2002 Dodge RAM Quad Cab

ON JULY 17, 2003, I PURCHASED A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB, VIN# [XXX], FROM HYDE PARK MOTORS, IN HYDE PARK, NY. IN OCTOBER OF 2003, I EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT END SHAKING WHENEVER APPLYING THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HYDE PARK MOTORS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, AND STATED THE ROTORS WERE WARPED, WHICH CAUSED THE SHAKING IN THE FRONT END. I AGAIN RECENTLY NOTICED A SIMILAR SHAKING PROBLEM IN THE FRONT END WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. UPON BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO HYDE PARK MOTORS, THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED TO ADVISE ME THAT THE ROTORS WERE WARPED YET AGAIN. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT WHEN THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS LAST YEAR, IT WAS DONE SO MERELY AS A MEASURE OF "GOOD WILL", AND THIS WAS A "WEAR AND TEAR" ISSUE THAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN CALLED DAIMLER/CHRYSLER AT 800-992-1997 AND SPOKE WITH AN INDIVIDUAL BY THE NAME OF JOSH. I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO HIM, AT WHICH TIME HE CONTACTED HYDE PARK MOTORS TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. UPON CALLING ME BACK, JOSH INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT OF ISSUE TO CHRYSLER AND IT WAS A "WEAR AND TEAR" SITUATION. UPON QUESTIONING THE FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN ONLY 14,746 MILES SINCE THE ROTORS WERE LAST REPLACED, I REQUESTED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR IN ORDER TO ADDRESS A POSSIBLE RECURRING SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS ABRUPTLY TOLD BY JOSH THAT THERE IS NO SUPERVISOR AND HE IS PERMITTED TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THERE. NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT ANSWER, I CALLED ONCE AGAIN AND SPOKE WITH A SUBJECT BY THE NAME OF TOM. TOM ALSO CONTACTED HYDE PARK MOTORS AND GAVE ME THE SAME ANSWER AS I RECEIVED FROM JOSH. I AGAIN ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR AND WAS REFUSED CONTACT WITH ANYONE ELSE. MY REPLY WAS SIMPLY THAT IT IS NOT NORMAL TO HAVE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE IN ELEVEN MONTHS, AND THIS IS HARDLY A "ROUTINE" SERVICE ISSUE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY BE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE, AND DAIMLERCHRYSLER REFUSES TO ADDRESS MY CONCERN.*AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL - CANNOT CHARGE A CELL PHONE IN ANY OF THE RECEPTACLES. WORKS IN OTHER VEHICLES. TRANSMISSION - CHANGES GEARS VERY ROUGH, SOMTIMES ON ACCELERATION, ALL THE TIME WHEN DECELERATING. STEERING - AT TIMES THE STEERING DOES NOT WANT TO WORK. WILL NOT TURN, VERY HARD AS IF NO RACK AND PINION. TRUCK SLIDES OUT AT TIMES DURING TURNS, STEERING GETS PULLED.*AK

PURCHASED 2002 QUAD CAB WITH 23 MILES FORM TURLOCK AUTO PLAZA IN APRIL 2002, STARTED NOTICING PROBLEMS RIGHT AWAY, DOOR LOCKS NOT UNLOCKING, WINDOWS NOT OPERATING, ENGINE STALLING, TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, RADIO INTERMITTANTLY WORKING, ETC... VISITED 3 LOCAL DEALERSHIPS. FINAL DIAGNOSIS "GREMLINS" ??? CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM . EVEN THOUGH THEY THEMSELVES NOTED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. ON AUGUST 27, 2004 ENGINE "BLEW UP", ON A MAJOR MOUNTAINOUS HIGHWAY IN THE SLOW LANE, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TURLOCK DODGE. SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS LONG AS THERE WERE NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE VEHICLE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IT WAS STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD BE COVERED AND PARTS WERE ORDERED. HOWEVER WHEN THE REGIONAL REP FOR DAIMLER CHRYSLER WENT TO SEE THE VEHICLE. HE DENIED ON GROUNDS THAT OIL SLUDGE WAS PRESENT AND STATED AN ENGINE CAN'T DO THAT ACCORDING TO TURLOCK DODGE MECHANIC?, EVENTHOUGH THE TRUCK WAS SITTING IN A PUDDLE OF NORMAL LOOKING OIL. AND THE SLUDGE WAS ONLY IN THE PAN. REP REFUSES TO CONTACT US, TO TELL US WHY HES REFUSING ON GROUNDS OF SLUDGE. CONSIDERING THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN CRANK BEARINGS GO OUT. WE HAVE BEEN REFUSED BY DAIMLER CHRYSLER,AND THE DEALERSHIP TO COVER UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NOT REACHED OUR WARRANTY LIMIT. ALSO BE AWARE AS OF 2002 DAIMLER CHRSYLER IS NO LONGER PARTICIPATING IN THE LEMON LAW PROGRAM.*AK

