Ram Heavy Duty Service
Bud Clary Auburn Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram services Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups with the 6.7L Cummins turbo diesel at our service department on Auburn Way N, working from the maintenance plan in Ram's own 2026 owner's manual. Medium and heavy duty trucks and fleet work go to the Bud Clary Commercial Truck Center, just down the road at 2715 Auburn Way N.
These intervals come from the 2026 Ram 2500/3500 owner's manual. Heavy loads, trailer towing, short trips and off-road driving can call for service sooner.
| Item | What Ram's manual calls for |
|---|---|
| Engine oil and filter | At the Oil Change Due message, and never past 15,000 miles, 12 months or 500 engine hours, whichever comes first |
| Oil type | Above 0 F, 10W-30 meeting Ram's MS-10902 standard and API CK-4. Below 0 F, 5W-40 synthetic meeting the same standards. |
| Fuel filters | Replace both engine-mounted filters, the 3 micron front and 5 micron rear, every 15,000 miles or 12 months |
| Engine air filter | Inspect every 15,000 miles and replace as needed; never run one past 30,000 miles or 24 months |
| Diesel Exhaust Fluid | Check the tank at every 7,500-mile service. Use only DEF that is API certified to ISO 22241. |
| Crankcase ventilation filter | Due at 75,000 and 150,000 miles. Ram adds that the emissions service a Perform Service message asks for may include this filter. |
| Biodiesel | Blends up to B20 only. Above B5, the manual adds a 6-month limit on oil changes. |
Source: 2026 Ram 2500/3500 Owner's Manual, diesel maintenance plan and fluid specifications. Chassis cabs follow the separate Ram Chassis Cab owner's manual. Your truck's own manual has the final word.
The diesel particulate filter cleans itself. Once it's about 40% full of soot, the truck looks for a chance to burn it off on its own. A steady diet of short, slow trips can keep that from happening, and at 70% the cluster says Exhaust Filter Nearing Full Safely Drive at Highway Speeds to Clear. Ram's manual says you don't have to head for the freeway that minute, but don't put it off: a filter at 90% typically needs about 45 minutes of driving to finish. At 100% the engine loses power, the truck can no longer regenerate, and the filter has to be cleaned at a dealer.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid gives plenty of notice. DEF Low Refill Soon appears when a pickup's tank has room for roughly 5 gallons. Ignore it and a mileage countdown begins; once it reaches zero, the truck holds itself to 5 mph after a restart, a long idle or a refuel. Pouring in at least 2 gallons of DEF heads that off. A DEF system fault is a different message, and it points you to a dealer rather than a refill: if the system isn't serviced inside 200 miles of the fault, the truck can be held to 5 mph.
If the Water In Fuel light comes on with five chimes, shut the engine off and drain both fuel filters before you start it again.
If your truck works construction or hauling around South King County, with material runs to job sites, stop-and-go on SR 167 and long idles while the crew works, that's the hard duty Ram's manual warns about. Long idling can leave fuel unburned, dilute the oil and keep the exhaust filter from regenerating. After two hours of idling or low-speed driving, the engine raises its idle to 900 RPM on its own to help the filter.
Pulling a trailer over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90, or up SR 410 past Enumclaw? From November 1 to April 1, WSDOT requires vehicles over 10,000 pounds GVWR to carry tire chains on both routes, so check the GVWR on your door sticker before a winter run.
Deep cold on the passes is where diesel fuel gets picky. Ram recommends plugging in the block heater below 0 F and requires it below minus 20 F, and it calls for winter-blended or No. 1 ultra-low sulfur diesel in extended cold, with a diesel fuel treatment when you can't find either.
Service department, 2925 Auburn Way N
Scheduled maintenance, DEF and exhaust filter diagnosis, and warranty and recall repairs, handled by factory-trained technicians with genuine Mopar parts.
Commercial Truck Center, 2715 Auburn Way N
A separate Bud Clary shop for commercial trucks of every make, staffed with Cummins-certified technicians. Fleet accounts get PO billing and priority scheduling.
On a 2026 Ram 2500 or 3500 bought or leased new outside a fleet purchase, the original owner's powertrain coverage runs 10 years or 100,000 miles. For the Cummins, Ram's covered parts list includes the block and internal parts, cylinder heads, the fuel injection pump and injectors, the turbocharger housing and internals, glow plugs and all sensors. A later owner gets the New Vehicle Limited Warranty's powertrain coverage instead: 5 years or 60,000 miles, stretched to 100,000 miles on the diesel engine. See our Ram 10-year powertrain warranty page for the full rules.
Oil, filters and fluids are maintenance, which the warranty doesn't pay for, and damage from contaminated fuel or the wrong fluids isn't covered either. You don't need a dealer for routine maintenance to keep the warranty in force, as the FTC explains, but Ram warranty repairs have to happen at an authorized Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram dealer. Hang on to every receipt, since FCA asks for proof of maintenance if a claim is ever disputed.
When you book, tell us the mileage and any message showing on the cluster. Service is open weekdays from 7:30 AM and Saturdays from 8:00 AM.
When the Oil Change Due message appears. Ram's 2026 manual sets a hard limit of 15,000 miles, 12 months or 500 engine hours, whichever comes first, and towing, heavy loads and short trips can bring the message sooner.
Above 0 F, Ram recommends 10W-30 that meets its MS-10902 standard and the API CK-4 category; oils meeting Cummins CES 20081 may also be used. Below 0 F, use 5W-40 synthetic meeting MS-10902 and API CK-4.
Both engine-mounted filters, front and rear, are replaced every 15,000 miles or 12 months. If the Water In Fuel light comes on, drain them before restarting the engine.
After the DEF Low warning and its countdown, the truck limits you to 5 mph after a restart, a long idle or a refuel. Adding at least 2 gallons of API-certified DEF avoids it.
Short, slow trips kept the particulate filter from cleaning itself. Drive at a steady highway speed so it can regenerate; a 90% full filter takes about 45 minutes. If it reaches 100%, power drops and a dealer has to clean it.
Our Commercial Truck Center at 2715 Auburn Way N services medium and heavy duty trucks of every make. Call it at (253) 886-5111.
