1998 Dodge Ram 3500 complaints

THE AIR BAG ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. *JB

THE ELECTRICAL WIRES BECAME VERY HOT AND MELTED, AND SHORTED OUT THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH AND DISABLED THE PARKING LIGHTS. *JB *TS

WHILE TRAVELING AT NIGHT, BOTH HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH

LOSS OF FIFTH GEAR (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) WHILE GOING UP A MOUNTAIN ON INTERSTATE 25 IN WYOMING RESULTING IN RAPID DECELERATION OF VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS RECOGNIZED BY CHRYSLER IN 1994 AND SERVICE BULLITENS WHERE ISSUED TO DEALERS. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH NUMEROUS OWNERS OF THIS SAME MODEL AND HAVE FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED AT VARIOUS MILEAGES. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT DUE TO "OUT OF WARRANTY" STATUS, THE REPAIR WOULD BE PERFORMED NO QUESTIONS ASKED IF WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD.

THE FUEL PUMP BROKE CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND BLACK SMOKE OCCURRED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. TS

THE SEAT BELTS WILL NOT EXTEND. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE LITTLE PIN IS BROKEN AND WILL NOT LET THE BELTS EXTEND. WHY WOULD THIS PIN BECOME DEFECTIVE? WHY WOULD BOTH SEAT BELTS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AT THE SAME TIME? THE PASSANGER SIDE IS RARELY USED. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOTICED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NEW BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TEMP. IN THE TRUCK WHICH WAS RATHER HIGH. THE DEALER ADVISED THE COSTS TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS WOULD BE OVER $600.00. THESE SHOULD NOT GO BAD AND BECOME UNUSABLE. DT

ELECTRIC BRAKES ON BOTH AXLES OF THE FIFTH WHEEL, HYDRAULIC BRAKES ON MY TRUCK W/ ABS ON THE REAR DUELS--NO ABS ON THE FRONT WHEELS--APPLIED THE BRAKES FAILED TO SLOW DOWN--MANUALLY APPLIED THE ELECTRIC BRAKES--CONTROL HEAD OF THE ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES MALFUNCTION, NO ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES--THE INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE FOOT BRAKE LOCKED UP THE FRONT WHEEL LEAVING ME SKIDDING ON THE FRONT TIRES W/ LOSS OF CONTROL OVER STEERING--WHEN THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED THE REAR DUEL ABS FAILED TO FUNCTION AND I SKIDDED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT AT AROUND TWO TO THREE MPH

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*MR *JB

WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH BACK BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT .*AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A TREE AT 50 MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER AND MANUFACTUERER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT BEFORE HITTING TREE HEAD ON, TRUCK HIT PICKUP AT 70 MPH AND AIR BAGS ALSO FAILED TO DEPLOYED. THERE WERE 2 INJURIES. *YH

HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT BECAUSE A WIRE IS MELTING THE SWITCH. CONSUMER STATES HEADLIGHT DOESN'T HAVE A RELAY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR 1997. *AKCONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT SOME OF THE EARLY 1998 MODEL DIDN'T HAVE THE RELAY PROTECTION ON THE LIGHT SWITCH. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE 1997 MODELS, THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED ON THE 1998'S. THEY REFUSE TO CORRECT THE RELAY SWITCH ON CONSUMERS VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE THE CORRECTED SWITCH. CONSUMER HAS PAID FOR THREE NEW SIWTCHES PLUS PIGTAILS. THE LAST TIME THE SWITCH BURNED OUT IT CAUSED A DEAD SHORT IN THE WIRING. *JG

NUT FELL OFF BACK OF FIFTH GEAR, DAMAGING THE MAIN SHAFT AND CAUSING TRUCK TO JUMP ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY. DODGE ADMITS THIS IS A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT, YET THEY WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL. A HORSE IN THE TRAILER BEING TOWED WAS INJURED IN THIS INCIDENT DUE TO THE VIOLENT JERKS AND SWERVES INVOLVED. *TS **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS*762504

CONSUMER EXITED VEHICLE, AND WHEN HE CAME BACK THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE WHICH STARTED IN THE LEFT FRONT DASHBOARD AREA.*JB (OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT#10-90-733)

