2008 DODGE RAM 3500 Complaints

SIDEWALL SEPERATION/FAILURE OF FRONT AXLE TIRES. SO FAR, 3 BF GOODRICH TIRES SUPPLIED BY DODGE HAVE FAILED.

MOST OWNERS OF MULTIPLE MODEL YEAR DODGE RAM 2500/3500 4X4 PICKUPS HAVE OR WILL ENCOUNTER FRONT CV DRIVESHAFT FAILURES, U-JOINT FAILURES OR HANGER BEARING FAILURES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT DODGE IS COMPLETELY IGNORING AND NOT COVERING UNDER WARRANTY AS THE PART FAILURES TYPICALLY OCCUR SHORTLY AFTER THE INITIAL 36 MONTH WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND EVEN A CRASH. THESE VERHICLES ARE PURCHASED AND USED AS HEAVY DUTY HAULING RIGS AND MANY HAVE DIESEL ENGINES ALLOWING THE CARRYING OR PULLING OF LARGE, HEAVY TRAILERS. SYMPTOMS MAY START WITH A CREAKING IN THE FRONT AXLE AREA AND INCLUDE STEERING WHEEL CHOP UPON RETURN TO CENTER, WHICH IS ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE. THE REPAIR IS REPLACEMENT OF THE PARTS THAT WERE INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY WHICH ARE OF KNOWN POOR QUALITY. U-JOINTS SPECIFICALLY SHOULD CONTAIN A ZERK FITTING WHICH WOULD ALLOW REGULAR LUBRICATION AT MAINTENANCE INTERVALS, WHEREAS THE FACTORY INSTALLED U-JOINTS ARE SEALED AND NOT GREASABLE, WHICH FORCES THEM TO WEAR SIGNIFICANTLY AND QUICKLY, THUS ALLOWING THE PARTS TO FAIL. EVERY DODGE DEALER WITHIN 100-MILES OF MY LOCATION IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND STATES IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NOT COVERED UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. MANY OF WHICH AGREE THAT THE FACTORY INSTALLED ORIGINAL PARTS ARE OF POOR QUALITY AND THE REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER ARE OF THE SAME QUALITY, NECESSITATING REPLACEMENT OF THE PARTS WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS OF MUCH HIGHER QUALITY. ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE I HAVE NOT YET REPLACED THE PARTS DUE TO DEALER SCHEDULING AVAILABILITY BUT WILL BE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WHEN TRUCK BEGAN TO SURGE. SYSTEM INFORMATION STATED CATALYST AT 70% WITH IN 5MINUTES CATALYST AT 100%. WENT TO DODGE DEALER WHO WAS NOT A AUTHORIZED SERVICE REP. THEY COULD NOT REPLACE FILTER SO THEY CLEARED THE CODE AND SET THE DPF TO REGENERATE. THIS COST $80.00. WENT TO LOCAL DEALER NEXT DAY AND BECAUSE CODE WOULD NOT APPEAR AGAIN THE SET THE DPF TO REGENERATE. THIS COST $80.00. ON 1-12-2010 WHILE PULLING A 32 FOOT FLAT BED TRAILER IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AGAIN, THE SYSTEM INFO WENT TO CATALYST 70%. THE LOCAL DEALER HAD INFORMED US IN ORDER TO GET THE DPF TO GO INTO REGENERATE MODE NEED TO GET THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE UP TO 215. PUT THE TRUCK IN 4TH GEAR AND DROVE 85MPH FOR 50 MILES BEFORE THE REGENERATE MODE KICKED IN. REST OF 500 MILE TRIP WENT FINE. ON 1-27-2010 WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE EVERYTHING HAPPENED AGAIN. CALLED DEALER SINCE WAS ONLY 50 MILES AWAY. DROVE STRAIGHT TO DEALER AND THEY FINALLY REPLACED THE DPF FILTER. IT IS JUST MARCH SO WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. NEW FILTER WOULD HAVE COST US $2000.00. IF NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANT. WISH I COULD GET BACK THE $160.00. *TR

FRONT END DEATH WOBBLE. ALL FACTORY RECALL REPLACEMENT HAS BEEN DONE, BUT STILL HAS DEATH WOBBLE. NON FACTORY MECHANIC STATED TRUCK MIGHT NEED STEERING BRACKET BECAUSE STEERING BOX IS LOOSE. FEEL UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING TRUCK BECAUSE OF DEATH WOBBLE WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO PULL LEFT OR RIGHT. *TR

ONE OF MY TIE ROD ENDS JUST DISINTEGRATED WHILE I WAS UNDERWAY ON SMOOTH SURFACE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING. I COULD HAVE ROLLED THE VEHICLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIE ROD END TO GO ON THIS VEHICLE IN LESS THAN 25K MILES. *TR THE UNIVERSAL JOINT WAS MAKING NOISES. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THE DEALER REPLACE IT. UPDATED 04/19/10

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 3500 WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN MAY 2008. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 5 MPH OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND HE COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIRES TURNED INWARD AND HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE UNDER A RECALL CAMPAIGN (SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:09V005000, STEERING LINKAGES, TIE ROD ASSEMBLY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE OF THE EXACT REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN SHE LOST STEERING CONTROL. THE VEHICLE PULLED TOWARD THE RIGHT AND OFF THE ROAD BARELY MISSING A PARKED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE LEFT TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FAILED A SECOND TIME. THE LEFT TIE ROD ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED UNDER HER EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 03/09/10. *LJ THE TIE ROD FAILED FOR A SECOND TIME ON JANUARY 14, 2010.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 3500. NO OCCUPANTS WERE IN THE VEHICLE NOR THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED ON ITS OWN AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE. THE BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE WAS BADLY DAMAGED. HE TURNED THE BATTERY CABLES OFF IN ORDER TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ARE REPAIRING THE ENGINE BUT NOT THE BUMPER. HE WAS TOLD TO CALL THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO REPAIR THE BUMPER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 02/24/10. *LJ THE TRUCK WAS IN 1ST GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PARKED ON AN INCLINE. UPDATED 09/02/10*JB

MOTOR UNDER DRIVER SIDE POWER SEAT HEATED UP TO THE POINT THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. THE MOTOR WAS BURNED UP BUT VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH FIRE. *TR

THE PARTICULATE FILTER CLOGGED AFTER A FAULTY SENSOR AND NEEDED TO BE CHANGED AFTER ONLY 1,300 MILES OF DRIVING AFTER PURCHASING THE NEW TRUCK. *TR

WARRANTIED EMISSIONS PROBLEM. DODGE COULDN'T GET PARTS AND KEPT TRUCK FOR JUST UNDER 6 WEEKS. GOT FIXED AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK PARTICULATE FAILED CAUSING CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO CRACK. *TR