1997 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 62000. DEALERSHIP IN HAMMOND, LA WOULD NOT WORK WITH ME TO REPLACE. HAD IT REPLACED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AT THE COST $2300.00 . *AK

STARTED SMELLING STRONG GAS FUMES. HAD CHECKED AND FOUND GAS TANK WAS CRACKED ON TOP AND RUNNING DOWN BOTH SIDES VERY CLOSE TO EXHAUST PIPES. FIRE HAZARD. HAD TO HAVE GAS TANK AND FUEL PUMP REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. SEEMS TO ME A GAS TANK SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 7 YEARS OR BE A FACTORY DEFECT.*AK

I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK FROM A USED DEALER IN TUPELO, MS ON JULY 5, 2004. ON AUGUST 27, 2004, MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING AROUND 65-70 MPH DOWN A 4-LANE HWY IN MS WHEN I HEARD A WEIRD NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND AS HE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO GET OFF ON THE SHOULDER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL BEARING SHEARED THE STUDS OFF AND MY TIRE WENT SAILING OFF THE TRUCK, SLAMMING THE FRONT END DOWN ONTO THE GROUND. WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT DENTED THE FENDER AND SHOVED THE FENDER INTO THE PASSENGER DOOR PREVENTING IT FROM BEING ABLE TO BE OPENED. TRUCK WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT ON A TRAILER AND A NEW WHEEL BEARING WAS PUT IN. THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO THE STUDS BEING SHEARED OFF ON A 4-LANE HWY. WHEN PART WAS REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARING WAS CHECKED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, SHOWING NO REASON FOR REPLACEMENT. 2 WEEKS LATER ON MY WAY TO WORK, I FELT A SUDDEN VIBRATION IN THE TRUCK. I PULLED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CHECKED THE TRUCK, JUST BY A SUDDEN CHANCE OF LUCK I CHECK THE TIRE AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE HAD ALREADY SHEARED 3 OF 5 LUG NUTS OFF. ONCE AGAIN THE TRUCK WAS TOWED IN FOR REPAIR AND A NEW WHEELBEARING WAS INSTALLED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. WHILE THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN IN OUR POSSESSION, WE HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO IT TO MAKE IT SHEAR STUDS AND BREAK BEARINGS LIKE THAT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF THE TRUCK AS WELL, INCLUDING SERVICING AND REPLACING PARTS, AND MAINTENANCE.*AK

MY TRUCK WAS AT A STAND STILL WHEN I WAS REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT POINT OF IMPACT, BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATS BROKE AND RECLINED TO THE REARWARD POSITION. BOTH CAN BE PUT IN THE FORWARD AND BACK TO THE REARWARD POSITION (TOTALLY RECLINED) BY SIMPLY PUSHING IT FROM FRONT TO BACK. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BROKE TO THE POINT THAT ONLY A SMALL PART OF THE HINGE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SEAT REMAINS TO HOLD THE BACKREST TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT. BOTH SEATS FAILED TO HOLD UP TO THE IMPACT! THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BREAKING IS THAT MY SON, WHO WAS POSITIONED BEHIND THE DRIVERS SEAT, BROKE HIS JAW WHEN HE WAS THROWN FORWARD, AFTER THE SEAT HAD ALREADY BROKEN TO THE REARWARD POSITION. HIS FACE MADE CONTACT WITH THE HEADREST OF THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT AS IT WAS LAYING IN HIS LAP. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE AS OF YET, AS THE CLAIMS ADJUSTER HAS YET TO INSPECT MY TRUCK. *AK

DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY I-70 EAST BOUND, THE HOOD LATCH RELEASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE HOOD FLIPPED BACKWARDS ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE OR REPLACED YET. *JB

DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY I-70 EAST BOUND, THE HOOD LATCH RELEASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE HOOD FLIPPED BACKWARDS ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE OR REPLACED YET. *JB

JUST HAD TO REPLACE UPPER BALL JOINTS ON MY 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP. THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING POPPING NOISED FOR OVER A YEAR I JUST DIDN'T HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. I WROTE BECAUSE I HEARD OF THE UPPER BALL JOINTS GOING OUT ON THE DURANGO AND DAKOTA. ANYWAY, I AM OUT & $750.00.*AK

WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY GOING OUT. OWN THE TRUCK FOR SINCE 91,000 MILES AND HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT RT HUB ASSEMBLY 4 TIMES. IT SEAMS TO BE GOING OUT AROUND 10,000 TO 12,000 MILES. PRIOR TO THIS ONE LAST ONE WAS DONE ON 2/04 ,6/03 & 10/02 MILEAGE NOW 141,000 W/ NEW ENGINE THAT ALSO WENT .SPUN A BEARING. I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE ARE MANY OF THESE HUB ASSEMBLYS GOING BAD ON 1997 RAMS 5.9 ENGINE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH DRIVER'S AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

I WAS DRVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE FRONT CAB ONLY. ME AND MY CHILDREN JUMPED OUT JUST IN TIME BEFORE IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK