What 687 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Ram 1500 Crew Cab

ENGINE CODE READING MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 3 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 80K MILES. VEHICLE STARTS TO SHAKE AND IS HARDER TO CONTROL, AND LOSES ACCELERATION, IS RANDOM, ALMOST CAUSING A MULTI-CAR PILEUP. ISSUE IS THE CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS. IT IS DESCIBED IN THIS COMMUNICATION HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2021/MC-10187058-9999.PDF THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE WITH ANYTHING WITH A 5.7, 6.0 OR 6.4 HEMI MOTOR. SPARK PLUGS AND PLUG WIRES WERE REPLACED 3/21/21, DRIVEN AGAIN ON 3/22/21, SAME ISSUE, ALMOST CAUSING ANOTHER CRASH DUE TO LOSS OF POWER ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN MERGING, AND THEN SHAKING ALMOST SENDING THE VEHICLE INTO BRIDGE.

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ENGINE WOULD NOT START. ONCE STARTED WHILE DRIVING MOTOR WOULD SURGE LIKE NOT GETTING GAS AND ALMOST STALL. MECHANICS REPLACED FUEL PUMP BUT WHILE DRIVING AND PARKING FOR DINNER ENGINE ONCE AGAIN WOULDNT START. MECHANICS STILL HAVENT RESOLVED ISSUE

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TRUCK HAS A HARD TIME STARTING FIRST TIME OF THE DAY AFTER THAT IT IS OK

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I WAS OPERATING MY VEHICLE WHEN IT PRESENTED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I UTILIZED A CODE READER TO DETERMINE IT WAS A CYLINDER 5 MISFIRE CODE. THE CODE DISAPPEARED AFTER ROUGHLY 30 SECONDS. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THE TRUCK STARTED VIOLENTLY SHAKING, CAUSING ME TO ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FROM THE MIDDLE LANE, ALMOST CAUSING MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS AS MY SPEED RAPIDLY DECREASED. THE SHAKING CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER TWO MINUTES AFTER WHICH IT STOPPED. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME BY TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED AND KEEPING THE ENGINE SPEED UNDER 3000 RPM. THE ISSUE WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILING CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS CAUSING A MISFIRE AND THE LOSS OF POWER. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND I AM NOT ABLE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF THE MISFIRE OCCURRING AGAIN AND ME LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.

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THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND THE CODE WAS A P305 WHICH IS AN ENGINE MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 5. WE HAD THE TRUCK LOOKED AT AND THE SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED THEN THE COIL PACKS NONE OF WHICH FIXED THE TRUCK. FINALLY THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE LIFTERS IN THE MOTOR FAILED WHICH DAMAGED THE CAM SHAFT. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR IN THE TRUCK. THE DEALERSHIP EVEN SAID THAT THE PART WAS FAULTY AND DODGE CONTINUED TO USE THEM IN THE ENGINES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND AFTER MANIPULATING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE STARTED. TOWBIN DODGE (275 AUTO MALL DR, HENDERSON, NV 89014, (702) 558-3800) WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED WITH AN IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,500.

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WHEN I TURNED MY VEHICLE OFF AND TOOK THE KEY OUT THE FUEL PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN FOR HOURS BECAUSE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY IS BAD. THIS TRUCK DOESN'T HAVE AN EXTERNAL FUEL PUMP RELAY LIKE MOST VEHICLES DO. BY HAVING A BAD INTERNAL RELAY IT CAN CAUSE GAS TO CONTINUE TO PUMP IN AN ACCIDENT AND IF THERE IS A FIRE THE FUEL WILL CONTINUE TO PUMP AND NOT SHUT OFF. ALSO BY THIS FUEL RELAY NOT SHUTTING OFF THE FUEL PUMP IT DRAINS MY BATTERY AND IT WILL BURN OUT THE FUEL PUMP.. THE BIGGEST CONCERN BY NOT HAVING AN EXTERNAL FUEL RELAY WHERE A PERSON CAN CHANGE IT IS THAT WHEN IT DON'T SHUT OFF AS YOUR DRIVING AND GET I AN ACCIDENT WHERE FIRE OR HEAT IS INVOLVED THIS COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION INJURY OR EVEN DEATH, BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS RELAY IS BAD AND CAN'T CHANGE IT WITHOUT CHANGING THE WHOLE FUSE BOX OR GETTING THE FUSE BOX REPLACED. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I PARKED THE CAR AND REMOVED KEY AND LEFT IT FOR 8 HOURS WHILE I WAS AT WORK. I CAME OUT TO A DEAD BATTERY, AFTER HOOKING UP JUMPER CABLES I COULD HEAR A HUMMING SOUND, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE FUEL PUMP CONTINUING TO PUMP GAS EVEN THOUGH KEY WAS OUT AND TRUCK WAS TURNED OFF... I KNOW DODGE RECALLED OTHER TYPES OF VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM.

