1998 Dodge RAM 1500

THIS VEHICLE HAS DISPLAYED FRONT END ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS, AND PARTS IN THE FRONT END KEEP LOOSENING, AFTER PURCHASE NOTICED LEFT FRONT WHEEL IS SHIMMED OUT FURTHER AWAY FROM VEHICLE THAN THE OTHER WHEELS. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A NORMAL PROCEDURE TO "BALANCE" THE VEHICLE AFTER MANUFACTURE. IN LIGHT OF ALL THE FRONT END PROBLEMS I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS TRUCK IS SAFE FOR MY FAMILY TO BE DRIVING. HAS TESTING BEEN DONE AFTER THE "BALANCING" PROCEEDURETO INSURE THIS VEHICLE COMPLIES TO HANDLING AND SAFETY SPECIFICATIONS? DO BOLTS LOOSENING IN THE FRONT END CONSTITUTE A SAFETY HAZARD? I HAVE NOTICED THE VEHICLE PULLS RIGHT AND SOMETIMES SEEMS TO REACT WITH A RAPID PULL RIGHT TO SOME ROAD SURFACE DEFECTS AND HAS ALMOST PULLED THE STEERING WHEEL FROM MY HANDS. I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH CHRYSLER AND THE DEALERSHIPS SINCE DAY 1 AND HAVE GONE THROUGH THEIR DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROCESS AND WAS TOLD MY DEFECTS TO NOT INFLICT ANY DETRIMENT TO THE VALUE, SAFETY OR USEFULNESS OF THE VEHICLE!*AK

TRUCK PULLS/TRACKS TO RIGHT, CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR OF RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD WITH THE 1995 DODGE RAM 4X4 I OWNED. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED. SOLD THE 95 AND BOUGHT THE 98, THE SALESMAN, SERVICE MANAGER , AND SALES MANAGER ASSURED ME PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE 98 THE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT ENDS PULLING TO THE RIGHT WERE FIXED. I CURRENTLY HAVE THE VEHICLE IN THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR A FRONT END INSPECTION. AT FIRST THEY TOLD ME IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM WITHOUT PROPERLY INSPECTING THE SUSPENTION. ADDITIONALLY THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE FRONT INSPECTED. IF AN ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT ALSO DUE TO THE ALIGNMENT IS COVERED ONLY TO 12000 MILES. I HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH MYSELF TALKING WITH OTHER CONSUMERS AND VIEWING INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE WEB CONCERNING THE FRONT END PROBLEMS ON THESE VEHICLES AND THERE SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT INDICATES A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONSUMERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE VERY SAME PROBLEM.

WE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED, WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALER RIGTH AFTER WE NOTICED A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THE VAN, SUCH AS CAR PULLING TO THE RIGTH AND A LOUD THUMP SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGTH REAR SIDE EVERY TIME WE PASS THOSE SPEED BUMPS. AND WHEN THEY INSPECTED THE VAN THEY (THE DEALER TECHNICIANS), TOLD ME THAT A SHOCK ABSORVER NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AND ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED AS WELL. AFTER THIS TWO THINGS WERE DONE, EVERYTHING WENT DOWN THE HILL....WHEN I DROVE HOME THE VAN I NOTICED THAT VAN WAS PULLING STILL TO THE RIGTH AND A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN BRAKING, IS MORE LIKE A CRACKING NOISE, I'LL MENTION THAT THIS WAS'T HAPPENING ALL THE TIME, BUT THE PULLING TO THE RIGTH WAS. WE WENT BACK WITH THEM, THEY ALIGNED AGAIN...BUT, THIS TIME THE VAN WAS NOT PULLING TO THE RIGTH BUT TO THE LEFT INSTEAD, THIS HAPPEND WHEN DRIVING STRAIGTH OR WHEN BRAKING AS WELL, WE WENT BACK TO THE SAME DEALER, BUT AFTER SOME ATTEMPSOF FIXING THIS PROBLEM AND A VERY UNPLEASENT EXPERIENCES WITH THEIR (CUSTOMER REPRESENTAIVES) AT DESPLAINES DODGE DEALER, NOT TO TRY AGAIN WIH THEM, WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVES, AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE VERY DUMB COMMENT THE CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE OF DESPLAINES DODGE DEALER, THAT THEY SUGGESTED TO TAKE THE VAN TO A 5 STARS SHOP THE COMMENT THE CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE MADE WAS (THAT THE VAN WAS PULLING TO THE RIGTH BECAUSE IT WAS A SAFETY FEATURE BUILD IN THE VAN TO PREVENT PEOPLE WANDER TO THE TO THE LEFT IN CASE THE FELL SLEEP, THIS WAS A VERY DUMB THING TO SAID. SO FINALLY WE WENT TO THAT 5 STARS DEALER, AND A (BIG) INPROVEMENT WAS ACHIEVE, THE VAN WAS PULLING LESS BUT ON THIS OCCASION INSTEAD OF PULLING TO RIGTH IT STARTED TO PULL TO THE LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT STRAIGHT, IT WAS CROOCKED TO THE LEFT AND BEFORE WAS TO THE RIGHT. I NOTICED MORE PLAY ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I'LL MENTION THAT EVER SINCE WE HAVE THIS VAN IN OUR POSSESSION THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER TH. *AK