1998 Dodge RAM 3500

THIS INCIDENT INVOLVED FAILURE OF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AS DESCRIBED IN SAFETY RECALL #819 FOR 1995-1997 MODEL VEHICLES, RESULTING IN SMOKE AND MELTING OF CONNECTOR AND WIRES. INACTION BY DODGE AND A COPY OF THE COMPLAINT FOLLOWS: THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING THE RAM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER IN REGARDS TO YOUR 1998 RAM 3500. YOUR CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE EXPENSE AND INCONVENIENCE INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE, ARE UNDERSTANDABLE. HOWEVER, YOUR REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER MUST BE DECLINED, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION HAS EXCEEDED THE TIME OR MILEAGE LIMITATIONS OF THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY AT THE TIME THE EXPENSE WAS INCURRED. ALTHOUGH A MORE FAVORABLE REPLY COULD NOT BE PROVIDED, SHARING YOUR CONCERN WITH US IS APPRECIATED. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR EMAIL. [XXX] CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE RAM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER FOR ANY FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO THIS EMAIL, PLEASE REFER TO THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: REFERENCE NUMBER: [XXX] EMAIL CASE NUMBER:[XXX] REPLY LINK: HTTP://WWW.CHRYSLER.COM/WCCS/BRAND_FORMS/US/REPLY.JSP?TRK_ID=KMM7555581V19546L0KM& ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS: ------------------------ US CUSTOMER SERVICE - DODGE BRAND SITE BRIEF DESCRIPTION: RECALL #819 HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILURE COMMENTS: ALTHOUGH MY DEALER REP SAID THAT RECALL #819 DID NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE, I EXPERIENCED AN IDENTICAL FAILURE ON NOVEMBER 23, 2011 AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR 16 HOURS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON. THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH CONNECTOR AND SEVERAL WIRES WERE BURNT. BECAUSE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED FOR MY VEHICLE (I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER), I BELIEVE THAT DODGE SHOULD PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE REPAIR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, A CHIME SOUNDED INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE CLOCKSPRING. THE PART WAS ORDERED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED WHEN THE PART BECAME AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT BEGAN TO NOTICE A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL FROM THE HEADLIGHT AREA WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNED ON FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP BUT NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED; THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 220,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

EVENTS ARE THAT THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO CRACK, CRUMBLING SMALL PIECES INTO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING, AIR BAG VICINITY, AND EVEN INTO THE FLOORBOARD. EVENTUALLY, HUGE CHUNKS OF PLASTIC HAS FALLEN INTO THE CAVITIES, IMPEDING BRAKING, AND CAUSING CONCERN OF FIRE UNDER THE DASHBOARD AREA. CARE MUST BE TAKEN NOT TO TOUCH THE DASHBOARD OR YOUR HAND WILL GO THROUGH WHAT REMAINS OF IT. *TR

THE SERVICE BRAKES FAIL COMPLETELY OFTEN. I BELIEVE THAT IT'S IN THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM HOWEVER WHEN I TAKE IT FOR EVALUATION & REPAIR THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. THIS HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS NEAR COLLISIONS AND I HAVEN'T FOUND A WAY TO REPAIR IT YET. THE DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT REPLACE SUSPECTED PARTS ISSUES WITHOUT A RECALL BEING ISSUED. THE 1ST FAILURE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 19,000 MILES AND HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 14 TIMES BETWEEN THEN AND 102,000 MILES NOW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE BETWEEN 4,000 AND 5,000 RPMS WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 50 MPH. THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE COMPUTER MODULE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY SURGED AND BEHAVED AS IF IT WERE GOING TO STALL. THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL LETTER AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS FOR HIS VIN. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V209000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL) WAS REFERENCED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

DASHBOARD CRACKED AND CAVED IN WHEN I HIT A BUMP WHILE DRIVING APPROX 68 MPH ON THE FREEWAY (I- 15 NORTHBOUND THROUGH LAS VEGAS). PLASTIC FALLING INTO THE DASHBOARD AREA DISCONNECTED SEVERAL WIRES CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES. FREEWAY WAS WELL LIT ENOUGH FOR ME TO STOP SAFELY AND CALL FOR ASSISTANCE. *TR

ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE RETAINING NUT FOR FIFTH-GEAR HAS FAILED. DEALER OFFERED REPAIR KIT... CONTAINED NEW MAIN SHAFT FOR TRANNY. COST WAS $3600.00, CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING OF THREAD TAPERING. THERE IS ALSO NO POWER BRAKES. ABS SEEMS TO NOT BE WORKING, RELIES ON PRESSURE FROM OIL TO BRAKE. IF PRESSED CONTINUOUSLY, WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. WIRING HARNESS BURNED UP AFTER DEALER WORK, FRANK SHOUPE OF GEORGETOWN KENTUCKY REFUSED TO REPAIR THEIR MISTAKE. SAID IT WAS MY FAULT, THEN REFUSED TO KEEP SPEAKING WITH ME. STATED REPLACEMENT WAS $2015.00, AND WOULD TAKE A WEEK;RECEIVED ONE FROM JUNKYARD IN MONTANA, TOOK THREE DAYS, AND $300.00. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE CONTACT HAS REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH SEVEN TIMES. THE SWITCH CURRENTLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR THE EIGHTH TIME. HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V024000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: HEADLIGHTS: SWITCH). THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 280,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.