1996 DODGE RAM Complaints

WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP OR POTHOLE, FRONT SUSPENSION WILL SHIMMY VIOLENTLY. SHIMMYING CONTINUES UNTIL VEHICLE IS PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND SPEED IS REDUCED. SHOCKS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, AND DID NOT RESOLVE PROBLEM. THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON TO CAUSE. SOME BUMPS AND POTHOLES CAUSE, SOME DO NOT. SOMETIMES, SHIMMY STARTS MILDLY AND PROGRESSIVELY GETS WORSE. ALTHOUGH OCCURRED AT 65, ALSO OCCURS AT SLOWER HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IF YOU KNOW OF A FIX THAT IS AVAILABLE (E.G., DEALER RETROFIT), PLEASE E-MAIL ME! ALTHOUGH THIS HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, CHANCES ARE IT EVENTUALLY WILL! *AK

CONSUMER NOT NOTIFIED OF RECALL OF TRANSMISSION COOLER PRESSURE LINE QUICK CONNECTS WHICH FROM INCORRECT SEATING OR EXTREME HEAT CAUSED FLUID LOSS RRSULTING IN SEVERE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE.

TRANSMISSION REPLACED LAST FALL. NOW LOST REVERSE IN TRANSMISSION. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED NEEDED A KIT TO CORRECT PROBLEM IN TRANSMISSION AT OWNER'S COST. THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS ABOUT LOST REVERSE GEAR. *AK

VEHICLE PLACED IN SERVICE 10/95 SO OUT OF WARRANTY. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS NOT REPAIRED BY THEM. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE 95 TRUCKS HAD (8/82).

I REAR ENDED ANOTHER PICKUP TRUCK AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE NOSE AND POSSIBLE FRAME DAMAGE ALSO. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ALTHOUGH I WAS WEARING THE SEATBELT, MY HEAD STILL MADE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. A FELLOW FIREFIGHTER IN TOWN HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIANCE, IN THAT HE HIT AN AUTO AT SPEED, AND HIS AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER. IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEW STYLE DODGE PICKUPS?

ON THREE OCCASIONS BRAKES HAVE LOST PRESSURE TO HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. ON LAST INCIDENT ACCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF LOSING BRAKING ENTIRELY. SINCE SYSTEM TOTALLY FAILED AND INSPECTION OF BRAKING COMPONENTS,EXCLUDING ABS, HAVE NOT UNCOVERED DEFECT IT,BUT LIGHT ON ABS SYSTEM HAS TURNED ON -INDICATING SYSTEM PROBLEM - I BELIEVE ABS COMPONENTS MAY BE FAULTY

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND STEEERING IS VERY UNSTABLE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED SHOCK ABSORBER BAR WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE BRAKES HAVE NOT BEEN 100% SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AT41,000 MILES AND COMPLAINED ABOUT LOW PEDAL . I WAS TOLD THAT THE PADS AND SHOES WERE FINE. AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES, THE BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. SQUEALING NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD WAS FOUND TO BE THE WATER PUMP.

SPENT $1200 TO REBUILD ENTIRE FRONT END OF CAR DUE TO EXCESSIVE CLUNKING AND LOOSENESS AFTER ONLY 40,000 MILES OF LITE STREET USE. FACTORY INSTALLED COMPONANTS OBVOIUSLY INFERIOR QUALITY OR DEFECTIVE. DAILMER CHRYSLER WAS WILLING TO ASSIST IN THE COSTS OF THE REPAIR UNTIL THE BILLS CAME IN. DAIMLER CHRYSLER WALKED AWAY FROM THE ISSUE. REAR WINDOW WATER LEAK - SUGGEST OTHER OWNERS TO LOOK ON PASSENGER SIDE FOR WATER PONDING ADJACENT TO SILL PLATE AT REAR OF SEAT. REAR FACTORY SLIDING WINDOW DEFECTIVE. MUST REPLACE WITH ALTERNATE SELECTION. HEADLINER WILL NOT FIT PROPERLY ON ALTERNATE SELECTION - BEWARE. DODGE RAM OWNERS BEWARE. THIS OWNER JUMPING SHIP FROM DODGE/CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. ONLY OWNED THIS VEHICAL FOR 11 MONTHS.

WHEN DRIVING AT 20 MPH AND WHITOUT PRIOR WARNING THE STEERING GEAR BOX BROKE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND CONSUMER CRASHED INTO A STONE WALL. *AK