1998 Dodge RAM 2500

I HAVE A 1998 DODGE 2500 QUAD CAB WITH THE CUMMINGS DIESEL. I TOW A ENCLOSED LAWN TRAILER THAT WEIGHS ABOUT 500 LBS. HITCH IS RATED AT 10'000 LBS. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE UNHITCHING MY TRAILER. HAD TO PUT REAR WHEELS ON A 2X4 TO GET THE DOLLY DOWN. I CHECKED THE HITCH AND FOUND THE 2 REAR BOLTHOLES HAT TORE OUTAND THE 2 MIDDLE HOLES WERE CRACKED ALLOWING THE HITCH TO DROP ABOUT 1 1/4 INCHES. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER THE STATED NO RECALL SO NO REPAIR. I CONTACTED THE MFG. AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. SO ABOUT A MONTH LATER I TRIED AGAIN NO HITCH. I FOUND A RECALL ON LINE #872 CALLED AGAIN THE STATED NO RECALL ON MY TRUCK. I PURCHAED A NEW HITCH FROM DODGE WHICH HAS 4 BOLS ON EACH SIDE NOT 3. INFO I FOUND STATES INFERRIOR MATERIAL IN HITCH IF CRACKED OR TORN UNIT MUST BE REPLACED. A FRIEND OF MINE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON A 97 2500 BUT HE HAD A RECALL AND THEY REPLACED THE HITCH. I STILL HAVE THE HITCH AND IF YOU NEED PICTURES I CAN SEND THEM. *NM

WHILE PARKED AT MY HOUSE, IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE EXPLODED. THE TIRE WAS A MICHELIN LTX M/S LT245/75R16 THE TRUCK HAD NOT BEEN MOVED FOR 9 DAYS. THE BLOWOUT LEFT A 14" TEAR IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE WITH SHARD OF RUBBER CLAD STEEL BELT MATERIAL STICKING OUT OF THE GASH. NO ONE WAS NEAR THE TRUCK WHEN THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED. I HEAR A LOUD REPORT AT ABOUT 11:30AM WHEN THE TIRE BLEW. THE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME WAS BETWEEN 75F AND 80F. *JB

ON 4-21-2006, MY RIGHT REAR TIRE CATASTROPHICALLY BLEW OUT. THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OF TREAD SEPARATED, DOING AT LEAST $2,158.80 DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK. I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL AND THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE. ON 4-22-2006, 234 MILES AFTER THE FIRST BLOWOUT, THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT IN A SIMILAR FASHION. DAMAGE THIS TIME WAS $1,896.82. THE TIRES WERE COOPER DOMINATOR SPORT A/T, SIZE LT 265/75-16E. THE DOT CODE FOR BOTH TIRES WAS UPW8 XDJ 3104. THE FIRST TIRE HAD 22,467 MILES AT THE TIME OF BLOWOUT; THE SECOND 22,701. IN BOTH CASES I WAS HEADING EASTBOUND ON I-40, THE FIRST TIME AT MP 259, 14 MILES WEST OF SANTA ROSA, NM; THE SECOND AT MP 122, ABOUT 60 MILES EAST OF AMARILLO, TX. BOTH TIRES WERE INFLATED TO 80 PSI, CHECKED THE MORNING OF 4-21-06. MY SPEED FOR AT THE FIRST BLOWOUT WAS 60 MPH; 53 MPH AT THE SECOND. TEMPERATURE AT THE FIRST BLOWOUT WAS 70; FOR THE SECOND WAS 85. PAVEMENT IN BOTH CASES WAS SMOOTH, DRY ASPHALT. TWO IDENTICAL TIRES THAT WERE PROPERLY INFLATED, WERE NOT OVERLOADED, WERE BEING DRIVEN WELL UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT, SHOULD NOT BLOW OUT LIKE THIS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70MPH, A SMOKE SMELL WAS NOTICED IN THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE ALTHOUGH NO FLAMES WERE VISIBLE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND REMOVED THE MOTOR TO THE ELECTRIC SEAT WHICH MELTED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALLS, # 04V185000, 98V207000, REGARDING THE ABS MODULE AND THE FUEL SUPPLY TUBE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS.

CRACKED DASH ON 1998 DODGE RAM 2500 PICKUP TRUCK. CRACK IS ABOUT 6 INCHES LONG AND WORKING ITS WAY DOWN TO WHERE THE AIRBAG IS STORED. NO PARTICULAR EVENT LED TO THE DASH CRACKING, IT JUST STARTED ONE DAY AND HAS INCREASED IN SIZE OVER TIME. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE DODGE TO REPLACE THE DASH AS I AM CONCERNED ABOUT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. *JB

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