2002 Dodge RAM 1500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE SUDDENLY REDUCED TO ZERO ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE OIL PRESSURE READING RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY RECOMMENDED THAT THE OIL PUMP, PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE, AND OIL SCREEN BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

DRIVING THROUGH A PUDDLE AFTER A RAIN STORM, SEVERAL SAFETY FEATURES STOPPED FUNCTIONING: WIPERS, TURN SIGNALS, HORN, HEADLIGHT CONTROL. I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE IS NOT FUNCTIONING BUT THESE HAVE BEEN VERIFIED. NARROWED THE PROBLEM DOWN TO THE FCM (FRONT CONTROL MODULE). THE FCM IS CONNECTED TO THE IPM (INTEGRATED POWER MODULE). COME TO FIND OUT THE IPM IS NOT SEALED FROM THE ELEMENTS. THE CIRCUIT BOARD IS EXPOSED FROM THE BOTTOM WHICH ALLOWS WATER TO SPLASH INTO THE MODULE THEREBY SHORTING THE FCM. I BELIEVED DODGE KNOWS THIS IS A POOR DESIGN AND IS UNSAFE BECAUSE I'VE READ THAT THEY'VE DESIGNED A REPLACEMENT IPM WHICH IS SEALED FROM THE ELEMENTS. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF OBVIOUS REASONS. *TR

DASH HAS STARTED CRACKING AND FALLING APART IN PLACES. IM AFRAID THAT IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT IS GOING TO SEND PLASTIC SHARDS THROUGHOUT MY TRUCK DOING MORE HARM THAT GOOD. DODGE SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMETHING COMES FROM IT. IS IT GOING TO TAKE A LAWSUIT TO GET THIS NOTICED. HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING IF I GET INTO A WRECK AND MY SON DIES FROM A PIECE OF PLASTIC THROWN ACROSS THE CAR, NO AMOUNT OF MONEY WILL EVER FIX THAT PROBLEM. HAVE ALREADY ASKED DODGE ABOUT THIS AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS AND BLAME IT ON THE OWNERS LACK OF CARE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

THE HEATER / AC FAN BECAME INOPERATIVE AT ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE HIGH SPEED SETTING. WHEN I REMOVED THE FAN SPEED RESISTOR BLOCK I FOUND THE AREA TO BE PACKED WITH DRY AND BURNT LEAVES AND ACORN CAPS, CONSISTENT WITH THOSE FROM THE COAST LIVE OAK TREES ON MY PROPERTY AND IN MY COMMUNITY. THE RESISTOR BLOCK POWER SUPPLY IS EQUIPPED WITH A SPRING-LOADED SOLDER CONNECTION APPARENTLY DESIGNED TO INTERRUPT POWER IF THE CIRCUIT BECOMES HOT ENOUGH TO APPROACH THE MELTING POINT OF THE SOLDER. THE SYSTEM PARTIALLY WORKED BY CUTTING POWER UNDER EXTREME HEAT CONDITIONS. I FEEL THOUGH, THAT ALLOWING A LARGE QUANTITY OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS TO ENTER AND COLLECT IN AN AREA WHERE HEAT APPROACHING THE MELTING POINT OF SOLDER IS PRESENT IS UNACCEPTABLE. I PHOTOGRAPHED AND RETAINED ALL OF THE DRY TREE MATERIAL POSSIBLE THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RESISTOR / FAN AREA. MUCH OF IT WAS REDUCED TO A BLACK CARBON POWDER. THE VOLUME WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 50 CUBIC INCHES OF LOOSE MATERIAL. I RESOLDERED THE SPRING-LOADED CONNECTION AND RE-INSTALLED THE RESISTOR BLOCK. INITIAL TESTS SHOWED THAT IT WAS OPERATING CORRECTLY AND COOL TO THE TOUCH. SEVERAL HOURS OF DRIVING THIS PAST WEEKEND PRODUCED THE SAME RESULTS BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE THE RESISTOR. *TR

DASH BOARD COMPLETELY CRACKED TO PIECES AND I AM CONCERNED IT WILL NOT BE SAFE TO DRIVE ANY MORE. ALL IT WAS CAUSED BY WAS HEATING AND COOLING THROUGH OUT THE YEAR. THERE IS LIKE NO INSULATION IN THE DASH. I KNOW OF TRUCKS THAT WERE ONE YEAR OLD AND THERE DASH CRACKED. THE ENTIRE DASH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WILL BE A NATION WIDE CAMPAIGN. *TR