1999 Dodge RAM 3500

DODGE TRUCK DIED,WOULDN'T START, WHEN TRYING TO START GAS WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE ENGINE, TOWED TO AAMCO, FUEL FILTER HOUSING WAS LEAKING, MOPAR PART WAS DISCONTINUED BECAUSE CHRYSLER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, NEW PART COST $1606 TO REPLACE,..THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY HAZARD...CHRYSLER SAID IT WASN'T AN ISSUE AND REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THE COST OF THE PART....AAMCO SAID THAT CHRYSLER HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART SO WHY WASN'T IT RECALLED...ALL IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN WAS A SPARK TO SET THE TRUCK ON FIRE. *TR

WITHOUT WARNING TRUCK STOPPED RUNNING. ENGINE WOULD CRANK, BUT NOT RESTART. HAD TO BE TOWED. ANALYSIS INDICATED FUEL LIFT PUMP FAILURE, WHICH IN TURN CAUSED FUEL INJECTOR PUMP TO FAIL. A NEW LIFT PUMP AND REBUILT INJECTOR PUMP INSTALLED. TOTAL COST FOR PARTS, LABOR, TAX = $2533.75. REFER TO COMPLAINT NUMBERS 10145520, 10146914, 10159741 FOR OTHER FUEL INJECTOR FAILURES ON THIS TRUCK MODEL. TRUCK MILEAGE AT STOPPAGE - 66,102. AN AFTER MARKET GAUGE IS AVAILABLE TO MONITOR FUEL LIFT PRESSURE. A DIESEL ENGINE SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 66,000 MILES. A FUEL PRESSURE WARNING SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT IN TO PREVENT THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR. REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT THEY REPAIR THIS FAILURE QUITE OFTEN. *TR

TWO PRIMARY SAFETY RELATED ISSUES AND MANY LESS IMPORTANT QUALITY ISSUES HAVE PLAGUED THIS VEHICLE. THE PROBLEMS BEGAN TO MOUNT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WARRANTY LAPSED. THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE HAS BEEN THE CORROSION AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LINE THAT SUPPLIES THE PRESSURE NEEDED FOR THE REAR BRAKES TO OPERATE. THIS ISSUE RENDERED THE REAR BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE USELESS. DODGE CORPORATE AND TWO LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIPS REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, EXCEPT BY OFFERING TO SELL A REPLACEMENT BRAKE LINE. THE FAILURE OF THE METAL AFTER ONLY 5 YEARS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE SECOND MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT THE NIPPLES ON THE ORIGINAL FUEL SENDING UNIT WERE MADE OF METAL AND CORRODED THROUGH AND BEGAN TO SPRAY FUEL ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS RESULTS IS VERY POOR MILEAGE AND A POTENTIALLY FATAL FUEL LEAK. BETWEEN THESE TWO SAFETY ISSUES AND THE BLATANT DISMISSAL OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DODGE CORPORATION I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. I HAVE CORRECTED THE ISSUE ON MY VEHICLE, BUT WHAT IF SOMEONE WAS TOWING A LARGE TRAILER WITH A SIMILAR VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES FAILED? PEOPLE COULD BE KILLED. ADDITIONALLY THE FUEL LEAK DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD EVER HAPPEN. I BELIEVE THAT IN SYSTEMS AS CRITICAL AS FUEL AND BRAKES THE MATERIAL SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO LAST LONGER THAN 4 OR 5 YEARS REGARDLESS OF THE WARRANTY. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO PREVENT THIS, ITS A SIMPLE MATERIAL CHOICE ISSUE. THE BRAKES AND FUEL LINES COULD HAVE EASILY AND INEXPENSIVELY BEEN MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL OR BRASS OR ANY NUMBER OF OTHER NON CORROSIVE MATERIALS. *JB