1998 Dodge RAM 1500

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL OF DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRINGS THAT DISABLED AIRBAGS IN CERTAIN DODGE PRODUCTS (SAFETY RECALL 982)(NHTSA IDENTIFICATION NUMBER 01V-153). THE RECALL INCLUDED VEHICLES IN THE VIN LAST 8 DIGITS WS501493 TO WS771681. MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 HAS A LAST EIGHT DIGITS OF [XXX]. THUS, IT DOES FALL WITHIN THE RANGE OF RECALLED VIN NUMBERS. HOWEVER, FOR SOME REASON MY TRUCK IS NOT DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THOSE RECALLED. HOWEVER, I HAVE AN AIRBAG LIGHT THAT IS ON AND THE STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK IT SEEMS TO ME THAT BOTH OF THESE ARE INDICATIONS OF A DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING JUST AS ON THE RECALLED VEHICLES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND WHY MY VEHICLE MAKE MODEL AND YEAR IS NOT DESCRIBED AS RECALLED EVEN THOUGH THE LAST EIGHT VIN DIGITS FALLS WITHIN THE RANGE OF THOSE RECALLED FOR THIS DEFECT. CAN THE RECALL OF THIS BE STUDIED FURTHER AND EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 DODGE RAM 1500 2WD 5.2 AUTO., THE THROTTLE STUCK OPEN AT HALF THROTTLE AND I HAVE NO FLOOR MATS TO GET CAUGHT IN THE PEDALS,I TIRED PULLING THE PEDAL UP WITH MY FOOT, I HAD TO SWITCH THE TRUCK OFF WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE, COASTED TO THE SHOULDER AND IT WAS STILL STUCK, RESTARTED AND IT WAS FINE AND DROVE OFF AND PRESSED IT DOWN HALF WAY AGAIN AND NO IT STICKS EVERYTIME AT HALF THROTTLE OR MORE--THE RETURN SPRING IS WORKING FINE I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC ALL MY LIFE AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN,WHEN EVERYTHING FEELS FINE--CABLE,THE THROTTLE LINKAGE-MY WIFE IS NOW SCARED TO DRIVE THE TRUCK BECAUSE OF THIS--PLEASE IF YOU CAN HELP ME IN ANYWAY PLEASE SEND INFO. FOR THE REPAIR---ALMOST RAN INTO ANOTHER CAR TRYING TO GET THE TRUCK TO SLOW DOWN BEFORE I SWITCH OFF THE KEY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BY ITSELF BETWEEN 70-75 MPH. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT FAILED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THEN, CONSUMER TURNED THE IGNITION OFF, AND CONTINUED DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN. TWO DAYS LATER, THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 40-45 MPH. CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. VEHICLE REVVED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND 3 SEPARATE TESTS WERE DONE, BUT NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND. *AK

MY SON, WILLIAM, WAS DRIVING OUR 1998 DODGE PICKUP ON HIGHWAY 78 WHEN IT BEGAN TO LUNGE. SINCE WE HAD TO PUT 2 TRANSMISSIONS IN HIS PREVIOUS DODGE PICKUP, HE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. HE STARTED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND LOOKED IN HIS REARVIEW MIRROR FOR TRAFFIC WHEN HE SAW FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM BETWEEN THE CAB AND BED. HE HURRIEDLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND WHEN HE OPENED THE DRIVERS DOOR FLAMES ENGLUFED THE CAB. HE HAD TO GO OUT THROUGH THE FIRE. ABOUT 1 MINUTE AFTER HE AND HIS PASSENGERS EMERGED FROM THE PICKUP, IT EXPLODED. THE ONLY THING LEFT OF THE TRUCK WAS WHAT WAS METAL. WILL HAD SECOND DEGREE BURNS TO HIS FACE,EARS,NECK, HANDS AND ARMS. HE SPENT ONE NIGHT IN THE HOSPITAL. I CONTACTED DODGE AND WAS TOLD THERE WOULD BE AN INVESTAGATOR LOOK AT THE TRUCK. I WAS THEN TOLD BY DODGE SINCE THE PICKUP BURNED TOTALLY THERE WAS NO WAY TO DETERMINE THEY WERE AT FAULT. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE QUITE A NUMBER OF FIRES IN DODGE VEHICLES. *AK

AFTER SHIFTING DOWN WHILE GOING UP A HILL THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. COULD NOT STOP COMPLETELY WITH BRAKES. HAD TO TURN ENGINE OFF, BUT BY THEN BRAKES WOULD HARDLY WORK DO TO HEAT FROM TRYING TO SLOW DOWN. THROTTLE PLATE WAS STUCK. THEN HAD IT STICK IN PASSING GEAR WHILE IN CRUISE, BUT THIS TIME IT RELEASED WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED. DEALER SAID IT WAS JUST PROBABLY CARBON IN THE BREAKING LOOSE. *NLM