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE RAM QUAD 1500. I JUST HAD IT SERVICED FOR ITS 30,000 MILES MAINTENANCE REQUIRED. WHILE I WAS THERE I ALSO HAD THEM LOOK AT THE FRONT BRAKES BECAUSE OF A VIBRATION I WOULD GET WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES.*AK WAS TOLD UPON INSPECTION OF THE BRAKES, THAT THE ROTORS WHERE WARPED. THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME ONLY 30,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK STILL HAVE FULL BRAKE PADS ON FRONT. I WAS TOLD THAT IT HAPPENS SOMETIMES WHEN TOWING TRAILERS OR HEAVY LOADES WHERE THE TRAILER HAS NO BRAKING SYSTEM. I DON'T TOW TRAILERS. IT WAS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE WAY I DRIVE IS THE PROBLEM. IF THIS WAS THE PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE SOME WARE ON THE BRAKE PADS? THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN TRUCKS LIKE MINE WITH AS LITTLE AS 11,000 MILES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I SAID THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF DEFECT WITH THIS BRAKING SYSTEM. HE TOLD ME NO THAT THE BRAKES WHERE BIG ENOUGHT FOR THE TRUCK BUT THAT THEY WHERE BADLY DESIGNED WHICH CAUSES THEM TO HEAT UP AND WARP THE ROTORS. I KNOW I'M PROBABLY WASTING MY TIME SENDING THIS TO YOU. BUT I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR SOME TIME NOW I'M 53 YEARS OLD. I HAVE NEVER IN ALL MY DRIVING HAD TO EVEN REPLACE BRAKES BEFORE 40,000 MILES LET ALONE ROTORS. I THINK THAT THEY HAVE A SERIOUR PROBLEM HERE WITH THESE BRAKES. I JUST HOPE THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE BEFORE SOME ONE GETS HURT OR EVEN DIES BECAUSE OF BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE.

GOODYEAR RT/S 235-85R16 TIRES, LOAD RANGE E (FACTORY TIRES). TIRES ARE WEARING PREMATURELY AND FALLING APART. FIRST TIRE, PASSENGER FRONT, HAD EARLY STAGES TREAD SEPERATION AT 18,592 MILES-REPLACED TIRE. OTHER 6 TIRES WEARING UNEVENLY, WITH VISABLE DAMAGE TO STEEL BELTS IN SIDEWALLS AT 22,683 MILES. MULTIPLE BULGES AND INDENTATIONS IN SIDEWALLS. 2 TIRES MILDLY WARPED IN REAR. ALL TIRES AT 80 PSI PER GOODYEAR TIRE DEALERS' DIRECTIONS. 40,000 MILE WEAROUT WARRANTY-USELESS AS NONE OF THE GOODYEAR DISTRIBUTERS IN FAIRBANKS, ALASKA WILL WARRANTY FACTORY INSTALLED TIRES. I STILL HAVE 6 OF THE 7 FACTORY INSTALLED TIRES, AND WITNESSES WHO SAW OR EXAMINED THE 7TH TIRE (WITH TREAD SEPERATION). I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO PARK MY DODGE 3500. I INTEND TO REPLACE THESE TIRES WITH COOPER DISCOVERER S/T TIRES WHEN I HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE. AM CONSIDERING LEGAL ACTION!!!!!!*AK

LACK OF REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS IN 2002 RAM 1500 QUAD CAB. REAR SEAT PASSENGERS SEEM TO BE AT RISK OF A HEAD INJURY IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. REAR SEAT PASSENGERS HEADS' ARE ON THE GLASS DUE TO THE LACK OF REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS. I BELIEVE THERE IS ENOUGH OF A SAFETY CONCERN TO WARRANT THE RETROFIT OF THE CURRENT YEAR REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS INTO THE 2002 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES TO MITIGATE THE OBVIOUS RISK OF HEAD INJURY TO REAR SEAT PASSENGERS. *JB

