1998 DODGE RAM 2500 Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELTS WERE LOCKED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89,655.

1998 DODGE 2500 TRUCK SHAKES VIOLENTLY AFTER HITTING SMALL BUMPS. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS VERY OFTEN AT LEAST THREE TIMES A MONTH. TRACK BAR, BALL JOINTS AND SWAY BAR WERE REPLACED BUT IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE. *TR

BRAKE LINE FAILURE ON 1998 DODGE 4X4 TRUCK. NO WARNING BRAKES FAILED. LINE FAULTY. *TR

MY DODGE 2500 STARTED SHAKING VERY VIOLENTLY 2 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED IT, IM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY I WILL KILL SOMEBODY BECAUSE IT PULLS YOU INTO THE NEXT LANE, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THREES NOTHING WRONG PLEASE HELP. *TR

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2009 AT 11:30 AM, I WAS DRIVING A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500 PULLING A SMALL 6X10 SINGLE AXLE TRAILER AT 60 MILES PER HOUR ON HIGHWAY 79 LOOP IN TAYLOR, TX. I HAD A COOPER 265/75/R16 M+T TIRE ON THE PASSENGER FRONT WITH TIRE PRESSURE OF 50 LBS. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, BUT THE TIRE NEVER LOST INFLATION. THE TREAD DAMAGED THE PANEL UNDER THE PASSENGER DOOR, DENTED THE FRONT PASSENGER FENDER, THE PLASTIC FRONT BUMPER COVER WAS TORN LOOSE, AND THE INSIDE FENDER COVERS AND MUDFLAP WAS TORN LOOSE. I RETRIEVED THE TIRE TREAD FROM THE ROAD AND HAVE THE INFLATED CARCASS IN MY POSSESSION. NO INJURIES TO MYSELF OR MY WIFE. I AM A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER BY TRADE WORKING FOR SMITH COUNTY TEXAS ROAD & BRIDGE DEPARTMENT. *TR

DASHBOARD CRACKING AND NOW HAS HOLES WHICH COULD LEAD TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS DUE TO WIRE DAMAGE UNDER THE DASH. INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE CRACKING. THIS IS ON A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. *TR

I NOTICED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING UNDER THE TRUCK WHEN RETURNING FROM A TRIP. CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT TWO OF THE TRANSMISSION LINES HAD BEEN RUBBING TOGETHER WHICH RESULTED IN A BREAK IN ONE OF THE LINES. FORTUNATELY, I NOTICED IT BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION HAD LOST ENOUGH FLUID TO FAIL. HAD I BEEN ON A LONG TRIP TOWING A TRAILER THE RESULTS OF A HIGHWAY SPEED TRANSMISSION FAILURE MIGHT HAVE BEEN FAR MORE SERIOUS, ESPECIALLY ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD. THE LINE SHOULD BE REPLACED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN/MANUFACTURING/ASSEMBLY DEFECT. *TR

DRIVING ON I-89 S. AT 50 MPH WHEN SNOW STORM TURN INTO A WHITE OUT WHEN I CAME UPON A STATE PLOW TRUCK IN PASSING LANE DOING 25 MPH AND BY TIME I SAW IT'S FLASHING LIGHTS I COULDN'T STOP AND AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY CAUSING ME BANG MY HEAD ON DOOR POST, MY LEFT RIBS INTO STEERING WHEEL CRACKING THEM AND MY RIGHT KNEE INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE LEVIER AND DASH CAUSING IT TO BE CRACKED. *TR

PLASTIC DASHBOARD MATERIALS ARE DEFECTIVE. 1998 YEAR MODEL DODGE RAM 2500HD 24V DSL 4X4 QC SB TRUCK...DASH STARTED GETTING VERY BRITTLE AFTER ONLY 6 YEARS OF USE... RECENTLY HAD TO ACCESS THE A/C EVAPORATOR CORE...AND THE DASHBOARD LITERALLY CRUMBLED. I'VE SEEN MY SHARE OF COSMETIC DASHBOARD CRACKS...BUT THIS IS COMPLETE AND UTTER STRUCTURAL FAILURE. *TR

I HAD JUST STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND MY STEERING WAS ACTING FUNNY - SORT OF JERKING TO THE LEFT SLIGHTLY. AS I LEFT THE INTERSECTION AND GOT UP TO ABOUT 20-25 MPH, THE TRUCK SUDDENLY JERKED HARD TO THE LEFT AND I COULD NOT RECOVER CONTROL. I CROSSED TWO LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND FORTUNATELY DID NOT HIT ANYONE - I ENDED UP IN A SNOW BERM ACROSS THE STREET. I HAD THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE MY BRAKES STICKING BECAUSE OF THE COLD WEATHER IN ALASKA. IT TURNS OUT IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE WHEEL BEARINGS. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEALED WHEEL BEARINGS - THE SEAL GOES BAD, THE BEARINGS DRY OUT, THEN THEY LOCK UP. IT TYPICALLY RESULTS IN A TIRE FALLING OFF AND AN ENSUING ACCIDENT - OFTEN FATAL. MY 5 YEAR OLD SON WAS WITH ME AND I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE TAKEN THE HIGHWAY WHERE I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. I'M QUITE CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE IF NOT MY SON AND MYSELF. I HAVE A 1998 DODGE 2500 WITH THE CUMMINS DIESEL AND IT HAS 99985 MILES ON IT - THE DIESEL ENGINE EXACERBATES THIS PROBLEM DUE TO THE NOISE LEVEL - I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR THESE BEARINGS GOING OUT SOONER. I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND OTHER MISC PARTS THAT WERE TORN APART - EITHER WHEN THE BEARINGS WENT OUT OR I HIT THE SNOW BERM. *TR