1996 DODGE RAM 3500 Complaints

TRAILER HITCH HAD CRACKED AROUND MID 97'S. IT HAS NOT BROKE AWAY AFTER TOWING. WAS JACKED UP & DEALERSHIP WELDED HITCH BACK ON. *AK

GASOLINE GAUGE NEEDLE DOESN'T REGISTER CORRECTLY THE AMOUT OF GASOLINE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK

HOOD BECAME UNLATCHED AND OPENED WHILE DRIVING DAMAGING THE HOOD. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS

CHASSIS CRACKED IN HALF. OWNER MADE THIS DISCOVERY AFTER CRAWLING UNDER THE TRUCK TO LUBE SOME PARTS. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO MANUFACTURER. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. OWNER WANTS DODGE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. *AK *ML

AT ANY TIME VEHICLE WAS RUNNING CONSUMER NOTICED A BIG PUDDLE OF FUEL UNDER VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE CONTINUALLY LEAKS WATER INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS HOWEVER CONTINUES TO LEAK WITH STANDING WATER IN VEHICLE. *MJS

TRANSMISSION: FOUND A LARGE PUDDLE OF WHAT I THOUGHT WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID UNDER THE TRUCK. CHECKED LEVEL AND FOUND IT APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 1 1/2 QUARTS LOW. WE USE THE TRUCK TO TOW A LARGE FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER PERIODICALLY. DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 97V08400 WHICH DEALT WITH HIGH LOAD CONDITIONS AND SUBSTANDARD CONNECTORS. CALLED CHRYSLER (800-853-1403) AND WAS INFORMED THIS RECALL WAS ONLY FOR GAS ENGINE VEHICLES. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPUTABLE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THEY CONTACTED DODGE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT SEALS ARE NO LONGER OFFERED. THEY THEN CONTACTED THE DEALER REP AND WAS TOLD THE PREFERRED METHOD OF REPAIR WAS TO REPLACE THE TUBES COMPLETELY WITH AN UPDATE KIT ($451.05). THEY REPLACED THE SEALS WHICH LEAKED, THE SPEED SENSOR WHICH LEAKED, AND AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SERVICE. THE COST OF THIS TRANSMISSION SERVICE WAS $260.28. FRONT BRAKES: AT 31487 MILES THE FRONT BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS NOT DISCOVERED BY THE NORMAL SQUEAL BARS BUT BY THE METAL OF THE PAD COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR. THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP STATED THE SQUEAL BARS HAD BEEN BENT BACK. THE REAR BRAKE SHOES STILL HAD MORE THAN 50 PERCENT LIFE LEFT. THE COST OF REPLACING THE PADS, TURNING THE ROTORS, AND GREASE SEALS WAS $189.02.

WHILE TRUCK WAS GETTING AN OIL CHANGE THE MECHANIC NOTICED AN OLD FRACTURE THROUGH AN IMPROPER WELD OF THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER A FRAME MEMBER. IT WAS OLD. THERE WAS NO BRIGHT METAL. THIS PROBABLY WAS AN IMPROPER WELD DURING CONSTRUCTION. FORTUNATELY THIS WAS FOUND AND WELDED. THIS COULD EASILY HAVE LED TO A COMPLETE FAILURE WITH VEHICLE LOSS OF CONTROL. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS OF THE FRACTURED WELD.

TRANSMISSION GEARS GET STUCK IN SECOND GEAR AND WILL NOT COME OUT OF SECOND. VEHICLE HAD TO BE STOPPED, TURNED OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON IN ORDER FOR THE GEARS TO SHIFT. DEALER COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND GOING OVER ANY TYPE OF BUMPS VEHICLE IS SHAKES AND JERKS. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK