1997 Dodge RAM 2500

MY DODGE 1997 RAM 2500 TRUCK WITH 8.0L V-10 ENGINE SUFFERED SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE SEIZURE ON 13 AUGUST 2005. THE TRUCK HAD 74254 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE OIL LEVEL IN THE ENGINE WAS NORMAL (FULL) AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE DODGE TRUCK DEALER IN BOZEMAN, MONTANA. I WAS ADVISED BY THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER THAT HE HAD SEEN SEVERAL DODGE TRUCK V-10??S WITH SEIZED ENGINES DUE TO OIL PUMP FAILURES BUT HE KNEW OF NO FACTORY PROGRAM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE DEALER PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE OF $9461 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A MOPAR REBUILT ENGINE AND PROVIDE A 3-YEAR WARRANTY ON THE WORK. GIVEN THE RELATIVELY HIGH REPAIR COST QUOTED BY THE DEALER, AND AN APPARENT LACK OF ANY FACTORY PROGRAM TO COVER EVEN A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COST, I ELECTED TO HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT BY A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DURING DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE, IT WAS FOUND THAT ONE OF THE GEARS IN THE OIL PUMP HAD FRACTURED (BROKEN) IN SEVERAL PLACES. THESE FRACTURES CAUSED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED FAILURE OF THE OIL PUMP, A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE OIL PRESSURE, AND SUBSEQUENT SEIZURE OF THE ENGINE A FEW SECONDS OF OPERATION LATER. THE OIL PUMP GEARS WERE PHOTOGRAPHED AND THESE IMAGES CAN BE PROVIDED. THE INNER GEAR IS BROKEN IN SEVERAL PIECES. ALL OF THE OIL PUMP PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. SINCE OIL PUMP GEARS ARE INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS NOT SUBJECT TO ROUTINE PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND NOT SUBJECT TO ABUSE BY THE VEHICLE OPERATOR, THE FAILURE IS CLEARLY DUE TO MATERIAL DEFECT OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED ENGINE SEIZURE IN A HIGHWAY VEHICLE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. SINCE THE REPORTED 8.0L V10 ENGINE SEIZURE IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER AN IMMEDIATE PRODUCT RECALL OF DODGE TRUCKS WITH THE 8.0L V10 ENGINE, OR OTHER CORRECTIVE ACTION, TO REDUCE FUTURE OCCURRENCES OF THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

DT: WHEN SHIFTING FROM FOURTH TO FIFTH GEAR THE BOLT HOLDING 5TH GEAR IN PLACE CAME OFF THE SHAFT WHICH ALLOWED THE 5TH GEAR TO MOVE AND NO LONGER BE IN POSITION TO FUNCTION. THIS PROBLEM FEELS AS IF YOU WERE SHIFTING FROM FORTH GEAR TO NEUTRAL INSTEAD OF 5TH GEAR. DEALER WAS FAMILIAR WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND INDICATED THAT IT'S COMMON TO THESE VEHICLES.*AK CONSUMER FEELS THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A RECALL AND SHOULD COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS.*SB *NM

THE OUTER DASH SILENCER PAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED THE CLUTCH AND FUEL LINES. IT FRIED THE COMPUTER, THE OCCUPANTS WERE ALMOST KILLED. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED #737, IN AUGUST 1997. THE CUSTOMER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER PAID ALL REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE CLAIM WAS DENIED. CHRYSLER WILL NOT HELP THE CONSUMER WITH THE REPAIR BILLS, TOM KELLY MADE A DECISION AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HE DOES NOT COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE AND HIS DECISION WAS FINAL. THE CONSUMER HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE BEFORE THE INCIDENT AND WAS OUT OF STATE WHEN IT HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER REALIZED THE RECALL WAS FOR DODGE TRUCKS BUILT MARCH 7, 1997 THROUGH MAY 15, 1997 AND THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS BUILT ON MAY 16, 1997. *JB THE ALTERNATOR WAS INOPERATIVE DUE TO A BAD PCM WHICH WAS REPLACED. THE A/C HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE AFTER THE PCM WAS REPLACED. *SC *JB

DT: CONSUMER NOTICED THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD ABOVE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHILE DRIVING. IMMEDIATELY CONSUMER TURNED THE ENGINE AND THE HEADLIGHTS OFF. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES IT STOPPED SMOKING. AFTER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES, THE ENGINE STARTED, BUT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. CONSUMER CALLED DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR MAKE AND MODEL. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT CHECKED THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER CHECKED THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND FOUND A RECALL FOR THE 3500 SERIES BUT NOT THE 2500 SERIES. DISCOVERED THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET DUE TO EXPENSE. *TT

VEHICLE LOST BRAKING WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES AT 25 MPH. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY INCIDENTS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS AN ERUPTED METAL BRAKE LINE DUE TO CORROSION. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED.*AK BROKEN BRAKE LINE WAS REPLACED. THE REST OF BRAKE LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF SEVERE CORROSION AND DANGER OF BURSTING. *BF *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH HEARD A LOUD BANG THE REAR END OF THE PICKUP ROSE 4-6". UPON LOOKING IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR THE SPARE TIRE HAD FALLEN FROM ITS STORAGE LOCATION UNDER THE BED OF THE TRUCK. UPON INSPECTION THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE TIRE ASSEMBLY HAD CORRODED AND ONE EAR (HALF) OF THE BRACKET BUCKLED AND ALLOWED THE TIRE TO FALL.*AK