1997 Dodge Ram 3500 complaints

THE SWITCH FOR THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING MELTED AND CAUSED A BURNING SMELL. *NLM

FIFTH GEAR WENT OUT ON VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES AFTER REPAIR. *TS

THE FRONT AND REAR FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAPS FAILED. *JB

FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAP BROKE CAUSING TANK TO DROP TO THE PAVEMENT. UPON REMOVAL OF THE TANK, THE FRONT STRAP WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY CRACKED THROUGH. *JB

MANUEL TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE. *AK

MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE. *AK

TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. (6-9 INCHES FROM THE CLIP, THE TWO TUBES HAD RUBBED TOGETHER UNTIL THERE WAS A HOLE IN ONE AND ALMOST A HOLE IN THE OTHER) THE CONSUMER REQUEST(S) REIMBURSEMENT. SCC

WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION TUBES WERE RUBBING TOGETHER CAUSING A FIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH

I BOUGHT NEW A 1998 ROADTREX, CLASS B MOTORHOME ON A 1997 DODGE 3500 MAXI-VAN. SINCE NEW IT WOULD SWAY, SOMETIMES ALMOST UNCOMTROLABLE WHEN I WOULD DRIVE IN THE RUTS ON FREEWAYS" CAUSED BY TRUCKS AND STUDDED TIRES". I TRIED DIFFRENT THINGS TO TRY TO CORRECT THIS, HD SHOCKS, HIGH TIRE PRESSURES, AIR BAGS ON THE REAR AXLE. I TALK TO OTHERS THAT HAD CHANGED TIRES AND NOTHING SEEMED TO WORK. THEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE REAR AXLE IS NARROWER THAN THE FRONT AXLE, SO THE REAR TIRES WERE NOT FOLLOWING THE FRONT TIRES. THAT IS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE SWAY WHEN DRIVING IN THE RUTS. I PUT ON A PAIR OF SPACERS FROM CORRECTRACK INC. SO THE TIRES WOULD LINE UP AND THAT ELIMIATED ALMOST ALL OF THE SWAY. MY VAN NOW DRIVES LIKE A CAR, WITHOUT HAVING TO FIGHT THE SWAY AND RUTS. I THINK THAT IT IS A SAFTEY HAZZARD, THAT COULD BE EASILY CORRECTED AT THE FACTORY WITH THE INSTALLATION OF SPACERS OR A WIDER AXLE THAT LINE UP THE WHEELS. THANK YOU.

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION LINE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION LINE WERE BUILT SO CLOSED TOGETHER THAT WITHIN THE YEARS THE TRANSMISSION LIQUID CAME OFF. TS

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SAFETY HEAD LAMP. ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE HEADLAMP THAT DID NOT INCLUDE HER VEHICLE BUT IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. TS

VEHICLE'S HEADLAMP SWITCH MELTED WHILE DRIVING, RESULTED IN THE HEADLIGHTS BECOMING INOPERATIVE. *MR TURN SIGNALS, RUNNING LIGHTS LEFT BRAKE LIGHT WERE INOPERATIVE. ALL LIGHTS WORKED EXCEPT RUNNING LIGHTS WHEN TRAILER HOOKED UP. DEALER FOUND CORRODED SOCKET AND HEADLAMP SWITCH WIRING BURNT. REPLACED SOCKET AND REPLACED HEADLAMP SWITCH AND REPLACED BURNT WIRING. THERE WAS A RECALL HOWEVER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. *TT

VEHICLE SUFFERED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTED FROM "PARK INTO DRIVE." VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THREE OTHER VEHICLES. *MR

THROTTLE LINKAGE BROKE, WE HAD THROTTLE LINKAGE WELDED BECAUSE WE WERE IN A VERY REMOTE LOCATION AT THAT TIME. WE DROVE TRUCK HOME AND PARKED IT AT WHICH TIME WE RECEIVED A RECALL FROM CHRYSLER ON LINKAGE. DEALER (RINGGOLD CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP,,7154 NASHVILLE ST., RINGGOLD, GA. 30736 PHONE 706-935-2328) REFUSED TO DO RECALL BECAUSE LINKAGE HAD BEEN WELDED. CHRYLSER RECALL DIVISION STATES NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH LINKAGE BREAKING AND REFUSED TO AUTHORIZE FULL REPAIR. WE ARE STILL DRIVING TRUCK ON WHICH SAFETY RECALL WORK HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 40-70 MPH FRONT END OF VEHICLEWAS SHAKING. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH UP A HILL THE THROTTLE CABLE AND LINKAGE BROKE WHICH RESULTED IN THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR BOARD, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*JB

