1996 DODGE RAM Complaints

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE/ WOBBLE WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 40 OR MORE MPH ONCE IT STARTED IT CONTINUED UNTIL SPEED COME DOWN TO 25 MPH. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF REPAIR SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND CONDITION REMAINED UNRESOLVED. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT A CORRECTION CAN BE MADE. BUT, THE COST WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

WE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A FACTORY REBUILT UNIT BECAUSE THIS TRANSMISSION IS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. WE CAN ONLY ASSUME THIS IS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS UNDER DESIGNED AND NOT SUITABLE FOR USE IN THIS TRUCK. WE FEEL THAT THE ENTIRE COST OF THE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT SHOULD BE BORNE BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.

TRANS SHIFTS INTO 2ND AND STAYS UNTIL HIGH RPM OR SLIPS UNTIL +LOAD OR +THROTTLE

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. REPLACED BRAKES FIVE TIMES WITHIN TWO YEARS. ALSO, THE ROTORS ARE PREMATURLEY WEARING. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

FREEZE PLUGS ARE LEAKING AND AFTER REPAIRS THEY ARE STILL LEAKING. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY SAND LEFT IN THE BLOCK AFTER CASTING AND THE PLUGS ARE CORRODING. LAST TIME IN THEY PUT A STOP LEAK IN THE SYSTEM AND IT HAS SLOWED DOWN THE COOLANT CONSUMPTION TO ABOUT A PINT EVERY 3 MONTHS. I FEEL THEY HAVE NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BUT DELAYED IT UNTIL THERE IS A PROBLEM AT A FUTURE DATE.

I AM A MECHANIC AND HAVE TALKED TO OTHER MECHANICS ABOUT MY PROBLEM. THE MOTOR IN MY TRUCK IS 3 YEARS OLD AND IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I AM TOLD THAT CHRYSLER HAS HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS LIKE THIS FOR MANY YEARS. I KNOW THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE HAVING TO FIX THERE PROBLEMS OUT OF OUR OWN POCKETS. MY PROBLEM IS ONLY FIXED TEMPORALY IT CAN NOT BE FIXED. THE NEXT SOLUTION WOULD BE A NEW MOTOR . I FEEL THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD ATTEND TO.

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED THE FIRST TIME WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID THAT A FORWARD SEAL HAD BEEN "ROLLED" WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS TAKEN OUT AND THE SEAL REPLACED. THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES. SYMPTOMS: WHEN STARTING OUT WITH THE ENGINE COLD, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT PAST SECOND GEAR. THE ENGINE SPEED WILL NOT AFFECT THE CHANGE, ONLY WARMING THE ENGINE BY DRIVING APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES WILL CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO OPERATE NORMALLY. HOWEVER, EVEN DURING WARMED DRIVING, THE PROBLEM RETURNS INTERMITTENTLY, WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN CONSIDERABLY AND HAS CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH TRAFFIC ON FREEWAY SYSTEMS WHERE HIGHER SPEED IS REQUIRED. TOP SPEED DURING THIS PROBLEM IS 35 MPH.

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL GETS MUSHY AND GOES TO THE FLOOR CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES RESULTING IN A COLLISION. THE DEALER HAS NOTIFIED. MJS

ENGINE COMPLETELY FELL APART AND WAS REPLACED BY NORTHE STAR DODGE IN SAN ANTONIO. AIR CONDITIONER HAS RELAY PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION FOUND TO HAVE CLUTCH PIECES IN IT BY INDEPENDANT USED CAR TESTER. ALL WINDOWS AND DOORS HAVE AIR LEAKS AND RAIN LEAKS. VEHICLE LEAKS WATER UP THROUGHT HE FLOOR BOARD WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN. VEHICLE ALSO SHUDDERS DRAMATICALLY WHEN GOING OVER 40 MPH. CARBERATOR HAS CHOKE PROBLEMS AND IS HARD TO START. MOST IF NOT ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED TO DODGE WITHIN 10,000 MILES OF PURCHASE BUT DUE TO STALLING TECHICHES BY FIESTA DODGE NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN REMEDIED.

WHEN DRIVING THERE IS LOUD NOISE COMING FROM FUEL PUMP. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING THE GAS PEDAL VEHICLE WON'T MOVE, AND WILL JUST IDLE. *AK