1996 Dodge Ram complaints

THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE AND DID ABOUT $2000 IN DAMAGE TO REAR QUARTER PANEL. *AK

ONE TIRE FAILED DUE TO A SIDE WALL BLISTER AND THE OTHER FAILED FROM DRIVING OVER ROUGH STONES. NEITHER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON A TRUCK TIRE. TIRE SIZE SPACE WOULD NOT RECIEVE ALL NUMBERS. THEY ARE AP P245/75R 16 M+S. *AK (TIRESIZE: AP P245/75)

I HAVE REPLACED MIRRORS AT MY OWN COST. *AK

WAS DRIVING DOWN A COUNTRY ROAD AT 60MPH AND THE HOOD OF MY 1996 DODGE CHOSE TO FLY UP. FORTUNATELY, ALL I DID WAS TAKE THE DITCH AND A GAURD RAIL. COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. CHRYSLER SAID THEY TURNED IT OVER TO AN INVESTIGATION GROUP BACK IN EARLY MAY. STILL NO WORD!*AK

IN 1997 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR RECALL 97 V 084 000 REPAIRS. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED, TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THROTTLE CABLE ON VEHICLE HAD FRAYED WITH ONE OR TWO STRANDS OF WIRE HOLDING THROTTLE. CONTACTED DEALER *AK RECALL 01V037 WAS ISSUED REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE PLANT WHERE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED, DEALER REPLACED CABLE AND LEVER AT CONSUMERS COST. *SLC

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON DASHBOARD AND STAYS ON. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ONTO SHOULDERS, AND NOTICED THAT LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT, LT265/75R126 MS, DOT VDW8AW2128. DEALERSHIP AND FIRESTONE WERE NOTFIED OF INCIDENT.*AK

HEADLIGHTS FAILED AT NIGHT. CYCLED SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. REPAIRED AT DEALER ON 06/08/01. DEALER FOUND SOME BURNT WIRES FROM HEADLIGHT SWITCH, THRU PLASTIC MULTIPIN CONNECTOR, TO FIREWALL. 1ST REPORT TO DODGE VIA INTERNET ON 06/05/01, REF # 8723405; TICKET # 369336. DODGE RESPONSE ON 06/06/01, TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR EVALUATION. ON 06/08/01 DEALER HAD TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND SOME OF THE WIRING HARNESS BECAUSE OF BURNT WIRES, GOING THRU CONNECTOR TO THE DASH. ON 06/11/01, RE-NOTIFIED DODGE VIA INTERNET OF THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY/FIRE ISSUE SINCE NO FUSE "OPENED" TO PREVENT THE BURNT WIRES UNDER THE DASH. AND THE FACT THAT DEALER PERSONNEL (MECHANIC) SAID THEY'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE BUT HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH REPLACEMENT SWITCHES. NO RESPONSE FROM DODGE. CALLED 1-800 NUMBER 06/26/01 AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS ONLY ONE MESSAGE IN FILE, CUSTOMER SERVICE REP (DEREK) WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE 2ND MSG INSPITE OF FACT I HAVE AUTOMATED RESPONSE CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT ON 6/11/01. DEREK? SAID IF ITS PART OF A RECALL, I AM CONTACTING THE WRONG DEPARTMENT AND IF ITS NOT PART OF RECALL, "ITS A FIVE YEAR OLD TRUCK, ITS CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITY". THERE IS A RECALL (#819) ON DODGE RAM 3500 FOR EXACTLY THE FAILURE I EXPERIENCED (EG OVERHEAT HEADLAMP SWITCH CAN CAUSE FIRE AND OR CAUSE SUDDEN LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS...). CUST OMER SERVICE REP (DEREK) REFUSED TO DISCUSS FURTHER...ITS A CUSTOMER RESPONSIBILITY..HELP

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 55MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN A PANIC STOP THEY LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WHICH CAUSED MINOR INJURIES. *AK

RECALL 01 V 037 000/THROTTLE CABLE: DEALER / MANUFACTURER IS TELLING CONSUMER THAT THIS RECALL DOES NOT EXIST; ASKING NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER.*AK *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH WITH A HALF TO 1/4 OF TANK OF FUEL, FUEL INJECTOR STOPPED OPERATING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO CUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND SERVICED. *YH

ON THREE OCCASIONS VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH HOOD UNEXPECTEDLY FLEW UP, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK HOOD FAILURE CAUSED $500 IN DAMAGES. *SLC

CIRCUIT BREAKER HAD BURNED WHILE DRIVING. PRIOR TO PROBLEM GENERATOR LIGHT HAD CAME ON, AND VOLTAGE REGULATOR WENT VERY LOW. VEHICLE HAD STOPPED DEAD.*AK

TRAILOR HITCH HAS BROKEN OFF. CONSUMER CLAIMED IT WAS SAME DEFECT AS MENTIONED IN RECALL 00V107000. BUT, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK *JB

