1996 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JULY OF 96. IN JULY OF 97 A POPPING NOISE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN.. THE VEHICLE HAD 21,500 MILES ON IT. MY DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN WITH A NEW ONE UNDER WARRANTY. JULY OF 99 THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED MAKING THE SAME NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CLOCK SPRING WAS BAD. I HAD A NEW CLOCK SPRING INSTALLED BUT THIS DIDNOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER REFUNDED MY MONEY FOR THE CLOCK SPRING AND THE COST OF THE LABOR TO INSTALL IT. FRONT END OF VEHICLE WAS DISASSEMBLED TO FIND OUT WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING COLUMN HAD GONE BAD AGAIN. AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE HAD 55984 MILES ON IT AND IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE NEW STEERING COLUMN LASTED JUST A FEW DAYS SHY OF TWO YEARS AND A LITTLE OVER 30,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, I'LL HAVE TO PAY THE FULL REPAIR BILL TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. I CALLED CHRYSLERS HOT LINE NUMBER AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THE NEW STEERING COLUMN SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE OUT IN ONLY TWO YEARS AND 30,000 MILES. THEY TOLD ME THAT AS A GOOD FAITH MESSURE THEY WOULD GO 50-50 WITH ME ON THE REPAIR. THIS ISN'T RIGHT! NO WAY SHOULD THAT PART GO OUT IN TWO YEARS. THAT MEANS, IF I KEEP THE VEHICLE, EVERY TWO YEARS I'LL BE SPENDING $500 FOR A NEW STEERING COLUMN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING STEERING SHAFT DISENGAGED FROM STEERING BOX, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK

WHILE PLACING CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN VEHICLE. SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT. CSS CANNOT BE SECURED TIGHTLY TO VEHICLE SEAT; CSS STILL MOVES 6-12 INCHES FRONT TO BACK AND SIDE TO SIDE. *AK

MY TRUCK WOULD NOT START. FIRST I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A NEW BATTERY, THEN A FUEL PUMP AND FINALLY A NEW ECU. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS TO FAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND SHUTDOWN. I WAS TOLD BY THE PARTS MAN AT DALLAS DODGE THAT THE ECUS ARE DESIGNED TO FAIL PRMATURELY. ANOTHER CUSTOMER ALSO STATED THAT THE SAME COMPUTER IN MY TURCK IS INSTALLED IN A NUMBER OF CHRYLSER PRODUCTS AND THAT IT FAILS WHEN OTHER COMPONENTS FAIL (IN HIS CASE WHEN THE ABS FAILED).

THE PASSENGER'S WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM MOTOR BROKE, WHICH MAY CAUSE VISUAL DIFFICULTY. ALSO, THE STEERING SYSTEM IS VERY LOOSE, AND DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFT. PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. PRESENTLY, DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AND OTHER PARTS. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACE 3 TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HOOD LATCH FAILED CAUSING HOOD TO OPEN AND OBSCURE VISION RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT ANY MPH AND WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP, VEHICLE WANDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE ON THE ROAD. CONSUMER TRIED TO KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND KEEP FOCUSED ON THE ROAD. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE ENGINE CUT COMPLETELY OFF. ENGINE HAS TO BE RPLACED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. ALSO PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKES AND ALWAYS PULL TO THE LEFT.

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH RIGHT KNUCKLE ARM BROKE, CAUSING SAFETY PROBLEMS. CONSUMER NOTES VEHICLE DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK