt head. Smell for exhaust fumes in the engine bay at idle. Ask whether the manifolds or bolts have ever been replaced and on which side. If a workshop inspection is possible: have the heat shields removed on a cold engine so the manifold can be checked for cracks and snapped bolts, as TSB 09-001-24 describes, and ask for a scan for lean or oxygen-sensor codes. Look here: Exhaust manifolds on the outer side of each cylinder head, rear bolts nearest the firewall on both sides of the V8