FRONT WHEELS ON BOTH SIDES OF VEHICLE VIBRATE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL. VEHICLE HAS TO BE RESTARTED TO GAIN CONTROL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT PROBLEM IS PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. *AK

DODGE FAILS TO ADMIT A PROBLEM WITH REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BECAUSE I DIDN'T FIND THE UNUSED BRAKES WITHIN THE WARRANTY. SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCE ON OTHER MAKES WITH REAR ABS. MY WORRY IS I'M NOT THE ONLY ON DRIVING WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKES. DODGE SENT A SERVICE BULLITIN TO DEALERS BUT NOT TO INFORM CONSUMERS.*AK

2 YEARS AGO THE 5TH GEAR FAILED AND CHRYSLER COVERED IT THE TRUCK WAS 1000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. IN 8-2001 THE PART FAILED AGAIN WE TOOK IT TO A TRANS SHOP AND THEY FIXED IT FOR $213.OO, IN 9-2001 IT FAILED AGAIN THE TRANS SHOP THAT FIXED IT IN 8-2001 WOULD NOT WARRANY THE NUT BACKING OFF. SO WE HAD TO PAY $766.OO IN 9-2001 THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE TYPE VEHICLES CHRYSLER KNOWS THIS BUT THEY DO NOT WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WOULD COST ALOT OF MONEY TO RECALL ALL THESE VEHICLES. THE PROBLEM ALMOST CAUSED US TO HAVE A WRECK, WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH AND YOU HAVE TO DOWNSHIFT BECAUSE THE 5TH GEAR FAILS AND IT IS LIKE DRIVING IN NEUTRAL SO YOU DOWNSHIFT AND HOPE NOONE IS CLOSE BEHIND YOU. THERE WAS AN 18 WHEELER BEHIND US THIS LAST TIME AND ALMOST HIT US IN THE REAR END. WE HAVE 2 CHILDREN AND THEY WERE SCARED TO DEATH. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO FACE UP TO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THE CHILDREN THAT RIDES IN THESE VEHICLES OR EVEN ADULTS GET KILLED BECAUSE CHRYSLER WANTS TO SAVE MONEY. THE VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM ARE UNSAFE AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED NOT AT OUR COST BUT CHRYSLERS EXPENSE. I AM TIRED OF PAYING FOR THIS PROBLEM WHEN CHRYLSER KNOWS THAT IT IS A PROBLEM. BUT I GOT NEWS FOR CHRYSLER THIS WILL BE THE LAST CHRYSLER VEHICLE I OWN. THEY ARE THE SORRIEST PEOPLE AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. THANK YOU CHRISTY HOUSTON. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ONTO A TWO LANE HIGHWAY VEHICLE JUMPED IN NEUTRAL AND LOST 5TH GEAR. ALSO,COULD NOT GO OVER 40 MPH.*AK

WHILE TOWING MY TRAILER IN 5TH GEAR ON A CROWDED INTERSTATE, THE GEAR SUDDENLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. I LOST POWER AND SAFELY PULLED OVER. THE OTHER 4 GEARS WORKED TO GET ME HOME.*AK

FUEL INJECTOR PUMP HAS GONE OUT 6 TIMES IN 8 MONTHS, CAUSING ENGINE TO MISS BADLY. DEALER CLAIMED THAT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO WATER IN FUEL. PLEASE ADD ANY FURTHER COMMENTS. *AK

THREE TIMES WITHIN PAST YEAR; MAY/ NOVEMBER 2000, AND MAY 2001 HEADLIGHTS/ DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. *AK *SLC

AFTER DISENGAGING SPEED CONTROLBY SWITCH SET AT 57 MPH VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AT 70 MPH BEFORE DISENGAGING. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS WOULD CONTINUE TO BLOW FUSES. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM, KEPT REPLACING FUSES. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER . *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST FIFTH GEAR, IT WAS CONFIRMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE NUT BACKED OFF THE GEAR. NLM