A WIRE IN DASHBOARD LIGHTS OVERHEATED AND MELTED LIGHT SWITCH. SMOKE CAME INTO THE CAB. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK THERE IS A RECALL CAMPAIGN 99V02400 TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH/RELAY. *TT

MECHANICS ALL SAID VEHICLE IS A DANGER TO DRIVE INJURY COULD RESULT, IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. IT HAS BEEN WORKED ON FOR THIS BUCKING PROBLEM ABOUT 15+ TIMES. NEW SHOCKS, CLUTCH ASSBLY, TIRES, STAB SHOCKS, DRIVE LINES, DRIVE LINES BALANCED, CARRIER BEARINGS, REAR END, ENTIRE REAR AXLE, SPRINGS, ETC., AND MANY OTHER STABS AT THE PROBLEM HAVE BEEN DONE. THE REAR WHEELS WILL STILL BUCK SO BAD THE WHEELS COME OFF THE PAVEMENT AT TIMES. CHRYSLER SAID THAT PERSONAL SAFETY WAS NOT A CONCERN, ONLY THE BOTTOM LINE DOLLAR IN THEM BUYING THIS VEHICLE BACK. AT LEAST 2 MECHANICS, A SERVICE MGR. AND THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS LADY AT MONTANA DODGE HAVE SAID THIS PICKUP IS UNSAFE FOR ME TO BE DRIVING. THE REAR END IS NOW GOING OUT, THE TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING NOW AND IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. CHRYSLER SAID THEY WOULD BUY IT BACK, PENALIZING ME DEARLY ON MILEAGE EVEN THOUGH THE TRUCK HAS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE IT WAS NEW. MONTANA DODGE HAS TOLD CHRYSLER THEY WILL NOT WORK ON IT ANYMORE, THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY IS STILL GOOD FOR ANOTHER 25,000 MILES OR 2 MORE YEARS. THE "LAISON" PAID BY CHRYSLER IS WHO TOLD ME THAT SAFETY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PRICE CHRYSLER PAID ME, IT WAS JUST A BOTTOM LINE DOLLAR THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT. CHRYSLER TROUBLESHOOTER TECHS SENT A VIB MACHINE TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM, IT SHOWED TO BE THE OUTPUT SHAFT OF THE TRANSFER CASE. A USED TRANSFER CASE WAS INSTALLED, IT STILL BUCKED. USED PARTS WERE TRADED OUT FOR THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE ASSEMBL

CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL #819 REPAIR, DEALER REPLACED HEADLIGHT SWITCH, INSTALLED OVERLAY HARNESS AND REPLACED 4 BURNT WIRES IN CONNECTOR, HOWEVER, AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED CONSUMER HAD NO TAIL LIGHTS, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER MECHANIC THAT HEAD LIGHT SWITCH HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED AS REQUIRED BY RECALL. *TT

THROTTLE WAS STUCK WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. VEHICLE HAD TO BE SHUT DOWN TO STOP. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

HEADLIGHTS SWITCHED FROM HI TO LOW AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

FUEL GAUGE HAS BEEN INOPERATIVE SINCE 1999.*AK

FIFTH GEAR OF MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS NO LONGER WORKING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING UNDER 50 MPH, ANOTHER DRIVER CUT CONSUMER OFF, AND CONSUMER HIT A POLE, AND SUSTAINED HEAD AND NECK INJURIES. VEHICLE'S FRAME BENT UP LIKE A PIECE OF ALUMINUM FOIL. CONSUMER FELT FRAME WAS TOO THIN. *AK CONSUMER STATES CAB OF TRUCK AND FLOOR PANELS BUCKELED. *SLC

THREE B.F. GOODRICH TIRES PEELED.

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH IN 5TH GEAR WHEN VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER IN 5TH GEAR, BUT IT DID HAVE POWER IN ALL OF THE OTHER GEARS. CONSUMER STATED THIS OCCURRED IN 1998 THE FIRST TIME, EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY THE FIRST TIME. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE FIFTH GEAR NUT CAME LOOSE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED FUEL TANK FELL OFF, 1 STRAP WAS GONE, OTHER HAD BROKEN. *AK

CONSUMER WAS EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. DEALER HAS ALREADY REPLACED TWO SETS OF ROTORS.*AK

CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH VALVE COVERS. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED VALVE COVERS.*AK

HEAD GASKET IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THAT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX PROBLEM.*AK

