1998 Dodge RAM 2500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR EXHIBITED SEVERE CORROSION. THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER VOLUNTARY RECALL RELATED TO THE SIMILAR DEFECT ASSOCIATED WITH THE BATTERY TRAY AND ABS WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR. THE VIN WAS INELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

UPON REMOVAL OF DASHBOARD TO REPLACE HEATER AND EVAPORATOR CORES WHILE REMOVING THE DASHBOARD IT CRUMBLED INTO DUST THE DASH HAD NO VISIBLE CRACKS UNTIL VIEW FROM BELOW SEEING ABOUT 200+ CRACKS FROM DASHBOARD BECOMING BRITTLE FROM BEING IMPROPERLY MADE, THIS OCCURS WITH ALL DODGE RAM DASHBOARDS FROM YEARS 94-98.5 AND YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE, HAD THIS DASH SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING OR IN A CRASH I COULD HAVE HAD LOTS OF SHARP PLASTIC CUTS FROM THE SHATTERED DASHBOARD BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE NHTSA DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE SUBMITTING THE SAME PROBLEM. COST TO REPLACE DASH IS $600 FROM DEALER WITH THE SAME DASHBOARD THAT WILL LAST APPROX 3 YEARS ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP. *KB

EVENT: PULLED UP IN FRONT OF BARN TO GET A LOAD OF HAY. MOVED GEAR SELECTOR LEVER TO REVERSE TO BACK UP TO BUILDING, BUT WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED, VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD. FAILURE: INTERNAL PARTS IN STEERING COLUMN HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM EACH OTHER, THE RESULT BEING THAT MOVEMENT OF THE GEAR SELECTOR LEVER DID NOT AFFECT THE LEVER AT THE END OF THE STEERING COLUMN THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL ROD. THE ONLY WAY THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE PLACED IN PARK, STARTED, OR PUT INTO A GEAR POSITION WAS TO RAISE THE HOOD AND MOVE THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL ROD BY HAND. SOLUTION: SINCE THE STEERING COLUMN IS A WELDED ASSEMBLY AND IS NOT SERVICEABLE, IT WAS REPLACED. THE OLD ASSEMBLY IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. THE ASSEMBLY PART NUMBER IS P55351175 RELATED COMPLAINT: SIMILAR TO COMPLAINT ODI ID 892310 WHICH WAS ENTERED AS A PROBLEM WITH COMPONENT : POWERTRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: P/N START SWITCH. MY PROBLEM WOULD HAVE MANIFESTED ITSELF IN THE SAME WAY IF I HAD PLACED THE SHIFT LEVER INTO PARK POSITION AND HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT SETTING THE BRAKE. *TR

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2009 AT 11:30 AM, I WAS DRIVING A 1998 DODGE RAM 2500 PULLING A SMALL 6X10 SINGLE AXLE TRAILER AT 60 MILES PER HOUR ON HIGHWAY 79 LOOP IN TAYLOR, TX. I HAD A COOPER 265/75/R16 M+T TIRE ON THE PASSENGER FRONT WITH TIRE PRESSURE OF 50 LBS. THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, BUT THE TIRE NEVER LOST INFLATION. THE TREAD DAMAGED THE PANEL UNDER THE PASSENGER DOOR, DENTED THE FRONT PASSENGER FENDER, THE PLASTIC FRONT BUMPER COVER WAS TORN LOOSE, AND THE INSIDE FENDER COVERS AND MUDFLAP WAS TORN LOOSE. I RETRIEVED THE TIRE TREAD FROM THE ROAD AND HAVE THE INFLATED CARCASS IN MY POSSESSION. NO INJURIES TO MYSELF OR MY WIFE. I AM A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER BY TRADE WORKING FOR SMITH COUNTY TEXAS ROAD & BRIDGE DEPARTMENT. *TR