1999 Dodge RAM 1500

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH, WITH PRIOR BRAKING, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TREE. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. ALTHOUGH THE SEAT BELT WAS WORN, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED NECK. THE MANUFACTURER SENT A REPRESENTATIVE WHO DETERMINED BASED ON THE SPEED AND DAMAGE, THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED.

I OWN A 1999 DODGE RAM REGULAR TRUCK WITH SHORT BED AND IT ACCELERATED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I HIT THE CRUISE CONTROL BY MISTAKE, BUT I CHECKED AND CRUISE THE LIGHT WAS OFF. IT ENGINE KEPT RAMMING AND HITTING HIGH SPEEDS AND I COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AND I ALMOST CRASHED INTO OTHER CARS. I MANAGED TO PULL OFF AT AN EXIT AND PUT ON THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD, BUT IT DID NOT STOP THE TRUCK. EVENTUALLY, I HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK WHILE DRIVING. EVENTUALLY THE CAR STOPPED AND I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. MY MOTHER (WHO WAS VISITING ME AND HAVEN'T SEEN IN 5 YEARS) WAS FRIGHTENED. AND SO WAS I. I CHECKED THE COOLANT AND IT HAD RAN OUT. IT WAS JUST CHECKED A FEW WEEKS AGO. I HAD IT RECHECKED AND IT HAD NO LEAKS. ANYWAY, I EVENTUALLY WALKED TO A GAS STATION AND BOUGHT MORE COOLANT (FIGURING THIS HAD TO BE THE PROBLEM). IT DID NOT HELP THE SITUATION IMMEDIATELY. I WAITED FOR 30 MINUTES AND TRIED STARTING THE CAR ONCE MORE AND IT WAS OKAY AND I DROVE OFF. I CALLED THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN. WILL IT COST ME IF THE PROBLEM IS UNDER RECALL? *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ODOR OF ANTI-FREEZE PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE A FEW DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF PURCHASE. TWO DAYS AGO ANTI-FREEZE LEAKED THROUGH THE HEATER VENTS IN THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE WINDOWS FOGGED AFTER THE ENGINE WARMED FOR A FEW MINUTES. THERE WERE NO OTHER WARNING INDICATORS, OTHER THAN THE ODOR, PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND DISCOVERED THE HEATER CORE WAS RUPTURED. A HOSE WAS ATTACHED TO BYPASS THE HEATER CORE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD THUD HEARD AND THE STEERING BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD, HITTING A TREE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BETWEEN THE DOOR AND BED OF THE TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THEN SEEN BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE UPPER BALL JOINT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE WHEEL BEARING FRACTURED, CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK UP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.