FUEL TANK IS HANGING ON BY ONE STRAP. DEALER SUGGESTED TO GET ONE STRAP FROMJUNKYARD AND PUT IT ON. DEALER COULD ORDER A STRAP, BUT THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30-35 MPH VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT, AND WHOLE WHEEL ASSEMBLY ON THE PASSENGER'S FRONT SIDE FELL OFF. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK RIGHT FRONT WHEEL INNER HUB OR BEARING FAILED. *YH

DIESEL ENGINE HAS REPLACEMENT PART SUCH AS TIMMING CHANGE INJECTOR PUMP. TRANSMISSION SENDER SWITCH AND SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACED. FRONT AND BACK BRAKES REPLACED. ALSO, TAIL PIPE HAD TO WELDED BACK ON. TAIL PIPE FELL OFF. THERE WAS VIBRATION. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF PRIME-LOC (WWW.ASH-TEC.COM) FUEL FILTER RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUTDOWN, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST (8000LBS), CAVITATION OF INJECTOR PUMP, AND ATOMIZED DIESEL FUEL COVERING WINDSHIELDS AND OBSCURING VISION OF FOLLOWING VEHICLES. SIGNIFICANT FIRE HAZARD FROM ATOMIZED FUEL FILLING ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE. OF THE THREE OTHER PRIME-LOC OWNERS I HAVE CONTACTED, EACH OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR FAILURES. DISCUSSIONS WITH PRIME-LOC ENGINEER INDICATED POSSIBILITY OF NUMEROUS OTHERS SIMILAR FAILURES....) MANUFACTURER IGNORING ALL COMPLAINTS, CONTINUES TO SELL. I HAVE RETAINED ALL HARDWARE AND IT REMAINS AVAILABLE FOR METALLURGICAL INSPECTION (SUSPECT HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT DURING PLATING PROCESS).*AK

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FUEL STRAP WHICH BROKE, FUEL TANK DROPPED, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH OR A FIRE. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED GAS INDICATOR WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER SAID THEY DIDN'T SEE IT AS BEING A PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE PULLING A TRAILER WITH VEHICLE ON IT CONSUMER STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING FUNNY, CONSUMER ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW AND BLACK SMOKE ROLLED IN, THEN CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND VEHICLE BURNED UP. *AK

WHEN DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON, THERE IS A BURNING SMELL PRESENT. AFTER TURNING THE SWITCH OFF AND THEN TURNING IT BACK ON, HEADLIGHTS DO NOT FUNCTION. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER/CONTROL IN TRAFFIC DURING ACCELERATION AND DEACCELERATION. *AK

NUT AND GEAR FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER/VEHICLE CONTROL WHILE PULLING A TRAILER AT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN MODERATELY HEAVY TRAFFIC.

GOODYEAR TIRES FAILED PREMATURELY AT 20000 MILES ON THE SIDEWALL DUE TO TIRE VIBRATION FROM DEFECTIVE SUSPENSION. NLM

TRANSMISSION IS NOT CHANGING OVER WHEN IT IS SUPPOSE TO. HESITATES OR SOMETIMES DOESN'T START. DEALER CONTACTED AND STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *AK

HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON HAD GOTTEN HOT, AND AFTER BEING PARKED, THE SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. NO ONE HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

RECALL # 99V024000 CHRYSLER/HEADLAMP SWTICH: WHILE THE TRUCK WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND DASH AREA. OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE ABOUT SEVEN DAYS BEFORE THE FIRE. OWNER CONTACTED SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS. NONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS HAD PARTS AVAILABLE TO CORRECT RECALL. *AK

WHEN THE PEDAL IS APPLIED IT GOES HALF WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE IT CATCHES, AND THERE IS A LATE RESPONSE FROM THE BRAKES, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

TRANSMISSION--WON'T UPSHIFT SOMETIMES.

FUEL GAUGE IS READ INCORRECTLY. *AK

OIL PUMP FAILURE. NO OIL PRESSURE. OIL LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. *AK

WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED IT INCREASES UP TO 10 MILES MORE THAN WHAT IT HAS BEEN SET FOR. SEVERAL MILES AFTER THE SPEED INCREASE THE TRUCK SPEED SLOWLY COMES DOWN TO THE SET SPEED. TROUBLE OCCURS AT TEMP UNDER 90 DEGREES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

WHEN SPEED CONTROL IS ACTIVATED, IT PRESENTS A PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO DEACTIVATE IT. DEALER AND CHRYSLER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED, BUT CANNOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THEY HAVE WITNESSED THE PROBLEM FIRST HAND. *AK *ML