THERE ARE TWO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEMS #828 & #838. THEY DO NOT INCLUDE THE 1996 TWO WHEEL DRIVE, THE CLUTCH HYDRAULIC IS THE SAME AND WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. THEY FIXED IT AT 98,000 MILES AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED 15,000 MILES LATER. THEIR FIX DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY INSTALLED A SHIELD BUT THE PLASTIC CLUTCH LINE RUNS NEXT TO THE SHIELD AND TOUCHES. PLASTIC NEXT TO METAL MELTS AND THE LINE BURST CAUSING OR CAN CAUSE A FIRE. THEY WILL NOT FIX IT AGAIN. THE RECALL ALSO NEED TO BE EXPANDED.. *AK

I WAS NOT ABLE TO ENTER THE VIN # HERE IT IS: [XXX]. I WAS TRAVELING @ 75 MPH IN THE FAST LANE OF INTERSTATE 95 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. FELT SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER & DECLINE OF SPEED, NARROWLY ESCAPED MAJOR ACCIDENT. FOUND THAT TRANSMISSION LOST 5TH GEAR. RESEARCHED AND FOUND MANUFACTURER PUBLISHED SERVICE BULLETIN (#21-10-98A) SEPT. 98. I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. DODGE DOES NOT CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY CONCERN - I WISH THEY WERE IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAPPENED INSTEAD OF MY TWO SONS & I.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

HOOD FLEW OPEN. SMASHED WINDSHIELD AND HOOD HINGES. *AK

THE J2 WIRE FROM IGNITION CAUSED A POWER SPIKE,CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO BURN. A TSB HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED. *JB

THROTTLE CABLE FRAYED ONCE AT 70MPH. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED..*AK CRUISE CONTROL CABLE ALSO FRAYED. *YH

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 50 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN.*AK *JB

WHILE MAKE ANY TURNS CONSUMER NOTICED A CLICKING NOISE FROM STEERING . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER USED A SPRAY TO FIX THE CLICKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, BUT IT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *YH

VEHICLE WAS REARENDED. UPON IMPACT DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED INTO REAR SEAT, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, AND WILL LOOK INTO THE MATTER.*AK

SECONDARY HOOD LATCH RUSTED WHICH CAUSED HOOD TO FLY UP WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS WHEN TRAVELING AROUND 50 TO 60 MPH AND HITTING A BUMP, FRONT END WILL VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. CONSUMER MUST STOP VEHICLE IN ORDER TO GET VIBRATION TO GO AWAY. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE TWICE: DURING FIRST INCIDENT DEALERSHIP REPLACED TRACK BAR, AND AT SECOND INCIDENT, DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK THE STEERING DAMPER HAS BEEN REPLACED AND CONSUMER HOPES THAT THIS SOLVES THE PROBLEM. *SLC

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY HOOD CAME OPEN DUE TO THE SECONDARY LATCH NOT PERFORMING.*AK

WHILE DRIVING HOOD FLEW UP, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK DURING INSPECTION INSPECTOR SHOWED CONSUMER WHERE LATCH AND SECONDARY LATCHES WERE RUSTED, THE SECONDARY LATCH ONCE OPENED WOULD NOT SPRING BACK INTO POSITION. *SLC

3 OF 4 WHEELS BENT ON HEAVY DUTY PICKUP TRUCK USED FOR CITY DRIVING AND TO TOW A SMALL 5T.H WHEEL TRAILER.PROBLEM DISCOVERED DURING PURCHASE OF NEW TIRES. *AK

WHILE CHANGING THE MOTOR OIL, I NOTICED THE REAR OF THE MOTOR WET WITH OIL. TRACED OIL LEAK VIA MECHANIC BACK TO THE REAR OF THE HEADS ON BOTH SIDES. LOSING APPROX 1/2 QT OF OIL BETWEEN CHANGES.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, A NUT FELL OFF FROM CENTER OF REAREND THAT HOLDS YOLK, THIS CAUSED DRIVESHAFT TO FALL OUT OF VEHICLE, AND REAR END TO LOCK UP. *AK *SLC

BOLT IN STEERING ARM SEPARATED, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

WELDS ON FRAME BROKE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING MOTOR TO DROP ON SUSPENSION. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO PULL TO RIGHT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ABS BRAKING SYSTEM LIGHTS COMES ON DASHBOARD PANEL. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. PEDAL IS HARD AND STICKS A LITTLE.*AK

