Grid heater bolt complaints on 6.7 Cummins Ram 2500s

Owner reportEngine

Symptoms: NHTSA complaint ODI 11601784, on a 2019 Ram 2500, says the air-intake grid heater bolt deteriorated, fell into the intake runner, and ended up in cylinder 6, damaging the piston, valve, and head. ODI 11722748, on a 2020, says a grid heater bolt failed and caused engine damage. ODI 11506551, on a 2021, says owners remove the grid heater because a bolt can fall into the intake. These complaints are about trucks with the 6.7 Cummins. They are not a census of every 2500.
Likely causes: The complaints describe a grid-heater bolt that weakens or breaks and can enter the intake.
Common fixes: ODI 11506551 says some owners remove the grid heater and mentions an aftermarket heater element in the intake horn. It does not give a procedure or a part number. FCA safety recall 23V-060 is a different repair: it replaces the intake-air grid heater relay on certain 2021 through 2023 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks with the 6.7 Cummins. The recall document describes a relay short and a fire risk. It does not describe a bolt falling into a cylinder. Open recalls for a specific truck are on the model-year page.
DIY difficulty: Not rated. The complaints describe engine damage. The 23V-060 relay repair is a dealer recall, not a driveway job.
Parts needed: These complaints do not name an OEM bolt part number. Recall 23V-060 names a grid heater relay, part CSTP13A1AA in the dealer instructions, for the relay campaign.
Warranty notes: The bolt complaints do not say Ram paid for a long-block repair. Recall 23V-060, on trucks it includes, is a safety recall with a dealer remedy for the relay.

Sources

Owner reportEngine

Symptoms

NHTSA complaint ODI 11601784, on a 2019 Ram 2500, says the air-intake grid heater bolt deteriorated, fell into the intake runner, and ended up in cylinder 6, damaging the piston, valve, and head. ODI 11722748, on a 2020, says a grid heater bolt failed and caused engine damage. ODI 11506551, on a 2021, says owners remove the grid heater because a bolt can fall into the intake. These complaints are about trucks with the 6.7 Cummins. They are not a census of every 2500.

Likely causes

The complaints describe a grid-heater bolt that weakens or breaks and can enter the intake.

Common fixes

ODI 11506551 says some owners remove the grid heater and mentions an aftermarket heater element in the intake horn. It does not give a procedure or a part number. FCA safety recall 23V-060 is a different repair: it replaces the intake-air grid heater relay on certain 2021 through 2023 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks with the 6.7 Cummins. The recall document describes a relay short and a fire risk. It does not describe a bolt falling into a cylinder. Open recalls for a specific truck are on the model-year page.

DIY difficulty

Not rated. The complaints describe engine damage. The 23V-060 relay repair is a dealer recall, not a driveway job.

Parts needed

These complaints do not name an OEM bolt part number. Recall 23V-060 names a grid heater relay, part CSTP13A1AA in the dealer instructions, for the relay campaign.

Warranty notes

The bolt complaints do not say Ram paid for a long-block repair. Recall 23V-060, on trucks it includes, is a safety recall with a dealer remedy for the relay.