2002 Dodge RAM 2500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WITH A TRAILER IN TOW, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. BRAKE FLUID BEGAN TO LEAK. THE CONTACT, WHO IS A MECHANIC, INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR AND FRONT BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND THE HITCH FAILED. THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN HITCH RECALL NUMBER 872. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000. UPDATED 10/18/07 *TR UPDATED 03/08/10 THE CONSUMER OFFERED HIS OPINION REGARDING THE SUDDEN ACCELERATIONS PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA. UPDATED 03/18/10

DURING A ROUTINE STOP AT RED LIGHT ON 55 MPH ROAD THE METAL BRAKE LINE RUPTURED WHERE IT IS ROUTED ALONG THE FRAME BETWEEN THE GAS TANK AND FRAME. RUSTED THROUGH, NO WAY TO INSPECT. DEALER REPORTED THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE ON DODGE PICK-UPS. DURING THIS STOP THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, ABLE TO PUMP AND GET A LITTLE FRONT BRAKE, AND THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE DASH ASSEMBLY. I CRIMPED THE LINE ADDED BRAKE FLUID AND LIMPED TO LOCAL DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT. DEALER KNOWS ABOUT PROBLEM SO DODGE HAS TO KNOW AND SHOULD CHANGE MATERIAL OR ROUTING OF BRAKE LINE. GEORGE *TR THE CONSUMER PROVIDED A REPAIR INVOICE. UPDATED 09/05/07 *TR

HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH MY 02 RAM 2500 TRUCK. REAR BRAKE PADS HAD NOTHING BUT RUST HOLDING THE PADS IN PLACE, HAD THE TURBO AND FUEL PUMP REPLACED, U-JOINTS AND YOKE ON 4WD SHAFT WORN OUT AND HANGER BEARING ON REAR DRIVE SHAFT WORN OUT AT ABOUT 70,000MI, TAIL GATE CABLE BROKE AFTER ONLY TWO YEARS, WHEN CLICKING FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM OCCASIONALLY ALL LIGHTS GO OUT, CANNOT USE HEATED MIRRORS BECAUSE THEY WILL BLOW A FUSE AND I WON'T HAVE ANY HEAT, AND NOW ALL BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ENDS ARE WORN AND NEED REPLACED. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW WITH ONLY 75 MILES ON IT, WHEN I HAD THE FUEL PUMP AND TURBO REPLACED AT AROUND 78,000 MILES, MY MILEAGE INCREASED FROM ABOUT 350 MILES PER TANK TO ABOUT 550 MILES PER TANK OF FUEL. HIGHWAY DRIVING IS MUCH HIGHER MPG. FUEL GAGE NO LONGER WORKS, EMPTY AT HALF TANK OF FUEL NOW. WAS QUARTER TANK AND EMPTY. I'M SURE THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE NEXT, I'VE BEEN PUTTING SPECIAL FLUID ADDITIVE IN THAT, THIS SEEMS TO HELP WITH SMOOTHNESS OF SHIFTING AND POWER. NEVER EVER WILL I WASTE MY MONEY ON A VEHICLE MADE BY THE "BIG THREE" AGAIN. THERE IS A GOOD REASON WHY TOYOTA IS TAKING OVER THE MARKET.*TR

TRUCK HAS 52000 MILES, 5.9L GAS ENGINE, 4 SPEED AUTO TRANNY, AND HAS BEEN BABIED, NEVER BEEN OFF-ROAD OR PULLED A TRAILER. ON 8/17/2007 I MADE A COUPLE OF SHORT TRIPS AND WHEN GOT HOME I WENT TO BACK INTO DRIVEWAY AND REVERSE GEAR DID NOT ENGAGE. IT WORKED FINE EARLIER THAT DAY, THEN NOTHING. PUT MY OBD-II SCANNER ON IT AND NO CODE, CHECKED LINKAGE AND IT IS IN PROPER WORKING ORDER. *JB

NO "EVENT" LED TO FAILURE. ISSUE IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT ON WWW.LOCAL6.COM OUT OF ORLANDO. MY 2002 DODGE RAM 2500 QUAD CAB HAS A DEFECTIVE DASHBOARD THAT HAS BEGIN TO COLLAPSE. THE REPORT REFERENCED DOCUMENTS IDENTICAL ISSUES LEADING TO EVERYTHING FROM ELECTRICAL SHORTS AND LOSS OF LIGHTS DURING NIGHT DRIVING TO LOSS OF VEHICLE OPERATION. PROBLEM IS APPARENTLY WIDESPREAD, SPECIFIC TO DODGE AND EXPANDING. MOST VEHICLES ARE OLDER THAN MINE BUT CRACKS APPEAR TO BE STARTING IN THE SAME PLACE AND ALL PROCEED TO COLLAPSE. SCOTT COOPER WAS THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FOR CHANNEL 6 NEWS. *TR