2000 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

MY 2000 DODGE RAM HAS HAD A CRACKED DASHBOARD FOR SOME TIME NOW. IT IS CRACKED IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACES, GOING FROM THE WINDSHIELD TO THE OTHER EDGE. ONE CRACK IS DIRECTLY ABOVE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. I AM AFRAID THAT THE CRACK MAY CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO TEAR IF IT WERE EVER DEPLOYED. THESE CRACKS WERE NOT CAUSED BY MY OWN DOING OR DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT, IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG DODGE OWNERS. *JB

MY 2000 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS A CRACKED DASH THAT I THOUGHT NOTHING OF FOR THE LONGEST TIME, OF COURSE I WASN'T HAPPY WITH THE FACT I HAD A CRACKED DASH, BUT ONCE I REALIZED THAT IT COULD ACTUALLY AFFECT MY AIRBAG AT DEPLOYMENT IT BECAME AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN. *NM

LUG NUTS KEEP COMING LOOSE, HAVE HAD DEALERSHIP AND SEVERAL REPUTABLE REPAIR SHOPS ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I HAVE REPLACED OVER 15 STUDS DUE TO LOOSING LUG NUTS FREQUENTLY, THEY LOOSEN UP AS SOON AS 3 WEEKS AFTER HAVING VEHICLE SERVICED, RECENTLY, I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN MY FRONT TIRE CAME OFF, LUCKILY I HAD MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER AND CAUSED MINIMUM DAMAGE TO VEHICLE- DOCUMENTS FROM TOW TRUCK/ REPAIR SHOP WILL VERIFY THIS HAPPENED AND ALSO VERIFY THAT UPON CHECKING EACH TIRE FOR SAME PROBLEM, DRIVER SIDE REAR LUG NUTS WERE ONLY HAND TIGHT, THE REAR AXLE WAS JUST SERVICED 3 WEEKS AGO- NO COINCIDENCE- I WAS OUT OF TOWN WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 6 MONTHS, SO THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THIS IS VANDALISM/ OR PRACTICAL JOKE. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATED THE DASHBOARD STARTED SHOWING HAIR LINE CRACKS AND HAVE PROGRESSED INTO SPIDER WEBBING. PIECES BROKE OFF AND SPILLED OVER UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD, INCLUDING THE RADIO, HEATER, AND PASSENGER AIR BAG AREA. WHERE THE PIECES BROKE OFF, THE DASHBOARD WAS VERY SHARP, BRITTLE AND POSED A SAFETY RISK. HE WAS AFRAID THAT IF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED ONE OF THESE PIECES COULD PROJECT AND HURT SOMEONE. BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER OFFERED NO HELP. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK UPDATED 12/27/05. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED PULLING. THERE WAS NO WARNING; THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. HE CONTACTED A MECHANIC, WHO STATED IT SOUNDED LIKE THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT OUT. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A MECHANIC AT THIS TIME AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE. *AK UPDATED 04/19/06. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 00V007000 CONCERNING FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM: LOWER ARM. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. NO RECALL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE AT THIS TIME. *AK

FRONT AND REAR AXLE SEALS LEAKING ON DRIVERS SIDE. RUBBING SOUND ON FRONT WHEEL WHEN CORNERING. DROVE STRAIGHT TO MECHANICS WHEN SOUND HEARD. FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS BAD CAUSING SOUND, WAS TOLD IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. REPLACED AXLE SEALS AT TIME OF WHEEL BEARING. WHILE REPLACING REAR AXLE SEALS MECHANICS FOUND A RETAINING WASHER HALF SHATTERED IN REAR DIFFERENTIAL THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH PLATES SOLID FOR THE ANTI-SPIN DIFFERENTIAL. WAS TOLD THAT IF ANY MORE SHATTERS OFF THIS COULD HAVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES, INCLUDING HAVING THE REAR AXLE LOCK UP SOLID WHILE DRIVING. MUST HAVE REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. *NM

DT: NOTICED ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2005 THE ENGINE HAS BEEN MAKING A LOUD TICKING NOISE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, ONE SAID IT WAS THE VALVE TRAIN ,AND THE OTHER DEALER SAID IT WAS EXHAUST SYSTEM ECHOING. BOTH DEALERS SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE TO SOUND LIKE THAT. COULD STAND TWO TO THREE HUNDRED FEET AWAY AND HEAR IT ROAR, AND EVEN IF IM INSIDE A VEHICLE. WHEN FIRST STARTING IT UP IT DOESN'T MAKE THE SOUND RIGHT AWAY. BUT ONCE THE VEHICLE IS WARMED UP IT MAKES THIS SOUND EVERY TIME WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE . *AK

DT: THE DASHBOARD BROKE INTO PIECES. IT CRACKED IN A SIMILAR MANOR AS IF IT WAS THE WINDSHIELD BREAKING. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT A PIECE OF BROKE OFF AND FELL DOWN INTO THE BODY OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD SET THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG OFF. THIS PROBLEM STARTED OCCURRED IN FEBRUARY. 2005. *AK

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE RAM 4X4. MY TRUCK HAD 56,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE POSI UNIT IN THE REAR END EXPLODED AND TORE UP THE GEARING IN THE REAR END. I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK DOWN I-95 WHEN THIS HAPPED I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING WAS WRONG I GOT OFF 95 AND THANK GOD I DID ABOUT A MILE DOWN LANTANA ROAD I LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND THE REAR TIRE STARTED LOCKING UP. THERE WERE 3 OF US IN THE TRUCK IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON I-95 I DONT KNOW IF WE WOULD STILL BE HERE. DODGE BUILT THESE TRUCKS KNOWING THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE REAR END ALONG WITH MINE THERE WERE 5 OTHERS WITH IN MILES OF EACH OTHER ALL WITH THE SAME REAR END PROBLEM. I CONTACTED DODGE AND ASK THEM WHY THIS PROBLEM HASD NOT BEEN FIXED OR RECALLED THERE ANSWER WAS THEY DID NOT CARE. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN DODGE RAMS WITH A POSI REAR END WE GOT LUCKY BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER MILLIONS WHO HAVE ONE OF THESE TRUCKS. MY TRUCK IS A 2000 AND I THINK THE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY CORRECTED IN 2003. SO THIS PROBLEM IS IN 96-98 TO 2002 THATS A LOT OF TRUCKS BARRELING DOWN THE STREETS THAT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT THE DRIVERS CAN LOSE TOTAL CONTROL OF WITH OUT ANY WARNING. THINK OF THE ACCIDENTS A 1/2 TON OR 3/4 TUN TRUCK WILL CAUSE WHEN YOU CANT STEER IT OR IF YOU LOSE THE REAR AXLE AND YOUR TIRES GO ROLLING DOWN THE ROAD WITH OUT THE TRUCK. DODGE SHOULD BE RESPONSABLE FOR THIS AND TO FIX ALL THESE TRUCKS. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE OR ALREADY HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. LIKE I WAS TOLD BY MANY PEOPLE " WE GOT LUCKY" BUT THERE ARE THOSE THAT WONT.