1998 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

AFTER IMPACT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AT THE DOOR, I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND IT LOCKED UP, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND FOUND THAT I HAD NONE. I TRAVELED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC (NO BRAKES NO STEERING) AND HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER HEAD-ON AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAD MY STEERING NOT LOCKED UP THIS WOULD HAVE ONLY BEEN A MINOR ACCIDENT, NOW MY TRUCK IS TOTALED.*AK

I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER TOO MANY TIMES ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY THE BRAKES, WHICH I ADMIT IS AN INTERMETTENT PROBLEM. HOWEVER I HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT RIVERHEAD DODGE. NO REPAIRS WERE EVER MADE. APPARENTLY AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THESE SAME PROBLEMS. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE HURT BEFORE DODGE DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? DOES THIS HAVE TO EVOLVE INTO ANOTHER FIRESTONE PROBLEM BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE? *AK

THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER AND THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH CAME OUT IN THE CONSUMERS HANDS ON TWO OCCASIONS.

TRUCK PULLS/TRACKS TO RIGHT, CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR OF RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD WITH THE 1995 DODGE RAM 4X4 I OWNED. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED. SOLD THE 95 AND BOUGHT THE 98, THE SALESMAN, SERVICE MANAGER , AND SALES MANAGER ASSURED ME PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE 98 THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT ENDS PULLING TO THE RIGHT WERE FIXED. I CURRENTLY HAVE THE VEHICLE IN THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR A FRONT END INSPECTION. AT FIRST THEY TOLD ME IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM WITHOUT PROPERLY INSPECTING THE SUSPENTION. ADDITIONALLY THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE FRONT INSPECTED. IF AN ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT ALSO DUE TO THE ALIGNMENT IS COVERED ONLY TO 12000 MILES. I HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH MYSELF TALKING WITH OTHER CONSUMERS AND VIEWING INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE WEB CONCERNING THE FRONT END PROBLEMS ON THESE VEHICLES AND THERE SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT INDICATES A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONSUMERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE VERY SAME PROBLEM.

ENIGINE DEVELOPED A VERY SERIOUS KNOCKING AND BANGING, AND RECENTLY LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND LOW OVER 3 QUARTS OF OIL IN ABOUT 800 MILES AFTER OIL CHANGE. THE KNOCKING AND BANGING GOT SO BAD THAT I COULDN'T MAINTAIN HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING A TRAFFIC HAZARD. IF ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT AND PASS THE KNOCK MAY PREVENT ACCELLERATION CAUSING A HEAD ON COLLISION. CONTINUED KNOCK WILL RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE AND DAMAGE. *AK

WHEN ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED THERE IS A LOUD HUMING SOUND. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAIL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WENT TO APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE, AND IT GETS WORST AS THE BRAKES GETS HOTTER. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. THIS WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SHIFTED INDICATOR AND IT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. COULD NOT LOCATE WHAT GEAR TRANSMISSION WAS IN. POPS OUT OF GEAR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN GAS PEDAL PRESSED. ALSO, WHENEVER APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE WOULD CONSTANTLY INCREASE IN SPEED. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & EACH TIME TEST DRIVEN, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 3 TIMES FOR FAULTY GEAR SHIFTING. IN ADDITION, FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED DUE TO PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. ONGOING PROBLEMS. *AK *ML

PLACEMENT OF MIRROR, WIDTH OF DOOR POST MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ALL TRAFFIC COMMING FROM RIGHT. MIRROR COULD BE LOWERED AT LEAST 3 INCHES. THIS ALSO CAUSED AN EXACT ACCIDENT WITH A '95 RAM. VISIBILTY IS VERY LIMITED BY THE POST COUPLED WITH POOR MIRROR PLACEMENT. *AK

ENGINE STARTS TO PING AFTER 40 MPH. DODGE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT DODGE IS WAITING TO PASS A NEW EPA LAW TO FIX PINGING PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED IN THOUSANDS OF 1998 DODGE RAMS. DODGE IS UNWILLING TO FIX MY TRUCK. I FEEL I HAVE THE RIGHT TO AT LEAST A NEW ENGINE. *AK