1999 Dodge RAM 2500

I HAVE A CUMMINS DIESEL. IT HAS A 53 BLOCK. THERE WAS BEEN ALOT OF REPORTS OF THESE BLOCKS CRACKING. I PAID OVER $5000 FOR THIS OPTION. IT COSTS OVER $7000 TO GET IT FIXED. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM YET. JUST FEEL LIKE I'M DRIVING A TIME BOMB. CHRSYLER REFUSES TO HELP ANY OF THE POOR GUYS WITH THIS CRACKED BLOCK. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSSUE OF A DEFECTIVE BLOCK. PLEASE HELP ALL OF US WITH THE 53 BLOCK.*AK

ALL THE BRAKE COMPONENTS EXCEPT THE MASTER CYLINDER WERE REPLACED 7 TIMES STARTING AT 7,000 MILES BECAUSE THEY EITHER LOCKED UP OR DIDN'T FUNCTION AT TIMES. AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO THIS FAILURE. ALSO, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED/REBUILT 8 TIMES BECAUSE IT BLEW OUT, SLIPPED, OR DROPPED DOWN FROM O/D TO REGULAR GEAR, WHICH STARTED AT 5,000/20,000 MILES FINALLY, THE ENGINE HEAD WAS REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE IT CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES, WHICH STARTED AT 77,000-90,000 MILES. *AK

I AND MANY OTHER OWNERS OF 1998 THRU 2001 DODGE CUMMINS DIESEL VEHICLES HAVE OR WILL EXPERIENCE A KNOWN DEFECT OF THE DESIGNATED 53 BLOCK IN THESE VEHICLES. THE 53 BLOCK CAN DEVELOP A CRACK BEHIND THE HEAT EXCHANGER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH RESULTS IN COOLANT LOSS AND A REPLACEMENT BLOCK. MINE CRACKED AT 5 YEARS 2 MONTHS AND 53K MILES. STANDARD WARRANTY FOR THESE ENGINES IS 5 YEARS 100K. I LIKE MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD TO PAY ANYWHERE FROM $2000.00 AND UP TO HAVE A KNOWN DEFECT REPAIRED AS CHRYSLER WILL NOT COVER THE KNOWN PROBLEM IF OVER THE 5YEAR 100K LIMIT. THERE ARE MANY UNSUSPECTING PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT MAY NOT KNOW OF THIS DEFECT AND MANY USED VEHICLES ON USED VEHICLE LOTS THAT MAY BE SOLD TO PEOPLE THAT ARE UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. CUMMINS HAS GIVEN SOME ASSISTANCE, CHRYSLER HAS GIVEN NONE. EITHER WAY THE CONSUMER STILL PAYS FOR THE DEFECT OF AN ENGINE THAT WAS TOUTED TO LAST AT LEAST 350K MILES AND IN MY CASE ONLY 53K. I PAID AN ADDITIONAL $4600.00 FOR THE DIESEL OPTION AND THEN PAID AN ADDITIONAL $2400.00 TO HAVE THE DEFECT REPAIRED. LIKE THEIR PRESENT BALLJOINT PROBLEM NOTHING WILL HAPPEN WITH THE 53 PROBLEM UNLESS THE MEDIA GETS INVOLVED. IF YOU COULD GIVE ME ANY OTHER INFORMATION ON WHO TO NOTIFY I WOULD APPRECIATE IT AS SELLING A 32K AND HIGHER VEHICLE AND TURNING YOUR BACK ON A KNOWN DEFECT DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH MANY OWNERS. THANK YOU.*AK

BOTH TAILGATE SUPPORT CABLES SNAPPED (AT THE SAME INSTANCE) WHILE STANDING ON THE TAILGATE WHILE LIFTING APPROX 85 LBS. TWO INDIVIDUALS WERE ON THE TAILGATE WITH THEIR TOTAL WEIGHT APPROX 390 POUNDS. THE PROTECTIVE COVER ON THE CABLES WAS WORN BUT CABLE FRAYING WAS NOT EVIDENT. DAMAGED PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. NO REPLACEMENT YET. *JB

I HAVE A 1999 DODGE RAM 2500 4 X 4 QUAD CAB WITH THE V-10 MANUAL TRANSMISSION. SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN MARCH 1999, I HAVE TWICE REPLACED THE RR TRACK BAR ($200 PART, NOT INCLUDING LABOR) AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ($89 PART, NOT INCLUDING LABOR). THIS TRUCK WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND A HEAVY CLUNK IS FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER MECHANICS KEEP TELLING ME "THAT'S TYPICAL OF THIS VEHICLE," BUT THERE IS NO RECALL. WHY? I HAVE ALSO NOTICED AN ABUNDANCE OF COOLANT LOSS AT EACH OIL CHANGE SINCE ABOUT 10,000 MILES...UP TO 1 GALLON PER 3000 MILES. THE RADIATOR PRESSURE CHECKED OK. DEALER MECHANICS AND CHAT ROOMS HAVE TOLD ME THIS IS ANOTHER "TYPICAL" PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK. APPARENTLY THE ANTIFREEZE BLOWS THROUGH THE HEADGASKET AND INTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WHERE IT EVAPORATES. STILL NO RECALLS. WHY ARE AUTOMANUFACTURERS GETTING AWAY WITH THIS?*AK

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE INJECTOR FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE, AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. MECHANIC NOTIFIED THE CONSUMER THAT TWO INJECTOR FUEL PUMPS HAD BEEN REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE, BUT FOR THE THIRD PUMP CONSUMER HAS TO PAY BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK