1998 Dodge Ram 2500 complaints

CONSUMER STATES THAT TWO FRONT BRAKE LINES ARE RUBBING. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT WHILE MAKING A SHARP TURN THE LINE MAY PUNCTURE, AND CAUSE LOSS OF BRAKES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY, 5TH GEAR WENT OUT AS IF CLUTCH WAS PUSHED IN. COULD NOT GET 5TH GEAR TO WORK, HAD TO DRIVE TO DEALERSHIP IN 4TH GEAR WHICH IS CHALLENGING TO DO IN A DIESAL TRUCK. AFTER SANTA CRUZ NISSAN DODGE SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED THE ENTIRE MANUAL TRANSMISSION, DRIVING BACK HOME, THE 1ST GEAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE.*AK

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY THIRD LIFT PUMP AND ALSO GOING ON MY THIRD INJECTION PUMP VP-44 IN MY 98.5 DODGE RAM CUMMINS... DODGE NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND OR HAVE CUMMINS ADDRESS IT THIS IS A BEYOND NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *NLM

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT WILL NOT STAY ON ITS TRACK. THE SEAT ROLLED BACK AND FORTH. AS A RESULT THE PASSENGER WAS THROWN INTO THE WINDSHIELD WHEN THE BRAKES WERE SUDDENLY APPLIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN MY 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. JASPER.COM LISTS THIS TRANSMISSION AS A HIGH RATE OF FAILURE DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS IN ALL DODGE TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM 1995 TO 2001 AND MAYBE MORE. LOCAL TRANSMISSION REBUILDERS ALSO AGREE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BUILT WITH TO LOW A VOLUME TRANSMISSION PUMP AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT LET THE TRUCK IDLE, BECAUSE THERE IS NO LUBRICATION. *AK

THE STEERING COLUMN WAS NO LONGER OPERATIVE. *JB

DEFECTIVE STEERING COMPONENTS LEADING TO DIFFICULTY IN CONTROL. PROBLEM BEGAN SOON AFTER PURCHASE AND CONTINUE TO DATE. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION.*JB

THE GEAR SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVE WHEN THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A BUMP.*JB

THE HORN DIFFICULT TO PRESS IN TO HONK IF NECESSARY. VERY DIFFICULT TO SOUND HORN WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS. WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SOUND IN AN EMERGENCY. I HAVE NEED TO EASYILY SOUND HORN TO WORN ANIMALS OUT OF MY PATH AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUE TO THIS PROBLEM.

CONSUMER STATES WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE PULLS VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

I HAVE RECENTLY EXERIENCED WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS A "WANDERING FRONT END" ON MY '98 RAM. I HAD A LOCAL DEALER LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. THEY SPENT 0.60 HRS DIAGNOSING A "SLIGHTLY WORN LOWER COLUMN SHAFT". THEY WERE QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT THIS MAY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND THAT PERHAPS I SHOULD CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN HOPE THAT THE SYMPTOMS WOULD BECOME MORE EVIDENT. I DECLINED ANY REPAIR. I LATER WENT "ON-LINE" AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE SUBJECT. (TSB 19-10-97 - "STEERING WANDER") IN ADDITION, I FOUND AN ENTIRE WEB SITE DEDICATED TO THIS PHENOMENA. (KEY SEARCH, DODGE RAM) THE STORIES ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING AND SOME ARE MUCH WORSE - SCARY! I E-MAILED DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND ASKED IF THEY WERE CONSIDERING ANY SORT OF CORRECTIVE ACTION. THEIR ANSWER WAS NO. TS

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE CONSUMER STATES' THE BRAKES SOMETIME LOCK UP. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SLID 120 FEET INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PH

CONSUMER STATES, WHILE DRIVING OVER 50MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE IS VIBRATING HEAVILY AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.. TS

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE 5TH GEAR WAS INOPERABLE. TS

WHILE ACCELERATING VEHICLES THROTTLE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAS TO CUT OFF ENGINE IN ORDER TO RELEASE THROTTLE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING A SMALL ROCK HIT THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE WINDSHIELD IMMEDIATELY CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS. NLM

CONSUMER, NOTICED THE LEFT DRIVER DOOR BOLT WHICH ANCHOR THE BASE WINDOW REGULATOR CRACKED AND FELL APART. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

CONSUMER, NOTICED THE RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR BOLT WHICH ANCHOR THE BASE OF THE WINDOW REGULATOR CRAKED AND FELL APART. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION

WHILE WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT, I HAD THE CLUTCH PEDAL DEPRESSED AND THE TRUCK IN FIRST GEAR. THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STARTED TO DRIVE OFF AS IF I HAD RELEASED THE CLUTCH. I HAD TO STRUGGLE TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NLM

NHTSA RECALL 02V161000, THROTTLE LINKAGE; NORTON MOTORS IN CALIFORNIA WILL NOT ACCEPT APPOINTMENT FROM THIS CONSUMER 2 TO 3 WEEKS FROM TODAY. OWNER DIDN'T PURCHASE VEHICLE IN CALIFORNIA BUT IN FLORIDA WHERE THEY RESIDED. THEY DIDN'T SAY THAT REFUSAL WAS BECAUSE OF NOT HAVING THE PARTS AVAILABLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

FRONT BRAKE PADS AND SHOES WEAR EXCESSIVELY AND CAUSE TRUCK TO PULL WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. OTHER FAILURE INVOLVED A BOLT THAT HOLDS 5TH GEAR IN PLACE FELL OFF WHILE TRUCK WAS BEING DRIVEN. HAD ITEM REPAIRED, AND IT FELL OFF AGAIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER. THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES HAD BEEN RUBBING TOGETHER, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO LEAK. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SCC

AT 45MPH THE VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE HEAVILY. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED. COMPONENT:SUSPENSION. *AK

TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. GOODYEAR, WRANGLER, HT P235/75R15. *AK

THIS IS A "LOAD RANGE E" GOODYEAR TIRE PROBLEM. AT 30081, 30805, 35213, AND 38060, MILES ONE EACH OF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES FAILED DUE TO SIDEWALL SEPARATION AND WAS REPLACED AT VARYING CHARGES BY DEALERS. NOW, AT ABOUT 50,612 MILES, ONE OF THE REPLACEMENT TIRES HAS FAILED FOR THE SAME REASON. GOODYEAR IS GIVING ME A "RUN AROUND" AS HAS BEEN THE CASE IN ALL PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES VARIOUSLY CLAIMING THAT THE TIRE IS "NO LONGER AVAAILABLE" "ON BACKORDER" "NO LONGER MANUFACTURED" "NOT ADJUSTABLE" ETC. IT HAS NOW BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE THE LAST FAILURE WAS SHOWN TO GOODYEAR, AND THEY CLAIM NOT TO BE ABLE TO LOCATE A REPLACEMENT. I HAVE COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION OF EACH OF THESE SITUATIONS, DEALER NAMES AND LOCATIONS, AND AM READY TO ASSIST YOU IN WHATEVER WAY IS APPROPRIATE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: MK11 TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)

THERE WAS A SQUEAK NOISE WHEN BRAKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT ROTORS NEEDED TURNING. AT 9000 MILES DEALER STATED ROTORS WERE CRACKED. CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, CONTACTED DEALER FOR SETTING UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE RECALL BUT STILL HAS NOT HEARD FROM DEALER REGARDING RECALL, THE DEALER STATED THEY WOULD CALL CONSUMER BACK TO LET HER KNOW IF THE PART WAS AVAILABLE. *JG

WHEN BACKING UP A CLUNKING NOISE EMITTED FROM DIFFERENTAL. DEALER REPLACED FLUID AND ADDED SOME "ADDITIVE". DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. THEY KEPT TRUCK TO DISASSEMBLE DIFFERENTAL, FOUND NOTHING AMISS, REPLACED FLUID AND ADDITIVE. AT THIS TIME, ALL SEEMS OK. THE COST WAS $83.90. WHEN THEY DECIDED TO KEEP THE TRUCK OVER NIGHT THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, IT WAS OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE.*AK

