1996 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE HOOD LATCH DETACHED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH CAUSED THE HOOD LID TO RELEASE AND CRASH INTO THE WINDSHIELD GLASS. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SHATTERED UPON IMPACT. IN ADDITION, THE HOOD LID WAS SLIGHTLY BENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000.

I HAVE A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4. MY MILEAGE IS AT 85,020. I HAVE TAKEN REAL GOOD CARE OF THIS TRUCK AND I USE IT TO DRIVE IN THE SNOW WHEN I NEED THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE. I WAS DOING A OIL CHANGE AND I NOTICED THE PASSINGER SIDE TRAILING ARMS AND COIL SPRING BRACKET WELDS ARE PULLING AWAY FROM THE AXLE. I LOOKED OVER TO DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE TRAILING ARM WELDS ON THE FRONT AXLE ARE CRACKED. I HAVE A DANA 3.5 AXLE RATIO. THE TAG UNDER THE HOOD NUMBERS ARE 3850 FRONT AXLE DANA 4. I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK THINKING THE FRAME AND AXLES WOULD LAST THE LIFE TIME OF THE TRUCK. I'AM A NAVY VETERAN AND A MECHANIC AND I CAN REPAIR MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT. I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD NOT OF HAPPEN AND I WOULD LIKE DODGE TO HELP OUT IN THIS MATTER. I ALSO WHAT TO MAKE OTHER DODGE PEOPLE AWEAR OF THIS PROBLEM. I'M JUST GLAD THAT I NOTICED THIS BEFORE WINTER AND I WAS NOT DRIVING AT THE TIME. IF THE WELDS WOULD HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE AXLE AND TRAILING ARMS IT COULD OF BEEM FATAL. *TR

IN THE 1994-2001 MODEL YEAR DODGE RAM 1500, 2500 AND 3500 TRUCKS THERE IS NO RELAY IN THE WIRING CIRCUITRY USE FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. WHEN THE RAM WAS REDESIGNED IN 1994, THE ENGINEERS DID NOT FIND IT NECESSARY TO CHANGE THE 40-YEAR OLD DESIGN FOR THE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM; FEELING ONLY THE NEED TO USE A LARGER GAUGE WIRE TO HANDLE THE EXCESSIVE HEAT OF THE HALOGEN BULBS. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER THE WIRES NOR THE SWITCH OR INTERNAL RHEOSTAT (FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING) COULD HANDLE THIS LOAD AND THE FOLLOWING NEAR TRAGIC EVEN HAS BEEN AN ALL TOO COMMON OCCURRENCE. A RECALL (OR AT THE VERY LEAST A TSB HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE 3500 MODEL DODGE RAMS, WHICH ARE COMPRISED OF THE EXACT SAME SWITCH AND WIRING, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN NOTED ABOUT THE 1500 OR 2500 MODELS. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND THIS, AND THIS IS THE VERY REASON I FEEL COMPELLED TO BE WRITING THIS COMPLAINT IN THE FIRST PLACE. ONE NIGHT I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 55-MPH WHEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, RELAY AND CONNECTED WIRING ALL BECAME OVERHEATED, CAUSING THEM TO MELT. BECOMING FRANTIC, I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY WIGGLE THE DIMMER SWITCH (COMBINATION/TURN SIGNAL SWITCH), THEN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH UNTIL I GOT THEM TO COME BACK ON. DURING THAT EPISODE I HAD THEM GO OUT ON ME ABOUT 4 TIMES THAT I RECALL. CURRENTLY THE VEHICLE REMAINS UNFIXED AND IS NOT DRIVABLE AT NIGHT. BEING A MECHANIC, MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO CHECK THE RELAYS AND FUSES TO SEE IF THEY WERE BLOWN OR BAD. TO MY DISMAY, I COULD NOT FIND ANY RELAYS! THIS WAS HOW I DISCOVERED, THROUGH SOME ONLINE RESEARCH, ABOUT THE RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH- HOW I WAS NOT ALONE IN THIS SITUATION AND THE REST OF THE AFOREMENTIONED PARAGRAPH. I WILL GLADLY BE AVAILABLE FOR PHONE CALLS, QUESTIONS, AND TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE PARTS IN QUESTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOOD FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CLOSE THE HOOD, WHICH SEEMED TO BE SECURE HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE HE REACHED 60 MPH. THE HOOD VIOLENTLY STRUCK THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED THE GLASS TO SHATTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THE FAILURE BUT HE BELIEVED THAT THE RECALL WAS EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,000.

DASH PANEL CRACKED WHICH SEEMS TO BE INDICATIVE OF DODGE PICKUP. THIS FLAW SHOULD BECOME STANDARD RECALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. CHRYSLER, DODGE, SHOULD STEP UP TO THE PLATE. *TR

1996 DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 5.2 LTR. 318 CI. ENGINE. THROTTLE STUCK FULLY OPEN WHEN PULLING INTO CUSTOMERS DRIVEWAY HAULING SMALL UTILITY TRAILER. I PUT TRUCK IN NEUTRAL AND SHOT OFF ENGINE. AFTER 10 MINUTES I RESTARTED TRUCK AND IT SEEMS FINE NOW. THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AT THIS TIME. I INSPECTED FUEL LINKAGES FROM PEDAL TO THROTTLE BODY AND ALL APPEARS WELL. THERE IS MINIMAL CORROSION AND I WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM MANUALLY. *TR

TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLIPPING. IT SHIFTS REALLY HARD THEN IT DOESN'T WANT TO SHIFT LATER ON. *TR

BRAKE LINE CORROSION, CAUSING LINE FAILURE. CORROSION OCCURS AT REAR, BEHIND THE FUEL TANK. *TR

1996 DODGE RAM 1500 SLT: I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK BRAND NEW AND APPROXIMATELY 5 YEARS AGO, THE DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING. IT HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY CRACKING INTO LITTLE PIECES AND NOW I HAVE NO DASHBOARD AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS OPERABLE. *TR

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON WITHIN 7 MINUTES HAD NO BRAKES DUE TO DRIVER SIDE BACK BRAKE LINE CORROSION. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY DODGE RAM 1996 VEHICLES. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. *TR