2001 Dodge RAM 1500

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE HE TOUCHED THE HOOD LATCH AND IT CAME UP. THE VEHICLE HAD A SECONDARY LATCH THAT SUPPOSE TO BE UNLATCHED ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT IT DID NOT HOLD THE HOOD. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE OLDER MODELS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL ON THE VEHICLE AND CLOSED THE HOOD. I THEN TRIED TO LIFT THE HOOD AFTER IT WAS CLOSED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS WELL CLOSED. I COULD NOT. I THEN PROCEEDED TO DRIVE ON THE STREET AT 30-40 MILES PER HOUR AND 5 MINUTES AFTER CHECKING THE OIL, THE HOOD POPPED UP, BENT BACKWARDS, AND SMASHED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED BUT IT OCCURRED AT 10:30 AM IN FRONT OF THE EAST GREENBUSH, NY WALMART, AND AN EAST GREENBUSH POLICE OFFICER DID STOP TO HELP ME REATTACH THE BENT HOOD AND SECURE IT SO I COULD DRIVE HOME TO ARRANGE REPAIRS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE HOOD POPPED UP. IT SHOULD HAVE STAYED CLOSED. I WONDER WHY EVEN THE HOOD SAFETY LATCH APPEARED TO HAVE FAILED. THE FRONT HOOD HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, THE SAFETY LATCH, AND THE HOOD BRACKETS ($1800). I KEPT THE OLD PARTS AFTER THEY WERE REPLACED. I NOTICED THAT THE HOOD SAFETY LATCH HAD BEEN RECALLED ON THE DODGE RAM 1994-1999. THE 2001 DODGE RAM HAS THE SAME BODY. IS THE LATCH STILL DEFECTIVE? *NM

DT: THE HOOD FLEW UP WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 30 MPH. THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION THE WAS NOT WORKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER, WHO SAID THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH FROZE. REPAIRS WERE SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME. CONTACTED DAIMLER/CHRYSLER, WHO CLAIMED VEHICLE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND THERE WAS NO RECALL. OWNER'S MANUAL SUGGESTED LUBRICATION AT OIL CHANGES, AND CONSUMER SHOULD CONATCT INSURANCE COMPANY. CONSUMER WISHED TO ADD THAT THERE WERE OTHER RECALLS ON OLDER DODGE MODELS FOR THE SAME ISSUE, BUT NOT ON THIS. *AK

DRIVING 40MPH MY HOOD RELEASED AND STOOD STRAIGHT UP NEARLY TOUCHING THE WINDSHIELD. THIS BENT THE HOOD ATTACHMENT BRACKETS ON BOTH SIDES, AND BENT THE EDGE OF THE HOOD AT THE BRACKET AREAS. I HAD TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER. MY DODGE RAM IS A 2001 AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE OTHER RECALLS FOR THIS INCEDENT WHICH INCLUDED MODEL YEARS 1994-1999. AFTER LOOKING AT THE HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY IT IS VERY CORRODED AND FAILED DUE TO THIS CORROSION. AFTER STANDING ON MY WINDSHIELD AND FORCING THE HOOD BACK DOWN I IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE BEYOND THE SECONDARY LATCH. I SLOWLY DROVE HOME AND APPLIED TONS OF WD40 WHICH HAS TEMPORARILY LOOSED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY ENOUGH FOR IT TO WORK. HOWEVER, THE BRACKETS AND HOOD ARE STILL BENT AND I CANNOT OPEN THE HOOD FURTHER THAN A FOOT OR SO. I HAVE SECURED THE HOOD SHUT WITH STRAPPING UNTILL I CAN GET THIS FIXED.

WHILE ACCELERATING ON I-65 TO CRUISING SPEED OF 70, THE HOOD ON MY 2001 DODGE RAM 1500 FLIPPED UP AND BANGED AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD, CRACKING THE GLASS AND CAUSING LOSS OF SIGHT OF THE ROAD AHEAD. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK OFF TO THE SIDE BY LOOKING OUT THE SIDE WINDOW. IN TRAFFIC ON A 3-4 LANE EXPRESSWAY, I WOULD HAVE HAD A MAJOR ACCIDENT. IN TALKING WITH THE DODGE DEALER, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO INDICATED DEFECT IN THE LATCH, WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAD FAILED, INCLUDING THE SAFETY LATCH. I AM WONDERING HOW MANY MORE OF THESE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE RESPONSE I GOT FROM MY DEALER. MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS COVERING THE DAMAGE UNDER MY COMPREHENSIVE POLICY. I WILL KEEP THE OLD PARTS. *NM

LEFT REAR OF QUAD CAB NOT WELDED COMPLETELY. QUAD CAB DOOR AND DRIVERS' SIDE DOOR DO NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY. YOU CAN HEAR THEM RATTLE WHEN DRIVING. THIS WAS REPORTED TO TWO SEPARATE DEALERS AND THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE AND CHRYSLER CORPORATION. THEY OFFERED $500.00 FOR THE DEFECT. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT AS WELL AS A VALUE DEFECT. WE FEAR THE DRIVERS' SIDE DOOR MAY OPEN, AS WELL AS THE QUAD CAB DOOR, IN AN ACCIDENT.