1996 DODGE RAM Complaints

THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 020496, SEQUENCE NUMBER 49, DATE OF BULLETIN 9606, NHTSA ITEM NUMBER SB047743 OUT ON THIS PROBLEM OF THE SUSPENSION;INDEPENDENT FRONT CONTROL ARM; BALL JOINTS BEING RUSTED AND NEEDING REPLACEMENT. THE DODGE PEOPLE TOLD ME IT WILL COST ME $880 TO FIX AND THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 26,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS A DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THANK YOU.

THE PLASTIC MOLDED GAS TANK IS LOOSE, AND MOVES AROUND WHEN DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK HEAT SHIELD WILL NOT STAY SECURED TO THE TANK, DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR TWICE, HOWEVER HAS BEEN UNSUCCESFUL AND STATES THAT THE WHOLE ANK NEEDS REPLACED. *SLC

2 ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE FAILED WITH TREAD SEPARATION (FIRST ONE SHOWN ON CLAUDE SHORT INVOICE #191081, WITH NOTE ABOUT ADDITIONAL BAD TIRE). AFTER PUBLICITY ABOUT NHTSA PROBE OF THESE TIRES, I CALLED GOODYEAR AND VISITED A LOCAL DEALER. GOODYEAR WILL NOT REIMBURSE OR REPLACE, (CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLED 11/22/2000, AND LOCAL DEALER VISITED SAME DAY). AFTER SEPARATION FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT OF TWO OF THE ORIGINAL FOUR TIRES, I AM AFRAID OF THESE TIRES. *AK (TIRESIZE: LT245/75)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT245/75 )

BF GOODRICH RADIAL TIRE (P245 75 R16) EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL SEPARATION WHICH CAUSE THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL, THE VEHICLE ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED DUE TO THE INCIDENT. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *SLC

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'VE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. ONCE AT 43,832 MILES, NOW AT 71,750 MILES. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN WE PULLED INTO TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. *AK

VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH. CONSUMER IS ABLE TO RESTART IT AGAIN. CONSUMER RECEIVED 10 RECALL LETTERS FOR SAME PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER TOTALED VEHICLE BY HITTING A TREE HEAD ON, CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES DUE TO THE AIRBAGS EXPERIENCING NO DEPLOYMENT, CONSUMER INJURED LOWER BACK AND KNEES AND IS STILL RECOVERING. *SLC

INTERMITTENTLY ACCELERATOR CABLE BECAME FRAYED/ GETTING JAMMED INTO THE CABLE HOUSING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND WILL INSPECT VEHICLE. *AK

THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR ANY TOWING OR OTHER POWER TRAIN STRESSING JOBS. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, UNDER SIMILAR "NO STRESS" CONDITION LESS THAN 20K MILES LATER. A WIDELY ACCEPTED INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR TRANSMISSION LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 7YRS/100,000 MILES. *AK

HAVE HAD TO REBUILD TRANSMISSION, ALSO KNOW OF OTHERS IN THIS SAME AREA WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY ARE ALSO 1996 MODELS