1998 Dodge RAM 1500

WHEN DRIVING, THE TRUCK MAKES CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE, BUT BEFORE A LOSS OF POWER IS FELT. WHEN WE FIRST TOOK IN THE TRUCK, THE MECHANICS AT CAL WORTHINGTON SAID THEY COULD NOT HEAR ANYTHING OR FEEL ANY LOSS OF POWER. AFTER THEY CLAIMED THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM, THE PROBLEM KEPT COMING BACK. AFTER SEVERAL TIMES THEY STILL CLAIMED THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, UNTIL WE GOT FURIOUS AND UPSET. THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, AND THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT MOST OF THEIR TRUCKS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE TAKEN IN OUR TRUCK SEVERAL TIMES, THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO STOP THE NOISES AND LOSS OF POWER. TO THIS DAY THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING SPECIALLY WHEN WHEN GOING UP A SMALL ASCENT. THE PROBLEM ALSO OCCURS QUITE FREQUENTLY AT THE 60-70 MPH RANGE. WE HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, BUT THEY DO. FROM WHAT WE HAVE NOTICED OVER THE PAST YEARS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN IN THE TRUCK FOR REPAIRS THEY HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO STOP IT.*AK

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

I WAS TRAVELING EAST ON THE PAVED PORTION OF NEVADA STATE ROURE 290 AT ABOUT 50 MPH. THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. ABOUT A 10 INCH LONG PORTION OF THE TIRE JUST SHREDED. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL GOODYEAR DEALER HE REFUSED TO MAKE GOOD ON IT. HE CLAIMED I HAD RUN OVER A CURB OR SOME OTHER OBSTACLE. I HAD NEVER RUBBED A CURB, LET ALONE HIT ONE, OR HIT ANY OTHER OBSTACLE. I FIGURED IT WAS NOT WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. I KNOW OF TWO OTHER PEOPLE IN CARSON CITY WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH GOODYEAR TIRES. FIRESTONE HAS BEEN RACKED OVER THE COALS. I TINK IT IS TIME TO, AT LEAST, INVESTIGATE GOODYEAR TO SEE HOW SAFE THEIR TIRES ARE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRESIZE: P265/75R16)

AFTER IMPACT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AT THE DOOR, I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND IT LOCKED UP, I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND FOUND THAT I HAD NONE. I TRAVELED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC (NO BRAKES NO STEERING) AND HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER HEAD-ON AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAD MY STEERING NOT LOCKED UP THIS WOULD HAVE ONLY BEEN A MINOR ACCIDENT, NOW MY TRUCK IS TOTALED.*AK

I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER TOO MANY TIMES ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY THE BRAKES, WHICH I ADMIT IS AN INTERMETTENT PROBLEM. HOWEVER I HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT RIVERHEAD DODGE. NO REPAIRS WERE EVER MADE. APPARENTLY AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FIND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THESE SAME PROBLEMS. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE HURT BEFORE DODGE DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? DOES THIS HAVE TO EVOLVE INTO ANOTHER FIRESTONE PROBLEM BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE? *AK