1999 Dodge RAM 3500

THE FAILURE OF THESE ITEMS OCCURED ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT MAXIMUM LEGAL SPEED AND HAD I NOT BEEN A SKILLED PROFESSIONAL DRIVER 8 TO 10 PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER DRIVERS WITH THIS PROBLEM MANY OF US HAVE BEEN KEPT QUIET BY HAVING OUR TRUCKS REPOSSESED AND SUED OUT OF BUSINESS. SOME OF THE OTHER DRIVERS WERE NOT AS LUCKY AS I AND HAD NASTY ACCIDENTS. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK

THE 5TH GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION HAS A RETAINING NUT THAT BACKS OFF AND ALLOWS THE 5TH GEAR ASSEMBLY TO BECOME DISENGAGED WHILE RIDING DOWN THE ROAD. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS FROM TOWING WITH THE VEHICLE IN 5TH GEAR. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL ABOUT THIS BEING AN ISSUE. I ALSO CONTACTED SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE AND THEY HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. ALSO THE DEALER WANTED $1200 DOLLARS TO MAKE THE REPAIR AND I SAID NO THAT WAS TOO HIGH. THEY CALLED ME BACK LATER AND SAID IT WOULD BE $760 DOLLARS. I STILL SAID NO AND THAT I WAS COMING TO INSPECT THE BAD PARTS. UPON ARRIVAL THEY SHOWED ME SEVERAL PARTS AND SAID THAT DODGE MADE THEM REPLACE CERTAIN PARTS TO COVER ANY OTHER WARRANTY CLAIMS. THE ONLY PART DAMAGED WAS THE RETAINING NUT FOR THE 5TH GEAR AND THAT IS ALL THAT I WOULD ALLOW THEM TO REPLACE. THE FINAL COST FOR MY REPAIR WAS $460, MOST BEING LABOR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT DODGE HAS HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS THAT THEY NOW HAVE REDESIGNED THE RETAINING NUT TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM. TO ME FOR THIS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT HAS REQUIRED PART REDESIGN, IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A SAFETY RECALL. IF SOME ONE HAD BEEN BEHIND ME THE NIGHT MINE FAILED THEY WOULD HAVE REAR-ENDED ME. DODGE IS MAKING MONEY ON REPAIRS THAT THEY CAUSED FROM USE OF FAULTY PARTS.*AK

VEHICLE WOULD WANDER AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT LINE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE THREE TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND REPLACED DRAG LINK WHICH RAN FROM FRAME TO AXLE THAT PREVENTS SIDE TO SIDE MOVEMENT, BUT DID NOT PREVENT PROBLEM FROM REOCCURRING. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT 97000/ 102000, AND 104000 MILES WITHIN THE LAST 9 MONTHS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

LUGS: NUTS ON RIGHT FRONT TIRE CAME LOOSE WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION AT 65 MPH, RESULTING IN SEVERE VIBRATION. CONSUMER REPAIRED PROBLEM IN HIS OWN SHOP, AND DEALERSHIP WAS NOT CONTACTED. ON JUNE 8TH, 2001, LUGS: NUTS ON RIGHT REAR (DUAL) WHEEL CAME LOOSE, AND FELL OFF WHICH CAUSED ONE OF THE BOLTS TO BREAK WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. CONSUMER NOTICED VIBRATION AND STOPPED IMMEDIATELY TO EXAMINE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

VEHICLE WAS COMING TO A STOP AND UPPER BALL JOINT ON THE LEFT SIDE POPPED OUT. IT FELT LIKE VEHICLE HIT A POTHOLE. FRONT TIRE WAS OUT AT BOTTOM AND TOP TOWARD THE CENTER OF VEHICLE. ALSO, STEERING WHEEL WENT TO A 25 DEGREE TO KEEP IT STRAIGHT IN ROAD. THIS WAS SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO RIGHT SIDE. FIRST TIME DEALER FIXED IT. BUT, CONSUMER DID NOT WANT THEM TO REPAIR IT AGAIN BECAUSE PROBLEM WAS NOT BEING RECTIFIED. CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO GO THROUGH ARBITRATION. *AK THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES, CONSUMER FILED ARBITRATION AND IT WAS RULED THAT CHRYSLER BUY BACK THE VEHICLE. *SLC

INTERMITTENTLY BRAKES LOCK UP WHITH LIGHT PRESSURE. ONE DEALER HAS DUPLICATED PROBLEM, BUT COULD NOT REPAIR IT. *AK THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS FOUND LEAKING AND WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE FRONT BRAKES WILL LOCK AND THE REAR BRAKES WILL ROLL FREE, SOMETIMES IT IS THE OPPOSITE THAT OCCURS, WHEN THE ABS GRABS, IT LETS GO TOO LONG BEFORE IT GRABS AGAIN, DEALER REFUSES TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX IT, DODGE CUSTOMER HOT LINE LEFT A MESSAGE FOR CONSUMER STATING NOT TO CALL THEM ANYMORE. *SLC

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING FM DT OF PURCHASE. REQUESTED TRANS.INSPECTION AUG 3,2000, DEALER DID. SEPT 27 2000, TRANS FAILURE, DEALER REBUILT. NOV 3,2000, LESS THAN 2000 MILES AFTER REBUILD, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON.TOOK TO DEALER,THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS INCONCLUSIVE. NOV. 27 2000,TRANS FAILURE , TRANS REPLACED FOR SECOND TIME. JAN 2001, TOOK TRUCK TO DEALER,TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, FAILING TO REACH NEXT GEAR, TOOK TO DEALER, THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG,FEB 2001 (CURRENT) VIBRATION, PLAN TO TAKE BACK TO DEALER.FOR 5TH TIME. *AK