1998 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT OVER BUMPS. I HAD IT INSPECTED AND WAS TOLD THE SWAY BAR WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE FRAME HORN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS RUSTED THROUGH. ALSO, THE IDLER ARM BRACKET IS IN DANGER OF FALLING OFF BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE RUST PROBLEM. THE DRIVERS SIDE FRAME HORN WHERE THE GEARBOX MOUNTS HAS A LARGE RUST HOLE ALSO. I HAD THE COMPLETE FRAME INSPECTED FOR RUST. THERE ARE RUST HOLES IN THE FRAME WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SUPPORT IS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME ON LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. IS THIS TRUCK EVEN SAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS RUSTY CONDITION? IT HAS 146,000 MILES ON IT.. I BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY OTHER DODGE VEICHLES OUT THERE WITH THE SAME ISSUES. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS IN ORDER.

MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME FROM HIGH SCHOOL BAND PRACTICE WHEN HE LOST CONTROL AND HIT A TREE HEAD ON FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BRAKE WINDOW TO GET HIM AND THE BOY WITH HIM OUT OF THE TRUCK. NEITHER AIR BAG WENT OFF.I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER AND REPORTED IT. WAS TOLD TRUCK TO OLD

DROVE MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 TO EMPTY MY TRASH, STARTED BACK HOME AND HAD DRIVEN LESS THAN 1/4 MILE WHEN THE TRUCK HESITATED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT AND THERE WAS SOME SMOKE BEGINNING TO COME UP THROUGH DASH AREA ON DRIVERS SIDE. THINKING I MIGHT HAVE A BUSTED RADIATOR HOSE I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER IN THE YARD OF PERSON DOING REPAIR WORK ON AN OLD BUILDING. WHEN I OPENED MY TRUCK DOOR ON DRIVERS SIDE FLAMES SHOT BETWEEN THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR AND SEAT. I JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK BUT WAS NOT INJURED. THE MAN SAW FLAMES SHOOTING FROM THE TRUCK AND I WAS VERY FORTUNATE HE HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. HE KEPT SPRAYING THE TRUCK UNDER THE HOOD AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL JUST AS THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT TRUCK SHOWED UP. THERE WERE A LOT HOT SPOTS AND THE FIREMAN KEPT SPRAYING IT WITH WATER UNTIL IT FINALLY QUIT SMOKING. THE MAIN PART OF THE FIRE WAS RIGHT AT THE FRONT OF THE CAB OF THE TRUCK BELOW THE MOTOR. YOU COULD SEE THE FIRE BURNING FROM THE SIDE LOOKING THROUGH THE WHEEL WELLS. THEY SAID IT HAD TO BE CAUSED BY A FAULTY GAS LINE BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION. ALL THE ELECTRICAL WIRING INCLUDING THE WIRING HARNESS WAS MELTED. THANK GOODNESS THE MAN HAD THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER OR THE WHOLE TRUCK WOULD HAVE BURNED. VERY SCARY INCIDENT ESPECIALLY FOR A WOMAN.

WHEN BACKING THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE, I NOTICED AN OILY SUBSTANCE IN THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY BELOW THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, I COULD SEE THERE IS A LEAK EMANATING FROM THE DRIVE-SHAFT AND DIFFERENTIAL WHERE THE PINION SEAL IS LOCATED. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE PINION SEAL FOR THE 2009 AND 2010 MODEL YEARS THAT DOES NOT COVER MY 2008 DODGE RAM 1500. I BELIEVE THE RECALL NEEDS TO EXTEND TO THE 2008 MODEL YEAR ALSO.

