RAM 1500 Diesel Mileage

[New Adventures]

We picked up our new 19' last week and got it home safely despite traveling through heavy rains and two spring blizzards in the mountains which added some excitement to the trip. The trailer passed the "leak test".

My RAM 1500 with the 3.0 diesel normally averages 25-27mpg unloaded. We averaged about 17mpg on the trip home which included mountain passes and high winds from the side and front at times.

[steve dunham]

Glad to hear that you and your new trailer got home safely.
Weather is always so unpredictable !!

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by New Adventures

We picked up our new 19' last week and got it home safely despite traveling through heavy rains and two spring blizzards in the mountains which added some excitement to the trip. The trailer passed the "leak test".

My RAM 1500 with the 3.0 diesel normally averages 25-27mpg unloaded. We averaged about 17mpg on the trip home which included mountain passes and high winds from the side and front at times.

Hi: New Adventures... Conga Rats on your new trailer. I certainly like the look of the 2019 RAM 1500 Ltd. pickup... but no mention of a 3.0L diesel for it!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[cpaharley2008]

Is this #17 the amount shown on your trucks dash read out for avg over the entire trip? If you avg 25 unhitched out and now the dash reads 17 as the avg, for the entire trip, then you were getting 12-13 towing or less while towing. There are 2 readings available on the Ram, so avg overall and avg while towing can easily be determined.

[Rapha]

Originally Posted by New Adventures

We picked up our new 19' last week and got it home safely despite traveling through heavy rains and two spring blizzards in the mountains which added some excitement to the trip. The trailer passed the "leak test".

My RAM 1500 with the 3.0 diesel normally averages 25-27mpg unloaded. We averaged about 17mpg on the trip home which included mountain passes and high winds from the side and front at times.

Congrats on the new trailer. I'm happy to hear your MPG numbers. My buddies refused to believe the numbers I reported from my first trip towing our trailer with the RAM 1500 ecodiesel. We had similar mileage pulling a 5.0TA back to Utah from Chilliwack. 16.5mpg the first day, some of which was driving over snowy mountain passes in 4WD, and around 16.2mpg the second day, again in 4WD for some of the trip, and high winds from the South. The third day we got almost 17mpg. The trip computer was confirmed by old fashioned arithmetic during my morning fill ups at service stations. I'm very happy with this truck.

[New Adventures]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Is this #17 the amount shown on your trucks dash read out for avg over the entire trip? If you avg 25 unhitched out and now the dash reads 17 as the avg, for the entire trip, then you were getting 12-13 towing or less while towing. There are 2 readings available on the Ram, so avg overall and avg while towing can easily be determined.

I reset everything when we hooked up in Sumas so the 17mpg average was with trailer in tow from Sumas to Idaho and not an average for the entire trip. The truck has a total reset plus two mileage calculators so I have to be careful about which ones I use and/or reset depending on what I desire at the time.

[salmo7000]

Originally Posted by New Adventures

We picked up our new 19' last week and got it home safely despite traveling through heavy rains and two spring blizzards in the mountains which added some excitement to the trip. The trailer passed the "leak test".

My RAM 1500 with the 3.0 diesel normally averages 25-27mpg unloaded. We averaged about 17mpg on the trip home which included mountain passes and high winds from the side and front at times.

Great to know, thanks for sharing your info, and glad you made it back this snowy/rainy spring! We're on track to pick up our new 19' in August, towing it with a Chevy Colorado 4X4 diesel. Hopefully will NOT have to contend with any blizzards that time of year!

