2001 DODGE RAM Complaints

ENGINE WARNING LIGHT KEPT ILLUMINATING. CONSUMER STATED ENGINE SLIPPED. DEALER DETERMINED THAT ENGINE HEADS AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

DEALER COULDN\\'T DIAGNOSE FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. KEPT REPROGRAMMING COMPUTER UNTIL TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE @ 30,000 KM. 10 MONTH FIGHT FOR ENGINE. 6 WEEKS TO REPLACE IN SHOP. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS STILL EXIST SINCE NEW. TRUCK HAS 77,000 KM NOW. IT IS TOTALLY INCAPABLE OF TOWING RV, WHAT TRUCK WAS BOUGHT FOR. MAX FUEL MILEAGE EMPTY IS 10 MPG, 4 LOADED. EXCESSIVE SMOKE. ALL SYMPTOMS VERIFIED BY OUTSIDE SOURCES, AND DODGE STATES THE PROBLEM IS WITH ME. AM A FORMER DIESEL MECH, AND TRUCKER. DODGE REFUSES OUTSIDE DIAGNOSIS INCLUDING CUMMINS. THIS TRUCK HAS OVER 18 MONTHS OF DOWNTIME. JUST GOT TRUCK FROM DEALER TODAY AGAIN, WAS TOLD 2 WEEKS AGO THAT THIS ENGINE IS TOASTED, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN DEALER SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH ENGINE. THEY DIDN\\'T EVEN HAVE THE COURTESY TO RETURN PHONE CALLS OR EVEN TO CALL FOR ME TO PICK UP THE TRUCK. DODGE WILL NOT EVEN ACCEPT FUEL LOGS. HAVE SPENT IN EXCESS OF $20,000 OUT OF POCKET TO KEEP THIS BUCKET GOING, FOR THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WARRANTY AND OUTSIDE DIAGNOSIS. AM SETTING UP LAWSUIT NOW, AS I CANNOT USE THIS VEHICLE. IT HAS EVEN FAILED GOV\\'T EMMISION TEST. WHO CARES? THANKS

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS STARTED IN SEPT. OF 2002 - UPSHIFT AND DOWNSHIFT W/O REASON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON - O/D LIGHT COMES ON, TRANS DOWNSHIFTS AND STAYS THERE - CAN'T TAKE IT OFF UNLESS YOU PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD AND ACTUALLY SHUT OFF IGNITION AND RECYCLE IT. COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF TRANS IN LATE DEC. 2002 / JAN. 2003. END OF JAN. 2003 - MORE OF THE SAME. JUL 2003, BOTH FRONT UNIVERSALS WENT OUT WHILE VACATIONING IN CANADA. DEALER MOST ACCOMODATING IN SMITHS FALLS, ONTARIO - BUT STILL COST $300.00 PLUS. TRANS. PROBLEMS AGAIN (NOV. 2003) DEALER HAS IT FOR 3 DAYS SO FAR AND HAVE NO ANSWERS....WHAT TO DO???

FRONT BRAKES FAIL AT 20,000 MILES +/-. VEHICLE HAS 53,000 MILES AND IS READY FOR FOURTH SET OF FRONT BRAKES. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND THAT 20,000 MILES IS NORMAL SERVICE LIFE FOR BRAKES.

MY BOYFRIEND BOUGHT A 2001 DODGE RAM IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR. AFTER HAVING THE TRUCK ONLY FOUR MONTHS THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE COMPLETLY REPLACED. TWO DAYS AGO WE NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE SHOCKS. HE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD HIM ALL OF THE SHOCKS NEED REPLACING, AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS SUCH AS THE AXEL AND WHAT NOT. THIS IS ONLY SEVEN MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE THING. THE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP ARE RUDE AND VERY UNHELPFUL. THEY HONESTLY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE INCONVENIENCE THEY HAVE CAUSED US.

THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. WENT TO MY MECHANIC AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ELECTRONIC TESTING INDICATED TWO PROBLEMS: (1) TUNE UP WAS NEEDED; (2) SENSORS IN TRANSMISSION INDICATED PROBLEM. WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK AT ANDERSON DODGE IN BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MICHIGAN, I WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE 7-YEAR/70,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE POWER TRAIN. I FOUND THIS OUT ONLY AFTER CONTACTING THE CHRYSLER (DODGE) WEB SITE THAT I HAD THE 7/70,000 WARRANTY. THIS WAS TO LATE AS I HAD ALREADY TAKEN THE TRUCK TO MULTISTATE TRANSMISSION IN WATERFORD, MICHIGAN (ON M-59)((HURON STREET)). THE DEALERSHIP ONLY INFORMED ME THAT I HAD A 3 YEAR/36 MONTH OR 36,000 MILE WARRANTY (BUMPER TO BUMPER) WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE, WHICHEVER CAME FIRST. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, WHEN TRYING TO CONTACT CHRYSLER (DODGE) ON THE COMPUTER, DID I FIND OUT THAT I ACTUALLY HAD THE 7/70000 WARRANTY. IT WAS TO LATE TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP AS MULTISTATE TRANSMISSION ON M-59 (HURON STREET) IN WATERFORD, MICHIGAN ALREADY HAD THE TRUCK AND DROPPED THE TRANS FOR REPAIRS. RESULTS; REBUILD THE TRANS DUE TO TORQUE CONVERTER AND SENSORS. PROBLEM WAS THAT THERE WAS A SEAL INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION THAT WAS DEFECTIVE ACCORDING TO MULTISTATE. I HAVE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS VIA THE INTERNET WITH CHRIS, SR. CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND HE WAS NOT VERY HELPFUL. HE EVEN ASKED FOR MY PHONE NUMBER(S) WHERE I COULD BE CONTACTED AND HE HAS NOT CONTACTED ME AS OF THIS WRITING. I CONTINUE TO TRY TO CONTACT HIM BUT HE FAILS TO RETURN AN ANSWER FOR THE MESSAGES THAT I HAVE SENT HIM. I HAVE THE COPIES OF ALL CONVERSATIONS VIA THE INTERNET AND CAN SEND TO YOU IF SO NEEDED. I EVEN HAD A UNION SECRETARY FRIEND OF MINE WHO STATED THAT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS WERE MEMBERS OF THE UNION, WHICH SHE IS A SECRETARY TO SEE IF SHE COULD HELP. SHE INFORMED ME THAT IF I HAD TAKEN THE TRUCK TO A CHRYSLER (DODGE) DEALERSHIP, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY PAID FOR HALF OF THE REPAIRS.

THE BALL JOINTS OF MY 2001 DODGE RAM PICKUP HAD 5 TIMES THE ALLOWABLE LIMIT OF PLAY, WHICH IS 60,000TH OF AN INCH (1/16). ALL FOUR BALL JOINTS HAD 5/16 OF PLAY AT ONLY 21,000 MILES. THE SHOP I WENT TO FOR MY INPECTION DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM, AND SAID I WAS FORTUNATE THAT IT DIDN'T GET ANY FURTHER. ONE GOOD POT HOLE WITH THAT MUCH PLAY AND A WHEEL COULD HAVE COME OFF. THE SHOP OWNER TOLD ME THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE PROBABLY OUT OF SPEC AT 6,000 MILES, CONSIDERING THEIR CONDITION AT 21,000 MILES. HE ALSO SAID THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL DODGE VEHICLES. HE SAID THAT HE HAS HAD DODGE DURANGO'S IN HIS SHOP WITH ONLY 6,000 MILES THAT HAD THE PLAY HE FOUND IN MINE AT 21,000 MILES!

MY TRANSMISSION CONSISITENTLY ACTED UP FROM ABOUT 15,000 MILE TO THE PRESENT. AT 38,000 MILES AFTER NUMEROUS TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP THE TRANNY FINALLY STOPPED COMPLETELY. NOW 11 MONTHS AND 20,000 MILES LATER IT IS GOING OUT AGAIN AND CHRYLSLER SAYS THEY WILL ONLY PAY FOR PART OF IT THIS TIME LEAVING ME WITH ABOUT 2,800 IN REPAIRS.

BALL JOINTS WORN OUT AT 49,000 MILES 3 MECHANICS SAY THIS IS TYPICAL OF THESE DODGE TRUCKS. IF THIS A RECURING PROBLEM, SHOULDN'T DODGE BE DOING SOMTHING ON THIS

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR SPRING BROKE. AS A RESULT, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NO IMPACT WAS REPORTED. *AK