1998 Dodge RAM 1500

FROM THE DAY I SAW THAT 96 DODGE TRUCK ROLLING DOWN THE STREET I FELL IN LOVE. I SAVED EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE THE BIG BAD 1500 4X4 5.9(98)WITH EVERY OPTION AVAIL. HAD EVERYTHING AND FROM WEEK 1 HAD PROBLEMS. FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING "DUE TO FRAME STRESS" IT ABOUT 2 WEEKS INTO IT. BRAKE FAILURE CAUSE SERIOUS ASSAULT ON GUARD RAIL, AND DODGE SAID I MUST HAVE BEEN DRIVING TO FAST (@ 30 MPH). THEY REFUSED ANY WARRANTY BECAUSE "NOTHING CAN TOUCH THE WHEEL" AND SINCE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER 93 DAYS LEMON LAWS DID NOT APPLY SO AFTER (2) $900 BRAKE JOBS TWO WEEKS APART EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NOT TO MENTION DAMAGE TO BODY I PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET. NOW I JUST GO THROUGH AN ENTIRE SET OF BRAKES EVERY 6 MONTHS. BUT I STOP UNTIL THEN.. I REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT 38 K MILES, NOTE THE WARRANTY ON THAT IS 36 K MILES. I HAVE HAD STEERING LINKAGE BECOME SO LOOSE INSTANTANEOUSLY (OR 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS) THAT IT FELT LIKE I WAS RUNNING OVER MY OWN AXLE, WHICH IS ANOTHER $1000 EACH TIME. FOR THE PAST THREE EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS THE ON BOARD COMPUTER FAILS SO I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHILE THEY CHARGE $200 TO FIX IT, BUT WILL NOT GIVE STRAIGHT ANSWER TO WHAT IS PROBLEM. AND TO NIGHT AS I TYPE, I SPREAD THE GRIME OF ENGINE CRUD ACROSS MY KEYBOARD AS I TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE FUEL FILTER SUDDENLY STOPPED. AMAZINGLY I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK FOR 5 YEARS BECAUSE IT HAS KEPT ME TOO BROKE TO BUY SOMETHING ELSE. ANY "LEGAL" SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT CAN BE DONE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. I RECOGNIZE I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $15,000 TRYING TO KEEP THIS THING RUNNING RIGHT, AND THAT IS TOO MUCH FOR A "LATE MODEL" TRUCK. I WOULD LOVE TO BLAME A DEALER BUT I HAVE BEEN TO JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEM AROUND HERE AND WITH THE SMILES ON THERE FACES I HEAR "THAT WILL BE ANOTHER $950 SIR".. GOOD GRIEF. *NLM

ON JULY 22ND 2002 I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, A FORD TRUCK HIT ME FROM BEHIND DOING 35MPH. THE IMPACT PUSHED ME INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME IT ENDED UP BEING A 5 CAR PILE UP. IN WHICH MY TRUCK FRONT AND REAR BUMPER WAS SMASHED IN. I WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING SEVERE PAIN DAYS LATER. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE REAR DRIVERS PANEL BENT AND ALSO THE TRANSMISSION COOLANT RADIATOR WAS SMASHED IN.. IT CAUSED 3700.00 DAMAGES TO MY TRUCK AND 2500.00 TO THE CAR(HONDA) IN FRONT OF ME.*AK

I HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AND COCKSPRING AT 62237 MILES IN OCT 2000. MY FIRST INDICATION SOMETHING WAS WRONG WAS DRIFTING AT SPEED AND A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. MY CHOICE THE FIRST TIME ACCORDING TO THE DODGE DEALER WAS TO LET IT GO AND RISK COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE STEERING OR REPLACE IT. I REPLACED IT. NOW 17 MONTHS LATER IN MAR 2002 THE GRINDING HAS RETURNED. WHILE I FACE THE PROSPECT OF REPLACING THE STEERING ONCE AGAIN IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR FREQUENT WEAR AND TEAR OF A STEERING SYSTEM. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SC, BUT HAVE SINCE MOVED TO UTAH. I DO NOT USE THE VEHICLE FOR OFF-ROAD RECREATION OR FOR HEAVY LOADS. I HAVE ONLY USED THE VEHICLE ON 3 OCCASIONS FOR TOWING. ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *AK

VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE BACK IN REVERSE, BUT VEHICLE WAS STILL IN DRVE. CONSUMER SLAMMED ON BRAKES, AND WENT BACK TO REVERSE, AND DROVE. BUT VEHICLE WAS STIL THE SAME. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN VEHICLE OFF TO GET IT CORRECTLY INTO GEAR. SERVICE MANAGER REFERRED THE CONSUMER TO TO ANOTHER MECHANIC, WHO HAD TO REPLACE STEERING COLUMN.*AK