Hello all,

this is my first post and I am thriving on the looks of the 09 ram 1500. The looks and great interior is pushing me to buy one soon. But i have a couple of questions; first and firm most the MDS. I know with gas prices being high ($4 and rising) does it do any justice? I am known to be a big footer, but how does it really work and does it tell you when its activated? Also does it take 87, or 93 gas? Last i read that not all have MDS, when i go to the dealer what do i look for any indication for MDS?

That is pretty much all i have to say, i know it may be alot but this will help me out a ton!

Thanks again,
Josh

P.S. the dealer i called for the 1500 i found doesnt know what MDS even is lol! Crazy!!

 

I recently bought a new 2012 with the 5.7 hemi. It has MDS, an "eco" light comes on when it's on. I think it's worthless. It only comes on if I'm coasting down a hill. As soon as things flatten out, it goes back off. I assumed it would work whenever I was on flat ground, just going speed limit. Nope, not for me. I've put about 1300 miles on the truck in the month since I bought it and I'm averaging 11.5 mpg (about half my daily commute is city and the other half highway at 65mph).

The other thing I noticed is that it interferes with the cruise control such that the cruise control is worthless if there are any hills. What happens is that if it's in eco mode, and cruise control is on, and I hit a slight incline or small hill, the truck will slow down 6-7 mph and then surge ahead to 6-7 mph OVER the original setting. I notice it when just driving w/out cruise control, too. I start going up a hill, so I know the truck is going to slow down, so I slowly increase gas pedal pressure, but by the time eco mode kicks off and the drive by wire decides I really do want the truck to GO, the truck has slowed down significantly. Then it realizes yeah, I've been pressing the gas pedal farther and farther, and it downshifts 2 or 3 gears and rips ahead like crazy. After 20 years of driving and learning that if I want the car to go faster, I should press the gas pedal, I really can't figure out how to maintain a steady speed with this truck on hilly roads.

 

Something is wrong with your truck then because my MDS kicks on quite frequently. You are still within the break-in period so perhaps it will level out for you. I never had the issues that you describe with my 2011. It seems some of us love MDS and some don't it's pretty much a 50/50 toss up with owners.

When I am coasting on flat roads, or going downhill mine is on a good majority of the time. MDS has it's ups and downs. When it's on and your coasting at about 1500 rpms it has a bit of an exhaust drone. It does net better mileage though. I live in Iowa and have driven my truck on trips to Colorado, Minnesota, and Indiana. On the Colorado trip I hit an average of 21.6mpg and I was over 20mpg to Indiana and back as well. It's all about how you drive. If you have a steady pedal foot and use cruise when necessary you'll find yourself getting better mileage. MDS is around for a reason, if it didn't help they wouldn't waste the money putting this system into these trucks.

Everytime the truck is using MDS an "ECO" light turns on on the heads up display of your EVIC on the gauge cluster between the Speedometer and Tachometer. You'll know when it's on or off at all times and you shouldn't even really notice it kicking in, I can't feel it kick in on my truck at least. Don't be surprised at the salespeople being clueless, when I first looked at a 2009 when they came out I was able to tell the salesman more about the truck than he knew. He told me that I would make a good salesman as he didn't even know the new rams had coil spring rear suspensions.

 

If your worried at all about MPG's, dont buy a truck!
I've disbaled my MDS. It's good for about 1mpg increase! That 1mpg increase is not worth the annoyance while it's kicking on/off multiple times for a 10mile drive. 4cyl isn't enough to keep these big heavy trucks moving at higher speeds. They are a wall pushing air.

There is no drone and you dont notice it kicking in/out near as much when you have a factory exhaust. It's when you go aftermarket exhaust its extremely noticeable. This is why you get mixed reviews about not noticing it or hearing it kick in/out. Who wants a super quiet Hemi???Not me

 

It works well, runs fine on 87, and I love MDS, and the whole truck.... It really does help mileage, and can be helped enormously by a judicious right foot.....

 

Josh....
Do some serious checking BEFORE you pull the trigger on buying it.
Things like: Carfax report, & All service records of previous owner(s)
It would suck buying someone else`s headache, and it DOES happen. Were the oil changes done often..?
As for MPG: 13city/20hiway. Pretty dam good for 400hp & 5,000lbs in my opinion. (chevy & ford dont compare)
I own a 2010 hemi 4x4 quad cab sport, i`m pretty happy for the mpg`s i`m getting. (toyota is the absolute worst in mpg`s)

MDS: some love it, some hate it (50/50 like some have said)
I find it somewhat ok for me. If i dont want it on, i downshift into 5th gear during city driving.
I like it on when i`m on the hiway, i`m getting over 20mpg`s with mine, so i just leave it alone.
Dealer not knowing anything, dosent surprise me, they`re clueless, just like when they`re working on them.

SABERWORKS
Give it some time, your truck is still new and tight.
Mine got ALOTTTTT better after hitting 5,000+ miles.
Either that, or you may need to practice better driveing skills.
It does take some gettin use to, to get good mpg`s out of these trucks.
I coast as much as possible and i`m gettin an easy 20+ mpg out of my truck (Hemi 4x4 quad cab)
Change over to valvoline synthetic oil, K&N air filter. Check your tire pressure often (F&R 40psi)
Good quality gas makes a HUGE difference as well.

 

If he becomes hemi happy, the mpg`s are gonna suck....lol. Boot pressure will definately make ALL the difference...lol.
One big thing that ennoys me, is someone that will drive with their boot sticking out of the grill an then bitch about how bad the hemi is on mpg.
Well duhhhhhhhhhh.............rrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

Josh,

If it has a 4.7 motor or the 3.7 motor it will not have MDS.

 

Don't buy one with a 3.7. Underpowered dog.

 

I am on the agreeing side as well. Being where I live (alberta) It is pretty flat ground here, but I see good mileage. I do probably closer to 23-24 on the highway, but I stick to the speed limits as well (which is 110kms/h) I find that as soon as you hit the 120km mark it doesn't come on too much. I did a comparison on a long haul on if MDS really works and for me it did. By bumping it into fifth I got 700kms on a tank of fuel (120l tank) When letting MDS do its thing, I got around 850km. Pretty good IMO.

This is all based on highway tho, for driving in the city MDS is not going to help you. I think that is why some are experiencing better mileages then others.

I think the HEMI is one of the better motors on fuel/power ratios, and I think another poster here said it. If its got the 5.7 your guaranteed MDS, its all it comes with!