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH REPLACING FRONT WHEEL BEARING FROM 51,000 MILES TO PRESENT, FOUR SETS OF WHEEL BEARING WERE REPLACED. ON LAST OCCASION, FRONT AXLE BROKE DUE TO WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED. ALL REPAIRS WERE DONE UNDER WARRANTY. BUT UNABLE TO LOCATED THE CAUSE. *AK THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKES GRAB ON REGULAR BRAKING DUE TO WORN PADS AND ROTORS. THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS. *YH

CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT DISINGAGE AT TIMES, THIS MOSTLY OCCURS ON LONGER TRIPS OF 40 MILES AND MORE. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH FAST IDLING OR STALLING INTERMITTENTLY; DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WILL NOT REPAIRS UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

FUEL TANK CRACKED, CAUSING LEAKAGE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

THIN STREAM OF WHITE SMOKE EMITTING FROM DASHBOARD. HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHORTED OUT CAUSING WIRES TO BURN BEHIND DASH. VERY CLOSE TO AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. HAVE HEARD OTHER DODGE PICKUP OWNERS HAVING SAME DIFFICULTY (AT LEAST 3 THAT I KNOW). PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM!*AK

STRESS FRACTURE IN PASSENGER MIRROR AND DRIVER MIRROR. HEARD FROM DEALER THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM, BUT DO NOT SEE IT LISTED ANYWHERE. HAS HAPPENED TO ME IN EACH MIRROR SEPARATELY. FIRST TIME WHILE USING THE MIRROR DEFOGGER, 2ND TIME WHILE JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE MIRRORS JUST CRACK UP THE MIDDLE AND THE SOUND IS LIKE SOMEONE HAS THROWN A ROCK AT YOUR VEHICLE. *AK

DRIVER HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AT TIME OF INCIDENT, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER HIT WINDSHIELD. *AK

TRANSMISSION WAS HARD TO SHIFT. DEALER CLAIMED TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. HAD TO REPLACED, COST WAS SPLIT BETWEEN DEALER AND MYSELF. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, ANOTHER VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY WHILE COMING OFF A SIDE ROAD, CAME ACROSS THE ROAD, AND CONSUMER HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE LEFT QUARTER. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK

WHEN PARKING APPLIED BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. ALSO, IT SPEEDED UP TO 20MPH WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AND GOING AROUND A CURVE. CONTACTED DEALER*AK.

WHILE GOING AROUND A CURVE OR GOING STRAIGHT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. DEALER SAID IT WAS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED STEERING GEAR BROKE, CAUSING THE STEERING TO BE JAMMED DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN 5TH GEAR THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER AS IF IN NEUTRAL. THE OTHER GEARS WERE FUNCTIONAL. DEALER SAID A NEW LOCK NUT WAS NEEDED TO HOLD GEAR IN PLACE. *AK

THESE ARE 2 TRUCKS OF THE SAME KIND WE OWNED THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE SAME WAY. *AK

CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS RESULTING IN ACCELERATION AND STALLING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. YH

WHILE TRYING TO PUT SEAT BELTS ON THEY LOCKED UP. CONSUMER UNABLE TO PUT SEAT BELT ON. SEAT BELT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF SEAT DUE TO MALFUNCTION IN THE MOTOR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF AND REFUSES TO RECTIFY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE MAIN FUSE WIRING HARNESS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP. PLEAS EPROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. OCCURS ON UNEVEN ROADS OR WIND (NATURAL OR SEMI TRUCK INDUCED) CONDITIONS. SUDDEN SHIFT IN DIRECTION SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE LANE CHANGE. DEALER CLAIMS THIS "NORMAL".

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS, PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. *AK

OIL PRESSURE SENDING UNIT FAILED. YH

POWER STEERING FAILED. YH

DRIVESHAFT FAILED. YH

(RAM MAXIVAN); WHILE CONSUMER WAS SITTING STILL IN VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO START ENGINE AND BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER CONTACTED AND AWARE OF PROBLEM, MANUFACTURER TO REMEDY PROBLEM. AIRBAGS WERE NOT REINSTALLED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER.

ENGINE HAS LOW POWER AND POOR FUEL ECONOMY. 15.5MPG ON THE HIGHWAY WITH EMPTY TRUCK. WHILE PULLING 6000# TRAILER, 11MPG AND LIMITED TO 65 MPH SPEED. MUCH SLOWER ON SMALL INCLINE.