DRIVING APPOROXIMATELY 35 MPH WAS GOING TO MAKE LEFT TURN WENT TO SLOW DOWN TO MAKE THE TURN AND THE BRAKES WERE VERY SOFT AND I MISSED THE TURN. GOT HOME AND LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK TO SEE A LARGE AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID LEAKING OUT FROM AROUND THE HARD BRAKE LINES ON THE FRAME BY DRIVERS REAR TIRE. THE LINES WERE VERY CORRODED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V153000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000. MA 08/13/15

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, THESE RUBBER BRAKE LINES ALMOST KILLED ME BARRELING THRU A DOWNHILL RED LIGHT. FIXED BAD PART,THEN HIT GUARD RAIL,DAMAGED FRONT GRILLE,BUMPER AND FENDER WHEN THE OTHER LINE POPPED WHILE DRIVING. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A NOTORIOUS PROBLEM WITH DODGE TRUCKS. I'M NOT AS ANGRY ABOUT THE FILLER NECK WHICH ROTTED AND FILED TANK W RUST CHUNKS,REPLACED FUEL PUMP. BUT I THINK MORE PPL NEED TO B AWARE OF THIS BRAKE PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, AND I MIGHT SCRAP IT BECAUSE IT'S PROBLEMS 120K MILE TRUCK I CAN'T EVEN GET 700$ FOR AFTER THE $ I'VE INVESTED TO KEEP IT SAFE. I THINK THE BRAKES NEED TO BE RECALLED WITH THESE TRUCKS. OWNERS LIKE ME JUST LET THEM SIT BECAUSE THEY ROSY SO EASY THEIR NOT WORTH FIXING ANYMORE, I REGULARLY MAINTENENCE MY VEHICLES,THESE ARE EXPENSIVE TO KEEP SAFE, THANK YOU. SCOTT KIMBALL.120K 98 RAM

1998 DODGE RAM 1500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEAT BELT ISSUES. *SMD CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THREE YEARS AGO, THE SEAT BELT ON BOTH SIDES WOULD NOT PULL DOWN OUT OF THE SEAT. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1000. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WENT TO A JUNK YARD AND PURCHASED A SEAT BELT MODULE FOR $35. 00. *JB UPDATED 08/24/15*JB

HE DASH STARTED CRACKING NOT THAT LONG AFTER WE GOT THE TRUCK. IT WAS NOT EVEN PAID OFF WHEN IT STARTED COMING APART WAS USED. WE EVENTUALLY PUT A MAT DASH COVER ON IT TO KEEP THE PARTS FROM FLYING AROUND. IT HAS VIRTUALLY DISSOLVED SINCE THEN. VERY POOR MATERIAL WAS USED ON THESE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY DOWNTOWN STREET WHEN I TURNED A CORNER AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. AS I TURNED I FELT AN AWFUL JAR. I WAS PULLING A 12' EMPTY TRAILER. I LOOKED IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR TO SEE MY TRAILER LIFT UP ABOUT 3-4 FT. IT STAYED ON THE BALL HITCH BUT BOUNCED TERRIBLY. I ALSO SAW A TIRE ROLLING ACROSS THE ROAD FORTUNATELY NOT HITTING ANY OTHER CAR. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED AROUND MY TRUCK. I ACCOUNTED FOR ALL 4 TIRES ON MY TRUCK AND THE TWO ON MY TRAILER. I THOUGHT I MUST HAD RUN OVER ONE LAYING IN THE STREET. THEN I NOTICED MY SPARE WAS MISSING AND SAW THE METAL PIECE WHERE CABLE GOES THROUGH LAYING IN THE ROAD. THE CABLE BROKE OFF WHICH DROPPED THE SPARE INTO THE ROAD WHICH MY TRAILER RAN OVER. HAD I BEEN GOING FASTER OR ON A BUSIER HIGHWAY THERE PROBABLY WOULD HAD BEEN MORE DAMAGE. ONLY DAMAGE I INCURRED WAS MY TRAILER MESH FLOOR BROKE WELD AND NOW IT IS BENT FRAME. I AM NOT LOOKING FOR A RECALL MUST AT LEAST MAKE PEOPLE AWARE TO HAVE THIS CABLE CHECKED PERIODICALLY AND REPLACED IF NEEDED. *TR