Dodge Ram Complaints (1997)

1,130 consumer complaints on file.

#734170October 12, 2000
SEATS
THERE IS A SAFETY STANDARD REQUIRING HEAD RESTRAINTS TO PREVENT OR REDUCE WHIPLASH INJURIES YET THERE IS APPARENTLY NO STANDARD THAT REQUIRES THE SEAT BACK HOLDING SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT TO REMAIN STANDING UPRIGHT DURING AN ACCIDENT WHERE SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT WOULD BE NEEDED. I WAS REAR ENDED ON AN EXPRESSWAY. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER THAN I WAS. THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT THE INTERIOR SHELVING IN MY VAN BUCKLED DUE TO THE SHOCK TO ITS LOAD. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK RECLINER STRIPPED COMPLETELY, ALLOWING THE SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE. IN FACT, THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE SEAT FROM COLLAPSING ALL THE WAY WAS THE CARGO LOADED BETWEEN THE SEAT AND THE SHELVES. INSTEAD OF A WHIPLASH INJURY, I RECEIVED A LOWER BACK INJURY FROM MY BACK BEING SNAPPED BACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT. WHAT GOOD IS A HEAD RESTRAINT IF THE SEAT BACK DOESN'T HOLD IT UP? FURTHERMORE, IN THE SEARCH TO FIND A USED SEAT TO AVOID HAVING TO DISMANTLE THE SEAT TO REPLACE THE STRIPPED RECLINER, I DISCOVERED THAT ALL SIMILAR DODGE VANS IN THE JUNK YARDS WITH THE DELUXE HIGH BACK SEATS ARE SIMILARLY STRIPPED. I SEARCHED JUNKYARDS DESPITE THE POLICE OFFICER WHO CAME TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE SAYING THAT SEATS COLLAPSING DURING REAR END ACCIDENTS WAS COMMON. IS THIS ANOTHER INSTANCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVING ITS HEAD UP ITS A** LIKE WITH THE FIRESTONE TIRES?
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#734135October 12, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT MAINTAIN SPEED, IT KEEPS ON ACCELERATING UNTIL MAX VEHICLE SPEED IS OBTAINED. DEALER NOTIFIED UNDER WARRENTY DID NOT RECEIVE PART UNTIL AFTER WARRENTY WAS OVER, WILL NOT REPAIR NOW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#872722October 11, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT SHUT OFF, CAUSING SOLENOID TO GET HOT AND BLOW UP. DEALER WAS REPAIRING VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#872359October 5, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
WAITING AT STOP LIGHT & PEDESTRIAN NOTICED LEAKAGE UNDER VEHICLE. PULLED AWAY FROM STOP LIGHT & VEHICLE STARTED JERKING & LURCHING. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD, STOPPED VEHICLE & GOT OUT TO CHECK. LIFTED HOOD & NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT. CHECKED CLOSER AND SAW TRANSMISSION HOSE HAD PULLED AWAY FROM CONNECTION. IT WAS CLAMPED ON, BUT HAD PULLED AWAY. HOSE LINE WAS DIFFERENT THAN RECALL #97V084000. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS.*AK *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#872070October 3, 2000
TIRES
BELT SEPARATED ON THIS STEEL TEX 16 WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL RUNNING THE TRUCK INTO A DITCH. FIRESTONE HAS BEEN CONTACTED. ONE INJURY DUE TO INCIDENT. *AK *MJS
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#871723September 28, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ALONG ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT APPLICATION, CAUSING UNWANTED ACCELERATION. THIS HAPPENS WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGEMENT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS. DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#732568September 26, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I DRIVE 70,000 MILES A YEAR...I HAVE HAD A SET OF 4 MICHLIN TIRES THAT HAVE SHOWN OBVIOS SIGNS OF TREAD SEPERATION ...VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IS SHOWN ON TV WITH THE FIRESTONE RECALL PROBLEM.......I HAVE BEEN A OVER THE ROAD DRIVER AND DO KNOW WHAT I FEEL IS UNSAFE IN TIRES...I TOOK THESE OFF MY TRUCK WITH OVER 1/2 OF TREAD STILL ON THEM,AS IFEARED THAT THEY WERE TO COME APART...I CONTACTED THE DEALER(SAMS CLUB) FOR ADJUSTMENT...THE STORE MANAGER WAS CALLED IN TO THE PROBLEM AND HE CALLED SOME PAPERPUSHER AT MICHLIN AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM....THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AS THE TIRES DID NOT FAIL,THAT IT APPEARED ACCORDING TO DESCRIPTION THAT IT WAS SURFACE CHECKING,BUT IT IS COMPLETELY AROUND TREAD IN AND OUT SIDE ON ALLL 4 TIRES...THESE WERE ROTATED AND BALANCED REGULARLY ON SERVICE CONTRACT WITH SELLING DEALER..SO THEY HAD ALL MAINT REQUIRED.....I DID REPLACE THEM AS I SAID I FEARED FAILURE....I AM WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER REPORTS ON THIS TIRE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: M32KBHX519 TIRE SIZE: LT245/75/R )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#871470September 25, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER TRUCK BECAUSE BRAKES DID NOT CATCH.- ALSO, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED. *YH
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#732373September 24, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MANUFACTURER REPLACED PART FREE OF CHARGE, HOWEVER, I HAD TO PAY FOR 12 HOURS OF LABOR. HAVING AN OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART IN A THREE YEAR OLD VEHICLE, SHOULD NOT WARRANT A PENALTY OF PAYMENT BY ME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#732269September 22, 2000
