2008 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

THE INCIDENT OF JUNE 19, 2008. MY WIFE AND I WERE ON OUR WAY TO A SOCCER MATCH AT A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL WHEN UPON HITTING A SLIGHT DIP IN THE ROAD, MY LEFT FRONT WHEEL SHEARED FROM THE LUG NUTS AND ROLLED AWAY, WHILE MY TRUCK WHEEL HUB AND ROTOR SLAMMED INTO THE ASPHALT AND GRINDED 15 FEET TO A STOP. I CALLED POWER DODGE OF VALENCIA, WHO AUTHORIZED A TOW FROM LANCASTER TO VALENCIA. MY TRUCK WAS ON ITS WAY TO GOOD HANDS, I THOUGHT. ONE WEEK LATER, JUNE 26, 2008, THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE TRUCK YET, AND WHAT HAD ORIGINALLY SEEMED LIKE A WARRANTY REPAIR ISSUE, NOW WAS BEING FAULTED TO ME BY THE SERVICE MANAGER OF POWER DODGE, (THE SM). THE SM WAS LOOKING FOR EVERY AVENUE TO FIND BLAME ELSEWHERE EXCEPT WITH HIS COMPANY, AND WITH LITTLE CARE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE I WAS BEING PUT THROUGH WITHOUT A VEHICLE. THE SM HAD A WHEEL EXPERT LOOK AT THE DAMAGE, AND WHAT WAS FOUND, WERE TWO LUG NUTS WITH APPARENT STRESS CRACKS, WHICH ONCE THEY GAVE WAY LEFT NO ROOM THE REMAINING THREE TO HOLD THE WHEEL FAST, THUS SHEARING ALL THE BOLTS OFF. IT WAS SAID THAT THIS IS SOMETIMES CAUSED BY OVER TORQUING THE BOLTS DURING TIRE ROTATION OR CHANGING OF A TIRE, ALL SERVICES ONLY PERFORMED ON MY TRUCK BY POWER DODGE OF VALENCIA. THE SM INSTEAD BLAMES ME FOR NOT ROTATING THE TIRES SOONER THAN EIGHTY FIVE HUNDRED MILES, STATING THAT THE LUGS MAY HAVE BACKED OFF AND BROKEN. WITH ALL OF THE SAID DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE WHEEL BREAKING OFF, MY TRUCK IS IN FOR IT?S REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, WHICH INCLUDES TIRE ROTATION. IF DODGE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE LUG NUT FAILURE, THEN IT WOULD STAND TO REASON THAT MY WARRANTY WAS NOW VOIDED DUE TO WHAT THE SMOF DODGE CLAIMS WAS FAILURE OF THE LUGS DUE TO NOT ROTATING THE TIRES SOON ENOUGH. BUT, ACCORDING TO POWER DODGE OF VALENCIA, MY WARRANTY IS STILL GOOD. DODGE IS ACCEPTING NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LUG NUTS SHEARING OFF WHILE DRIVING WHICH IN NOT NORMAL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT VIBRATION AND THE STEERING COLUMN SHOOK. THE FAILURES COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND RESTRICTED ABILITY TO TURN THE VEHICLE IN ONE DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09E001000 (STEERING:LINKAGES); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 15,000.

THE TWO FRONT STRUTS ON OUR 2008 DODGE ARE LEAKING. THIS IS A PART COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE ISSUE IS THAT THIS PART IS ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER WITH CHRYSLER. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON IS NOT CONSIDERED A RECALL ITEM. THIS ITEM ALSO CAUSES THE FRONT TIRES TO DETERIORATE AND GO FLAT REGULARLY. TIRES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SO THIS BECOMES AN EXPENSE AND/OR BURDEN ON THE OWNERS. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS NOT ABLE TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN A LANE IN TRAFFIC WHEN THERE ARE CHANGES IN ROAD TEXTURE, POT HOLES, OR IF THERE ARE ROAD DETERIORATION ISSUES. THESE CHANGES CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BOUNCE OUT OF CONTROL AND IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC. WE HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL SERVICE MANAGERS WHO HAVE ALL CONFIRMED THIS ISSUE. IT IS A NATIONWIDE ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. *TR

