1996 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

THE FRONT GRILL ON THE HOOD HAS PLASTIC FASTENERS THAT HOLD THE GRILL ONTO THE HOOD. THESE FASTNERS ARE BREAKING AS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. DODGE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT. A POTENTIAL DEADLY HAZARD CONSIDERING THE LOCATION OF THE DEFECT. *AK

TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING WHEN ACCELERATING, DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REBUILT. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT, AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *SCC

VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. MECHANIC REPLACED ONE OF THE FUEL INJECTORS. ALSO, SAID ENGINE HEAD WAS MOST LIKELY CRACKED.

WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH PASSENGER'S FRONT WHEEL DISCONNECTED FOM VEHICLE. MECHANIC DETERMINED BOLTS HAD SHEARED OFF.*AK

HEADLIGHT SWITCH WOULD OVERHEAT WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA RECALL 01 V 037 000 MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 970 CONCERNING /THROTTLE CABLE: WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ENGINE STARTED TO ACCELERATE UP TO 77 MPH BEFORE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THAT VEHICLE NOT COVER UNDER THAT RECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORAMTION.*AK

TRAVELING ON I-81 APPROX. 65MPH, IN PASSING LANE HEARD NOISE IN FRONT END, MOVED TO THE RIGHT LANE, NOISE SORT OF SUBSIDED THEN BECAME VERY LOUD AND HARD TO CONTROL STEERING, STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND SIGNALED TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY THEN A VERY LOUD BOOM , DOUBLE SLAM , TIRE AND WHEEL FLEW AND ROLLED FORWARD OFF THE ROAD. NOTIFIED BY A RELATIVE THE NEXT DAY THAT A LUG WAS FOUND INTACT OUTSIDE IN-LAWS RESIDENCE.*AK

CATALYTIC CONVERTER BROKE UP AND PLUGGED EXHUAST, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER,CAN BE DANGEROUS ALL POWER TO BRAKES WENT OUT & POWER STEERING. GAS TANK COULD HAVE BLOWN UP IF A HOLE WHERE TO EXIST LUCKLY THIS WAS NOT THE CASE.

DISSIMLAR METAL CONTACTS RE. TAILIGHT SOCKETS AND TYPE 3157 BULBS. BRAKE/TURN/EMERGENCY FLASHER SIGNAL LIGHTS FAIL TO LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY (BOTH SIDES). (DASHBOARD FLASHER LIGHTS INDICATE NORMAL OPERATION.) TWICE REPLACED BULBS, BUT WITH LATER FAILURE IT WAS NOTED THAT MOVING UNLIT BULB OR WIGGLING IT CAUSES IT TO WORK. INSPECTING BULB SHOWS CORROSION/ARCING AT CONTACT POINT(S). I NOW CARRY AN EMORY BOARD TO CLEAN CORROSION FROM CONTACT POINTS WHEN FAILURE NOTED/REPORTED. (3-7 MOS MTBF) I INTEND TO REPORT THIS TO THE UNDERWRITERS LAB AND TO "SYLVANIA" AS AN INCOMPATIBILITY/DESIGN ELECTRICAL DEFECT.

TRANSMISSION IS BEING REPLACED FOR THIRD TIME.TRANSMISSION DOESN'T GIVE A DIAGNOSTIC READING. *AK