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
WHILE ON VACATION IN NEW MEXICO OUR STEERING DID NOT WORK PROPERLY AND WE HAD TO DRIVE HOME TO PA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731506September 15, 2000
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
ON 9/14/2000 THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BEGAIN TO MAKE A MOANING NOISE DURING DEACCELERATING. WITH IN 10 MILES DRIVING DISTANCE AT 30 MPH DURING DEACCELERATION THE REAR END DIFFERENTIAL MADE A LOUD BANG WHILE THE VEHICAL JERKED VIOLENTLY. AFTER THE LOUD NOISE I HEARD THE DRIVE SHAFT OF THE VEHICAL DRAGING ON THE PAVEMENT. I PROCEEDED TO ATTEMPT TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SLOW DOWN WHEN THE VEHICAL JERKED VIOLENTLY AGIAN. AT THIS POINT I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP AND BEGAIN TO SLIDE. I RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE SLIDING CONTINUED DUE TO A MAJOR FAILURE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL. LUCKILY I DID NOT LOOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK DURING WHEEL LOCKUP. WHEN THE TRUCK STOPPED I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND OBSERVED THE REAR END OF THE DRIVE SHAFT ON THE PAVEMENT. I COULD NOT MOVE THE VEHICAL DUE TO THE JAMMED DIFFERENTIAL, THE VEHICAL WAS TOWED TO TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALER SHIP. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURED. THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAVE WITH DODGE IS THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL FAILED THE FIRST TIME WHEN THE VEHICAL WAS ALMOST NEW AT 13000 MILES. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURED APPROXIMATELY ON 3/98. LUCKLY THE FAILING DIFFERENTIAL MADE VERY PRONOUNCED HUMMING NOISES BEFORE ANY CATASTROPHIC FALUIRE OCCURED. AT THAT TIME I TOOK THE VEHICAL TO ALLEN SAMUEL DODGE IN FORT WORTH TEXAS FOR REPAIR. ALLEN SAMUEL DODGE TECHNITIONS IDENTIFIED THAT THE BEARINGS IN THE DIFFERENTIAL HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE RING AND PINION GEAR TO SEVERLY WEAR. DUE TO THE HISTORY DEMONSTRATED WITH MY EXPERINCES I AM CONCERNED THAT DODGE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN AND OR METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE REAR ENDS OF THEIR 1/2 TON PICKUPS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870629September 15, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
DIFFERENTIAL BEARING ARE DEFECTIVE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#731489September 14, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870500September 14, 2000
TRAILER HITCHES
HAD NOTICED BRACKET WAS CRACKED WHERE IT ATTACHES THE TRAILER TO THE HITCH. CRACK WAS SEVERE. OWNER BOUGHT NEW BRACKET & REPLACED THE OLD ONE.*AK THE ENTIRE HITCH HAS TO BE REPLACED AND IT IS THE SAME HITCH THAT WAS RECALLED. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870325September 12, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, TIRES
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND ANOTHER VEHICLE JUMPED IN FRONT. VEHICLE WAS MAKING A NOISE COMING FROM THE TIRES. ALSO, OIL WAS LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#870222September 11, 2000
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
WHENEVER DRIVING EXTERIOR MIRRORS WOULD TURN INWARD. DRIVER WOULD NEED TO USE INTERIOR MIRRORS TO SEE OTHER VEHICLES ON SIDE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC REFUSED TO CORRECT PROBLEM DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OVER 35,000 MILES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#730945September 10, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
2 WRANGLER AT LT 245 75 R16 HAVE FAILED VIA TREAD SEPARATION, THE SECOND AT 70MPH WHICH DID 4755. $ DAMAGE. 4 OF 5 TIRES REPLACED BYGOODYEAR UNDER LIABILITY CLAIM G00T00109. TRUCK REPAIRS PAID BY STATE FARM, MADE BY SYMMONS BODY AND FENDER, INC DANVILLE CA FED ID #: 942536583 PH (925)820 3317 FAX 8897 JOB NO 9151 ON 03/10/2000( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT 245 75 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#730966September 10, 2000
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES
THE FAILURE OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THE MIRROR SUPPORT ARM BECAME LOOSE INTERNAL TO THE CONNECTION BRACKET ON THE VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#730876September 9, 2000
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#730729September 8, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
THE REAREND IN THE DODGE TRUCK MAKES A CLUNK WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND DRIVE TO REVERSE IT WILL MAKE THE SAME CLUNK (RING) WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE TRANS. SHIFTS THROUGH THE SHIFT PATTERN. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED OUT THEY SAID PLAY IN THE REAR END WAS NORMAL BUT TEY REPROGRAMED THE POWER CONTROL MODULE TO LOWER THE RPMS SO THAT THE CLUNK WOULD NOT BE HEARD, THEY PUT A $1.65 STICKER ON THE TRUCK SOME WHERE . THE CLUNK IS STILL THERE AND SOUNDS LOUDER . I KNOW OF THREE OTHER DODGE TRUCKS WITH THE SAME NOISE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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