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WHEEL BEARINGS TRANSMISSION BRAKES ALTERNATOR BATTERY SITTING STILL WITH ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY AND IN MOTION WITH WHEEL BEARINGS BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT VEHICLE START-UP, THE ENGINE RATTLED AND VIBRATED WITHOUT WARNING. OVER TIME, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS A MISFIRE IN CYLINDER #8. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, THE LIFTERS AND POSSIBLY THE CAMSHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE DEALER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS THEN REFERRED TO NHTSA AND WAS OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 155,000.

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BACK IN AUGUST OF 2019 I BOUGHT MY CAR TO THE BROWNS 112 DEALERSHIP AND GOT WORK DONE TO PUT IN A NEW ENGINE IN THE CAR THIS WORK TOOK OVER 4 MONTHS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NEVER OFF THE CAR NOW A YEAR LATER ALMOST AND THE CAR IS GIVIN ME THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE SHAKING AND NOW THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THAT 27,000 ON THE NEW ENGINE THE PROBLEM IS MINE AND THAT I WRECK THE CAR WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I DID THIS

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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME OUT AND VEHICLE BECAME SLUGGISH ON HIGHWAY. CYLINDERS MISSFIRING. LIFTER NOISE SO REMOVED AND REPLACED CAMSHAFT AND SOLENOID. FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES ONLINE: HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/DODGE/RAM_1500/2011/ENGINE/LIFTER_AND_CAM_ISSUE.SHTML AND HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/DODGE/RAM_1500/2011/ENGINE/LIFTER_AND_CAM_ISSUE-2.SHTML

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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. LOST POWER AND HAD TO PULL OVER DUE TO VIBRATION. COULD NOT DRIVE EVEN CLOSE TO THE SPEED LIMIT AND CAUSED A TRAFFIC BACKUP WHILE DRIVING IT TO THE DEALER. CODE WS P0305. MISFIRE ON CYLINDER 5. THE DEALER CHANGED PLUGS, AND COIL PACK. RESET CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. DROVE 12 MILES AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. RETURNED TO DEALER. MECHANIC STATED IT WAS WORN CAM. ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR IS 4500-5000. THIS TRUCK ONLY HAS 140,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE TAKEN EXTRA CARE WITH THIS VEHICLE. I'M RETIRED AND I PLANNED ON THIS BEING MY LAST TRUCK. UPON INVESTIGATION THERE ARE LITERALLY 10000'S OF THESE ENGINES BREAKING IN THIS MANNER. IT'S NOT ONLY TRUCKS BUT IN ALL OF THE VARIOUS CHRYSLER VEHICLES. THIS STARTED WITH THE FIRST MODEL 5.7 HEMI. THERE IS NO COMMENT OR HELP FROM CHRYSLER. THIS ENGINE FAILURE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY NHTSA. INDIVIDUALS HAVE LITTLE POWER TO DO ANYTHING WHICH IS WHY WE RELY ON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS NHTSA TO MAKE OUR COLLECTIVE VOICES HEARD. I'M POSITIVE THAT YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF REGISTERED COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE YET YOU HAVE DONE DO NOTHING? I KNOW THIS WILL MEAN MILLIONS TO CHRYSLER. DO THEY HAVE THE NHTSA IN IT'S POCKET? SURE SEEMS TO BE THE CASE SINCE YOU ARE NOT REPRESENTING THE US CITIZENS HARMED BY CHRYSLER USING FAULTY PARTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE 5.7 HEMI. WHERE IS THE QUALITY CONTROL? THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND IF CHRYSLER HAD QUALITY CONTROL ON THE PARTS THEY USE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS MANDATORY. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE TO SEE HOW YOU ARE WIGGLING OUT OF THIS. *TR

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DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD SLOWING DOWN HEADING TOWARDS A STOPLIGHT AND MY 2011 DODGE RAM STOPPED AT THE STOPLIGHT AND WOULD NOT TURN OVER IT WOULD CRANK BUT WOULD NOT START. SO I HAD TO PUSH THE TRUCK INTO A PARKING LOT CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK AND FURTHER INSPECT THE VEHICLE. UPON LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE AND LEFT LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD I NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING BUT WAS NOT A PROBLEM. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVE 3 1/2 HOURS LATER I STARTED TALKING TO HIM AND TOGETHER HIS OPINION OF WHAT HAPPEN POSSIBLE TIMING OR HEAD GASKET BLOWN HEAD GASKET BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE THERE WAS NO LEAKAGE I STILL HAVE COMPRESSION SPARK AND FUEL COMING TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED ALL THE WAY BACK TO MY PROPERTY WHERE MY BROTHER-IN-LAW ASSISTED WHO HAS BEEN A MECHANIC FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS HAS STARTED GOING THROUGH IT WE HAVE NOTICED SOME SIMILAR RECALLS WITH THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUES WHICH WE BELIEVE THAT IS THE ISSUE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE COMPRESSION AND SPARK IGNITION AND FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. IF YOU CAN PLEASESHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS I WOULD REALLY ENJOY HEARING BACK SO I CAN FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE TRUCK AND MAY BE A POSSIBLE RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE.

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COMING FOR THE SENIOR CENTER ON THE FREEWAY. MY TRUCK BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & A BELL WAS RINGING. I PUT MY EMERGENCY LIGHT ON, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. EVERYONE AROUND ME HAD TO SLOW DOWN AND I'M IN TRAFFIC. THEY WILL RUN YOU OVER ON THE FREEWAY. BLOWING THERE HORN AND THEY CAN SEE SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH YOU TRUCK. THE TRUCK SLOW DOWN SO I KEEP GOING. WHEN I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY I WENT TO O'REILLY AUTO PART TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. THEY PUT THE MACHINE ON IT AND SAID IT WAS A MISFIRE CODE 5 AND OTHER CODE ALSO. NOW TO FIND OUT THAT IT THE CAM/LIFTER THAT NEED FIXING. OVER $5,000.00 DOLLAR WORK FOR THIS TRUCK. I LOOK ON LINE TO SEE IF IT WAS A RECALLS FOR THIS AND FOUND OUT THAT ALMOST ALL THE DODGE RAM WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEED TO BE DOING. THERE ARE TO MAY RAM DRIVER THAT COMING OUT THERE POCKET TO PAY FOR THE SAME THING. *TR

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LIFTER FAILURES IN ENGINE, EVEN WHEN MAINTAINED. IN MOTION WHEN INCIDENT OCCURRED, CITY DRIVING. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY STALL WHEN IN MOTION. KNOWN MECHANICAL FAILURE BY RAM/DODGE, BUT THEY HAVE TAKEN NO ACTION. THIS IS 5.7 HEMI ENGINES. REGARDING RAM 1500. *TR

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BOUGHT A USED 2011 RAM 1500 AND FOUND OUT SOME OF THE MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE WHEN STARTED UP NOTICED A TICK SOUND HAD CHECKED AND FOUND OUT THE HEMI IS NATORIOUS FOR THIS AND NO RECALL. BUT EXHAUST LEAKING OUT IS DANGEROUS AND FROM WHAT IV'E SEEN AND HEARD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE HEMI

