2008 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

MY DODGE RAM AIR BAGS ARE LISTED AS A POTENTIAL HAZARD ON THE SAFERCAR.GOV. WEB SIGHT. CAN A DEALERSHIP DISCONNECT THEM UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

VEHICLE BOUGHT NEW IN 2008. IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, HAD TO: REPLACE BOTH BRAKE CALIPERS DUE TO DRAGGING AND OVERHEATING. REPLACE LF WHEEL BEARING HUB ASSEMBLY - MAKING NOISE - FOUND TO HAVE WORN BEARING, WIPER MOTOR REPLACED FOR RECALL, NEVER HAD ISSUE. NOW IT DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY, IMPROPER CYCLING SPEEDS, WON'T TURN ON, OR WON'T TURN OFF AT TIMES. MILEAGE ~ 38,000. THIS IS DANGEROUS, JUST LIKE THE BRAKES AND BEARING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, A GRINDING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT UNKNOWN FLUIDS WERE LEAKING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS DIFFERENTIAL OIL IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE REAR END AND DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT WAS BENT AND THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

I HAD BAD VIBRATION START IN THE REAR END A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE. WENT TO TIRE SHOP THINKING IT WAS A TIRE OUT OF BALANCE. ONE WAS, YET VIBRATION STILL THERE. LEFT TIRE SHOP TO TAKE TO MECHANIC, AS I GO TO LEAVE PARKING LOT I ACCELERATE AND A BIG BOOM,THEN NOTHING. THE YOKE ON REAR END IS STILL CONNECTED TO DRIVESHAFT YET IT'S DANGLING OUT THE FRONT OF AXLE AT ANGLE. UPON HAVING TOW TRUCK BRING THE TRUCK HOME, I PULLED THE COVER OFF REAR AXLE TO FIND THE NUT HAD BACKED OFF THE PINION SHAFT. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, EVERYTHING I'VE RESEARCHED SHOWS 2009 MODELS MFG FEB 27 2008 THRU WHENEVER ARE COVERED, YET MY 2008 MFG MARCH OF 2008 ISN'T. I DISABLED AND LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME. I CANNOT AFFORD $800 OR MORE TO FIX. *TR

ON 6 NOV. I FILED THIS COMPLAINT (CASE #[XXX]) AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. ON 12 NOV., THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM AGAIN DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY WHEN I HAD TO AGGRESSIVELY APPLY THE BRAKES FOR A CHANGING STOP LIGHT. IT'S IRONIC THAT I WAS ON MY WAY TO COURT FOR THE "FAILURE TO CONTROL SPEED" TICKET THAT I RECEIVED FOR THE ACCIDENT ON 6 NOV. AS I STATED BEFORE, THE INVESTIGATOR THAT CHRYSLER SENT TO INSPECT MY VEHICLE FOUND NOTHING WRONG. SINCE MY BRAKES STILL DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN A PANIC STOP AND THE INVESTIGATOR WAS 3 HOURS LATE, I QUESTION THE QUALITY OF HIS INSPECTION? YOUR ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE ATTEMPTING A SUDDEN STOP FOR STOPPED TRAFFIC AHEAD OF ME, THE BRAKES GOT FIRM AND THEN SOFT, NOT ALLOWING ME TO SLOW DOWN AND MISS THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I BELIEVE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER (CASE # [XXX]) ABOUT THIS AND THEY PERFORMED STATIC INSPECTION AND FOUND NO DEFECTS. THE INSPECTION APPARENTLY DID NOT ATTEMPT TO DUPLICATE THE ACTUAL STOPPING CONDITIONS. THE ROAD WAS ASPHALT, AND THE WEATHER WAS APPROXIMATELY 80 DEGREES AND DRY. THE TIRES ARE FACTORY SIZE (275-60-R20) WITH 7/32 TREAD AND FAIRLY EVEN TREAD WEAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHEN THE HEATER IS TURNED ON, AIR WILL ONLY COME OUT THE AIR CONDITIONING VENT. THE DEFROSTERS HAVE NO HOT AIR COMING OUT. THIS IS AN SAFETY HAZARD SINCE WINDOWS CANNOT BE DEFROSTED. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OTHER RAM OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE WAS A RECALL (K-17) FOR SOME 2009 AND 2010 MODELS. THIS RECALL SHOULD BE OPENED UP TO ALL MODELS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I TOOK MY TRUCK IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TO HAVE THE AIR BAG LIGHT THAT WAS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. AFTER THE DIAGNOSES WAS DONE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING WAS BROKEN. I ASKED WHAT THIS SPRING CONTROLLED AND WAS INFORMED OF A VARIETY OF THINGS INCLUDING THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. I ASKED IF THE AIR BAGS WOULD DEPLOY IF I WAS TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND WAS TOLD NO THEY WOULDN'T. SO I HAD IT REPAIRED AT A COST OF ALMOST $400.00. AFTER TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE I FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH A VARIETY OF VEHICLES. I THINKING THAT THERE SHOULD BE A LOOK INTO THESE CLOCK SPRINGS. IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A COMMON ITEM THAT FAILS. *TR

