1998 Dodge RAM 1500

HAVE EXPERIENCED FAILURE IN PASSENGER SIDE REAR AXLE 1998 DODGE RAM. GOING TO OPEN REAR END ON 5/26/03 FOR INSPECTION. HAVE APPROX. 1/4 IN HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT IN AXLE. FROM CHECKING SITE CONCLUDE THAT THIS MAY NOT BE ISOLATED FAILURE AS FIRST SUSPECTED BUT MAY BE FAILURE IN HEAT TREAT OF AXLE OR BEARING NOT SET CORRECTLY. VEHICLE HAS 68,200 MILES. *NLM

I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON ME AND THE PICKUP ONLY HAD 61000 MILES ON IT. THERE WAS ACTUALLY FIRE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION, YOU COULD TELL WHEN THE MECHANIC DROPPED THE PAN, THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT EVERY THING WAS FRIED. THAT COULD OF STARTED THE WHOLE PICKUP ON FIRE AND I COULD OF BEEN KILLED OR BADLY HURT. I HAVE TALKED TO SOME OTHER GUYS AND THEY OWNED 1998 RAMS AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. NOW THIS IS A BIG SAFETY THING AND THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER TO SEE IF THEY WOULD PAY FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AND THEY SAID NO, THEY WOULDN'T EVEN HELP ME OUT. THIS COULD OF BEEN A BIG LAW SUIT IF I WOULD OF GOTTEN HURT. *JB

FROM THE DAY I SAW THAT 96 DODGE TRUCK ROLLING DOWN THE STREET I FELL IN LOVE. I SAVED EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE THE BIG BAD 1500 4X4 5.9(98)WITH EVERY OPTION AVAIL. HAD EVERYTHING AND FROM WEEK 1 HAD PROBLEMS. FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING "DUE TO FRAME STRESS" IT ABOUT 2 WEEKS INTO IT. BRAKE FAILURE CAUSE SERIOUS ASSAULT ON GUARD RAIL, AND DODGE SAID I MUST HAVE BEEN DRIVING TO FAST (@ 30 MPH). THEY REFUSED ANY WARRANTY BECAUSE "NOTHING CAN TOUCH THE WHEEL" AND SINCE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER 93 DAYS LEMON LAWS DID NOT APPLY SO AFTER (2) $900 BRAKE JOBS TWO WEEKS APART EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NOT TO MENTION DAMAGE TO BODY I PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET. NOW I JUST GO THROUGH AN ENTIRE SET OF BRAKES EVERY 6 MONTHS. BUT I STOP UNTIL THEN.. I REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT 38 K MILES, NOTE THE WARRANTY ON THAT IS 36 K MILES. I HAVE HAD STEERING LINKAGE BECOME SO LOOSE INSTANTANEOUSLY (OR 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS) THAT IT FELT LIKE I WAS RUNNING OVER MY OWN AXLE, WHICH IS ANOTHER $1000 EACH TIME. FOR THE PAST THREE EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS THE ON BOARD COMPUTER FAILS SO I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHILE THEY CHARGE $200 TO FIX IT, BUT WILL NOT GIVE STRAIGHT ANSWER TO WHAT IS PROBLEM. AND TO NIGHT AS I TYPE, I SPREAD THE GRIME OF ENGINE CRUD ACROSS MY KEYBOARD AS I TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE FUEL FILTER SUDDENLY STOPPED. AMAZINGLY I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK FOR 5 YEARS BECAUSE IT HAS KEPT ME TOO BROKE TO BUY SOMETHING ELSE. ANY "LEGAL" SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT CAN BE DONE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. I RECOGNIZE I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $15,000 TRYING TO KEEP THIS THING RUNNING RIGHT, AND THAT IS TOO MUCH FOR A "LATE MODEL" TRUCK. I WOULD LOVE TO BLAME A DEALER BUT I HAVE BEEN TO JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEM AROUND HERE AND WITH THE SMILES ON THERE FACES I HEAR "THAT WILL BE ANOTHER $950 SIR".. GOOD GRIEF. *NLM

WHEN APPROACHING A HILL OR ATTEMPTING TO PASS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (75 TO 85MPH) EITHER WITH CRUISE ON OR OFF THE TRUCK WILL DOWN SHIFT FROM OVERDRIVE TO LOW GEAR.(SUDDENLY BRINGING YOU TO A HAULT!) IT WILL THEN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO OVERDRIVE. THEN THE TRUCK WILL STAY EITHER IN LOW GEAR OR 2ND GEAR UNTIL YOU SHUT THE KEY OFF AND RESTART OR BY PUTTING IT INTO NEUTRAL THEN BACK INTO DRIVE AND LETTING IT COAST FOR A BIT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! I HAVE BEEN ALMOST SMASHED INTO SEVERAL TIMES! THIS TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN WITH IT SINCE REBUILDING. THERE IS ONLY 4000 MILES ON THE REBUILD! I HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK OVER TEN TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT IT WILL NEVER LEAVE A CODE! I HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO WITH IT! THE REASON THE FIRST TRANNY WENT OUT IS BECAUSE THE PARK CONTROL ROD BROKE AND FELL INTO THE GUTS OF THE TRANNY AND VIRTUALLY DESTROYED IT!