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VEHICLE SHAKES AND WILL LOSE ITS PULLING POWER TO WHERE ONE CAN ONLY GO AROUND 20 MILES PER HOUR. THIS HAPPENED ON A BYPASS WHILE GOING 50ISH MPH. THE SUDDEN SLOWING ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK. ENGINE CODE PULLS UP AS MISFIRE. AFTER BOTH SPARK PLUGS AND ON-COIL PLUG WAS REPLACED VEHICLE DONE THE SAME THING. UPON INVESTIGATING CONDITIONS AND KNOCKING NOISE I DISCOVERED MANY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS DUE TO LIFTER SEIZING AND DIGGING INTO CAM SHAFT. THIS CAUSES THE CYLINDER TO NOT OPEN RIGHT MAKING FUEL AIR MIXTURE TO BE OFF. MANY FORUMS AND VIDEOS ONLINE BLAME BAD LIFTERS FROM FACTORY. HOWEVER I AM PERSONALLY UNCERTAIN OF THIS SO ISSUE IS UNKNOWN. REACHING OUT TO DODGE I GET A MESSAGE OF SORRY YOUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 70853 MILES ON IT BUT IS PAST FIVE YEARS OLD. OTHERS REPORTED ISSUE FROM 50-120K MILES IN THEIR CASES. I TRULLY DONT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE SINCE IT SEEMS FAIRLY COMMON AND PEOPLE ARE OUT 1000S OF DOLLARS BECAUSE OF IT.

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HAS NUMBER 6 MISFIRE AND WAS DETERMINED AFTER ITEMS REPLACED IT IS A SEIZED LIFTER CAUSING THE ISSUE

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CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS MALFUNCTION DRIVING HIGHWAY VEHICLE WILL GO INTO LIMP MODE, WHEN CHECKED OUT SAYS NUMBER 5 MISFIRE, REPLACE COIL PACK AND PLUGS, SAME THING

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MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAM SHAFT LIFTERS FAIL, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAM SHAFT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THERE IS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH THE MANIFOLD BOLTS BREAKING OFF INSIDE THE ENGINE. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE DODGE DEALER, HE ADVISED ME THAT HE DOES THESE REPAIRS ON A DAILY BASIS. IT IS A VERY COMMON AND WELL KNOWN ISSUE.

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ROLLER BEARING ON LIFTER HAD FAILED REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL LIFTERS AND THE CAMSHAFT. THIS OCCURRED AT 91620 MILES IN SPITE OF A PERFECT SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE RECORD.

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THIS HAS BEEN ON ONGOING ISSUE. FIRST WOULD NOT START FINALLY AFTER TRYING SO MANY TIMES I JUST STARTED USING ANOTHER CAR AND I GOT THE FUEL PUMPED REPLACED THEN THE SAME ISSUE NOW THE AC UNIT WAS NOT WORKING SO I REPLACED IT 3 TIMES. WELL NOW IT STILL DOES NOT WORK AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT I JUST GIVE IT SOME TIME TO START NOW. ONLY WAY TO START VEHICLE. THEN WHILE ON THE FWY THE VEHICLE JUST LOST POWER I ASSUME BUT MY SPEED WAS DECLINING WHILE I WAS DRIVING SO I TRIED TO PRESS ON THE GAS OR BREAK BUT BOTH WERE TOO STIFF WOULDNT DO ANYTHING AND FINALLY MAYBE LIKE 25 SECONDS THAT MY VEHICLE WAS LIKE THAT FINALLY I COULD FEEL THAT I WAS ABLE TO PRESS ON GAS I COULD TELL MY SPEED WAS RISING THEN THE BREAK NO LONGER WAS STIFF AND HARD TO PRESS ON . BUT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS . THIS ALL HAPPENED ON HWY AT 70 MILES

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LIFTER FAILURE CAUSING DAMAGES TO THE CAMSHAFT AND ENGINE

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO START. ON OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START, IT WOULD SPORADICALLY SHUT OFF. AN UNKNOWN DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. *BF*JB

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CAM/LIFTER ISSUE WITH THE 01-11 DODGE RAM 1500! IT'S A FACTORY ENGINE PROBLEM THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX. IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE DAY ONE & YET IT'S STILL NOT A RECALL ON IT. NOBODY HAS THE TIME OR MONEY TO FIX A PROBLEM THE MANUFACTURERS SHOULD HAVE FIXED BEFORE HAND. KEEPS THROWING THE CYLINDER 5 MISFIRE CODE & EVERYTHING THAT I CAN AFFORD TO REPLACE HAS BEEN REPLACED

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