1998 Dodge RAM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM VAN WITH AFTERMARKET BENDIX BRAKES (MODEL NUMBER: 13481).THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND, CAUSING THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VEHICLE OR THE BRAKES IN REGARD TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKES ALSO FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY BUT THE FAILURES WERE CAUSING BY AN ELECTRIC COMPONENT. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 115,000.

WHILE DRIVING,THE CONSUMER TRIED TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS COMING INSIDE OF THE LANE. WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A GUARD RAIL AND FLIPPED INTO A DITCH. BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES. THE DRIVER WENT TO THE HOSPITAL ON HIS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

MY HUSBAND ORDERED THIS TRUCK IN LATE 1997. WE PURCHASED IT NEW AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE FACED IS THE TRANSMISSION. MID-APRIL 1998 THE FIRST PROBLEMS OCCURED WITH SLIPPAGE, THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES WERE REPLACED, ONE MONTH LATER THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. NOW AT 51,000 MILES AND VERY LITTLE DRIVING FOR THE LAST 2 YRS (SINCE MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN SICK WITH CANCER) IT HAS BLOWN AGAIN. THE FRONT SEALS ARE LEAKING PROFUSELY. THE REAR WINDOW WAS LEAKING SO BADLY AT ONE POINT THE ENTIRE CEILING INSIDE WAS SOADED. THE ABS COMPUTER WENT WACKY ON US EARLY ON ALSO. THE SEATBELT HAS BEEN TWISTED SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WE HAVE NOT SUCCESSFULLY FIXED IT. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WE PURCHASED HAS GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. I WILL NOT LIKELY BUY ANOTHER DODGE EVER AGAIN. MERCEDES TAKES THE CAKE.

THE BRAKE CYLINDERS HAD BEEN LEAKING AND WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER IN 2000. THEN AGAIN IN DECEMBER OF 2001 WE HAD BRAKE3 TROUBLE AND THE CALIPERS AND CYLINDERS HAS BRAKES BEGAN TO SQUEAK. WE HAD JUST HAD EVERYTHING DONE LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO. WE ASSUMED THAT AT THE WORST THE PADS NEEDED CHANGING. WE TOOK IT IN THE NEXT DAY. WE WERE INFORMED THAT IT WAS NOT THE WARNING SYSTEM BUT THAT THE CALIPERS WERE FROZEN AND HAD WORN OUT SO QUICKLY THAT THE BACK CYLIDERS WERE SHOT TOO. WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR BRAKES COULD HAVE GONE OUT COMPLETELY AT ANY MOMENT THERE WASN'T ANY WARNING. THANKFULL THAT WE DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT WE SPENT THE $800.00 TO FIX EVERYTHING. THE CALIPERS, ROTERS, CYLINDERS, PADS, EVERYTHING. THIS IS THE KICKER THAT NEXT WEEKEND FIVE DAYS LATER WE WERE COMMING HOME FROM OUT OF TOWN AND GOING DOWN A LARGE HILL THEY BEGAN TO SMOKE. AND WE TRIED TO PULL OVER. WE HAD NO BRAKES!!! THANK GOODNESS THERE WAS NO ONE IN FONT OF US. WE SHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR AND GRADUALLY CAME TO A STOP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL. I AM STLL WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE PROB. IS NOW. I HAD CALLED DODGE TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY SORT OF PROB. OR RECALL WITH THE BREAK SYSTEM BEFORE AND THEY SAID NO. THEY WOULD FIX IT BUT CHARGE US TO DO SO. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEMS. OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN IN JEPORDY TWICE AND WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY. IT IS OBVIOUS THERE IS A PROB. LOOKING AT THE COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE WHY ARE THEY NOT DOING ANYTHING. DO PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE FIRST. WE HAVE TRIED IN VAIN TO FIX OUR TRUCK TO WORK PROPERLY WITH NO LUCK. I ONLY WISH WE COULD AFFORD TO BY ANOTHER TRUCK. I AM AFRAID THAT MINE AND MY FAMILY'S LIVES ARE IN JEPORDY. WHEN WILL DODGE STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND FIX THIS PROBLEM?*AK

RIGHT FRONT INSIDE BRAKE PAD LOCKED AGAINST THE DISC CAUSING CONTINUOUS WEAR. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE INSIDE PADS DO NOT HAVE "SQUEALERS" AS DO THE OUTSIDE PADS SO THERE WAS NO ADVANCE INDICATION OF IMPENDING FAILURE. DAIMLER/CHRYSLER HAS INFORMED ME THEY WOULD HAVE TO DECLINE MY REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD JUST EXCEEDED THE TIME/MILEAGE LIMITATIONS OF THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY AT THE TIME ($357.78) EXPENSE WAS INCURRED.*AK