1998 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS BRAKING WILL TRANSFER TO FRONT BRAKES, CAUSING BRAKES TO FADE , TAKES ABOUT 190 FEET BEFORE IT STOPS . *AK

CONSUMER HEARS NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING. DEALER SAYS THAT THE TIRES ARE WORN BECAUSE VEHICLE NEEDS AN ALIGNMENT. *AK

WE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED, WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER RIGTH AFTER WE NOTICED A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN, SUCH AS CAR PULLING TO THE RIGTH AND A LOUD THUMP SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGTH REAR SIDE EVERY TIME WE PASS THOSE SPEED BUMPS. AND WHEN THEY INSPECTED THE VAN THEY (THE DEALER TECHNICIANS), TOLD ME THAT A SHOCK ABSORVER NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AND ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED AS WELL. AFTER THIS TWO THINGS WERE DONE, EVERYTHING WENT DOWN THE HILL....WHEN I DROVE HOME THE VAN I NOTICED THAT VAN WAS PULLING STILL TO THE RIGTH AND A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN BRAKING, IS MORE LIKE A CRACKING NOISE, I'LL MENTION THAT THIS WAS'T HAPPENING ALL THE TIME, BUT THE PULLING TO THE RIGTH WAS. WE WENT BACK WITH THEM, THEY ALIGNED AGAIN...BUT, THIS TIME THE VAN WAS NOT PULLING TO THE RIGTH BUT TO THE LEFT INSTEAD, THIS HAPPEND WHEN DRIVING STRAIGTH OR WHEN BRAKING AS WELL, WE WENT BACK TO THE SAME DEALER, BUT AFTER SOME ATTEMPSOF FIXING THIS PROBLEM AND A VERY UNPLEASENT EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR (CUSTOMER REPRESENTAIVES) AT DESPLAINES DODGE DEALER, NOT TO TRY AGAIN WIH THEM, WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVES, AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE VERY DUMB COMMENT THE CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE OF DESPLAINES DODGE DEALER, THAT THEY SUGGESTED TO TAKE THE VAN TO A 5 STARS SHOP THE COMMENT THE CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE MADE WAS (THAT THE VAN WAS PULLING TO THE RIGTH BECAUSE IT WAS A SAFETY FEATURE BUILD IN THE VAN TO PREVENT PEOPLE WANDER TO THE TO THE LEFT IN CASE THE FELL SLEEP, THIS WAS A VERY DUMB THING TO SAID. SO FINALLY WE WENT TO THAT 5 STARS DEALER, AND A (BIG) INPROVEMENT WAS ACHIEVE, THE VAN WAS PULLING LESS BUT ON THIS OCCASION INSTEAD OF PULLING TO RIGTH IT STARTED TO PULL TO THE LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT STRAIGHT, IT WAS CROOCKED TO THE LEFT AND BEFORE WAS TO THE RIGHT. I NOTICED MORE PLAY ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I'LL MENTION THAT EVER SINCE WE HAVE THIS VAN IN OUR POSSESSION THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER TH. *AK

THE HORN IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK IN AN EMERGENCY. YOU HAVE TO HIT IT IN EXACLY THE RIGHT SPOT FOR IT TO WORK WITH A SIZABLE AMOUNT OF FORCE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THINKING IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE ALONE. THEY SAID THEY TESTED IT AND IT WAS THE SAME AS ALL OTHER HORNS. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BECAUSE I HAVE NOT BE ABLE TO WARN A PERSON MOVING INTO MY LANE BECAUSE I COULD NOT GET MY HORN TO WORK. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AS I FEEL IT POSES A THREAT OF DANGER TO ANYONE WHO OPPERATES THIS VEHICLE. *AK

A VISITING RELATIVE FROM THE EAST COAST MENTIONED THAT THE DODGE PICKUP WAS NOT HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM DUE TO THE TRANSMISSIONS NOT HOLDING UP UNDER SNOW PLOWING WORK. THIS DIDN'T CAUSE ME ALARM SINCE MY TRUCK IS USED FOR PASSENGER USE ONLY. EXACTLY 10 DAYS LATER MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THE DEALER "RECONDITIONED" IT AND IT LASTED LESS THAN 1000 MILES BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. TO BE CONTINUED. *AK

DRIVER PROCEEDING ALONG INTERSTATE AT 60 MPH WITH CRUISE ENGAGED WHEN FELT A JOLT IN REAR END AND TRUCK STARTED FISHTAILING. TRUCK STRUCK SIDE BARRIER, SPUN, CROSSED 3 TRAFFIC LANES AND CAME TO STOP. RIGHT REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS DETATCHED AND HAD COME TO REST ALONG SHOULDER. SUBSEQUENT DEPARTMENT MECHANIC INSPECTION REVEALED WHAT APPEARS TO BE SHEARING OF AXLE, WITH CENTER OF AXLE APPEARING POROUS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS PUMPING GAS AND THE TRUSH BURST INTO FLAMES, BURNING HALF OF HIS BODY, AND THERE WAS A FUEL LEAKAGE. *AK

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY THE OWNER. I AM A METALLURGICAL ENGINEER INVESTIGATING THE FAILED COMPONENTS. BOTH REAR WHEELS CAME OFF OF THE TRUCK WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD AT AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF 70 MPH. NO OTHER VEHICLE INVOLVED. DID NOT HIT A POT HOLE OR ANY OBJECT IN THE ROAD. AXLE APPEARS TO BE 1050 STEEL NORMALIZED AND INDUCTION HARDENED TO A DEPTH OF ABOUT 7/32 INCH. POSSIBLE FATIGUE. PART ID, DRIVERS SIDE, MFG. MW, CODE Y19 METAL STAMPED 23133, PASSENGER SIDE, MFG. MW, CODE Y70, METAL STAMPED 21142. OBTAINING INFORMATION ON A SIMILAR ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER DODGE RAM 1500 MADE IN 1998.

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ,AND THEY FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE, CAUSIN CONSUMER TO REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DIDN'T HOLD CONSUMER FROM BOUCING ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK

RECALL REPAIR WORK ON THE AIR BAG MODULE AND COVER COMPLETED, HOWEVER COVER IS LOOSE WHICH COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE MODULE.