BACK IN APPROXIMATELY OCTOBER OF 2010 MY DAUGHTER (18 YEARS OLD) WAS DRIVING MY 2008 RAM 1500 PICKUP , WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. SHE WAS ABLE TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE VEHICLE AND PROCEED ON HER WAY . THIS HAPPENED A FEW MORE TIMES UNTIL SHE TOLD ME ABOUT IT . I NOTICED SHE HAD A SMALL PURSE TYPE DEVICE THAT HOLDS HER LICENSE, CREDIT CARDS & CHANGE ATTACHED TO THE KEY FOB. I BELIEVE THE WEIGHT OF THIS PURSE CAUSED THE PURSE TO SHUT THE IGNITION OFF. I INSTRUCTED HER NOT TO PUT ANYTHING ON THE KEY FOB AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED. YOU MAY WANT TO SEE IF THERE ARE THE SAME COMPLAINTS BY OTHER RAM OWNERS AND HAVE CHRYSLER SEND A MAILER OUT NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING ATTACHED TO THEIR KEY FOBS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 4 KIDS IN THE TRUCK . PROBLEM STARTED WITH MY SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATING WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 65MPH THEN SUDDENLY FELL TO 0 AND STAYED THERE. I THEN STARTED TO SMELL A FOUL SMELL RESEMBLING NATURAL GAS. MY ABS LIGHT, E BRAKE LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK NEAREST EXIT AND PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. TURNED TRUCK OFF THEN BACK ON AND ALL LIGHTS WENT AWAY BUT SPEEDO STILL NOT WORKING. CONTINUED DRIVING TO GET IT HOME THEN THE TRUCK STARTED SURGING WHEN I WOULD LET OFF THE GAS BUT WOULD GO AWAY WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS. DECIDED I NEEDED TO PULL OVER AGAIN. I PROCEEDED TO THE TURNING LANE GOING 35PMH WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE REAR END LOCKED UP AND STARTED FISHTAILING AND SPINNING TILL IT CAME TO A STOP. LUCKILY CARS AROUND ME SWERVED AROUND ME TO PREVENT FROM GETTING HIT. REAR AXLE IS LEAKING FLUID AND REALLY BAD SMELL. HAD TO GET A FLAT BED TO PULL IT ON AND OFF AND UNLOADED AT MY HOUSE. THANKFULLY MYSELF AND MY KIDS ARE SAFE. UNFORTUNATELY MY 2008 RAM 1500 QUAD CAB DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE 2009-2012 RECALL WITH THE SAME PINION RETAINING NUT BACKING OUT DUE TO NO LOCTITE "ADHESIVE" CAUSING IT TO LOCK UP. ALL I WAS TOLD BY CHRYSLER WAS TO SAVE ANY REPAIR RECEIPTS IN THE EVENT THE RECALL GETS EXPANDED. MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER WANTS ME TO TOW MY TRUCK AND CHARGE ME $101.89 JUST TO DIAGNOSE IT JUST TO TELL ME IT'S THE REAR PINION LOCKING NUT :/ BUT THEY WERE SURE TO LET ME KNOW OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR THAT WAS UNDER RECALL THAT I SHOULD GET FIXED....I THINK THIS IS A BIT MORE IMPORTANT THAN A WIPER MOTOR. NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 13V038000/EXPANSION RECALL # 12V-474/CHRYSLER CAMPAIGN N08 STATES DODGE RAMS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN FEBRUARY 2008 TO JUNE 2009 FELL UNDER THE RECALL THOUGH MY TRUCK WAS MANUFACTURED JULY 2008 YET IT DOESN'T APPLY????! *TR