Dodge Hemi Tick Class Action: Status, Coverage & What Owners Can Claim

The Dodge Hemi tick class action is active and unresolved. Here is who is covered, what the lawsuit alleges, and what to do if your 5.7L is already ticking.

โš–๏ธ Status: Pending ๐Ÿ›ป 2019-2024 Ram & Jeep ๐Ÿ’ธ $3.5K-$9K Repair ๐Ÿ“‹ Document Now

โš–๏ธ The Verdict

Pending: no settlement yet, but the case is real. The dodge hemi tick class action is consolidated in federal court and moving through discovery as of June 2026. Stellantis is contesting it. Nothing pays out today, but owners with documented lifter or camshaft failures on 2019-2024 5.7L Hemi engines are well-positioned if a settlement lands. The smart play is to fix it now under warranty if you can, and keep every invoice.

The "Hemi tick" started as forum lore a decade ago. By 2023, attorneys were filing complaints alleging that the MDS (Multi-Displacement System) lifters in the 5.7L V8 fail prematurely, score the camshaft, and grenade engines that should easily run 200,000 miles. The consolidated case argues Stellantis knew about the defect, sold the trucks anyway, and pushed many failures just past the 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

๐Ÿ”ข The Numbers

Here is what owners are actually paying when the tick turns into a lifter or cam job:

RepairTypical CostCommon Mileage
MDS lifter replacement (16)$3,500-$5,50040K-80K mi
Lifters + camshaft$5,500-$7,50060K-100K mi
Full engine replacement$8,500-$12,000After ignored tick
Long block (reman) DIY$4,200-$6,000 partsAny

Compare those numbers to the original powertrain warranty cap. A 2021 Ram 1500 that ticks at 72,000 miles is roughly $5,000 out of pocket, with zero help from the dealer unless you bought the Mopar Maximum Care extended plan. That gap is the whole reason the class action exists.

๐Ÿ›ป Who Is Covered

The active complaints name the following vehicles with the 5.7L Hemi V8 (and in some filings, the 6.4L):

  • Ram 1500 with the 5.7L Hemi, 2019-2024 model years (classic body excluded by some filings)
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7L, 2019-2024
  • Dodge Durango R/T 5.7L and SRT 6.4L, 2019-2024
  • Dodge Charger and Challenger R/T 5.7L and Scat Pack 6.4L, 2019-2023
  • Ram 2500/3500 with the 6.4L Hemi gas option, 2019-2024 (secondary filings)

Not covered: the 3.6L Pentastar V6, the 3.0L Hurricane inline-six, EcoDiesel models, and 5.7L engines in pre-2019 trucks (those have their own older suits that have largely resolved). If you are unsure whether your VIN is in scope, run our AI diagnostic with your year, make, and model and the report will flag it.

Is your truck in the class? Get a VIN-specific report with ranked causes, parts, and your warranty status.
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๐Ÿ” What the Lawsuit Alleges

The plaintiffs argue three things. First, that the MDS roller lifters lose oil pressure when cylinders deactivate, causing the roller bearings to gall and eventually collapse. Second, that a collapsed lifter wipes the camshaft lobes within hundreds of miles, sending metal through the oiling system. Third, that Stellantis was aware of the failure pattern through internal warranty data and TSBs but kept selling the same lifter design through 2024.

Related symptoms that often show up before catastrophic failure include P0300 random misfire codes, a sharp tick at idle that gets louder when warm, and a rough cold start that smooths out after 30 seconds. If you have any of those, document them now.

โš ๏ธ Common Owner Mistakes

  • Waiting it out. A faint tick at 50,000 miles can be lifters going bad. Driving another 5,000 miles often turns it into a cam job. Get it scoped within a week or two of noticing.
  • Switching to thicker oil. 10W-40 in a spec'd 5W-20 engine masks the tick briefly but accelerates lifter wear. Stay on spec.
  • Skipping the dealer. Even if you hate the stealership, the warranty claim has to be on record. No dealer paper trail means no class action claim.
  • Tossing old invoices. Reimbursement claims need receipts going back years. Scan everything to a folder labeled with your VIN.
  • Disabling MDS with a tuner before failure. It can help long-term, but the act of tuning can void warranty coverage on the original failure. Sequence matters.

๐Ÿงญ Should You Join, Wait, or Fix It Now?

Fix it now under warranty

If you are under 5 years and 60,000 miles, take it to the dealer today. Get the lifters and cam replaced on Stellantis's dime. You can still participate in any future settlement for diminished value or extended coverage.

Fix it now out of pocket

If you are out of warranty and the engine is ticking hard, fix it before it eats the cam. Keep every receipt. If the class settles with a reimbursement provision, you submit those invoices and recover what you can.

Wait for the settlement

Only viable if your truck is not currently ticking. Joining the class costs nothing. You will get a notice in the mail if a settlement is approved. Until then, drive normally and check our how to check for Hemi tick guide every oil change.

Opt out and sue individually

Reserved for owners with $15,000-plus losses (engine replacement plus rental plus diminished value). Talk to a lemon-law attorney in your state. Most do free intake calls.

โ“ Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Dodge Hemi tick class action settled yet?
No. As of June 2026, the consolidated case is still pending in federal court. Stellantis has not admitted liability, and no settlement has been approved. Owners with active tick should still document the issue and file warranty claims now rather than wait.
Which Hemi engines and model years are covered?
The active complaints focus on the 5.7L Hemi V8 in 2019 through 2024 Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, and Dodge Charger and Challenger. Some filings also include the 6.4L Hemi. The 3.0L Hurricane inline-six is not part of the tick litigation.
What can I claim if I join the class action?
If a settlement is reached, typical relief includes reimbursement for out-of-pocket lifter and camshaft repairs (often $3,500 to $7,500 per job), extended powertrain coverage, and diminished-value payments. Nothing is guaranteed until the court approves terms.
Should I keep driving a ticking Hemi?
Short drives to a shop are fine, but continued daily driving with an audible tick risks dropping a roller, scoring the cam, and turning a $3,500 lifter job into a $9,000-plus full engine replacement. Get it diagnosed within a week or two.
Does my factory warranty still cover Hemi tick repair?
The 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty covers lifter and cam failures if you are under both limits. Many tick failures show up between 40,000 and 90,000 miles, putting plenty of trucks just out of coverage, which is a core complaint in the lawsuit.

๐Ÿ“ Bottom Line

The dodge hemi tick class action is real, active, and unresolved. If you own a 2019-2024 Ram 1500, Grand Cherokee, Durango, Charger, or Challenger with the 5.7L Hemi, you are likely in the class. Document any tick, file warranty claims while you can, keep every invoice, and watch your mail for a settlement notice. Do not stop driving the truck, but do not ignore a worsening tick either. The cheapest version of this problem is the one you catch early.