1996 DODGE RAM 2500 Complaints

WHEN TOWING A TRAILER THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF FOR A FEW MIN. THEN COME BACK ON. WITH THE BRIGHTS ON THE SHUT OFFS HAPPEN EARLIER IN THE DRIVE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. DODGE DID A RECALL ON THE 3500 TRUCKS WITH THE SAME HEADLIGHT SYSTEM, BUT THEY DID NOT RECALL THE 2500 TRUCKS. ALL THE ELECTRICAL POWER FOR THE HEADLIGHTS IS ROUTED THREW THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE SWITCH HEATS UP AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SHUT OFF OR THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MELTS FROM THE HEAT AND THEY NEVER COME BACK ON. DODGE EVEN SELLS A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM WHICH USES RELAYS, WHICH THEY SHOULD HAVE USED WHEN THEY BUILT THE TRUCK. *TR

ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON HEADLIGHTS. HEADLIGHT SWITCH PULLED OUT FROM DIS-INTEGRATED INSTRUMENT PANEL PLASTIC. HAD TO RELEASE STEERING WHEEL AND HOLD BODY OF HEADLIGHT SWITCH WITH ONE HAND WHILE OPERATING SWITCH CONTROL WITH OTHER HAND. THIS DODGE RAM'S DASH COVER HAS COMPLETELY CRACKED AWAY SEVERAL YEARS AGO. NOW, THE ACTUAL INSTRUMENT PANEL IS DIS-INTEGRATING. CURRENTLY THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, THE OVERDRIVE SWITCH AND AUXILIARY POWER OUTLET ARE HANGING BY WIRES. THE DRINK HOLDER AND RADIO ARE REMOVED AS THEIR MOUNTING SUPPORT IS GONE. *TR

ON A BUSY STREET, IN DAYLIGHT, IN GOOD WEATHER, TRAVELING AT SLOW SPEED....THE SPARE TIRE JUST FELL OFF INTO THE ROAD. INSPECTION BY OWNER SHOWS THE CABLE THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE BROKE. THANKFUL NOT TO BE AT HIGH SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, FUEL WAS SMELLED IN THE CABIN AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED A CRACK IN THE FUEL LINE. THE CONTACT WAS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND PERSONALLY REPLACED THE NUMBER FOUR FUEL INJECTOR LINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

EARLY MORNING, DARK, SOME FOG, MOUNTAIN ROADS, 45 TO 55 SPEED LIMITS. USING HIGH BEAMS AS NEEDED BUT NOT CONSTANTLY DUE TO FOG AND SOME ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT,FLASHED BACK ON AND OFF,SEEMED TO HAPPEN A COUPLE OF TIMES AS I WAS BREAKING AND TRYING NOT TO HIT SOMETHING OR GO INTO A DITCH. HIT DIMMER SWITCH AND LOW BEAM LIGHTS CAME ON. STOPPED AT NEXT AVAILABLE SAFE PULLOUT. CHECKED TRUCK OVER,FOUND NOTHING. RESUMED TRIP. LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN,USING HIGH BEAMS,FINISHED TRIP WITH ONLY LOW BEAMS AND HAD NO OTHER PROBLEM. CHECKED OUT HEADLIGHT SWITCH,AND FOUND OVERHEATED WIRING THAT COULD RESULT IN FIRE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DOING ABOUT 55MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED TO HAVE A BAD VIBRATION. IT CAUSED THE WHOLE TRUCK TO SHAKE. I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND ALL AROUND IT BUT FOUND NOTHING. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT AND IT DROVE FINE. EVERY TIME IT GETS AROUND 55 IT STARTS THE SHAKING. I KEEP FINDING ONLINE THAT IT IS CALLED THE "DEATH WOBBLE" AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE CASES.

AFTER USING HEADLIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES, WENT TO SWITCH TO LOW BEAM AND LOST ALL LIGHTING. UPON EXAMINATION, HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS MELTED. THIS IS THE SECOND SWITCH THAT HAS DONE THIS. *TR

THE STEERING COLUMN ON THIS TRUCK HAS GOTTEN VERY HOT UNDER THE IGNITION SWITCH AREA. SO HOT IN FACT THAT THE WIRES AND PLASTIC COLUMN COVER HAVE SMOKED AND MELTED THROUGH. I FEEL THERE MAY BE A FIRE SOON. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH MY MODEL YEAR BUT THE MELTED HOLE IN MY STEERING COLUMN SAYS OTHERWISE I'VE READ THERE WAS A RECALL OF THIS NATURE BUT WAS TOLD IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE HELPING ME. HELP... *TR

TRUCK WOULD NOT QUIT LEAKING INSIDE TRUCK NO WINDOWS DOWN OR DOORS OPEN AFTER RAIN? FOUND THROUGH A BOROSCOPE INVESTIGATION THAT TRUCK WELDED SEAMS WERE NOT PROPERLY SEALED AFTER THE WELDING TOOK PLACE. WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTORS REMOVED AND IN BETWEEN CAB UNDER WINDOW MOTOR NUMEROUS WELDS WERE FOUND TO BE LEAKING. LABOR INTENSIVE TO RESEAL. COST $1,900 TO RESEAL FAULTY WELDS FROM MEXICO! *TR

THE DASH IS A BIG PILE OF JUNK! HARD PLASTIC WITH A VIBRATING DIESEL? TURNS TO PIECES AND FALLS INTO DEFROSTER DUCTS, FLOOR, ALL IN CAB OF TRUCK! THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T BUY DODGE OR YOU BUY IT FOR ONLY CUMMINS DIESEL POWER! THATS ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS THAT SELDOM BREAKS AND NEEDS FIXING! TAKE THE POWER TRAIN AWAY AND YOU WOULD NOT SELL ANOTHER! BOOO! NO GOOD DASH! *TR