1999 Dodge RAM 3500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MAIN ENGINE COMPUTER EXHIBITED A SHORT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ENGAGE FULL THROTTLE WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING UPHILL PULLING A TOW TRAILER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THEY FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD AND THE TOW TRAILER JACK KNIFED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT WAS THEN ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

AT 86,000 MILES, DIESEL FUEL INJECTION PUMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ENGINE TO QUIT RUNNING LEADING TO A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND ASSISTED BRAKE CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO COAST THE TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. TRUCK HAD TO BE TOWED FROM THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, AND FAILED INJECTION PUMP WAS REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. FAILED BOSCH VP44 DIESEL FUEL INJECTION PUMP WAS RETURNED AS A CORE. *JB

I HAVE A 99 DODGE 3500 DIESEL P/U. THE BLOCK WAS CAST WITH A DEFECT IN THE THICKNESS OF THE METAL OF THE WATER JACKET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BLOCK. THE BLOCKS WITH THE DEFECT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CAST IN BRAZIL AND FIRST FOUND IN EQUIPMENT USED IN TURKEY(THIS WAS CALLED THE TURKEY CRACK). THE METAL IS REPORTED TO BE 6MM THICK ON THESE BLOCKS AND ON GOOD BLOCKS IT IS 12MM THICK. I CALLED DODGE AND CUMMINS(THE MANUFACTURER) AND BOTH SAID NO TSB'S WERE OUT ON THE PROBLEM. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO SOUTHERN PLAINS CUMMINS( A SHOP IN SAN ANTONIO) AND ASKED THEM IF THEY KNEW OF THE DEFECTIVE "53" BLOCK THEY REPORTED NO TSB'S BUT WHEN THE MECHANIC WENT OUT TO LOOK AT MY ENGINE WITHOUT BEING TOLD ANY MORE ABOUT IT HE LOOKED RIGHT AT THE SPOT WHERE THE CRACK WAS LOCATED. I NEVER SAID WHERE THE CRACK WAS AND IT IS UNDER THE TURBO SO HE APPEARED TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING ON. HE TOLD ME TO COMPLAIN TO CUMMINS ALOT AND THEY MAY HELP OUT A LITTLE BUT IN THE END THEY DID NOT. I UNDERSTAND THE WARRANTY WAS PAST BY 20K AT THE TIME BUT THEY(DODGE AND CUMMINS) SAY IT SHOULD BE AT LEAST 500K BEFORE THE BLOCK IS WORN OUT. IN MY OPNION THE WARRANTY WAS UP ON NORMAL PARTS THAT WEAR AND WOULD BE UP IF A PART FAILURE CAUSED THE BLOCK TO BE DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS CUMMINS WAS PRODUCING A BLOCK WITH HALF THE THICKNESS IN PLACES IT SHOULD HAVE HAD, AND IF THEY WOULD HAVE CAST IT RIGHT I WOULD NOT BE IN THE POSITION I AM IN RIGHT NOW. I HAVE BEEN ADDING WATER TO THE OVERFLOW EVERYTIME I STOPPED FOR A LONG TIME AND NEED A LONG TERM FIX TO THE PROBLEM ASAP. I HAVE THE BLOCK IN MY TRUCK AND CAN NO LONGER TRUST IT TO DRIVE DISTANCES.

1999 DODGE RAM 3500. FRONT END STEERING FAILURE DEATH WOBBLE, $550 REPAIR, AC EVAPORATOR, $800 REPAIR, PRESENTLY ENGINE CONTROL MODULE $300 FOR TROUBLESHOOTING BY THE DEALER, $730 FOR PART AND ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR LABOR. ESTIMATE OF $1000+. ASKED DODGE FOR ASSISTANCE, TRUCK IS 6 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND ONLY HAS 68830 MILES ON IT. THE ENGINE (CUMMINS DIESEL) WAS WARRANTED FOR 5 YEARS, 100K, AND THE SAME WITH EMMISSIONS CONTROL 5/100. THE ECM COULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY DODGE UNDER EITHER OF THESE WARRANTIES.*AK