1999 Dodge RAM 1500

2 COUNTRY SQUIRE TIRES LT245/75/16 THREW THEIR TREAD BELTS FOR NO REASON WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I WENT TO MY DEALER AND WANTED TO KNOW WHY. THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. I EXPLAINED THAT IF THESE TIRES HAD BEEN ON THE FRONT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK WITH THE MFG. THEY TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHO THE MFG. WAS AND REPLACED ONE OF THE TIRES WITH ANOTHER COUNTRY SQUIRE 245/75/16. THE OTHER TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SUMMIT TIRE WITH SIMILAR TREAD. I PAID FOR BOTH TIRES. WHEN THESE TIRES BLEW MY FENDER WAS DENTED & THE SHROUDS ABOVE THE TIRE WERE DESTROYED. MY MUD FLAPS WERE TORN OFF. DEALER REFUSED TO MAKE ANYTHING RIGHT. TOUGH LUCK. I STILL HAVE THREE OF THESE TIRES ON MY PICKUP. WHAT DO I DO? THESE TIRES HAD ONLY BEEN ON MY PICKUP FOR FOUR MONTHS WHEN I HAD TROUBLE. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE, 1999 DODGE 5.2 LITER V8. PURCHASED USED VEHICLE WITH 75,000 ORIGINAL MILES IN 2003. TRUCK IN VERY NICE CONDITION, AND WELL MAINTAINED. LAST WEEK ON A DAILY DRIVE IT SEEMS A COONECTING ROD SNAPPED AND BLEW THROUGH THE OIL PAN. THE ENGINE IS NOW GARBAGE. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1987 DODGE RAM PICK-UP AND REGRETFULLY SOLD IT WITH A MERE 175,000 MILE ON IT. THAT TRUCK WOULD RUN RINGS AROUND THE "NEW RAM TOUGH" JUNKER SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. I WOULD REQUEST DODGE TO GIVE ME A MORE DEPENDABLE ENGINE, LIKE THE ONE IN MY 1987. I DON'T NEED THE "SWEET" GLITZ ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR NEW TECHNOLOGY. *AK

(1) BRAKES EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT FAILURE WHEN TRYING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKE QUICKLY TO WORK. (2)FAILURE OF BRAKES CAUSED VECHILE TO NOT STOP PROPERLY WHEN ANOTHER VECHILE CROSSED LANES OF TRAFFIC, BRAKE FAILURE CAUSED VECHILE TO HIT OTHER VEHICLE (3) REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS, AND REAR BRAKES AND DRUMS DID NOT RECTIFY PROBLEMS. *AK

I BOUGHT A 1999 DODGE RAM 1500 PICKUP WITH A 5.2 LITER ENGINE FROM SWIFT DODGE IN DAVIS, CA IN DECEMBER OF 1998. THE FIRST DAY, I NOTICED THAT IT HAD A SPARK KNOCK OR PING WHEN ACCELERATING UP THE SLIGHTEST GRADE. WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON OR WHEN PULLING A SMALL TRAILER, THE KNOCK WAS WORSE. I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT EVERYTIME I TOOK MY TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE AT THE DEALERSHIP. *AK THE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED TWICE BY THE DEAER, AND I WAS TOLD THAT WOULD FIX IT. IT DIDN'T. I'VE HAD THE TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE AT SWIFT DODGE APPROXIMATELY 13 TIMES OVER THE PAST 4+ YEARS, EACH TIME COMPLAINING OF THE SPARK KNOCK. SOMETIMES THEY HAVE SAID THEY CAN'T HEAR IT, SOMETIMES THEY JUST PUT ME OFF, AND SOMETIMES THEY CHANGED THE MANIFOLD GASKET. NOW, I'M TOLD - AT 129,000 MILES - THAT THE GASKET HAS FAILED AGAIN AND THAT THE CYLINDER HEADS NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL, ALL FOR THE PRICE OF $2,000+. I'VE CALLED CHRYSLER TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE ONE COMPLAINT ON RECORD WITH THEM FROM APRIL 2001. THERE ARE 2 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS OUT ON THIS VERY PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THE FIX IS ONLY TEMPORARY, AND WHEN THE TRUCK IS PAST ITS WARRANTY, THE CONSUMER PAYS. IT'S NOT FAIR THAT A CHRONIC DESIGN PROBLEM ISN'T DEFINITIVELY REMEDIED BY THE MANUFACTURER UNDER WARRANTY. IF ALL COMPANIES INCLUDED DESIGN FLAWS IN EVERY PRODUCT THAT THE CONSUMER WOULD EVENTUALLY BE CHARGED FOR, COMPANIES COULD ENJOY A STEADY STREAM OF AFTER-WARRANTY INCOME. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE. BY THE WAY, THE WEB IS FULL OF CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND THREATS OF CLASS-ACTION SUITS FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM WITH 1999 DODGE PICKUPS AND DURANGOS. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY LEGAL RECOURSE, BUT I'M LODGING MY LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT ANYWAY. YOURS TRULY, DENNIS PARKER

THE LEFT FRONT TIRE CAME LOOSE ON THE DODGE RAM 1500. THE TRUCK TOOK A HARD LEFT TURN INTO THE CONCRETE DIVIDER ON THE INTERSTATE APPROXIMATE SPEED 65 MPH. THE IMPACT BROKE THE REAR LEFT WHEEL, AND CRUSHED THE FRONT LEFT FENDER, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE FRONT OF TRUCK. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER, I HEAR OF A POTENTIAL LINING RECALL THAT MIGHT HAVE AFFECTED THIS. MY BROTHER THANKFULLY ONLY HAD MINOR INJURIES THAT WE ARE AWARE OFF. *AK

MY PROBLEM OR COMPLAINT IS THIS. ONE NIGHT I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB TO WORK. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY LIGHTS FAILED. THE DRIVING LIGHTS, LOW AND HIGH BEAMS JUST WENT OUT. I HAVE A 23 MILE COMMUTE ONE WAY. WORKING AT NIGHT I WAS PLACED IN A BAD SITUATION. THE ONLY THING I HAD WAS MY PARKING LIGHTS AND FLASHERS. I PULLED OVER AND WAITED FOR THE STATE POLICE, SINCE THEY DID NOT COME. I DROVE TO WORK WITH MY FLASHERS ON. THE GOOD NEWSIS MY LUCK DID NOT RUN OUT I MADE IT TO WORK UNHARMED. IN THE MORNING I DROVE MY TRUCK HOME AND LOOKED UP THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND FOUND THERE IS NO FUSES IN THIS CIRCUIT. I SPOKE WITH MY COUSIN WHO ALSO HAS A RAM AND FOUND OUT THAT HE HAS GONE THROUGH 3 SWITCHES. WOULD THIS BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY HAZARD? IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON A WINDING ROAD AT NIGHT AND THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED, I WOULD BE REPLACING MY TRUCK AND NOT JUST THE $75.00 DEALER ONLY SWITCH. I KNOW THEIR ARE A LOT OF THESE TRUCKS OUT THERE AND TO FIND OUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN 4 SWITCHES REPLACED IN JUST 2 TRUCKS. ISN'T THIS A LITTLE HIGH. ALSO, THE DEALER HAS PLENTY OF THIS ON HAND. WHICH TO ME MEANS, THIS ITEM IS A HIGHLY CONSUMED ITEM. *AK