1999 Dodge RAM 2500

IT APPARENTLY A KNOWN FACT THAT THE TENSION BOLT IN MY 1999 DODGE 2500 STANDARD TRANSMISSION HAS A HABIT OF BACKING OUT AND DAMAGING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN MY VEHICLE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN OUT ON THIS DUE TO ITS A COMMON PROBLEM. THIS IS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED BY DODGE CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND ALSO BY THE DEALERSHIP DOING THE REPAIRS. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL ISSUE. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN USED 95% ON FREEWAY. IT HAS 119,000 MILES ON IT. BEING A DIESEL WITH WHAT WAS CONSIDERED THE TOUGHEST TRANSMISSION BUILT, IT SHOULD BE GOOD FOR AT LEAST TWICE THIS MILEAGE IF SERVICED PROPERLY WHICH I HAVE DONE. THE OILS WERE ALL CHANGED LESS THAN 30,000 MILES BACK AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING GOING WRONG. THIS REPAIR WILL COST ME APPROXIMATELY $3,300.00 AND FORTUNATELY DID NOT DAMAGE TOO MUCH OR IT COULD EASILY EXCEED THIS AMOUNT. I PAID 37,000.00 FOR THIS TRUCK AND IT SHOULD PERFORM BETTER THAN THIS OR BE BACKED BY DODGE WITHIN REASON. *LA

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL. THIS STALLING OCCURRED SIX TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION, THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION COIL, AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONSUMER KEPT HEARING A PINGING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, AND THE TRANSFER CASE WAS STILL LEAKING. THERE HAD BEEN A MYRIAD OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. ALSO, THERE HAD BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP MORE THAN IT WAS IN HER POSSESSION. *AK THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: AIRFLOW NOISE/SUCKED AIR DUE TO A POSSIBLE VACUUM LEAK, THE PASSENGER MIRROR VIBRATION DUE TO THE BUG SHIELDS, ENGINE TICKING, UNDERSHIELD RUSTED ALONG WITH THE DRIVESHAFT, U-JOINTS, AND THE BUMPER, THERE WAS RUST ON THE REAR BOX PANELS, ENGINE PING/NOISE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON TWO TIMES, REAR WINDOW LEAKAGE, TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY/TRANSFER CASE LEAKED, HARD JUMPING WHEN IN REVERSE, REVVS OUT MORE RPM'S THAN NORMAL, ENGINE PING HAD GOTTEN LOUDER, AND THERE WERE MANY TIMES WHEN THE ENGINE DIED. *SCC

WHILE DRIVING MY DODGE RAM 2500 PICKUP TOWING MY HORSE TRAILER AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE OVERDRIVE 5TH GEAR ON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED AND WOULD NOT RE-ENGAGE. I WAS LUCKY THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN I WAS NOT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND COULD MANEUVER SAFELY OUT OF TRAFFIC TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. ALL OTHER GEARS WOULD ENGAGE AND I HAD TO COMPLETE MY TRIP IS 4TH GEAR. AFTER AN INSPECTION OF TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE NUT THAT HOLDS THE 5TH GEAR IN PLACE ON THE TRANSMISSION OUT-PUT SHAFT HAD BACKED OFF, CAUSING 5TH GEAR TO SLIDE REARWARD AND DISENGAGE. DODGE HAS CIRCULATED A SERVICE BULLETIN CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM (21-10-98A) AND HAS DEVELOPED A REPAIR KIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. DODGE FAILED TO NOTIFY ME OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM. AFTER RESEACHING COMPLAINTS FILED WITH NHTSA ON THIS SITUATION, I QUICKLY FOUND 10 COMPLAINTS THAT RELATE TO THIS PROBLEM. ALSO AFTER TALKING WITH LOCAL TRANSMISSION MECHANICS, I FOUND THAT SEVERAL SIMILAR REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE LOCALLY ON DODGE PICKUP 5-SPEED TRANSMISSIONS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND ALL OWNERS OF DODGES WITH THIS TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER TO PUMP THE BRAKES. *JB THE BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP WHEN THE WEATHER WAS DAMP, WHEN NOT IN USE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD AND WHEN USING FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ALL THE WHEELS WOULD LOCK UP. THIS WOULD ONLY HAPPEN AT TEMPERATURES OF 32 DEGREES OR COLDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFERRED THE CONSUMER TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE TRANSMISSION LEAKED AT THE REAR OUTPUT SEAL EXTENSION HOUSING LEAKED AT THE CASE SPLIT SILICONE SEAL, THE REAR TRANSMISSION SEAL LEAKED ON THE EXTENDED HOUSING SEAL AT THE TRANSFER CASE, THE RADIO CONTROL HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE, THE WIPERS SHORTED OUT, AND THE FOG LIGHT SWITCH HAD GONE BAD. *SCC