1999 Dodge RAM 3500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 3500. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, SMOKE ENGULFED THE FRONT-END OF THE VEHICLE. HE NOTICED A SMALL ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE OCCURRED THE SECOND TIME. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL FACILITY, AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE REPAIR COST APPROXIMATELY $1,000. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 230,000. UPDATED 12/18/09 *CN THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH LINE FAILED TWICE. THE CONSUMER LEARNED OF A RECALL. THE CLUTCH LINE FAILED A SECOND TIME BECAUSE A PLASTIC PRESSURE LINE WAS USED. UPDATED 12/22/09 UPDATED 02/1710 *BF THE HYDRAULIC LINE FROM THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER TO THE CLUTCH SLAVE DEVELOPED A HOLE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO FLAMMABLE LIQUID LEAKING ONTO THE FIREWALL AND EXHAUST. THE CONSUMER LEARNED THAT A STEEL LINE WAS NOW BEING USED WITH A HEATED SHIELD. UPDATED 02/19/10

CONTINUOUS AT SPEEDS OF 40 TO 60 MPH, AUTO TRANS SHIFTS BETWEEN GEARS HIGH/LOW, HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED THAT THEY SAID WAS THE PROBLEM IE: $2,400.00, DID NOT FIX IT, STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. ITS WELL KNOWN IN THE TRANSMISSION AND DEALER SHOPS THAT ITS A ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE FROM THE PUMPS OR ALTERNATOR THAT INTERRUPTS THE SHIFTING SIGNAL TO THE COMPUTER, YET THEY CHARGE US TO FIX A DESIGN PROBLEM ! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO FIFTH GEAR AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 40 MPH. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRESENT. THE MECHANIC AT THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT A NUT ON THE FIFTH GEAR FAILED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 182,240 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,140.

WAS SHIFTING GEARS ON I-44 ON RAMP TO GET UP TO SPEED SO I COULD MERGE WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. WHEN I PUT THE TRUCK INTO FIFTH GEAR IT FELT AS IF I HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. WAS ABLE TO GO TO NEXT EXIT DRIVING IN FOURTH GEAR SO I COULD GET THE TRUCK BACK HOME. COULDN'T GO OVER 55 MPH IN FOURTH GEAR PLUS DIDN'T KNOW IF DRIVING THE TRUCK LIKE THIS WAS GOING TO CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS. CALLED A FEW PEOPLE I KNEW THAT HAD HEARD OTHERS SAY THAT THE NUT THAT GOES ONTO THE FIFTH GEAR SHIFT ROD WOULD OFTEN BACK OFF. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC AND HAD THEM TAKE THE TRANSMISSION APART TO SEE IF THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED. SURE ENOUGH WHEN HE SPLIT THE TAIL SHAFT OFF THE NUT WAS JUST HANGING ON THE SHIFT ROD. I WENT TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND PURCHASED THE NEW AND IMPROVED LOCK NUT THAT DODGE CAME OUT WITH TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS COST ME ABOUT 65 DOLLARS AND ANOTHER 530 DOLLARS TO PAY FOR THE LABOR INVOLVED. THE OLD NUT WAS LEFT IN THE SCRAP METAL PILE AT THE MECHANIC'S SHOP. *JB

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

DT: THE CONSUMER HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE FIFTH GEAR TWICE SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REPLACED AT AROUND 30000 MILES. THE SECOND TIME IT WAS REPLACED AROUND 60000 MILES. THE VEHICLE IS MOSTLY DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING TO THE GEAR FAILURE. THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE VEHICLE IN FIFTH GEAR WHEN IT FAILED. THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL SO THE CONSUMER HAD TO DOWN SHIFT TO FOURTH GEAR. ALL OF THE OTHER GEARS WORKED EXCEPT FOR THE FIFTH GEAR. *NM

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