2001 DODGE RAM 3500 Complaints

DT: JUNE 29, 2005 ON HIGHWA WHILE Y DOING 50-55 MPH PULLED INTO DRIVE AND THOUGHT HIT A POLE BECAUSE THE WHOLE LEFT SIDE WAS WIPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE MIRROR COME IN, LOOKED UNDER FRONT END EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE, DIDN'T HAVE STEERING PROBLEMS WENT ABOUT 30 MILES, CAME BACK, WENT TO TURN LEFT, ACTED LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO TURN LEFT. WENT HOME, GOT A FLASH LIGHT, HAD FRIEND TURN THE WHEEL WHILE CONSUMER LOOKED AT THE STEERING, IT MADE CRACKING AND POPPING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT. THE IT LOCKED AND WOULD NOT TURN. HAD THE DEALER PUT A PUMP ON A WEEK BEFORE. CALLED DEALERSHIP, THE REFERRED CONSUMERTO CHRYSLER, THEN THEY HAD HIM SPEAK WITH AN INVESTIGATOR, THEY WANTED TO COME OUT AND INSPECT WITH IN 10 DAYS. SPENT 4 HOURS LOOKING AND TAKING PICTURES, THEN GOT A LETTER, STATING THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AT THE BODY SHOP THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG EITHER. *AK

I OWN A 2001 DODGE 3500 DIESEL PICKUP. THESE TRUCKS YEAR MODELS 1998.5-2002 EQUIPPED WITH THE DIESEL OPTION ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THE FUEL TRANSFER PUMP FAILING. I FEEL THIS FAILURE CAUSES AN ACCIDENT HAZARD, BECAUSE WHEN IT FAILS THE TRUCK STOPS RIGHT THERE WHETHER YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGH SPEED INTERSECTION OR ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. AS YOU CAN SEE EITHER OF THESE CASES COULD RESULT IN CAUSALITY OR EVEN DEATH OF THE DRIVER, PASSENGERS AND OTHER MOTORIST. GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE VEHICLES INTENDED USES OF THIS MODEL IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO SEE THESE TRUCKS LOADED WITH TRAILERS OF VARIOUS SIZES MOST OF WHICH WEIGHT 7000 LBS AND OVER. COMBINE THAT WITH THE FORCES OF ANOTHER PASSENGER VEHICLE, AND THE RESULT IS VERY DANGEROUS. THERE IS A WEBSITE (WWW.TDR1.COM) DEDICATED TO THE DODGE DIESEL THAT HAS INFORMATION ABOUT THESE ISSUES THAT WOULD KEEP YOU READING FOR DAYS ABOUT FAILURES. I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED 3 FAILURES IN THE PAST YEAR. ONE WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY SO I DID NOT CAUSE AN INCIDENT, BUT THE OTHER TWO WERE IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THE LAST WAS WHEN MY WIFE WAS PULLING ONE OF OUR HORSES IN A TRAILER THAT WEIGHS 6000 LBS ADD THE WEIGHT OF THE HORSE AND GEAR AND IT BRINGS THAT UP TO ABOUT 8000 LBS NOW ADD THE TRUCK WHICH IS ABOUND 6900 LBS AND YOU HAVE CLOSE TO 15000 LBS OF DEAD WEIGHT SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY NOW TAKE A 4000 LBS SUV AND SLAM IT INTO THE BACK OF THE TRAILER. NOW I'M NO PHYSICISTS BUT I KNOW AT LEAST ONE PERSON IS NOT WALKING AWAY. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IS FOR DODGE THE STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND ADMIT THERE IS A BLATANT DISREGARD TO SAFETY ATTRIBUTED TO A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. *AK

NHTSA CAMPAIGN 01V153000; DAIMLER CHRSYLER ISSUED A CLOCK SPRING MATERIAL RECALL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH THE AIR BAG CHECK LIGHT REMAINED ON. OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THAT THE THAT AIR BAG WOULD NOT OPERATE IF THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. *AK

THE SPARE TIRE JUST DROPPED/COMPLETELY DISENGAGED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CABLE BROKE. *AK THE CABLE IS OF INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH ON THIS MODEL. BECAUSE THIS IS A HEAVY DUTY TRUCK THE TIRES ARE 10 PLY AND THE WHEELS HEAVIER THAN ON A NORMAL 1/2 OR 3/4 TON PICKUP. *BF *NM

ALL OF THE WHEELS CRACKED, AND WERE UNABLE TO KEEP AIR IN THE TIRES. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT TO MOVE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY CONSUMER, AND WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN BLOCK DESIGN. NEITHER CUMMINS OR DODGE IS OFFERING ANY HELP WITH THIS KNOWN DEFECT. THERE SHOULF BE A RECALL ON ALL THESE BLOCKS!

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL BEARING BECAME INOPERABLE, AND THE WHEEL DISENGAGED COMPLETELY. THIS HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF TWO TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

WHILE MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLU GO INTO FIRST GEAR. FOLLOWING THIS, THE CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE MEDIAN. THE CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, AND LET IT IDLE FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE MERGING BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE IT ACCELERATED TO THE SECOND GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, BUT THEY WILL NEED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO CONFIRM THIS. *AK THE TRANSMISSION TOTALLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO GO INTO REVERSE ON THE SECOND OCCASION. *SC

TRANSMISSION FAILED TO GO INTO PARK, EVEN THOUGH THE COLUMN SHIFTER SELECTOR WAS INDICATING THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK. TRANSMISSION WAS IN REVERSE, WHILE THE COLUMN INDICATED PARK. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE "LIFT PUMP" FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. *JB