2008 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT'S SON OWNED A 2008 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING 50 MPH, HE FAILED TO SEE THE BRAKE LIGHTS OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT HIM AND HAD TO FORCEFULLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S SON ATTEMPTED TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S SON SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS HANDS AND BRUISES FROM THE SEAT BELT. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE CONTACT'S SON WAS NOTIFIED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V352000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. UPDATED 08/31/17*LJ *CN

INTERMITTENT FRONT END VIBRATION DESCRIBED ONLINE AS "DEATH WOBBLE" WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (OVER 55) STEERING WHEEL WILL RANDOMLY VIBRATE AND SHAKE AND VEHICLE FRONT END SHAKES AS IF THE FRONT WHEELS ARE "FIGHTING EACH OTHER" AND OUT OF UNISON WITH THE OTHER. SLOWING DOWN WILL STOP THE VIBRATION AND VEHICLE WILL SETTLE DOWN AND RETURN TO NORMAL. THIS OCCURS WITHOUT NOTICE, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ACROSS A ROUGH PATCH OR TRANSITION FROM ONE ROAD SURFACE TO ANOTHER. MORE LIKELY ON HIGHWAYS AND INTERSTATES AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN OCCURRING INTERMITTENTLY FOR YEARS. SERVICE CENTERS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE. HAVE INSPECTED FRONT END, SHOCKS, TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS, ETC. AND FOUND NO REASON FOR TROUBLE.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WITH THE HELP OF A GOOD SAMARITAN AND MY EVASIVE MANEUVER COURSE REQUIRED BY MY JOB, BEFORE ANYTHING TRAGIC HAPPENED. I HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY CONFIRMED MY SUSPICION OF A BROKEN TIE ROD, SPECIFICALLY THE LEFT TIE ROD WHICH HAS BEEN RECALLED ON EVERY 2008 RAM EXCEPT MY 1500. I FIND THIS VERY SUSPECT THAT ALL THE OTHER RAMS HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND FIXED EXCEPT MY MODEL, YET I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I AM GRATEFUL THAT I DID NOT GET HURT, OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND INJURE ANYONE ELSE, HOWEVER THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED IN FURTHER BY THE GOVERNMENT. ALL OF THESE TRUCKS ARE UNSAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL THEY ARE FIXED. ACCORDING TO MY NORMAL MECHANIC, THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE TIE ROD. HE HAS REPLACED MANY 1500 TIE RODS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNERS, THIS SHOULD NOT BE. PLEASE ORDER RAM TO ISSUE A RECALL ON ALL THE 2008 RAM TRUCKS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE. THANK YOU

THE TRUCK WILL THROW YOU INTO ANOTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC AND YOU HOPE AND PRAY NO ONE IS THERE. SOMETIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SOMETIMES AT NORMAL SPEEDS. NOT A GOOD FEELING AND NOT FAIR DODGE ONLY PICKED A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THESE TO FIX.

WHEN PUTTING MY TURN SIGNAL LEVER TO THE LEFT MY RIGHT TURN SIGNAL COMES ON. SOMETIMES THE LEFT WILL BE WORKING THEN IT WILL SWITCH OVER TO THE RIGHT. TURN MY RIGHT BLINKER ON AND IT STOS THEN COMES ON AGAIN STOPS ETC. JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT IS GOING O HAPPEN. VILLAGE MOTORS FROM MILLERSBURG OH SAID IT WAS THE WIRING HARNESS WHICH THEY REPLACED 2 YERS AGO WHEN I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.

FAILED TIE RODS AND TIE ROD ENDS, STABILIZER BAR CONTROL LINK AND BALL JOINTS LOWER SUSPENSION. LEAKING RACK AND PINION (VISIBLE WHEN CHECKING THE SUSPENSION CHALLENGES). THE VEHICLE "POPS" LOUDLY, WHICH CAN ALSO BE FELT, WHEN TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT AT ANY SPEED OR DRIVING OVER POTHOLES OR BUMPS.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V313000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V352000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE BUT THAT THEY WOULD NOT CONDUCT THE RECALL REPAIR FOR FREE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

THIS VEHICLE HAS GIVEN ME MANY PROBLEMS AND MOST RECENTLY VERY DANGEROUS ONES. A FEW MONTHS AGO ON MY WAY TO WORK AROUND 4AM THE DRIVE SHAFT BROKE OFF AND FLEW OUT AT 75 MPH. LUCKILY THERE WASN'T MUCH TRAFFIC DURING THAT TIME AND THE BACK PART OF THE DRIVE SHAFT IS THE ONE THAT BROKE OFF NOT THE FRONT SO THE TRUCK DIDN'T FLIP OVER. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN REPAIRED SINCE THEN. NOW A FEW DAYS AGO MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK AND IT TURNED OFF ON HER IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WHILE I WAS WORKING OUT OF TOWN. ON MY RETURN I FOUND THE ELECTRIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT ON AT THE DASHBOARD. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS IS TYPICALLY IN RELATION TO A BAD FUEL PUMP RELAY. I FOUND THIS TO BE MORE THAN COMMON ON MANY DODGE VEHICLES AND OBVIOUSLY A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM TO HAVE. THE FUEL PUMP RELAY ON MY VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE INTEGRATED INTO THE TIPM AND NOT SERVICEABLE. THERE ALSO SEEMS TO NOT BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT NOW APPEARS I AM BEING FORCED TO SPEND $1200 ON A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THIS VEHICLE HAS GONE FROM BEING MY DAILY COMMUTER TO A HUGE LIABILITY BECAUSE I AM NOT SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V313000 (AIR BAGS) AND 16V352000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TAKATA RECALL CONTACTED DEALER AND SIGNED UP AT RECALLS.MOPAR.COM. PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. IT'S BEEN WELL OVER A YEAR NOW AND BOTH AIRBAGS NEED TO BE REPLACED.