1995 DODGE RAM Complaints

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR TWO DAYS AND THE IGNITION CAUGHT ON FIRE, TOTALLING THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

DEALER WAS ASKED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AFTER LAST FAILURE. THEY INDICATED TO US THAT THEY DID REPALCE THE TRANSMISSION. FAILURE CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP AT HIGH SPEED AND ALSO CAUSES SEVERE HESITATION DURING TAKE OFF AND PASSING. COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

CONSUMER TURNED ENGINE OFF, AFTER A WHILE WHEN HE TRIED TO START ENGINE, THE DASHBOARD WAS ILLUMINATED/ AIR BAG AND ABS DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY/ WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP AND DOWN, AND AIR CONDITIONER DID NOT START. ALSO, WIRING HARNESS GOT SO HOT THAT IT IT DISCOLORED THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, CAB FILLED WITH NOXIOUS FUMES AND SOME SMOKE. TOOK TO DODGE DEALER IN PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA. THEY DISCOVERED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAD MELTED. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH LOWER COVER OF THE STREEING COLUMN OVERHEATING FROM THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. BELIEVED THIS CONDITION IS A RESULT OF IGNITION WIRING RUNING THROUGH THE COVER. COVER WAS REMOVED AND CONNECTOR WAS CLEANED OFF AND COVER REPLACED. BUT CONDITION STILL OCCURS WHENEVER THE FAN TO THE A/C IS USED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SHIFT ABNORMALLY AND THEN NOT SHIFT AT ALL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO OWNERS MANUAL FOR TRANSMISSION SERVICE AND ALL OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ACCORDING TO MANUAL. ALL THIS HAS BEEN DONE AT LOCAL DEALER. TRANSMISSION REQUIRED OVERHAUL AT COST OF $1250.00. *AK

DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW TRANSMISSION LINES RUB TOGETHER AND CAUSE A HOLE IN THE LINES, RESULTING A TRANSMISSION LEAK WHICH SPRAYS FLUID ONTO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE. DEALER REPLACED THE LINES, AND INSTALLED A PART TO KEEP THE LINES SEPARATE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER/HEATING SYSTEM DOES NOT PUT OUT HEAT OR AIR THROUGH VENTS. COMES OUT DEFROSTER ONLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED IT WAS A FAULTY ACTUATOR. THE ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED. THE DOOR LEVER WAS FAULTY & PARTS BEING ORDERED. THE HVAC WAS CONTAMINATED WITH OIL FROM VACCUM PUMP.*AK

POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOST FAILURE. HOSE THAT CONNECTS BELT DRIVEN VACUUM PUMP TO THE BRAKE BOOST CANNISTER WAS PARTIALLY COLLAPSED. TRUCK HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER 2 MONTHS EARLIER FOR LOSS OF BOOST IN BRAKING SYSTEM. DEALER CLAIMED BRAKING SYSTEM WAS OPERATING PROPERLY. TRUCK WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT ON 5-30-1998. TRAFFIC SITUATION WAS STOP AND GO. BRAKES HAD BEEN APPLIED ONCE, AND THEN HAD TO BE APPLIED AGAIN. TRUCK COULD NOT BE STOPPED FROM 6 CAR LENGTH DISTANCE FROM 30 MPH - ABOUT 100 FT. BRAKES HAD LOST ALL BOOST AND EVEN BOTH FEET APPLIED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE ONLY PROVIDED MARGINAL BRAKING. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL (97V06800) ON SOME 1995 DODGE RAM DIESEL TRUCKS TO ADD AN EXTERNAL CHECK VALVE TO THE VACUUM PUMP AND REPLACE THE HOSE WITH AN OIL RESISTANT VERSION. CHRYSLER CLAIMS THAT SINCE MY TRUCK WAS NOT RECALLED (IT HAS PUMP WITH INTERNAL CHECK VALVE) THEY ARE NOT REPSONSIBLE TO REPAIR. IT IS CLEAR THAT EVEN WITH THE INTERNAL VALVE, OVER TIME SOME AMOUNT OF OIL MIST GETS INTO THE HOSE AN CAUSES IT TO WEAKEN, RESULTING IN COLLAPSE. THE VACUMM PUMP INTERANL BEARING IS LUBRICASTED BY AN ENGINE OIL FEED. THE CHECK VALVE DOES NOT COMPLETELY CONTAIN ALL OIL VAPOR FROM ENTERING THE HOSE. CHRYSLER OBVIOUSLY KNOWS THIS BY INCLUDING A OIL RESISTANT HOSE IN THE RECALL KIT. HOWEVER, THAT TRUCKS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WERE LEFT ON THE ROAD WITH A STANDARD NON-OIL RESISTANT VACUUM HOSE. I HAVE TALKED TO NUMEROUS OTHER DODGE TRUCK OWNER WHO HAVE HAD THE VACUUM HOSE COLLAPSE ON TRUCKS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE WRITTEN TO CHRYLER IN THIS MATTER, AND ALL THEY HAVE STATED IS THAT SINCE MY TRUCK WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THEY STATED THAT SINCE NHTSA DID NOT ASK FOR RECALL OF ALL 1995 TRUCKS THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY ACTION ON THESE MODELS. ALSO HAVE WRITTEN TO SUSAN CISHKE DIRECTOR OF CERTIFICATION COMPLIANCE AND SAFTEY AFFAIRS AND DID NOT GET ANY RESPONSE. I HAVE RETAINED THE FAILED HOSE.

RECALL REPAIR FOR THE AIRBAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE REFUSED BY DEALERSHIP, VEHICLE DOES NOT APPLY WITH NO PASSENGER AIRBAG INSTALLED. (99V-023). MJS