FROM DAY 1 OF THE NEW TRUCK, I HAD SHIFTING PROBLEMS. BEFORE I HAD 1200 MILES ON THE TRUCK IT WAS IN THE SHOP TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THEY TOOK THE TRANSMISSION APART AND INSPECTED AND PLACED BACK INTO THE TRUCK. PROBLEM SHIFTING CONTINUED. THE 2ND TIME IN THE SHOP, THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, CLUTCH AND SLAVE CYLINDER, THIS WORKED. THEN AT 53000 MILES I TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR RECALL WORK (828), TO REPLACE THE SLAVE CYLINDER. AT 60000 MILES I HAD SHIFTING PROBLEMS AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH WHICH WAS 50% OUT OF MY POCKET. THE DAY I PICKED THE TRUCK UP FROM THE DEALER I WENT ON VACATION FOR 2000 MILES WHICH RESULTED IN SHIFTING PROBLEMS. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK AT 62000 AND THEY REPLACED THE SLAVE CYLINDER, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING. AT 64470 MILES THE TRANS WENT DRY AND DEALER REPLACED ANOTHER TRANS. AFTER I PICKED THE TRUCK UP FROM THE DEALER, THE SLAVE CYLINDER BLOW APART 5 MILES AWAY FROM THE DEALER ON THE WAY HOME. HYDRALIC FLUID SPILLED ON TO THE HOT EXHAUST PIPES, WHICH CAUSE SMOKE. AFTER PICKING THE TRUCK UP FROM THE DEALER ON 11/28/01 THE SLAVE CYLINDER BLOW AGAIN 1 MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH FLUID AGAIN POURING ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPES WHICH CAUSE SMOKE. THE TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER PUTTING IN A 5TH CYLINDER WITH 64477 MILES ON THE TRUCK.

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER HEARD A SOUND AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT BACK INTO FIFTH GEAR REALIZING IT WAS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL, AFTER INSPECTION MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE FIFTH GEAR NUT HAD BACKED OFF CAUSING FAILURE OF THE FIFTH GEAR, FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH MECHANIC REVEALED DODGE REDESIGNED THE LOCKNUT, DODGE NOW PUTS A SET SCREW IN THE NUT THAT IS TIGHTENED DOWN ON THE THREADED SHAFT TO HOLD IT IN PLACE. *SLC

RIGHT REAR WHEELS INTERMITTENTLY LOCKED UP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED OF A ABS SENSOR AND HYDRO BOOSTER FAILURE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK

WHEN FILLING TANK UP AND RIDING GAS DOWN TO ABOUT 3/4 TANK. GAS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE GAS GUAGE NEEDLE WILL GO DOWN TO EMPTY. THIS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL TANK HAS BEEN COMPLETELY FILLED BACK UP. DEALER SAID FUEL SENSOR IN THE TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK *JB

HAVING TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE, BRAKES WORK ONE MINUTE THEN THE NEXT MINUTE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR AND NOT STOPPING. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND HAVE HAD TWO MASTER CYLINDERS PUT ON THINKING THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS THE PROBLEM, BUT STILL HAVING BRAKE FAILURE. NO ONE SEEMS TO HAVE AN IDEA AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE NO HELP AND WAS UNSUCCESFUL IN CONTACTING THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION. *AK

PE01-021/ROLL AWAY IN PARK: WHILE PARKED AND IDLING VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS PULLING PIN FROM HITCH ATTACHED TO VEHICLE, CAUSING TRUCK TO RUN OVER HER DAUGHTER WHO RECEIVED SEVERE INJURIES. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK *SLC

THIS VEHICLE HAS A DANA 70 REAR END. MANUFACTURER FAILED TO SHIM WHEN ORIGINALLY BUILT. THIS CAUSED REAR END TO SHIFT AND ELONGATE MOUNTING SECTION THUS DESTROYING ENTIRE REAR END. MANUFACTURER CLAIMS NO LIABILITY DUE TO PASSING 100,000 MILE LIMIT OF WARRANTY. MY CONCERN IS THAT ANYONE PULLING HEAVY TRAILERS COULD EXPERIENCE A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE REAR END WHILE MOVING. THIS WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY CAUSE THE TRAILER TO JACKNIFE AND COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR AT LEAST CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. WE HAUL SHOW HORSES THAT ARE VALUED IN EXCESS OF $150,000 AND WE JUST WANTED TO ALERT THE NHTSA AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN WHAT WE SEE IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. PERHAPS OURS IS THE ONLY OCCURANCE OR PERHAPS THERE ARE OTHERS WAITING TO HAPPEN.*AK

