2001 Dodge RAM 1500

WE OWN THIS 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. THE PROBLEM WE ARE FACED WITH IS THAT THE PAINT OF THE TRUCK HAS BEEN FADING EVERY DAY TO THE POINT THAT IT HAS SPOTS AND INSTEAD OF BEING A BLACK TRUCK IS A SPOT TRUCK. THE RUST ON IT IS INCREDIBLE, UNDERNEATH, AROUND THE TRIM OF THE TIRE PANELS AND THE OVERALL BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK. I KNOW WE ARE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND THE WEATHER DOES NOT HELP, BUT A TRUCK THIS EXPENSIVE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LOOK THE WAY IT DOES. THE DASHBOARD INSIDE THE TRUCK HAS CRACKED TO THE POINT THAT WE HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER WITH DUCT TAPE. MY HUSBAND DOES NOT DRIVE THE TRUCK FAR, BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID IT WILL BE A SAFETY ISSUE. ONE TIME JUST GOING TO THE TRASH PLACE, THE BREAKS WENT ON THE TRUCK AND WE HAD TO HAVE THAT TRUCK FIXED. IT REALLY BOTHERS US THAT THE TRUCK SHOULD LAST LONGER AND THE CONDITION THIS TRUCK IS IN IT SAYS TO US "HOW CAN A VEHICLE DO THIS". WE OWN TWO OTHER CARS, AND THEY ARE IN NO WAY SHAPE LIKE THIS TRUCK IS. HE TAKES CARE OF THE TRUCK AS MUCH AS HE CAN, BUT IS THERE ANY RECALLS OR ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE THAT HAS THE SAME ISSUES, WITH THE PAINT, RUST AND THE INTERIOR OF THE TRUCK? THE TRUCK HAS BEEN DEBILITATING SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. WE ARE NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE BUT WE HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND THEY FIX WHAT EVER IS WRONG WITH IT, BUT THERE IS NO MENTION OF ANY RECALLS. MY HUMBLE OPINION THIS TRUCK SHOULD BE LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER AND FIXED COMPLETELY. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO TRAVEL IN THE TRUCK BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID IT WILL FALL APART DUE TO ALL THE RUST ETC UNDERNEATH. ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE US WILL BE OF GREAT HELP. I'VE ATTACHED PICTURES OF THE TRUCK SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. *TR

THE SPARE TIRE CABLE SNAPPED QUITE POSSIBLY CAUSING MY SPARE TIRE TO FALL OUT ON THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE OR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I LAST CHECKED THE SPARE TIRE IN NOV 2015 AND NOTICED IT GONE IN APRIL 2016. ALL THAT REMAINS IS A SPLINTERED CABLE. IN TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS THEY TELL ME THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. IN MY CASE IF IT DID INDEED FALL OUT WHILE DRIVING I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT NO ONE GOT HURT. I DO NOT KNOW IF NEWER VEHICLES ARE STILL EQUIPPED WITH THESE CABLES. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF SECONDARY SYSTEM TO PREVENT THE TIRE FROM FALLING OUT SHOULD THE CABLE SNAP AS I HAVE NOW COME TO UNDERSTAND TO BE A FAIRLY FREQUENT OCCURRENCE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, A LOUD BANGING NOISE EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS COMPLETELY DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE OPENED AND SMASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE DETAILS WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOOD LATCH FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

REAR BRAKE LINE HEAVILY CORRODED AND RUPTURED IN BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FRAME (VERY LITTLE CORROSION TO THE SURROUNDING PARTS/FRAME). FORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE LINE BROKE AND I NOTICED I HAD LOST VIRTUALLY ALL BRAKING ABILITY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT IT IN GEAR. I HAD DRIVEN IT 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE LINE FAILING, AND HAD NOTICED NO DEGRADATION WHATSOEVER.

EVERY SECOND GENERATION DODGE RAM TRUCK HAS THIS ISSUE. THE DASHBOARD FALLS APART AND SHATTERS INTO SHARP KNIFE-LIKE PIECES OF PLASTIC THAT CAN AND DO BLOW INTO YOUR EYES WHILE DRIVING OR CUT YOU WHILE DRIVING OR STATIONARY. I FEAR THAT IF MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED THE SHARP PIECES OF PLASTIC THAT WOULD BE SENT FLYING COULD INJURE ME OR EVEN BE FATAL. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED. THE FACT THAT SOMETHING THIS COMMON AND DANGEROUS HASN'T ENDED IN THE RESULT OF A RECALL OR REPLACEMENT IS ASTONISHING. I LOVE MY TRUCK BUT I AM SO AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 EQUIPPED WITH COOPER DAKOTA MT (NA) TIRES, SIZE LT285/75R16 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS EXAMINED BY THE MANUFACTURER WHO INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY AGE, DRYNESS, AND WEAR. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.