1999 Dodge RAM 1500

VEHICLE'S BRAKING SYSTEM SEEMED NOT TO BE WORKING PROPERLY, TAKING LONGER DISTANCES TO STOP. A CHECK OF EQUIPMENT SHOWED ALL MECHANICAL PARTS TO BE FIT, AND ADJUSTED CORRECTLY. CONTINUED TO DRIVE VEHICLE BUT THEN HAD SMALL ACCIDENT INVOLVING BRAKING WHILE GOING DOWNHILL. AT THIS TIME IT WAS DETERMINED I HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. DIAGNOSTICS OF THE BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM DETERMINED THE COMBINATION SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS THE CULPRIT AND HAD FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKE LIGHTS AND FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION TO GO INTO COAST MODE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THIS ALSO RESULTS IN THE CRUISE FUNCTION TO NOT CANCEL WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THERE IS NO INDICATION OF FAILURE THROUGH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FOR THIS FAULT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REGULAR PROBLEM, AS THIS PART IS BACK ORDERED AT THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS FAULT I FEEL IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE IS NO FACTORY PART AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE CONDITION. MY VEHICLE IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. *TR

DODGE RAM 1500 YEAR 1999 [XXX] MILEAGE: 66,164 [XXX] CUSTOMER SERVICE: I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE RESENT REPAIRS INCURRED IN REFERENCE TO INVOICE #[XXX] AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING OF THE 9TH OF FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, I HEARD A VERY LOUD BANGING OF METAL ON METAL AT THE SAME TIME THE REAR WHEELS OF MY TRUCK LOCKED UP. THE TRUCK THEN SKIDDED OFF THE ROAD BARELY MISSING THE GUARDRAIL AND OTHER CARS IN THE ADJACENT LANES. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MARIETTA DODGE. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALERSHIP I WAS SHOWN BY THE TECH THAT THE CLIPS THAT HOLD THE PIN THAT SUPPORTS THE FICTION CLUTCH AND GEAR ASSEMBLY OF THE DIFFERENTIAL HAD FALLEN OUT INTO THE HOUSING LETTING THE PIN AND THE CLIPS FALL DOWN INTO THE GEARS CAUSING REAR-END TO LOCKUP AND SEVERE DAMAGE TO IT. THIS IN-TURN DAMAGED THE RING AND PINION GEARS AS WELL AS THE CASE, THE BEARINGS AND SO ON. A LIST OF THE PARTS AND LABOR ARE ON THE ACCOMPANYING. INVOICE # [XXX] TOTAL: $3730.86 I TOOK THE DAMAGED PARTS TO THE MACHINE SHOP AT THE BASE AND HAD THEM MAG-NI-FLUX TESTED. WE FOUND THAT THE SEVERAL OF THE PARTS HAD STRESS CRACKS INCLUDING THE RIGHT REAR AXIAL JUST BEHIND THE HUB THAT COULD OF LED TO ANOTHER ACCIDENT SHORTLY DOWN THE ROAD. THE MACHINIST CONCLUDED THAT THE CLIPS COULD HAVE FAILED DO TO POOR CASTING AND OR METAL FATIGUE. I WOULD TRULY APPRECIATE SOMEONE GETTING BACK TO ME ABOUT THIS REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION ON THIS MATTER. SINCERELY [XXX] *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

