1999 Dodge RAM

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKES LOCKED WHEN MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP. THIS CONDITION CAUSED A REAR END CRASH. THIS HAPPENED WHILE PULLING A 16 FOOT TRAILER AND A DRY SUNNY DAY. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND A PROLEM WITH THE TRUCK. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE TRUCK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ON JANUARY 8, 2000, I WAS A PASSENGER IN A 1999 DODGE RAM PICKUP WESTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 44 NEAR MILEMARKER 274 IN MISSOURI. A FENTON FIRE DEPARTMENT PUMPER TRUCK CUT FROM THE CENTER LANE ACROSS THE PASSING LANE (WHICH WE WERE IN) AND TRIED TO GET ONTO THE SHOULDER. THIS MANEUVER WAS DONE WITHOUT ANY EMERGENCY LIGHTS, SIRENS, TURN SIGNALS, ETC. WE HAD APPROX. 2 SECONDS TO REACT AND THE DRIVER ONLY HAD TIME TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES. WE HIT THE RIGHT REAR CORNER OF THE FIRE TRUCK WHERE IT PROTRUDED INTO THE PASSING LANE AT APPROX 50 MPH. THE DODGE PICKUP WE WERE IN WAS TOTALLED PER SAFECO INSURACE COMPANY. SEATBELTS SAVED OUR LIVES, BUT WE WERE INJURED MUCH WORSE THAN WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IF THE AIRBAGS HAD GONE OFF. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRBAGS REMAINED UNDEPLOYED UP UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS LAST SEEN ON 1-13-2000. DODGE CLEARLY MADE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT IF A CRASH OF THIS MAGNITUDE DID NOT SET OFF EITHER AIRBAG. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE DODGE, AND CAN E-MAILTHEM IF REQUESTED. THE AMBULANCE REPORT ALSO DOCUMENTS THE NON-DEPLOYMENT. THIS NEEDS LOOKED INTO. THE ODDS OF EVEN ONE AIRBAG NOT GOING OFF IN A CRASH THIS HARD MUST BE ASTRONOMICAL, BUT FOR BOTH TO NOT GO OFF, SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG. *AK

PROBLEM: WHOLE TRUCK SHAKES OR PULSATES FRONT TO BACK WHILE BRAKING. DEALER REPLACED FRONT ROTORS AND PADS IN APRIL. PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. DEALER REPLACED REAR DRUMS IN SEPTEMBER. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND GETTING WORSE. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX PROBLEM AND WAITING FOR REPLY FROM CHRYSLER'S TECH SUPPORT. DEALTERSHIP WON'T ATTEMPT TO FIX UNTIL THEN. *AK

TRUCK HARD TO STOP, DEALER CANNOT SOLVE CONSISTANT BRAKE NOISE AFTER 2 ATTEMPS, I PUT AFTERMARKET PADS ON, STILL DID NOT SOLVE THE NOISE PROBLEM. WROTE CHRYSLER CORP. AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD BEEN DONE, THEY ISSUED A CUSTOMER CARE # AND TOLD ME THAT MY TRUCK WAS TO RECEIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TRY TO FIX MY PROBLEM. WHEN TRUCK WAS IN, DEALER CONTACTED STAR HOTLINE, ONCE SEEING AFTERMARKET PADS ON TRUCK, CHRYSLER CORP. REFUSED ANY FURTHRER REPAIR. NEVER MIND THE DEALER HAS ALREADY MADE TWO ATTEMPS, I MADE AN ATTEMP, AND PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS AND TRUCK HAS A 3/36,000 MILE WARRENTY.

WHEN BRAKING AT ANY SPEED THE TRUCK PULLS TO THE LEFT. THE MORE SPEED THE MORE VIOLENT THE PULL. DEALERSHIP HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX 4 TIMES TO NO AVAIL. DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY HAVE OTHER CUSTOMERS WITH THIS PROBLEM AND DODGE DENIES THERE IS A DEFECT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE ROTORS, PADS, AND CALIPERS TWICE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS PUT SHIMS IN BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONT END THREE TIMES. PLEASE CONTACT ME AND LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN PROCEED AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 65 MPH, CONSUMER HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN / EMERGENCY STOP. THE BRAKES FAILED TO GRAB. STOPPING DISTANCE WAS EXTENDED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & THE MECHANIC HAD THE REAR SHOES/ ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED. THE PADS WERE GLAZED OVER. BRAKES HAD FADED OUT AT 35 MPH. THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. HAD STEERING GEAR BOX REPLACED & WHEELS REALIGNED. THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS FAILED TO REGISTER CORRECT GAS MILEAGE PER GALLON. BRAKES STILL DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. *AK *YC