1998 Dodge RAM 2500

THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER REAR ARM SUPPORT BRACKET WELD ARE CRACKING TWISTING TEARING FROM MAIN FRAME RAIL. THE FRAME WELD IS TEARING HORIZONTALLY AND ACROSS SAME RATES. THE CRACK ARE NEXT TO WELDS AN SOME LOCATION TEARING CIRCLING ROTATING. THE VEHICLE NEVER OPERATED OFF-ROAD AND MILEAGE IS 171,550 MILES. THE CRACK ARE 65% AND VEHICLE UNFIT TO BE OPERATED SAFETY. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE I DIDN'T HAVE A ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE ROW OVER ON I LEFT SIDE WITHOUT NO WARNING . I WAS PREFORMING VEHICLE BRAKE INSPECTIONS AND I NOTICE RUST ON THE LOWER REAR SUPPORT HANGER WHICH HOLD THE LOWER ARM BRACKET AND COIL SPRING. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THAT I DIDN'T LOAN MY VEHICLE TO MY RELATIVES. I HAVE PICTURES AVAILABLE. I WANT THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION TO REPAIR THIS ASAP!!!

I OWN A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500, I HAVE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON MULTIPLE DODGES AND READ ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET, THE FRONT LOWER AXLE MOUNT ROTS OUT DUE TO POOR DESIGN LEAVING NOTHING TO HOLD THE SPRING IN PLACE MY COIL MOUNT IS ROTTED OUT AND THERE IS BARELY ANY LEFT OF IT, AND DODGE NOR DO ANY AUTO PART STORES SELL COIL MOUNTS TO REPLACE IT THE MOUNT IS WELDED DIRECTLY ON THE AXLE SO THE AXLE HOUSING WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, THIS IS VERY UNSAFE IF THE AXLE WERE TO GIVE OUT DEW TO THIS. *TR

I HAD JUST STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND MY STEERING WAS ACTING FUNNY - SORT OF JERKING TO THE LEFT SLIGHTLY. AS I LEFT THE INTERSECTION AND GOT UP TO ABOUT 20-25 MPH, THE TRUCK SUDDENLY JERKED HARD TO THE LEFT AND I COULD NOT RECOVER CONTROL. I CROSSED TWO LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND FORTUNATELY DID NOT HIT ANYONE - I ENDED UP IN A SNOW BERM ACROSS THE STREET. I HAD THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE MY BRAKES STICKING BECAUSE OF THE COLD WEATHER IN ALASKA. IT TURNS OUT IT WAS A FAILURE OF THE WHEEL BEARINGS. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEALED WHEEL BEARINGS - THE SEAL GOES BAD, THE BEARINGS DRY OUT, THEN THEY LOCK UP. IT TYPICALLY RESULTS IN A TIRE FALLING OFF AND AN ENSUING ACCIDENT - OFTEN FATAL. MY 5 YEAR OLD SON WAS WITH ME AND I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE TAKEN THE HIGHWAY WHERE I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. I'M QUITE CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE IF NOT MY SON AND MYSELF. I HAVE A 1998 DODGE 2500 WITH THE CUMMINS DIESEL AND IT HAS 99985 MILES ON IT - THE DIESEL ENGINE EXACERBATES THIS PROBLEM DUE TO THE NOISE LEVEL - I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR THESE BEARINGS GOING OUT SOONER. I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND OTHER MISC PARTS THAT WERE TORN APART - EITHER WHEN THE BEARINGS WENT OUT OR I HIT THE SNOW BERM. *TR

THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ALREADY INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. A FEW DAYS LATER THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MEINEKE BECAUSE OF A SQUEAKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE NEVER PASSED INSPECTION DUE TO NUMEROUS PROBLEMS FOUND WITH THE VEHICLE. *TS THE MEINEKE TECH STATED THAT EH VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE PASSED INSPECT DUE TO NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS. THE VEHICLE NEEDS 2 WHEEL BEARINGS, TRACK BAR, STEERING SHOCK, 2 HUB ASSEMBLIES, BRAKE LINES, OXYGEN SENSOR AND A NEW LICENSE PLATE BULB. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER TO GET HIS MONEY BACK BUT THEY REFUSED. *NM