LETTER WRITTEN TO THE PRESIDENT OF CHRYSLER-DODGE ON 3/2004 REGARDING THIS IMPORTANT MISSING SAFETY FEATURE. DEAR MR. ZETSCHE: I PURCHASED A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB IN LATE 2001 OF WHICH I AM CURRENTLY MAKING PAYMENTS THROUGH CHRYSLER FINANCIAL. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN A CONSIDERABLE SAFETY CONCERN OF MINE SINCE PURCHASING MY TRUCK IN LATE 2001. THIS CONCERN REVOLVES AROUND THE LACK OF BACK SEAT HEAD RESTS (RESTRAINTS) FOR THE MODEL YEAR IN QUESTION. I COMMUTE WITH MY THREE DAUGHTERS AGES 16, 12, 10, AND HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT MY TWO YOUNGEST CHILDREN, WHICH RIDE IN THE REAR SEAT, ARE AT AN CONSIDERABLE RISK FROM HEAD INJURY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE LACK OF THESE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS (RESTRAINTS) PLACES THE BACK OF THE CHILDRENS HEADS DIRECTLY AGAINST THE REAR GLASS OF THE CAB. I RECENTLY VISITED MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER - PLANET DODGE IN MIAMI, FL. - AND LOOKED AT THE 2004 DODGE HEMI'S WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF TRADING UP MY TRUCK NEXT YEAR. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT ALL OF THE 2004 DODGE TRUCKS HAVE COLLECTIVELY INCORPORATED THIS SAFETY FEATURE FROM THE FACTORY. I PRESUME THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY CONSIDERATION WHICH ADDED TO THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS ITEM. SINCE THESE SAFETY HEAD RESTS (RESTRAINTS) WERE NOT DESIGNED INTO THE 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB THAT I PURCHASED. I REQUEST THAT CHRYSLER RETROFIT THE NEWLY DESIGNED HEAD RESTS (RESTRAINTS) AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION IMMEDIATELY. I WELCOME ANY OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER FURTHER WITH YOU. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER TONY QUINTANA *LA

TRANSMISSION GOES INTO HIGH GEAR TOO SOON, CAUSING TOO MUCH DOWNSHIFTING WHEN I NEED TO SPEED UP. IT GOES INTO O/D AT 45 MPH. VERY SLUGGISH WHEN I NEED TO SPEED UP UNLESS I GIVE IT LOTS OF THROTTLE AND THEN IT DROPS OUT OF OVERDIRVE AND SKIPS 4TH GEAR AND GOES INTO 3RD. IN TOWN WHEN YOU GET UP TO 30 MPH THE TRANSMISSION POPS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO DOWNSHIFTING STRAIGHT TO 1ST.I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES WITH NO RESULTS.*AK I FEEL THEY ARE TRYING TO WEAR ME OUT SO I WILL QUIT COMING BACK

BRAKE ROTORS SEVERLY WARPED AT 20,000MILES. DEALER TURNED ROTORS AT CUSTOMER EXPENSE, BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON DRIVING STYLE. ROTORS WARPED AGAIN WITHIN 15,000 MILES. PROBLEM IS SO SEVERE THAT ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN FORCED OUT OF SPEC. TRUCK NOW DARTS UNDER BRAKING. THE TRUCK IS USED FOR COMMUTING. IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR TOWING AND DOES NOT FREQUENTLY HAUL LOADS. WHEN LOADED IT IS KEPT UNDER THE LOAD LIMIT. APPARENTLY, THE BRAKES ARE INCAPABLE OF SURVIVING A FEW FREEWAY OFF RAMPS ON THE DAILY COMMUTE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSES TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THE NHSTA SITE IS A FRACTION OF REALWORLD PROBLEMS. EVERY OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE I HAVE SPOKEN TO TO HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. EMPLOYEES AT THE ST. LOUIS PLANT ROUTINELY REPLACE THE BRAKES ON THEIR NEW TRUCKS WHEN THEY TAKE DELIVERY. IT'S COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT THE BRAKES ARE SUBPAR. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT DAIMLER-CHRYSLER CHOOSES TO CUT COSTS ON SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONANT. I WILL BE REPLACING MY BRAKE ROTORS WITH HIGH QUALITY AFTERMARKET PARTS AT MY OWN EXPENSE IN ORDER TO HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE.*AK