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 35 MPH, THE TRUCK BEGAN REVVING, THEN STOPPED. I COULD SEE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO REMOVED THE TRANSMISSION AND REBUILT IT.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS DIFFICULTY SHIFTING BETWEEN DRIVE AND OVERDRIVE. ALSO, VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY WITH GAS PEDAL BEING PRESSED ALL WAY TO FLOOR. ALSO, THERE WAS ERRATIC OPERATION OF OVERDRIVE KICKING IN WITHOUT PROVOCATION. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DISTRICT MANAGER THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS INCREASING THE HORSE POWER AND TORQUE TO HELP SOLVE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM. *YH

FRONT WHEEL RIM BENT DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY OPERATIOS, CAUSING VIBRATION IN VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO DETERMINATION WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS DEFECT WITH ONLY 25,347 MILES ON RIM. NOTE: AFTER FIRST RIM WAS REPLACED, THERE WERE CURRENTLY TWO MORE RIMS ON THIS VEHICLE THAT WERE BENT, AND WERE CAUSING VIBRATION. *AK THE VEHICLE'S VIBRATION BECAME WORSE. THE DEALER TRIED TO BALANCE AND ROTATE THE TIRE. *YH

WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH -70 MPH VEHICLE POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND HAD NO POWER IN 5TH GEAR. DEALER STATED THAT 5TH GEAR NUT DISCONNECTED. PLEASE PROVVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 TO 50 MPH HOOD FLEW OPEN, BLOCKING CONSUMER'S SIGHT, TRUCK WENT TO RIGHT. CONSUMER HAD TO STICK HEAD OUT OF WINDOW TO SEE, AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A DITCH. CONSUMER COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON ICY ROADS AT 25-30MPH. CONSUMER SLID INTO A UTILITY POLE WITH NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYING. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER NEVER SAID WHY AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY OR SEEM TO BE CONCERNED.*AK

EXCESSIVE LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT, BUT NO SIGN OF LEAKAGES. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND STILL UNABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INTERNTIONALLY WITH HELD THE POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH V-10 ENGINE TO AVOID RECALL. ACCORCING TO THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM INTERNET, THE MANUFACTURER HAD INDICATED THAT THE V-10 HEADS AND CRANKSHAFT COULD EXPERIENCE HAIR LINE CRACKS CAUSING INTERNAL COOLANT LEAKAGE. SPARK PLUGS FAILED. FRONT BRAKE PADS FAIED. LEFT LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED. *YH

THE BELTS IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE SEPARATED CAUSING A BUBBLE THAT LEADS TO A RIP (2-4 INCHES LONG) THAT RAN PARRALLEL TO THE RIM, GOODYEAR WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A FLAW IN THE BONDING OF THE BELTS IN THE SIDEWALL (GOODYEAR WRANGLER LT 24575R16E). NLM

ENGINE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN ENGINE STALLS THERE IS A LOSS OF STEERING & BRAKING. I HAVE TAKEN TRUCK TO TWO DEALERS THEY STATE NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. TRUCK STILL STALLS!!*AK

APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE MIRROR HAS DEVELOPED A DEFECT SO THAT THE IMAGES ARE DISTORTED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND UPON EXITING OFF RAMP AT 70 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ALL STEERING. STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN AND VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO RIGHT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK WHEN TURNING A CORNER STEERING WILL NOT RETURN STICK TO THE RIGHT AND MAKES A SQUEALING NOISE DUE TO BAD STEERING GEAR BOX. DAMPNER SHOCK IS LEAKING FROM SEAL. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. *YH

BOTH TIE RODS REPLACED, FRONT END WAS LOOSE AND MADE A LOUD NOISE, UPPER AND INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. *SLC

WORST TIRES I HAVE OWNED. 4 FAILED SINCE I OWNED VEHICLE IN 24,500 MILES. THE LAST ONE IS STILL ON THE TRUCK BUT HAS BARE PATCHES. SIDE WALLS DEVELOP UNEVEN DIMPLES. LOOKS LIKE POOR MANUFACTURER AND/OR DESIGN. I WON'T BUY GOODYEAR AGAIN . *AK (TIRESIZE: 16-245-75)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16-245-75 )