2001 Dodge RAM 1500

DT: DODGE RAM 2001 318. WHILE DRIVING NOTICED VAPOR COMING OUT OF TAIL PIPE. CHECKED ALL FLUIDS AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, RAN A PRESSURE TEST, AND FOUND A LEAK,. HE SENT BOTH HEADS TO MACHINE AND BOTH HEADS WERE CRACKED. MECHANIC SAD IF THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP THE LEAST BIT THE HEAD WILL BLOW. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER GOT ABOVE NORMAL. *AK

DODGE (2001) 1500 RAM PICKUP (4X2) --- 1- MAJOR LOWER ENGINE FAILURE. ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LAMP ACTIVATED FOLLOWED BY ENGINE MAKING "TICKING" NOISE. IN DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS "OIL PRESSURE / MAJOR ENGINE ISSUES" IS COMMON FOR THE DODGE RAM. 2- SECOND MAJOR DODGE ISSUE--- TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE TOTALLY REPLACED. AGAIN, IN DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS DOCUMENTED ISSUES WITH THE 2001 DODGE RAM TRANSMISSION FAILURES..

DRIVING 40MPH MY HOOD RELEASED AND STOOD STRAIGHT UP NEARLY TOUCHING THE WINDSHIELD. THIS BENT THE HOOD ATTACHMENT BRACKETS ON BOTH SIDES, AND BENT THE EDGE OF THE HOOD AT THE BRACKET AREAS. I HAD TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER. MY DODGE RAM IS A 2001 AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE OTHER RECALLS FOR THIS INCEDENT WHICH INCLUDED MODEL YEARS 1994-1999. AFTER LOOKING AT THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY IT IS VERY CORRODED AND FAILED DUE TO THIS CORROSION. AFTER STANDING ON MY WINDSHIELD AND FORCING THE HOOD BACK DOWN I IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE BEYOND THE SECONDARY LATCH. I SLOWLY DROVE HOME AND APPLIED TONS OF WD40 WHICH HAS TEMPORARILY LOOSED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY ENOUGH FOR IT TO WORK. HOWEVER, THE BRACKETS AND HOOD ARE STILL BENT AND I CANNOT OPEN THE HOOD FURTHER THAN A FOOT OR SO. I HAVE SECURED THE HOOD SHUT WITH STRAPPING UNTILL I CAN GET THIS FIXED.

5/19/05 I HAD TO REPLACE ALL (4) TIRES DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE TIRE. THE TIRES WERE COMING APART AROUND THE CROWN ON EVERY TIRE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD BLOW AT ANYTIME AND IT WAS BEST THAT I REPLACE THEM ALL. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK THEY WERE ON USED (2001 DODGE RAM 1500), IT HAD 27,291 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THE TIRES WERE NEW. I NOW HAVE 66,556 MILES ON IT. THE TREAD ON ALL TIRES WAS GOOD TO GO FOR ANOTHER 40-60,000 MILES. BUT BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT AND THE FACT THAT I TRAVEL A LOT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THE TIRES. I HAVE KEPT ONE OF THEM AS PROOF SHOULD SOMEONE WANT TO SEE IT. THE POINT BEING THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES AT THIS TIME. I HAVE HEARD OF RECALLS YOU HAVE HAD ON TIRES AND DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS ONE OF THEM OR NOT. THE NUMBER ON THE TIRE IS 255/70R16 AND THEY WERE ALL IN A VERY DANGEROUS STATE WHEN REPLACED. I SPENT 678.42 ON THE REPLACEMENT TIRES AND I DON'T EXPECT A FULL REFUND BUT I DO THINK THAT FIRESTONE SHOULD COMPENSATE ME DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS YOUR TIRE DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. WHICH OF COURSE CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO PAY OUT MONEY I DIDN'T HAVE TO REPLACE ALL (4) TIRES FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. I HAVE A COPY OF THE INVOICE FOR THE REPLACEMENT TIRES WITH A WRITTEN NOTE SPECIFYING THAT THEY WERE DEFECTIVE TIRES. I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU BEFORE, ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS AGO AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING BACK SO I'M GOING THROUGH THIS AGAIN. PLEASE ADVISE ME WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO AND IF YOU NEED ANYMORE INFO FROM ME. I DO EXPECT A REFUND OF SOME TYPE DUE TO YOUR DEFECTIVE TIRES.

2001 DODGE RAM 1500 TRAVELING 25 MPH .DRIVER LOST CONTROL AFTER HITTING BLACK ICE AND CONTROL WAS NEVER REGAINED. VEHICLE TRAVELED DITCH LINE AND PROCEEDED DOWN 50+ FOOT EMBANKMENT TO HIT ON THE NOSE OF THE TRUCK AT AN ESTIMATED TRAVEL OF 50 MPH. VEHICLE STOOD ON FRONT END THEN FELL ON TO THE DRIVERS SIDE.DRIVER WAS TREATED AT HOSPITAL FOR NECK,BACK AND LEFT SHOULDER INJURIES. AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF AIR BAG FAILURE AND AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT IMPACT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE SENSORS. WHEN I CALLED INVESTIGATOR, I WAS TOLD THAT A LETTER WOULD COME ABOUT DECISION AND NO FUTHER ACTIONS WOULD BE TAKEN. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED AND DRIVER IS STILL UNDER GOING TREATMENT FOR INJURIES TO BACK.OTHER CALLS WERE PLACED TO MANUFACTURER ,ESPECIALLY AFTER WE RECEIVED A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE FOR THE AIR BAGS 30 DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT. WE WERE TOLD THIS DID NOT AFFECT OUR VEHICLE. WE ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE REPORT AND RESULTS AND ARE UNCERTAIN IF ANYONE EVEN LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCKED FACITILITY AND THE OWNER OF THE FACILITY HAD LET INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND OWNERS ONLY IN TO THE SECURED SITE. FACILITY OWNER STATED HE SEEN NO ONE ELSE REQUESTING TO VIEW OR TEST THIS VEHICLE FOR MALFUNCTIONS. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE EXACT METHOD AND RESULTS OF THE MANUFACTURERS DETERMINATION OF NO DEFECT. WE ARE STILL PURSUING THIS INVESTIGATION.