1997 Dodge RAM 1500

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS CUT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT TO THE STORE A MOTORIST FLASHED THEIR LIGHTS AT ME WHILE I WAS AT A LIGHT.. CHECKED ALL FUSES AND HAD MECHANIC LOOK IT OVER. THEY NARROWED IT DOWN TO THE STEERING COLUMN IT WILL BE 400$ TO FIX. THE WIRE HARNESS PIN PLUG HAD OVERHEATED AND MELTED. ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE. I HAD SMELLED BURNING ELECTRIC SMELL. WAS ONLY ABLE TO HOLD HI BEAM LEVER TO KEEP HI BEAMS ENGAGED TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE WITH LIGHTS TILL PROBLEM IS FIXED.

WHEN DRIVING OUT OF A HOSPITAL PARKING STRUCTURE, WHEN COMING TO THE EXIT ON THE LOWEST LEVEL YOU MUST MAKE A SHARP RIGHT TURN INTO THE EXIT BOOTH LANE. WHEN TURNING RIGHT, IT WAS AS IF A "TOOTH" INSIDE THE STEERING GEAR BROKE OFF CAUSING A COLLISION WITH THE RAIL WHILE EXITING THE PARKING STRUCTURE. NOW THE STEERING HAS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF PLAY AND WHILE IN THE CENTER OF THE (STEERING PLAY) IT IS AS IT BINDS OR STICKS AT TIMES WHERE THE "TOOTH" USED TO BE ON THE STEERING GEAR. IT HAS BECOME QUITE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEEDS OR ON THE INTERSTATE AS THE VEHICLE TENDS TO WANDER NOW AND FOLLOW THE CRACKS IN THE ROAD. I HAVE OWNED DODGE RAM PICKUPS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS SINCE I BOUGHT MY FIRST BRAND NEW RAM PICKUP AND LET ME TELL YOU, THEY HAVE ALL HAD ISSUES WITH LOOSE STEERING BOXES, EVEN THE NEW ONE. BUT WHEN THEY BREAK, THAT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT PEOPLE CANNOT SEE COMING WITH A NORMAL INSPECTION AS ON THE OUTSIDE, WEAR IS UNDETECTABLE. I HAVE BEEN AN ASE CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN THE BETTER PART OF MY ADULT LIFE AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I AM SURE CHRYSLER HAS INVESTIGATED THIS ISSUE ALREADY AND FOUND THAT IT WOULD JUST COST TOO MUCH TO RECALL ALL THESE VEHICLES TO REPAIR THEM BUT THE LEAST THEY COULD DO IS SELL A PART PRICED AT COST TO SHARE THE BURDEN WITH THE CONSUMER. IT MAY SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE

I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY 1997 RAM 1500 4X4 TRUCK, I STOP THE VEHICLE, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, OPENED THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND STARTED TO STEP OUT OF THE VEHICLE. AS I WAS HALF WAY OUT OF THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG WENT OFF, HITTING MY RIGHT SHOULDER AS IT DEPLOYED. I AM VERY LUCKY IT DID NOT DEPLOY A SECOND SOONER. I WADDED THE BAG UP AND TAPED THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TOGETHER, I GUESS THE IS NOTHING ELSE I CAN DO. I WORRY NOW ABOUT MY FATHER, WHOM HAS A 1995 RAM 1500 4X4 TRUCK. I LOOKED UP ONLINE AND I SEE THAT ONLY THE 2003 RAM 1500 AND NEWER TRUCKS FALL INTO THE RECALL, BUT WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT MY FATHER'S TRUCK MIGHT DO THE SAME THING AS MINE DID LAST WEEK, WITH HIS BEING 2 YEARS OLDER EVEN.

DASH BOARD IS ALL CRACKED AND BROKEN APART. WITH EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD THE DASH SHAKES BAD AND WORSENS FROM THE LACK OF NO SUPPORT HOLDING IT IN PLACE. WITH THE A/C, HEAT, OR DEFROSTER BLOWING OUT THE VENTS PLASTIC ALSO BLOWS OUT. TRYING TO CLEAN OUT MY EYE WHEN DRIVING IS TOUGH. JUST WAITING FOR THE DAY I HIT A BUMP AND THE DASH FALLS TO MY FEET. BODY WOULD BE THE PAINT ON ROOF AND HOOD, DISCOLORING AND PEELING OFF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SHAFT AND GEAR INADVERTENTLY DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

DASH BOARD IS ALL IN PIECES. GETTING WORST AND WORST EVERYDAY. GOING DOWN THE ROAD THE DASH IS ALWAYS SHAKING AND BOUNCING AROUND BECAUSE THERE IS REALLY NOTHING HOLDING IT IN PLACE NOW. I USE TO LOVE THIS TRUCK, BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1997, MOST OF THE TIME I DON'T LIKE DRIVING IT ANYMORE. UPDATED 09/15/15*LJ UPDATED 11/07/2017*CN

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER REACHING MY DESTINATION ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR SO LATER. I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, OPENED THE DOOR AND THE DRIVERS AIRBAG DEPLOYED ALL BY ITSELF. LUCKILY I WAS SITTING BACK IN THE SEAT STARTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WHEN IT DEPLOYED. NOW I HAVE BEEN WITH THIS TRUCK SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN A ACCIDENT. IT ACTUALLY SET FOR A LARGE PART OF ITS LIFE BECAUSE I DROVE A COMPANY VEHICLE FOR MY JOB. I CALLED THE DODGE DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE TRUCK AND TOLD ME I SHOULD CONTACT DODGE DIRECTLY. I CALLED DODGE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LADY THAT ANSWERED AND THE FIRST THING SHE ASKED WAS IF I WAS INJURED. I TOLD HER LUCKILY NO BUT ME OR SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING. SHE FINISHED TAKING THE REPORT AND SAID SOMEONE WOULD CONTACT ME IN 2-3 DAYS. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM DODGE ABOUT A WEEK LATER STATING THAT SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES LISTED FOR THE TRUCK PER THE SERIAL NUMBER I SHOULD CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND IF THEY FEEL ITS A MANUFACTURING RESPONSIBILITY ,THEY HAVE SUBROGATION RIGHTS. NOW YOU WOULD THINK DODGE WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT MADE THIS HAPPEN FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE TRUCKS BUT MY SERIAL NUMBER WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THAT RECALL. MY TRUCK IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND I'M AFRAID THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS GOING TO TOTAL IT BECAUSE OF ITS AGE.SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE THESE MANUFACTURERS STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT. ANY HELP IN THIS MATTER YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, A STRONG FUEL ODOR EMITTED FROM THE CABIN. AN INDEPENDENT TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK IN HOUSE FUEL LINE FRACTURED PREMATURELY CAUSING THE FUEL TO LEAK ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK AND ONTO THE GROUND. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FUEL LINE NEED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,000. UPDATED 5/29/15*CN UPDATED 9/28/2017*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, IT FAILED TO SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN UNSPECIFIED INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.