[elongest]

Towing an E-21 with an Eco Diesel (ED) 17MPG is a good avg. towing at 65 MPH. The ED MPG does not like high speeds or head winds. On the way to GE&H with a 20-25 MPH head wind I was only getting 14.5 MPG. No issues with power at higher speeds. In the WV mountains I get the same MPG as flat land towing at 55MPH. From Va. to Fl. (900mi.) on flat I-95 I get 17MPG in tow mode running 70 MPH with a 355 rear. With the Casita I would get 19.5 MPG. The wide flat front E-21 is not that MPG friendly .
Eddie

[New Adventures]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: New Adventures... Conga Rats on your new trailer. I certainly like the look of the 2019 RAM 1500 Ltd. pickup... but no mention of a 3.0L diesel for it!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Truck Trend magazine reported that FCA plans to have the 3.0L diesel return as a late availability option on the new 2019 models.

[New Adventures]

Originally Posted by elongest

Towing an E-21 with an Eco Diesel (ED) 17MPG is a good avg. towing at 65 MPH. The ED MPG does not like high speeds or head winds. On the way to GE&H with a 20-25 MPH head wind I was only getting 14.5 MPG. No issues with power at higher speeds. In the WV mountains I get the same MPG as flat land towing at 55MPH. From Va. to Fl. (900mi.) on flat I-95 I get 17MPG in tow mode running 70 MPH with a 355 rear. With the Casita I would get 19.5 MPG. The wide flat front E-21 is not that MPG friendly .
Eddie

"tow mode" - I neglected to mention that in my post. I used the tow/haul mode for the return trip. The truck had no problems going up any of the passes or steep grades.

[cpaharley2008]

I have close to 26,000 miles, almost 95% towing and always in the "tow mode", it is a great combo, the Ram and a 19 Escape. Check you spare tire, mine was a temporary.

[New Adventures]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I have close to 26,000 miles, almost 95% towing and always in the "tow mode", it is a great combo, the Ram and a 19 Escape. Check you spare tire, mine was a temporary.

I double checked my spare last year after you posted your surprise that you had a temporary spare. I was fortunate, my spare is full service - it was part of the old Outdoorsman package - I do not believe it is available anymore.

[New Adventures]

Originally Posted by salmo7000

Great to know, thanks for sharing your info, and glad you made it back this snowy/rainy spring! We're on track to pick up our new 19' in August, towing it with a Chevy Colorado 4X4 diesel. Hopefully will NOT have to contend with any blizzards that time of year!

Maybe not blizzards but, based on your moniker, you will have to go up and down the pass at White Bird with trailer in tow. I have only driven the pass without a trailer in tow and and not a big fan of it. We have friends who live in Indian Valley so at some point I will get to experience the pass with a trailer in tow. You will love the new trailer - we did not camp in it yet, just drove home but...quality it there and it is everything we expected.

[salmo7000]

Originally Posted by New Adventures

Maybe not blizzards but, based on your moniker, you will have to go up and down the pass at White Bird with trailer in tow. I have only driven the pass without a trailer in tow and and not a big fan of it. We have friends who live in Indian Valley so at some point I will get to experience the pass with a trailer in tow. You will love the new trailer - we did not camp in it yet, just drove home but...quality it there and it is everything we expected.

Yep you are right, I drive over that pass every day commuting to work. The main reason we ultimately bought a diesel was for that very reason, towing the trailer up and down WB Hill. Unloaded, the Colorado drops a gear only if I punch it and stays below 2,000 rpm at 65 mph climbing an 8% grade. Going down it downshifts automatically, and I'm confident with the exhaust brake it will handle the 19' just fine. These small diesels really amaze me. My friends have a Ram Ecodiesel and love it, they tow a 2-horse trailer and have no trouble with Idaho grades. We bought the Colorado because the local Chevy dealer happened to have it sitting on their lot and were quite anxious to sell it for an attractive price.... and the test drive sealed the deal. Smooth, quiet, comfort and power, combined with remarkable mpg!

[dkirk]

We also pull a 2016 2nd gen Escape 19 with a Ram 1500 diesel. Similar mileage and no problems to report. Off to Utah to kayak the Green River next week if we can chip the trailer out of the ice in the driveway.

Dave and Kim