1996 Dodge RAM 3500

DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT FOUND THAT THE LEFT FRONT FRAME WAS TOTALLY BROKEN AND THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE WAS CRACKED AND ALMOST TOTALLY BROKEN IN SAME AREA. THEY SAY THAT IT CAN POSSIBLY BE WELDED BUT NO GUARANTEE WOULD HOLD. WE ASK THAT THEY CONTACT CHRSYLER TO SEE IF ANYTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT, BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAPPEN. THEY SAID CHRSYLER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND SAID SINCE IT WAS 6 YEARS OLD, AND HAD THAT MANY MILES ON IT THAT THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. WELL, WE FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE MANUFACTURER THAT BUILT THE TRUCK AND THE FRAME IS SUPPOSE TO LAST, ONE WOULD THINK LONGER THAN 6 YEARS. WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE WE HAVE OWNED OR ANYONE WE KNOW HAS NEVER. WE ALSO HAVE A 1987 CHEVROLET TRUCK AND IT HAS NO PROBLEMS WITH ITS FRAME. AFTER LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM CLOSER, IT APPEARS TO BE WHERE THE FRAME WAS WELDED TOGETHER IS WHERE IT BROKE AND CRACKED. IF I HAD NOT TAKEN IT IN TO GET IT ALIGNED, WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WOULD HAVE TOTALY BROKEN ON THE OTHER SIDE WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES PER HOUR. THE SERVICE DEPT SAID THE ENGINE WAS ABOUT TO FALL OUT THE BOTTOM AND I WAS VERY LUCKY. THEY COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED IT TO BREAK OTHER THAN SAYING IT WAS FROM STRESS. IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT , AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED AS LONG AS I HAVE OWNED IT. I FEEL THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO HELP, BECAUSE I HAD NO PLANS TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE AND NOW I HAVE NO CHOICE UNFORTUNATLY. THIS WILL PUT A VERY BIG FINANCIAL HARDSHIP ON MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. PLEASE HELP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *AK

WHEN THIS PROBLEM FIRST HAPPENED IN 1998, WE TOOK IT TO THE DODGE DEALER HERE IN CHEYENNE, WY AND THEY SAID THE CALIBRATER WAS BAD AND FIXED THE RIGHT SIDE ONLY. WHEN IT STARTED PULLING ON THE LEFT SIDE, IT WAS WORSE. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE FRONTAGE ROAD WHEN A CAR STOPPED SHORT IN FRONT OF HER TO MAKE A TURN AND SHE HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES HARD AND IT JERKED HER INTO THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THERE WAS ALMOST A HEAD ON COLLISION. WE TOOK IT TO OUR MASTER MECHANIC AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND HE TOLD US THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS. HE ALSO SAID YOU CAN'T ONLY FIX ON SIDE. THE FACT THAT MY WIFE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT CHRYSLER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT IS VERY UPSETTING. THE COST TO FIX THIS WAS $500.00 AND THAT WAS ONLY BECAUSE MY WIFE WORKS AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS FIXED. OUR MECHANIC HAD COME FROM THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AS A MASTER TECHNICIAN AND ALSO DRIVES A DODGE. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH CHRYSLER AND THEY NEED TO HELD RESPONSIBLE AND FIX THE PROBLEM. WE DON'T NEED TO LOSE OUR LOVED ONES BECAUSE CHRYSLER DOES'NT FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM.*AK

DURING WHEEL ALIGNMENT IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE WELDS ON THE RECTANGULAR TUBING HAVE DISINTEGRATED, LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEELS ON FRAME .*AK A WELDER AND FRONT END SPECIALIST AGREED THAT THE WELD WAS IMPROPERLY DONE, THE FRAME HAD SEPARATED ENTIRELY ON THE LEFT FRONT, APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY ON THE RIGHT, THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS THE STABILIZER AND THE TIE ROD. *SLC