2001 Dodge RAM 2500

AT 41,857 MILES, MY 2001 DODGE CUMMINS DIESEL 3/4 TON 4X4 PICKUP TRUCK BEGAN TO LOSE POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW ON MAY 24, 2000 AND HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY WITH THE STIFF, RIGID GEARS AND CLUTCH EVER SINCE. I COMPLAINED BUT TO NO AVAIL. I WAS TOLD THAT DUE TO THE TORQUE, IT WAS "NORMAL". THEN, THE CLUTCH FAILED AND I BARELY MADE IT TO TOWN AND TO THE DEALERS GARAGE. THIS TRUCK WAS BOUGHT N FROM THE LOCAL DEALER, RIDGEWOOD MOTORS AND HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED EVER SINCE. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. SINCE RIDGEWOOD MECHANICS REPLACED THE CLUTCH, IT DRIVES LIKE A DIFFERENT TRUCK, SMOOTH AND EFFICIENT. I CALLED AND EMAILED DAIMLER-CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T COVERED BY WARRANTY AND IT WAS MY TOUGH LUCK. I'M OUT $898.26 AND NOW WONDER WHAT ELSE WILL FAIL IN A TRUCK THAT DODGE CALLS "RAM TOUGH"! I'M FURIOUS ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AND DAIMLER-CHRYSLER'S CONDESCENDING ATTITUDE. I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED MY COSTS TO REPLACE THIS CLUTCH, PROBLEMATIC FROM DAY ONE. *JB

MY 2001 DODGE RAM STARTED STALLING OUT SO I CALLED FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE CENSOR CHECKED OUT. THEY SAID THAT WASN'T IT - IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO DROP THE PAN, THAT WAS FINE UNTIL THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS AT LEAST A 1/2 INCH OF SHAVINGS IN THE PAN AND THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THAT AMOUNT IN A NEWER TRUCK- ESPECIALLY WITH MY MILAGE BEING SO LOW. THIS SETS OFF AN ALARM THAT THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT. I CONTACTED THE MANAGER AND HE WAS SUPPOSE TO GET BACK TO ME-WHICH HE HASN'T AS OF YET...SURPRISE. OH YES, IN ORDER TO FIX THIS BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT 2000 MILES PRIOR IT WOULD COST ME $5,395.14. (NOW BEING DISABLE THIS IS SURE A BOOST TO ME) AND THAT ISN'T EVEN CHECKING OUT THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WHICH IT HAS BOUND TO EFFECT ALSO. THE WARRENTY WAS FOR 36000 MILES AND I HAVE 39000 ON IT NOW. IT HAS COST ME 200.00 TO FIND THIS OUT AND ALSO THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID BECAUSE I DIDN'T USE THEIR SERVICES FOR OIL CHANGES AND TRANSMISSION CHECKS HE WOULD PROBABLY NOT GET AS MUCH HELP FOR ME AND IN THE CONTRACT IT SAID AS LONG AS I USED A LICENSE FACILITY IT WOULD BE COVERED AND I USED JIFFY LUBE. I THINK THIS IS WRONG-THEY ARE JUST ABOUT SAYING FOR NOT USING OUR FACILITY YOU ARE GOING TO BE PUNISHED AND NOT GET THE HELP YOU NEED. I AM GUESSING ON THE DATE OF PURCHASE.*AK

THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN MY 2001 DODGE RAM DIESEL 2500. I HAD MY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON AND AS A VEHICLE APPROACHED I DIMMED MY LIGHTS. THE LIGHTS WENT OFF INSTEAD OF DIMMING. I INSTINCTIVELY SWITCHED MY BRIGHT LIGHTS BACK ON AND THEY CAME ON. WHEN I WENT TO DIM THEM AGAIN THE LIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT AGAIN. I HAD NO PROBLEM ADJUSTING TO THE SITUATION. I WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE MOTORIST COMING THE OTHER DIRECTION SEEING MY BRIGHT LIGHTS, THEN MY LIGHTS GO OUT, THEN MY BRIGHTS AGAIN AS HE GOT CLOSE TO ME. THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED AS ACCIDENT BY BLINDING THE APPROACHIN DRIVER. I WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ON A WINDY MOUNTAIN ROAD IF THEY DID NOT REACT THE WAY I DID. THEY MIGHT RUN OFF OF THE ROAD IF THEY PANICKED. THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH IS A MOPAR COMBINATION SWITCH ASSEMBLY # 4728424. I DON'T KNOW IF THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PART IS THE SAME NUMBER OR NOT. ONE OTHER NOTE OF INTEREST. ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO I WAS DRIVING A 1998 FORD F 150 4X4 PICKUP TRUCK AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO IT. THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH PART NUMBER IS MOTORCRAFT SW 5579. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER WOULD BE. I AM JUST WONDERING, EVEN THOUGH THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT COMPANIES DISTRIBUTING THE PART, IF THE COMPONENTS ARE THE SAME MANUFACTURER AND IF THERE IS A DEFECT IN ONE OF THEIR PARTS. OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR SWITCHES. OUR LOCAL DODGE DEALER SAYS NO PROBLEM. THEY ALSO SAY THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY DODGE PICKUP AND YET YOUR SITE SAYS THERE IS ONE. VERY INTERESTING. ANYWAY, I HAVE DONE MY CIVIC DUTY. NOW IT IS IN YOUR HANDS TO SEE IF THERE REALLY IN A PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU DECIDE. THANKS. *AK