1999 Dodge RAM Van

APRIL 2004 A LOSS OF OIL PRECLUDED PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE AT 46,000 MILES IN MY 1999 DODGE RAM 2500 VAN. MAY 1, 2010 THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WITH 36,000 MILES EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL THAT REGISTERED ON MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE. THREE QUARTS OF OIL WERE REQUIRED TO BRING THE OIL TO NORMAL VOLUME. I HAVE CONTINUED REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND ENGINE MAINTENANCE. THE REBUILT ENGINE I WAS SOLD REPLACED THE FAILED ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FAILED ENGINE I WAS TOLD THAT I FOLLOWED ALL MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. I FEAR THIS IS A RE-OCCURRENCE OF THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM THAT WILL LEAD AND MAY BE INHERENT IN THE ENGINES USED IN THIS VEHICLE. IMPROPER LUBRICATION IN AN ENGINE CAN LEAD TO PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. NHTSA ITEM 610005 AND 606035 SHOWS THAT CHRYSLER/DODGE KNOWS OF A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE THAT LEADS TO OIL LOSS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE DROPPED TO 0 PSIG. IT HAD BEEN APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES SINCE MY LAST OIL CHANGE. WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION TO CHECK THE OIL, I DISCOVERED MY OIL WAS ABOUT 3 QUARTS LOW. I PURCHASED 3 QTS OF OIL AND INSTALLED IT IN THE ENGINE AND CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS THE REST OF THE WAY HOME (GAUGE DROPPING TO 0 PSI, BUT NO REAL NOTICEABLE CLACKING OF LIFTERS). I EXPERIENCED THIS SORT OF PROBLEM IN 2002 WHEN MY 1999 DODGE RAM VAN (318 CI) WENT ON A TRIP TO NY AND USED ABOUT 12 QUARTS OF OIL WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. TWO MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAD TO FIGHT LIKE CRAZY WITH CHRYSLER TO COVER IT (I ENDED UP HAVING TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE TO GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED). I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT WITH THE VAN WHICH IS NOW ALMOST SEVEN YEARS OLD WITH 55,000 MILES. NOT A VERY DEPENDABLE MACHINE AND PROMISE TO NEVER OWN ANOTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT AS LONG AS I LIVE. *NM

/18/05 1999 DODGE RAM VAN 360 CI V-8 I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN THE SUMMER OF 2000. I DRIVE IT VERY LITTLE-CURRENT MILEAGE IS 37,000 AFTER 5 YRS. OWNERSHIP. WE JUST TOOK A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA, AND WENT THROUGH ALMOST A CASE OF OIL! ALSO, THE ENGINE WAS PINGING QUITE A BIT-ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I GOT ON THE INTERNET WHEN I GOT HOME FROM THE TRIP, AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND COMMENTS FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. A COUPLE OF THEM REFERRED TO A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY DODGE, BUT I COULDN'T FIND IT (PROBABLY NOT AVAILABLE TO THE CONSUMER). I CALLED KARI DODGE (LOCAL DEALERSHIP) AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM-SAID IT WAS COMMON AMONG 1999 AND 2000 318 AND 360 ENGINES. HE SAID THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, AND THAT I SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING IT, BECAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE COULD RESULT. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT-AND THE COST WILL BE $540 TO MAKE THE REPAIR. LOOKING BACK IN TIME, I FIRST NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS PINGING AROUND 3 YEARS AGO, ON A PREVIOUS TRIP TO CALIFORNIA (IT'S MOST NOTICEABLE ON EXTENDED HIGHWAY TRIPS-WHICH I DON'T TAKE VERY OFTEN). I WOULD GUESS THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 20,000, WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT THE WARRANTY WOULD HAVE COVERED THE REPAIR. I JUST THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO LOW OCTANE FUEL, SO I STARTED USING HIGHER OCTANE FUEL. THEN, OF COURSE, FROM THAT TIME ON, I HAVE MAINLY BEEN USING THE VEHICLE IN TOWN AND RARELY GO OVER 50 MPH, WHICH MAKES THE PROBLEM LESS NOTICEABLE. I REALLY FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE FOR DODGE. ON TOP OF THAT, IT MAKES ME VERY UNHAPPY THAT A POTENTIALLY ENGINE DAMAGING DEFECT LIKE THIS COULD BE ALLOWED TO EXIST-WITHOUT SOME SORT OF NOTIFICATION TO THE OWNER. I SUPPOSE IF THEY DID THAT MUCH, THEN IT WOULD BE AN ADMISSION OF GUILT ON THEIR PART. *JB