WAS DRIVING MY 2008 DODGE RAM SXT PICKUP AND WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ON A MAIN ROAD AT 40MPH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND AS THE VEHICLE WAS CROSSING INTO THE ONCOMING LANE, APPLIED BRAKES. THE TRUCK CROSSED THE ROAD AND SPUN OUT ON THE GRASS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD FACING 180 DEGREES FROM DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. THE VEHICLE CAME TO S A STOP AGAINST AN EMBANKMENT AND HAD MINOR DAMAGE. IF ANOTHER VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE OPPOSITE LANE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT THE DEALER AND I AM AWAITING A REPORT. *TR

FUEL SPLASHING OUT OF FILLER NECK WHEN YOU FILL YOUR TANK AND THE PUMP KICKS OFF WHEN IT IS FULL GAS WILL SPLASH OUT OF THE FILLER NECK AND DOWN THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK IF YOU STOP SHORT AND LET THE GAS SETTLE AND FINISH AS SLOW AS THE PUMP WILL PUMP IT IS FINE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE EVER SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO PRODUCE THE PROPER LIGHTING TO SEE AT A DISTANCE. SHE PURCHASED NEW BULBS THAT WERE INSTALLED AT THE DEALER. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE FROZE TO THE WINDSHIELD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD "JUMP" UNCONTROLLABLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT NEEDED MORE EXPERIENCE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIRES COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO "JUMP". THE MECHANIC FURTHER STATED THAT THE ABS WAS LOCATED ONLY IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE; THEREFORE, THE STOPPING DISTANCE WILL INCREASE. SHE INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE MECHANIC'S DIAGNOSIS AND WAS ADVISED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE A LITTLE LONGER TO ALLOW THE SUSPENSION TO LOOSEN. THE DEALER STATED THAT SHE NEEDED TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,800.

2008 RAM 1500 LARAMIE 2WD 5.7 HEMI: POOR FUEL MILEAGE, 9 - 10 MPG CITY 14 - 17 MPG HWY. ADVISED DEALER @ 843 MILES DEALER CHECKED AND SAID I SHOULD LEARN HOW TO DRIVE AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH TRUCK. I AM 50 YEARS OLD & DO NOT HOT ROD THE TRUCK. STILL THE SAME NOW WITH OVER 2,000 MILES ON IT. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO HELP. *TR

DEC 15TH INTERNAL MODEM MALFUNCTIONED REPLACED PART DEC 18TH DEC 20TH LOCKING CLIP MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING VEHICLE TO LEAVE PARK AND GO INTO REVERSE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING,GAS PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. RPM'S 5000. WARNING LIGHT ( ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL ) CAME ON AND REMAINED ON FOR THE MILE IT TOOK TO GET MY TRUCK TO BE BACK UNDER CONTROL IN ORDER TO STOP. WHILE IN NEUTRAL,AND IN PARK, THE TIRES CONTINUED TO SPIN AND RPM'S REMAINED CONSTANT. NO CORRECTION WAS DONE BY CHRYSLER/JUPITER DODGE MAZDA/ AS PER CHRYSLER THEY WOULD BE ADMITTING LIABILITY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT PROVE THAT THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE FOR THE 2ND TIME TODAY. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN ALTHOUGH I AM AFRAID IF IT DID, THERE MAY BE CONSEQUENCES THAT WERE UNLIKE THE FIRST TIME. I WAS INSTRUCTED BY MY OWNERS MANUEL AND THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED THROUGH ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO DEALER ON INDIANTOWN ROAD IN JUPITER, FLORIDA. THANK YOU. *TR

IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT START. WHEN TURNING THE KEY TO THE START POSITION, THE ENGINE WILL CRANK AND STOP, CRANK AND STOP. EVEN WHEN ALLOWING THE KEY TO SNAP BACK TO THE RUN POSITION, IT CONTINUES TO CRANK AND STOP, CRANK AND STOP. THIS CONDITION STOPS WHEN TURNING THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION. AFTER 7 OR 8 TRIES, THE ENGINE WILL EVENTUALLY START AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS WARM, THE CONDITION CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. ONE NOTE, AFTER THE CRANKING AND STOPPING, IF I TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND BACK TO THE RUN POSITION, I HEAR CLICKING COMING FROM THE DASH EVEN BEFORE TRYING TO START IT AGAIN. ANOTHER ISSUE IS WIND NOISE. UNDER WINDY CONDITIONS AND AT HIGH SPEEDS, I CAN HEAR WIND ESCAPING PAST THE WEATHERSTRIP IN BOTH FRONT DOORS. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. AS FOR THE COLD STARTING CONDITION, I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. *TR