THE DRIVE Talks Cummins Big Change

In a new article from The Drive, Truck Editor Caleb Jacobs goes over RAM and Cummins bidding farewell to grid heaters in their 2025 diesel trucks, a move that’s frankly been a long time coming. These heaters, used for cold starts, have been a headache over the years due to a catastrophic issue with bolts breaking off and being swallowed by the engines. There’s no rhyme or reason when it comes to mileage for the issue to happen, with some grids failing with more than 100,000 miles on them while others are practically new. Many owners have taken matters into their own hands, ditching the grid heater in favor of upgrades like Banks Monster-Ram intake, which not only solves the problem but also enhances performance. 

Interestingly, the switch to glow plugs wasn’t just about fixing the grid heater problem. It turns out, Ram redesigned key engine components like the diesel oxidation catalyst and the intake, paving the way for glow plugs to take over. And the results? Faster, almost instant cold-weather starts—just three seconds compared to the previous 30-plus. According to Ram’s Doug Killian, it was simply time for this tried-and-true technology to make its debut in these trucks. While new owners can rest easy, older truck owners might still find themselves grappling with lingering worries about the mortality of their engines. Banks puts those worries to rest and eliminates the problem with the Monster-Ram.