1996 DODGE RAM 2500 Complaints

STRAPS BROKE ON MY GAS TANK DROPPING THE TANK TO THE HWY,WHICH PUNCTURED THE TANK AND 34 GALS OF DIESEL FUEL WAS LOST ON THE HWY. AFTER CHECKING THIS OUT WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT SOURCES, IT SEAMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH DODGE TRUCKS WHY NO SERVICE BULLETINS OR OWNER NOTIFICATIONS, TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 2500. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE AND ENGINE WAS STILL IN THE OFF POSITION. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CUTS AND LACERATIONS ON HIS FACE AND NECK. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V023000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL) WAS REFERENCED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 223,000. UPDATED 03-31-08 *BF UPDATED 03/31/08 *TR

NORMAL DRIVING. TRUCK HAS 138K MILES. HEADLIGHTS FAIL. INITIALLY THEY GO OFF, COME ON, THEN GO OFF PERMANENTLY. CAN SMELL SMOKE FROM DASH WIRING HARNESS. MANUFACTURER HAS A RECALL #819 THAT COVERS THE 3500 SERIES TRUCKS WITH IDENTICAL WIRING AND HEADLIGHT SWITCH PART NUMBERS, BUT WILL NOT COVER THE 2500 SERIES TRUCKS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE INSTANCES ON THE INTERNET OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. LEFT UNCHECKED, I'M CERTAIN THIS WILL RESULT IN A DASH FIRE, PROPERTY DAMAGE, AND POSSIBLY DEATH. *TR

MY 96 RAM 2500 HAS A MAJOR STEERING/HANDLING PROBLEM AT OR ABOUT ANY HIGH SPEED IF I HIT ANY POTHOLES, ROUGH SPOTS, OR IF I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT FOR A PROLONG PERIOD OF TIME MY STEERING WHEEL STARTS SHAKING LIKE I HAVE BLOWN A TIRE VIOLENTLY SHAKING/HOPPING SO ERRATIC THAT IT SHAKES A 20 LB BACKPACK OFF OF MY PASSENGERS SEAT AND ON TO THE FLOORBOARD. I HAVE TO BRING THE TRUCK TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP TO ELEVATE THE PROBLEM. THIS WORKS UNTIL THE NEXT BUMP OR ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD. THE OTHER DAY MY GIRLFRIENDS BROTHER WAS FOLLOWING ME IN MY 98 TAURUS AND SAID THAT HE THOUGHT FOR SURE I WAS GOING TO ROLL OR LOSE CONTROL. HE STATED THAT MY FRONT WHEELS WERE SHAKING VIOLENTLY LEFT TO RIGHT ALTHOUGH I WAS IN A STRAIGHT ON MY STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES 1. CONVERSE COUNTY MOTORS, DOUGLAS, WYOMING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRACK BAR WAS FAULTY SO IT WAS REPLACED BY THE NEXT SHOP LISTED BELOW. AMOUNT SPENT AT THIS SHOP WITH BEING AN EMPLOYEE WAS $40.00 LABOR AND $214.19 FOR A COMPLETE REPLACED FRONT DRIVELINE. 2. OK WRECKING, DOUGLAS, WYOMING- I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THIS SHOP AFTER REPLACING THE STEERING STABILIZER SHOCK, PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD, FRONT SHOCKS, AND FRONT BRAKES. THEY REPLACED TRACK BAR AND FRONT BRAKE LINES. TOTAL SPENT THIS REPAIR $432.60 THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT THE FRONT END COMPONENTS WERE NOW TIGHT AND IT SHOULDN'T DO IT ANYMORE NO SUCH LUCK!! TO MY DISMAY I STILL CAN'T GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM QUITE FREQUENTLY NHTSA PLEASE COME DRIVE MY TRUCK AND YOU WILL BE SHOCKED AT THIS PROBLEM!!!! MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM WITH STEERING AND HANDLING!!! *JB

ON 9/20/2007 I TOOK MY 96 DODGE PICKUP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE ATTENDANT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT GAS TANK STRAP (1 OF 2) WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKEN. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION THE BACK STRAP WAS FOUND TO BE CORRODED ALSO. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH UPHILL HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE. HE PULLED OVER NOTICED THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL AND FENDER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 160,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 2500. THE VEHICLE HAD A SET OF BRAND NEW COOPER DOMINATOR SPORT A/T TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE TIRES BLEW OUT AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE INTO A DITCH. THE DEALER REMOVED THE FAILED TIRE AND REPLACED IT WITH ONE OF A DIFFERENT BRAND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL STATING THAT HIS TIRES WERE ON RECALL AND HE WOULD NEED TO BRING THE DEFECTIVE TIRES IN FOR INSPECTION. THE BLOW OUT WAS CAUSED BY TREAD SEPARATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS NO PROOF IN ORDER TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE TIRES BECAUSE THE DEALER WOULD NOT RETURN THE TIRE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 350,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 340,000.

I DRIVE QUITE A BIT DURING THE NIGHT TIME WITH MY VEHICLE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS ISSUSE WITH THE WIRING OVER HEATING AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. I HAVE REPLACED 5 ... GOING TO BE 6 HEADLIGHT SWITCHES. THERE IS A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF HEAD BEING PUT OUT AT THE SWITCH ITSELF. SO MUCH THAT IT ACTUALLY MELTS THE PIGTAIL AT THE LIGHT SWITCH CONNECTION. THE LIGHT SWITCH ITSELF IS DESTROYED. ITS BAD ESPECCIALLY WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND YOUR HEADLAMPS, MARKER LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHT ALL GO OUT. IF I DO NOT HAVE A REPLACMENT PART IN MY TRUCK AT THE TIME, I HAVE TO FIND A SPOT IN BETWEEN SWITCH POSITION JUST TO GET MY LIGHTS OPERATIONAL TO "LIMP" MY TRUCK HOME. MY CHOICE OF POSITIONS WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS IS HEADLAMPS WITH OUT MARKERS AND NO DASH LIGHTS OR FOG LAMPS MARKERS AND DASH LIGHTS. BEING DODGE HAS SUCH TERRIBLE HEADLAMPS I USE FOG LIGHTS TO DRIVE WHEN THIS HAPPENES. BELIEVE IT OR NOT HE FOG LIGHTS ARE BETTER THAN THE DRIVING LIGHTS. I RECENTLY SAW A RECALL FOR DODGE DURANGOS WITH A UNDER DASH ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I WOULD THINK THAT THIS WIRING/HEADLAMP SWITCH PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL! THANK YOU.

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE 2500 DIESEL. THE AIR BAG LIGHT TURNED ON AND STAYED ON. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS NEEDING AN AIR BAG MODULE. THIS PART HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED AND THE AIRBAG IS INOPERATIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,345. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THEY DO NOT DEAL WITH THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT AND THAT HE SHOULD CALL THE LOCAL DEALER.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PLACED IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE IDLING, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT ABOUT 5 MPH. THE SALES/SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT THE CONTACT WAS PLACED ON HOLD AND EVENTUALLY THE CONTACT HUNG UP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED 3 TIMES. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE ON THE FIRST INCIDENT, BUT AN EMPTY PARKED SCHOOL BUS WAS STRUCK CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANEL, RIGHT DOOR AND THE HOOD ON THE SECOND OCCASION. ON THE THIRD OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE BARN AND FEED TROUGH, CAUSING A BROKEN HEADLIGHT AND A DENTED BUMPER.