1).WE WERE DRIVING ALONG WHEN THE TRUCK, WE JUST GOT SUDDENLY DIED. THE GAS GAUGE SHOWED 1/4 OF A TANK. IT IS A SINGLE TANK TRUCK, BUT IT WAS OUT OF GAS. WHEN MORE WAS ADDED IT STARTED UP AND RAN. 2). A HEAVY RAIN FELL , MY SONS CARSEAT (LATCHED IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE QUAD CAB) WAS SO WET THE NEXT DAY I HAD TO WASH AND DRY THE PADDING BEFORE IT COULD BE USED. THE WINDOWS WERE SHUT, LOCKED TIGHT AND PARKED ALL NIGHT. 3). MY HUSBAND WAS COMING FROM WORK A DRUNK DRIVER SUDDENLY PULLED IN FRONT OF HIM. TRYING EVERYTHING TO STOP MY HUSBANDS TRUCK HIT HIS. THE AIR BAGS (NONE OF THEM) WENT OFF! THEY WERE "ON" AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. MY HUSBAND WAS GOING AROUND 45 MILES PER HOUR.4). AS MY HUSBAND STARTED TO WORK THE TRUCK SUDDENLY OVER REVVED AND DIED. IT WAS SAID THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IT WAS LATER FOUND IT WAS A SENSOR WENT OUT. NEW SENSOR FIXED IT FOR ABOUT A DAY AND A HALF. 5). TRUCK SHIFTED FUNNY, LOST ALL OIL PRESSURE, AND DIED THE MOTOR FAILED. WHEN IT WAS OPENED UP THE CYLINDER WALLS WERE NOT ASSEMBLED RIGHT AT THE FACTORY IT IS A SURPRISE IT EVEN MADE IT TO 87 THOUSAND MILES IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE XXX WALL PATTERN WAS HIGHLY VISIBLE AND NEVER WORN SMOOTH AS IT SHOULD HAVE IF IT WERE RUNNING PROPERLY FROM THE START. SOME OF THE PIECES ARE "MISSING" ALSO IN THIS MOTOR OTHERS ARE IMPROPERLY ALIGNED. WHEN HE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS OUT OF BUSINESS AND THE DODGE COMPANY SAYS YOU BOUGHT IT YOU GOT IT . NOT EVEN 90 THOUSAND MILES ON IT . NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF PAYING FOR MY CAR PAYMENT( AS TO SHUFFLE THE KIDS AROUND), HIS REPLACEMENT CAR (AS TO GET TO WORK 30+ MILES AWAY), AND THIS PILE OF MISTAKES IN A SHELL THAT IS SUPPOSE TO BE HIS TRUCK . THIS DOES NOT EVEN MENTION THE BURDEN OF THE COST WE ARE SUFFERING FROM TO RE BUILD THIS THING TO WORKING ORDER AGAIN . TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE; THIS IS JUST THE STUFF HE HAS TOLD ME ABOUT SO FAR, MORE IS BEING FOUND WRONG EVERY TIME HE CHECKS IN ON IT. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING OUT OF DRIVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING GEARS AGAIN. IT WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS BEFORE. SHE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO DEALER AT THIS TIME. *AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM

WE PURCHASED A 1999 DODGE RAM 1500 IN OCTOBER 1999. SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN 'CHATTERING' AND JERKING PERIODICALLY LIKE WE WERE DRIVING OVER A 'RUMBLE STRIP' ON THE HIGHWAY. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES AND SMALL ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE. EVENTUALLY WHEN THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE CORRECTED AND THE 'JERKING' BECAME NEARLY CONTINUOUS, WE WERE TOLD TO TAKE THE PICKUP TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. THERE THE REPAIRMAN TOLD US THAT DODGE PICKUPS KEPT HIM IN BUSINESS. THAT 8 OUT OF 10 OF HIS TRANSMISSION REPAIR JOBS WERE DODGE PICKUPS. THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY OVERHAULED AND WE WERE GIVEN A ONE YEAR WARRANTY. SHORTLY BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS TO AGAIN RUN OUT, THE OLD TROUBLE SURFACED. ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE WHICH HELPED FOR A FEW MONTHS. THE PROBLEM SURFACED AGAIN AND NOW WE WERE TOLD TO TAKE THE PICKUP BACK TO THE DEALER, THAT THE PROBLEM MUST CERTAINLY BE IN THE 'COMPUTER'. THE DEALER SAID WE CAN PUT A NEW COMPUTER IN THE PICKUP BUT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM AND, OF COURSE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO REFUND YOUR $400.00 PURCHASE OF A NEW COMPUTER IF IT DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. OUR CHOICE IS, THEREFORE, TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE A MALFUNCTIONING DODGE RAM PICKUP WHOSE TRANSMISSION WILL SOONER RATHER THAN LATER EVENTUALLY FAIL, GAMBLE $400.00 TO SEE IF THE COMPUTER 'MIGHT' FIX THE PROBLEM OR TRADE FOR ANOTHER PICKUP (CAN'T AFFORD THIS OPTION). WE ARE FED UP WITH DODGE PICKUPS AND WILL LIKELY NEVER PURCHASE FROM DODGE AGAIN. WE WERE A FAITHFUL DODGE OWNER HAVING HAD SIX PRIOR DODGE PICKUPS. THIS PICKUP HAS HAD LIGHT DUTY, HAS BEEN SERVICED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED IN ANY MANNER. IT SHOULD BE RUNNING AS GOOD AS NEW. WE PURCHASED A CHEVROLET LUMINA NEW IN 1993. IT HAS 204,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER NOW AND HAS HAD UNDER $1,000 LIFETIME REPAIR, NEEDS NO OIL BETWEEN CHANGES AND STILL RUNS GREAT. WE TAKE CARE OF OUR VEHICLES. *JB