Block heater and option? WTH?

[Got Smoke?]

Buddy of mine bought a '05 yesterday and him and my cousin were looking it over, and my cousin called and said he had just spent 30 minutes looking for the plug for the block heater. After not being about to find it (even crawling on the ground under the truck :-laf ) he gave up and read the owners manual :-laf and it stated that the block heaters are now only a factory installed option



What gives?

 

[SRadke]

The heater is there (above the oil filter) but you have to order the cord as an option.



-Scott

 

[Tomeygun]

yes, you correct, Dodge argues that the 3rd gens start down to something like -10 degrees without plugging in, SO some bean-counter said "lets save $1. 25 a truck" and charge the customer $10 if they want one!



the good news is the heater is there already, you just buy the cord!#ad

 

[gsbrockman]

Be sure to tell him to shop around for the cord; he may be able to get the cord from Cummins cheaper than the Dodge dealer. Never owned a Dodge CTD that failed to start when left unplugged and very cold, but the ability to decrease the amount of time for cab heat is very nice.

Greg

 

[Got Smoke?]

but the ability to decrease the amount of time for cab heat is very nice.

Greg

The only reason I use mine as well! :-laf



Had to leave my previous baby (the other 97 "White Wonder", Greg) in overnight temps of like 10 degree's or less when I had to fly to Chicago for a night at the begining of the year... . as soon as it even started to catch I fed 'er a little a fuel and she fired right up... ... but MAN! was she cold collared for about the first 15-20miles! :-laf

 

[jmadden]

Have heard that the cords cost up to 5x more if you don't get the factory option... I've also heard the 2G cords will fit if you can find a used one w/o the rest of the truk



jm

 

[jnelson]

Dealer told me cord was $47. 00

sounds kinda high.

 

[Pawpaw]

The word is that you can buy the cord direct from Cummins for under $20. It won't have the nice little clips to attach it to the frame, but ty-wraps would work well.





Bob

 

[tschwab]

A GOOD dealer would have order in all of their trucks with the cord, I think it is something like $10. 00 when it is ordered with the truck.

 

[klenger]

I think it is something like $10. 00 when it is ordered with the truck.

About $8 at dealer invoice.