2000 Dodge RAM 2500

ALERT: DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM --- ON JULY 11, 2014, WHILE DRIVING ON U.S. ROUTE 77 IN NORTH CAROLINA I PASSED AN 18 WHEELER AT 70 MPH AND PULLED BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK WHEN, WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED. THE TRUCK I HAD JUST PASSED NEARLY JACKKNIFED AS THE TRUCKER APPLIED HIS BRAKES IN A PANIC MANEUVER TO AVOID ROLLING OVER ME FROM BEHIND. LUCKILY, HE MAINTAINED CONTROL, GOT AROUND ME, AND CONTINUED ON HIS WAY. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD CRANK, IT WOULD NOT START. I WAS FORCED TO WAIT AND THEN, AFTER A TIME, TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN. IT DID. I SLOWLY DROVE TO THE NEXT EXIT BUT NOT WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER GOING ONLY A FEW HUNDRED YARDS THE TRUCK BUCKED, HESITATED AND STOPPED AGAIN. AGAIN, I WAITED. THIS SCENARIO REPEATED ITSELF UNTIL I GOT TO SAFETY. COINCIDENT WITH THE ENGINE STOPPING THE POWER STEERING FAILED, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, IT APPEARED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE AND ALL THE GAUGES IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING. EVENTUALLY, MY TRUCK WAS TOWED TO LAKE NORMAN DODGE. THERE, THE VERY HELPFUL ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, TERRY, EVALUATED THE PROBLEM SAYING EITHER THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE OR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS THE PROBLEM BUT HIS EXPERIENCE LED HIM TO TRY REPLACING THE COMPUTER FIRST. REPLACING THE PCM FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER RESUMED WORKING. AT LEAST TEMPORARILY. ON SEPTEMBER 16 2014, ON A LOCAL TRIP, THE TRUCK JUST STOPPED AGAIN. I WAS STRANDED ON A STATE ROAD. I USED MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH WAITING, STARTING, DRIVING A LITTLE WAY AND HAVING THE ENGINE STOP AGAIN TO LIMP INTO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. EVENTUALLY, THEY TOWED IT TO SHELOR DODGE IN CHRISTIANSBURG, VA. WHERE IT CURRENTLY REMAINS, ... INOPERABLE. *TR

TWICE WHILE DRIVING THE 2000 DODGE 2500 CLUB CAB THE ENGINE STALLED SUDDENLY. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. ONCE THE CONSUMER WAS BALE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE HE DROVE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AGAIN, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER TO EXPECT IT TO FAIL AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH SLUGGISH SHIFTING. *JB *NM

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. A DARK GRAY PLUME OF SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, ALONG WITH SOME FLUIDS. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND CALL A TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT ANOTHER TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE ALREADY HAD A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AT 13,000 MILES. *AK

2000 DODGE 2500 DIESEL TRUCK - TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT SIX TIMES IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS, INCLUDING ONCE WHILE PULLING A 30 FT. CAMPER. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL ON A WET ROAD ON A HILL IN PA. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES. THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE ANY PARTS BECAUSE NO CODES SHOW UP WHEN IS PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY AFTER LEAVING THE ENGINE OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. IT HAS NOT FAILED NEAR ENOUGH TO HOME AND WHEN THE DEALER WAS OPEN. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT BEFORE THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED.