1997 Dodge RAM 1500

NOTICED A HIGH PITCHED WHINE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ABOUT 30-40 SECONDS BEFORE THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP. TRAVELING ON A SECONDARY TO A CITY STREET SLOWING TO 30 MPH. AXLE ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP AT 45 MPH CAUSING A SKID THAT WAS CONTROLLED. AXLE HOUSING SPLIT, DRIVE SHAFT DETACHED, GEAR LUBE DRAINED OUT AND TIRES ARE SEVERELY FLAT SPOTTED. SKID LENGTH WAS 115 FT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SHAFT AND GEAR INADVERTENTLY DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, IT FAILED TO SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN UNSPECIFIED INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INSPECTION STATION AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED BY THE DEALER ON AUGUST 19, 1997 UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V084000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES). THE DEALER FAILED TO USE A STAINLESS STEEL RETAINER FOR THE REPAIR AS STATED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. INSTEAD, THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC PART WAS STILL ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72000. UPDATED 05/06/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER DID NOT MAKE THE REPAIR AND THE TRANSMISSION EVENTUALLY FAILED.

TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT THROUGH ALL GEARS APPROACHING 30MPH... IT WILL THEN NEED TO BE ALMOST FLOORED TO GET THE TRUCK TO DOWN SHIFT SO I CAN BEGIN TO MOVE AT A QUICKER RATE OF SPEED. OVERDRIVE SLIPS EVERYTIME YOU PRESS THE PEDAL AND SOMETIMES WON'T GO INTO OVERDRIVE. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAS FAULTY CLUTCHES CAUSING THEM TO BREAK DOWN. THE DEBRIS CLOG UP THE CHECK VALVE OUT OF THE COOLER BLOCKING FLOW OF FLUID TO THE TRANSMISSION... THEREFORE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE AS EARLY AS 20MILES WITHIN CHECK VALVE CLOGGING. DODGE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I'M GOING TO LOOSE A TRANS SOON AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE. DODGE REPLACES THE TRANSMISSION LEAVING THE CLOGGED CHECK VALVE THIS CAUSES THE SECOND TRANSMISSION TO GO ETC. I BELIEVE YOU GET THIS GIST OF IT. SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS WHY IS OUR GOVERNMENT BLIND TO THE CHEAP, DANGEROUS AND FAULTY ASSEMBLY OF THIS VEHICLE. SOMEONE PLEASE FORCE A RECALL ON THESE POWERTRAINS!!! THE DODGE OWNING CITIZENS ARE TIRED OF BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF DAY AFTER DAY. *TR

MY FIANCE IS THE OWNER OF A 1997 DODGE 1500 4X4 PICKUP. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED/CHANGE 4 TIMES SINCE WE HAVE TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE IN 2002. I CHECK THE DEFECTS FOR THAT VEHICLE ON YOUR "DEFECT INFORMATION" & SURE ENOUGH THERE IT IS. WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH THIS TRUCK SINCE WE PURCHASED IT. THE HOOD LATCH IS ALWAYS LOOSE & FINALLY CAUSE THE HOOD TO FLY UP WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH ME & MY 2 CHILDREN. THE TAIL GATE HAS FALLEN OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE DRIVERS DOOR HAS BEEN REPLACE BECAUSE THE IT SAGS. AND FINALLY, THE BUMPER HAS JUST ABOUT COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY SINCE WE'VE OWNED IT. I FEEL WE GOT THE BIGGEST LEMON. I EMAILED DODGE DIRECTLY WITH THIS SAME ISSUE & RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. HOPEFULLY, YOUR AGENCY CAN HELP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ANGELA SAYRE. *NM

SEATS WILL NOT RECLINE NOR FLIP FORWARD. THIS HAS CAUSED A BACK SEAT PASSENGER TO FALL GETTING OUT OF THE 1997 DODGE RAM BECOMING INJURED. VEHICLE MISSES, STUTTERS AND ENGINE PULSES AT 50 MPH. HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE FIRST ONWER. TRANSMISSION REBUILT AND STILL DOES IT. DEALER CAN NOT FIND PROBLEM AFTER SPENDING $900.00 ON A TUNE-EP AND DIAGNOSTICS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. DOING SINCE FIRST OWNER. DEALER CHECKS, CHARGED HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND WITHIN 8 HOURS OF USE LIGHT COMES BACK ON AND STAYS LIGHT. OCCASIONALLY IT WILL BLINK THEN REMAIN ON. TAKEN TO DEALER AGAIN AND THEY STATED THIS VEHICLE IS SENSITIVE EVEN A GAS CAP NOT TIGHT WILL TRIGGER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THIS LIGHT REMAINS ON, WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY ENGINE - NOTHING! *NM