We've taken over 30 years of automotive service experience and put it to work for you. Blauparts provides the answers to several FAQs regarding 2013-2022 Ram coolant antifreeze. This blog post will discuss the recommended types of Ram antifreeze you'll need, coolant change and flush intervals, and some critical tips when filling or topping up the coolant. We will also discuss the importance of using the correct Ram coolant specifications in your truck and why you should NOT use universal or globally compatible coolants or additives.
DISCLAIMER: The Ram coolant information on this page should not be used as a substitute for your vehicle owner's manual, factory service manual, or authorized Ram dealer's recommendation. Consult your owner's manual for the correct Ram coolant for your specific Ram model. The Ram antifreeze specifications referenced in the article are used internationally. However, the Ram engine and year applications referenced here apply only to Ram models available in the USA.
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What Type of Coolant Does My Ram Use?
Owner's Manual - One way to find out what type of coolant your Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Ram 3500, or Ram Promaster uses is to look in the owner's manual. Using the owner's manual appendix, look under fluids, coolant, or antifreeze. Owners will be directed to an area or specific page number of your owner's manual that should highlight the correct Ram coolant specification for your engine.
Contact Ram Dealer - You can also call the dealer and ask which coolant specification is required for your specific Ram model. Typically, the dealer will request the vehicle's VIN. It will be helpful to have your year, make, model, and engine size handy.
Ram Coolant Antifreeze Specification
OAT MS.90032 10 Year 150,000 Mile Ram Coolant Type
Ram MS.90032 OAT coolant type is the preferred premixed formula specification.
Some manuals reference MS.12106 OAT coolant type as the concentrated formula specification; if you purchase the concentrated formula, it will need to be properly mixed to the correct coolant ratio.
Choose a coolant that meets the 10 year or 150,000 mile Ram coolant specifications called out by Chrysler Ram Mopar requirements.
Choose a coolant that is compatible with Mopar Ram coolant part numbers 68163848AA, 68163848AB, 68104496AA, 68104494AA, 68163849AB, 68163849AA, 68163849AB, 68306482AB, 68306473AB 68140973AA, 68306483AB, 68306476AB, 68140983AA.
- 2013-2021 Ram 1500 Classic 5.7L V8 uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2019-2022 Ram 1500 5.7L V8 uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2013-2021 Ram 1500 Classic 3.6L V6 uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2019-2022 Ram 1500 3.6L V6 uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2014-2019 Ram 1500 Classic 3.0L EcoDiesel uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2020-2022 Ram 1500 3.0L EcoDiesel uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2014-2018 Ram Promaster 1500 3.0L Diesel uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2015-2022 Ram Promaster City 2.4L uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2014-2022 Ram Promaster 1500 3.6L uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2021-2022 Ram 1500 TRX 6.2L V8 uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2013-2018 Ram 2500 5.7L V8 uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2014-2022 Ram 2500 6.4L V8 uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2013-2022 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins Diesel uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2014-2018 Ram Promaster 2500 3.0L Diesel uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2014-2022 Ram Promaster 2500 3.6L uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2013-2018 Ram 3500 5.7L V8 uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2014-2022 Ram 3500 6.4L V8 uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2013-2022 Ram 3500 6.7L Cummins Diesel uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2014-2018 Ram Promaster 3500 3.0L Diesel uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- 2014-2022 Ram Promaster 3500 3.6L uses MS.90032 OAT coolant antifreeze
- For older 2011-2012 Dodge Ram models, please refer to your owner's manual for the correct specification. This blog post does not cover the specifications for these early models.
Please Note: This blog post was last updated in 2022. Please refer to your owner's manual for the correct specification.
Can I Use Universal or Generic Coolant Antifreeze?
NO! Ram owners should never use generic, universal, globally compatible, or propylene glycol-based coolant/antifreeze in a Ram engine. Ram trucks are designed to use coolant explicitly stating the correlating OAT Ram coolant MS.90032 quality specification.
Other coolants are either missing or may contain additives that could negatively affect the engine's cooling system. The wrong coolants can contaminate and change the alkalinity and chemical makeup of the engine's complete cooling system. Long-term, this can lead to expensive mechanical failures in the engine's cooling system, like the water pump and water pump seal damage-causing coolant leaks and catastrophic engine damage. Other issues can develop, such as corrosion, clogging, and excessive calcification to the inside of the engine, radiator, and heater core. This corrosion to the inside of the cooling system can negatively affect the engine's cooling ability restricting coolant flow and causing the engine to run hotter (especially in summer and warmer climates). Over time this can cause overheating issues and possible blown head gaskets. Other adverse effects of using the wrong coolant in your Ram can be seen from external indicators. Bulging coolant hoses, white calcified residue, and corrosion oozing from coolant hose clamp mating areas, coolant system seal areas, and coolant flange areas.
Ram Coolant Antifreeze Change Intervals
One of the most frequent questions we get from customers is: How often should I change Ram coolant? To maximize corrosion protection and prolong engine life, the manufacturer recommends flushing Ram coolant antifreeze every ten years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes 1st. However, it's essential to check the health of the coolant every year (12 months), especially before winter. If it looks discolored or dirty in appearance, it's recommended to drain, flush, and refill with a new coolant.
If you suspect that any other coolant has been added to or mixed in your cooling system, or if the ratio has dipped below 50% or over 70%, the system should be drained, flushed, and refilled with OAT MS.90032 coolant as soon as possible.
Why? Due to age and use, the combination of chemical additives in the coolant and the base of the coolant (even extended life OAT coolant) responsible for lubricating seals, retaining alkalinity, and inhibiting corrosion within the engine's cooling system, become depleted. Like oil, your Ram coolant eventually breaks down over time, becomes weak, and "gets dirty." Thoroughly flushing your Ram coolant is most convenient while changing the water pump or thermostat. The coolant can also be changed during a scheduled service with a Ram service shop.
Pictured Example - The vehicle had approximately 90,000 miles and had one previous owner. The previous owner had every service record from the date of sale, regular oil changes, and preventative maintenance, and they took excellent care of the vehicle. Note the sediment, contamination, and breakdown of the OE-specified coolant removed when we thoroughly flushed the system. Even when using approved coolant, years of continuous circulating through the engine causes the base of the coolant and additives to break down, causing sediment to build up inside the coolant system and creating a contaminated cooling system environment.
Importance of Changing Ram Coolant Antifreeze
Here are three main reasons for changing Ram coolant:
- Preventative maintenance is the main reason for changing your Ram coolant. It should be replaced as coolant gets used and depleted of essential additives.
- The second reason is the possibility of your system having the wrong coolant specification or contaminated coolant. The wrong Ram coolant or contamination can often be identified by green, orange, or brown color coolant and should be flushed thoroughly from your cooling system. You'll notice similar warnings in your owner's manual under the coolant section.
- If you just purchased the vehicle and are unsure of the engine's reliability and quality level of the coolant. If you do not have any service records from the previous owner, good preventative maintenance and service may have been missed. We recommend creating a new maintenance baseline by changing and using the correct coolant.
Topping Up Ram Coolant Antifreeze
CAUTION: Always wear protective gloves and safety glasses when working with coolant antifreeze. Never remove the coolant expansion tank cap when the engine is hot. If the coolant expansion tank cap is removed while the engine is hot, you will be exposed to hot coolant antifreeze that could burn you and cause bodily injury. Always check to see the coolant in your Ram when the engine has cooled or is cold.
It's a good idea to have an extra PREMIXED 1.5 liter of OAT MS.90032 Ram coolant type on hand to top up your coolant system.
Before topping off Ram coolant, you'll want the engine to be lukewarm or cold. Do not check the coolant level when the engine is hot because the coolant volume is in an expanded state. Once the engine has cooled, access the engine compartment and locate the coolant expansion tank. The logo can identify the coolant expansion tank, as seen in the picture. Remove the coolant expansion tank cap and fill with the appropriate specification coolant up to the max fill indicator marks. Reinstall the coolant expansion tank cap confirming it is snug.
Proper Ram Coolant Mixing Ratios
Many Ram coolants sold are a concentrated form. This will require you to mix the coolant with deionized water at a 50% coolant and 50% deionized water ratio. If you do not have deionized water available in your area, it is best to source a Ram coolant that is already pre-diluted or mixed to the proper 50/50 mixing ratio with deionized water. This will ensure that the proper PH alkalinity and performance of your engine's cooling system are not compromised.
Using Tap Water To Top Off Ram Coolant
For all practical purposes no. You should never use tap water in your Ram coolant system. Tap water can make the cooling system acidic since it contains a variety of unnecessary minerals, iron, and chlorins among others that can negatively affect the coolant system. Long-term use of tap water in your cooling system can cause water pump and water pump seal damage, coolant leaks, and possible catastrophic engine damage. Other issues can develop such as corrosion, clogging, and excessive calcification to the inside of the engine, radiator, and heater core.
An Important Warning Note: If you are choosing to take your car to a local quick lube or an independent Ram service specialist you will want to confirm they are not adding or topping off your coolant system with the incorrect coolant specification. As noted in the information above, mixing a Ram coolant specification with generic universal coolant antifreeze will cause an adverse chemical reaction with the existing coolant and contaminates the cooling system.
The only reason to top off your coolant system with water is for emergency reasons. If your engine is low on coolant and you're in a situation or area where the correct Ram specification coolant is not available, it would be better to use bottled water, distilled water, or deionized water to top off the coolant than to continue running the engine with low coolant. It would also be better to use bottled water, distilled water, or deionized water to top up the coolant than to use the incorrect coolant specification. However, this will result in a weak coolant freeze point. If you are in an area that sees frequent freezing temperatures your vehicle should be stored in a heated building until your coolant system can be flushed and serviced to restore the coolant system back to its factory-intended antifreeze strength and performance levels. Our recommended coolant mixing ratio is 50% deionized water and 50% coolant or also known as a 1:1 ratio. This will give you the coolant strength of -40°C or -40°F. If you do live in a colder climate where -40°C / -40°F is seen often, please resort to your owner's manual for a stronger antifreeze mix ratio.
As mentioned above, we recommend having an extra PREMIXED 1.5 liter of OAT MS.90032 Ram coolant type on hand or in your trunk to top up your coolant system.
Coolant Additives, Conditioners, or Flushing Agents
Should coolant additives, conditioners, or flushing agents be used? No.
Using performance-improving additives is unnecessary when you're using the correct factory-specified coolant. If someone is requesting that you use a coolant system performance improvers it should be held in question. The factory-specified Ram coolant quality specification and formulation already contain the correct additive ratios to optimize the performance of your cooling system. Ram has performed more cooling system testing to optimize flow, cavitation, corrosive alkalinity, and temperature control. The only reason to use a coolant performance improver is if the coolant is old and past its service life expectancy. A coolant performance improver can temporarily be used until you have the time to perform a proper coolant system flush with the correct Ram coolant spec.
Many coolant flushing agents contain muriatic and/or other acids that will negatively change the coolant Ph level. Remnants of these acids left in the cooling system can lower the longevity of your Ram cooling system components. Many of these flushing additives can have a long-term negative effect on plastic, rubbers, and seals used in the engine's cooling system. To correctly flush your engine's cooling system, we recommend using large amounts of water rather than coolant flushing additives.
When a coolant stop leak or sealing conditioner additive is used typically it's because of an underlying mechanical issue with the engine. These additives are used to slow the coolant gasket and seal leaks or minimize the effects of a blown head gasket. Using coolant stop leak or sealing additive would be a temporary fix or patch to the real problem. We recommend correctly fixing the root of the coolant system issue before ever using a coolant stop leak or sealing conditioner additive. Also, one of the major downfalls of using coolant stop leak or coolant sealing conditioner additives is the future repercussions of a contaminated cooling system. Many of these additives use solids that can't be completely removed from the cooling system. Even after excessive flushing. The solids from the cooling system stop leak additives clog radiators, heater cores, and other areas of the cooling system lowering the efficiencies of the cooling system. Once again, we always recommend fixing the coolant system issue correctly before ever using coolant stop leak or sealing conditioner additives.
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