ON JANUARY 26, 2001 DURING AN INSPECTION, I NOTICED SEVERAL FRAYED STRANDS ON THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WHERE IT EMERGES FROM THE SHEATH NEAR THE INJECTOR PUMP. I BOUGHT A NEW CABLE THAT SAME DAY AND NOTICED IT IS OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN THAN THE ORIGINAL. IF THERE WAS ENOUGH OF A PROBLEM TO CAUSE A REDESIGN OF THE PART, IT SEEMS DC CORP. SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED THE OWNERS. WITH THE POWERFUL TORQUE OF THIS ENGINE, THIS IS A DEFINATE SAFETY CONCERN AS IT WOULD BE HARD TO BRING IT TO A STOP SHOULD THE CABLE FAIL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK

STEERING HAS TO MUCH PLAY, ALSO THERE IS A POPPING SOUND, TO DEALER 4 TIMES, CANNOT FIND PROBLEM. VEHICLE WILL NOT STAY IN OVERDRIVE. *AK

FRONT RIGHT TIRE SEPARATED AT 65MPH ALMOST CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND POSSIBLE DEATH. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AT 2,410 MILEAGE ABOUT FRONT END VIBRATION/SHIMMY. NO CAUSE FOUND. VIBRATION IN FRONT END REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES TO DEALER WITHOUT PROBLEM BEING FOUND SINCE IT CONTINUED. WAS TOLD "NORMAL RIDE" FOR TRUCK. TRUCK EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH FRONT END SUSPENSION, RATTLES IN DASH FROM VIBRATION, STEERING COLUMN EXCESSIVE PLAY ETC, ETC, ETC. REMAINING TIRES SHOW SIGNS OF BLUGING AND CRACKING. TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE FROM BEGINING IN MY OPINION AND PUT ME AT RISK! DEALER REBALANCED/ROTATED TIRES MANY TIMES AND SIMPLY CONCLUDED THE VIBRATION/SHIMMY WAS NORMAL FOR TRUCK AND STATED I MIGHT HAVE A BETTER RIDE WHEN LOADED. (DOT NUMBER: LOAD E TIRESIZE: LT24575R16)

ENGINE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE SHIFTING GEARS. 3RD GEAR WAS BURNING OUT. DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO AN AMOCO, AND TEST DROVE IT TO FIND PROBLEM. *AK DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSDUCER AND SOLENOID. *SLC

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK BROKE OFF FROM BOTTOM OF SEAT, CAUSING DRIVER TO FALL INTO BACK SEAT.*AK

FRONT RIGHT BRAKE CALIPER KEEPS PULLING SHORTLY AFTER REPLACEMENT. 4 HAVE BEEN REPLACED. SOMETIMES A VERY STRONG PULL WHERE STEERING IS PULLED FROM HANDS. ESPECIALLY DANGERIOUS WHEN PULLING A TRAVEL TRAILER. -- FUEL CELL HAS A BADLY WORN SLEEVE WHICH CAUSES FLOATING SUCTION TO HANG UP CAUSING AIR SUCTION AND RUNNING OUT OF FUEL AT 1/2 TANK PLUS OR MINUS. *AK

VEHICLE WAS BACKED UP TO A LAKE TO DROPA BOATWITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. UPON RETURNING TO SHORE, CONSUMER FOUND VEHICLE SUBMERGED IN WATER, EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD COME LOOSE. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 55, THE TWO REARVIEW MIRRORS ON BOTH SIDES OF VEHICLE WILL GRADUALLY TURN INWARD AND CONSUMER CAN'T SEE WHATS BEHIND HIM. ALSO, WIND MOVES WINDOWS INWARD. *AK *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES BROKE, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS COMPONENT BUT IT ONLY COVERED GASOLINE MODELS, NOT DIESEL. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WERE TWO INSTANCES WHEN THE TRANSMISSION CONNECTIONS BLEW OUT. *YH

FUELGUAGE MISREAD AMOUNT OF FUEL IN VEHICLE . DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WAS DRIVING ON E-WAY GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR WHICH IS THE SPEED LIMIT WHEN HOOD FLEW UP AND SMASHED INTO WINDSHIELD THE HOOD HAS NOT BEEN OPEN SINCE NOV. 21ST ,2000 WHEN I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND THIS HAPPENED ON FEB. 1ST, 2001 THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE HOOD HAD BEEN RELEASED AND WHEN WE PULLED ON THE RELEASE LEVER INSIDE TRUCK THE LATCH UNDER THE HOOD DOES NOT MOVE THERE ARE NO BROKEN PARTS ON THE LATCH EITHER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 (WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET)THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK BROKE COMPLETLY OFF OF THE SEAT BOTTOM CAUSING ME TO FALL BACKWARD INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT BUT A LESS EXPERENCED DRIVER MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN TROUBLE. DODGE HAS SO FAR REFUSED TO REPAIR THE SEAT AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR FOR WHICH I AM RESPONSIBLE TO REPAIR AT MY OWN COST. I BELIVE THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING, NONE OF GAUGES WENT OUT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS SLUDGE THAT BUILD UP. 10 MONTHS LATER, CAMPSHAFT WENT OUT. *AK