1997 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY 1997 RAM 1500 4X4 TRUCK, I STOP THE VEHICLE, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, OPENED THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND STARTED TO STEP OUT OF THE VEHICLE. AS I WAS HALF WAY OUT OF THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG WENT OFF, HITTING MY RIGHT SHOULDER AS IT DEPLOYED. I AM VERY LUCKY IT DID NOT DEPLOY A SECOND SOONER. I WADDED THE BAG UP AND TAPED THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TOGETHER, I GUESS THE IS NOTHING ELSE I CAN DO. I WORRY NOW ABOUT MY FATHER, WHOM HAS A 1995 RAM 1500 4X4 TRUCK. I LOOKED UP ONLINE AND I SEE THAT ONLY THE 2003 RAM 1500 AND NEWER TRUCKS FALL INTO THE RECALL, BUT WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT MY FATHER'S TRUCK MIGHT DO THE SAME THING AS MINE DID LAST WEEK, WITH HIS BEING 2 YEARS OLDER EVEN.

DASH BOARD IS ALL CRACKED AND BROKEN APART. WITH EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD THE DASH SHAKES BAD AND WORSENS FROM THE LACK OF NO SUPPORT HOLDING IT IN PLACE. WITH THE A/C, HEAT, OR DEFROSTER BLOWING OUT THE VENTS PLASTIC ALSO BLOWS OUT. TRYING TO CLEAN OUT MY EYE WHEN DRIVING IS TOUGH. JUST WAITING FOR THE DAY I HIT A BUMP AND THE DASH FALLS TO MY FEET. BODY WOULD BE THE PAINT ON ROOF AND HOOD, DISCOLORING AND PEELING OFF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SHAFT AND GEAR INADVERTENTLY DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

DASH BOARD IS ALL IN PIECES. GETTING WORST AND WORST EVERYDAY. GOING DOWN THE ROAD THE DASH IS ALWAYS SHAKING AND BOUNCING AROUND BECAUSE THERE IS REALLY NOTHING HOLDING IT IN PLACE NOW. I USE TO LOVE THIS TRUCK, BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1997, MOST OF THE TIME I DON'T LIKE DRIVING IT ANYMORE. UPDATED 09/15/15*LJ UPDATED 11/07/2017*CN

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER REACHING MY DESTINATION ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR SO LATER. I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, OPENED THE DOOR AND THE DRIVERS AIRBAG DEPLOYED ALL BY ITSELF. LUCKILY I WAS SITTING BACK IN THE SEAT STARTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WHEN IT DEPLOYED. NOW I HAVE BEEN WITH THIS TRUCK SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN A ACCIDENT. IT ACTUALLY SET FOR A LARGE PART OF ITS LIFE BECAUSE I DROVE A COMPANY VEHICLE FOR MY JOB. I CALLED THE DODGE DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE TRUCK AND TOLD ME I SHOULD CONTACT DODGE DIRECTLY. I CALLED DODGE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LADY THAT ANSWERED AND THE FIRST THING SHE ASKED WAS IF I WAS INJURED. I TOLD HER LUCKILY NO BUT ME OR SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING. SHE FINISHED TAKING THE REPORT AND SAID SOMEONE WOULD CONTACT ME IN 2-3 DAYS. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM DODGE ABOUT A WEEK LATER STATING THAT SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES LISTED FOR THE TRUCK PER THE SERIAL NUMBER I SHOULD CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND IF THEY FEEL ITS A MANUFACTURING RESPONSIBILITY ,THEY HAVE SUBROGATION RIGHTS. NOW YOU WOULD THINK DODGE WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT MADE THIS HAPPEN FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE TRUCKS BUT MY SERIAL NUMBER WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THAT RECALL. MY TRUCK IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND I'M AFRAID THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS GOING TO TOTAL IT BECAUSE OF ITS AGE.SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE THESE MANUFACTURERS STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT. ANY HELP IN THIS MATTER YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, A STRONG FUEL ODOR EMITTED FROM THE CABIN. AN INDEPENDENT TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK IN HOUSE FUEL LINE FRACTURED PREMATURELY CAUSING THE FUEL TO LEAK ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK AND ONTO THE GROUND. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FUEL LINE NEED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,000. UPDATED 5/29/15*CN UPDATED 9/28/2017*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, IT FAILED TO SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN UNSPECIFIED INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

DASH STARTING CRACKING AND FALLING APART, WIRES GOT MESSED UP AND SOME THINGS DON'T WORK. PARTS OF THE PLASTIC OF THE DASH COME OUT THE VENTS WHEN YOU TURN ON THE HEAT OR AIR. PART WITH THE VIN WENT SOMEWHERE TO PARTS UNKNOWN. *TR

BARE BONES OF DASH CRACKING/SHATTERING COUSINS BUTTONS/ INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/ SWITCHES TO FALL AROUND AND ON ME WHILE DRIVING. CANNOT SECURE ANY THING IN DASH DUE TO THE CRACKING/ SHATTERING OF INTERNAL DASH. CANNOT SECURE BOLTS OR CLIPS TO BARE BONES OF DASH . CRACKING/ SHATTERING HAS CAUSE THERE TO BE NO WERE TO ATTACH PARTS TO.ALL OF DASH IS AFFECTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER AN UN-RELATED SERVICE TO THE VEHICLE. THE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. LATER, WHILE REVERSING FROM A SERVICE BAY AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHEMICALS FROM THE AIR BAG CAUSED BURNS TO THE FACE AND EYES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT JUMPED OUT OF THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS NEARLY RUN OVER BY THE VEHICLE THAT WAS STILL MOVING IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRONT AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED AND CAUSED THE INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO ADVISED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 99V02300 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL). THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. ADDITIONALLY, THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE HE HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL UNTIL AFTER THE FAILURE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 12/09/14*LJ