1998 Dodge RAM 2500

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE VIA THE BRAKE OR BY HITTING OFF ON THE STEERING WHEEL. IF I PUT THE CLUTCH IN THE ENGINE WAS IDLING AT 2300 RPMS. THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK ON AND I COULD NOT SLOW DOWN... I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND TURNING IT BACK ON AGAIN THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESET. MY CLUTCH AND BREAKS GOT A LITTLE BURNT UP MAKING IT HOME THAT NIGHT...AS THE PROBLEM HAPPENED WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. ONE I MADE IT HOME I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND MANUALLY JIGGLED THE THROTTLE LINKAGES ON THE SIDE OF THE INJECTION PUMP. RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM WAS RESET UNTIL CRUISE CONTROL WAS USED AGAIN.... THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO HAVE THE THROTTLE STICKING AT SUCH HIGH SPEED... SO I LOOKED INTO SAFETY RECALLS #B15 THINKING GREAT MY TRUCK IS COVERED... ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT RECALL WAS ALREADY PERFORMED. ALSO THE FUEL HEATER RECALL WAS PERFORMED AND IT SO HAPPENS IN THE LAST 4 MOTH HAVE TO DO THE FUEL HEATER DELETE BECAUSE THE WIRING AND PLASTIC PIECE WAS ALL BURNT UP. LOOKS LIKE THESE TRUCKS ARE HAVING A SECOND ROUND OF THE SAME OR SIMILAR SAFETY RECALL ISSUES. *TR

I AM AMAZED THERE ARE NO REPORTS ON 1998 1/2 - 2001 MODEL DODGE PICKUPS WITH THE CUMMINS DIESEL ENGINE AS THE BOSCH VP44 MAIN (INJECTOR) FUEL PUMP HAS A FAILURE RATE OF 100%. I'VE HAD 3 FAIL SO FAR & FOR DIESEL MECHANICS IT'S COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S NOT A MATTER OF IF THE THE VP44 PUMP WILL FAIL, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN. THE LAST TIME A PUMP DIED ON ME WAS WHEN I WAS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE @ 70 MPH & THE ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF. I KNEW IMMEDIATELY IT WAS ANOTHER FUEL PUMP FAILURE, BUT OTHER DRIVERS MAY NOT REALIZE WHAT WENT WRONG & I'D BE SURPRISED IF THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY WRECKS DUE TO VP44 PUMP FAILURE, WHICH GIVES YOU NO ADVANCE WARNING - IT JUST QUITS. IN 2002 DODGE/CUMMINS CHARGED THE FUEL SYSTEM ON THE DIESEL ENGINE FOR DODGE PICKUPS (INCLUDING A DIFFERENT FUEL PUMP), BUT ALL 1998 1/2 THRU 2001 MODELS CAME WITH THE SAME BOSCH VP44 MAIN INJECTOR PUMP. *TT