This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Coil spring towers reinforcements - as per the recall for the 1994 and 1995 Dodge Ram 1500 pickups (safety recall 835) the coil spring towers of a 1998 has developed cracks in the left side tower. This vehicle has not been off road, strictly on highway and street. This was found during another repair of said vehicle.
The contact owns a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that while performing maintenance on the vehicle, he noticed that the coil spring bracket on both sides was excessively corroded. The contact did not take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer and manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 240,000.
My 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 quad cab is located in new england where road salt is used in the winter. The undercarriage is rusting because of this, the most dangerous aspect, however is the coil spring front mounts, or buckets that hold the bottom springs to the front axel assembly. Dodge hasn't offered to recall Dodge trucks to repair this dangerous design flaw, whereby the coil mounts were insufficiently coated, and improperly designed to trap salty water in them to accelerate the oxidation process. This is not unlike the safety issue Ford Windstar minivans had with their axles that trapped salty water during winter and caused them to rot out and snap causing injury and death. My close friend who owns a mid 1990's Dodge Ram truck, who had his coil spring bucket actually fail causing his front end to lunge forward, he was driving slowly when it happened so he wasn't injured. I haven't been able to find any data on injuries related to failure of the coil spring mounts, that doesn't mean they haven't occurred. Dodge should be required to at the very least, provide a kit to truck owners that repairs this problem free of charge.
I own a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 pickup I was driving a friend and her daughter to the dentist I passed a logging truck when I got back in my lane as I was slowing down the truck shuddered and lost power I pulled off the road the only place I could pull off I hit it the was almost off the nut holding the tire rotor on the shaft snapped off the tow home was over 500 dollars after getting truck I broke out my shop manuals out the brg pack was burned I replaced from front differential out to tires with oem parts to the tune of 1100 dollars within a mth the left front tire came off as I was turning into my drive way again replaced from front differential out to tire this time cost about 850 6 mths latter coming home I feel front vibration hang on to wheel my drivers side front tire rotor caliper fly off I slide better part of 75 feet grinding off lower ball joint after being towed home looking at tire rim caliper rotor I decide to replace the entire front end cost of 650 dollars from a wrecking yard believe the problem front to light for weight also the viscosity of greese in brg pack to light breaking down causing brg to get hot and seize up causing tire rim caliper H rotor to fly off have saved all old parts.
The vehicle's lower ball joints failed at 38,000 miles. The cause has yet to be determined. The consumer found that both the driver and passenger side lower ball joints were "greased out." The upper ball joint on the driver's side was out of suspension and greased out.
- Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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Consumers vehicle ran into a trailer on his property and ABS was defective, also brake drums were rusted, dealership was aware of problem. Consumer stated that headache bar and fuel tank, tires, fuel filter, steering stabilizer, front shocks, rear shocks, air filter, rear axle seal and fluid, rear transfer case seal and U-joints in rear drive shaft failed and replaced.
Vehicle was going 10-15mph onto an exit ramp and back end started swaying left and right. Road was dry. Consumer let off gas and tapped the brakes lightly, and shortly vehicle came to a stop.
We started to have problems with the van since it was purchased, we went back to the dealer rigth after we noticed a few problems with the van, such as car pulling to the rigth and a loud thump sound coming from the rigth rear side every time we pass those speed bumps. And when they inspected the van they (the dealer technicians), told me that a shock absorver needed to be replace and alignment was needed as well. After this two things were done, everything went down the hill....when I drove home the van I noticed that van was pulling still to the rigth and a noise was coming from the left front suspension when braking, is more like a cracking noise, I'll mention that this was't happening all the time, but the pulling to the rigth was. We went back with them, they aligned again...but, this time the van was not pulling to the rigth but to the left instead, this happend when driving straigth or when braking as well, we went back to the same dealer, but after some attempsof fixing this problem and a very unpleasent experiences with their (customer representaives) at desplaines Dodge dealer, not to try again wih them, we contacted Chrysler representatives, and told them about the very dumb comment the customer representative of desplaines Dodge dealer, that they suggested to take the van to a 5 stars shop the comment the customer representative made was (that the van was pulling to the rigth because it was a safety feature build in the van to prevent people wander to the to the left in case the fell sleep, this was a very dumb thing to said. So finally we went to that 5 stars dealer, and a (big) inprovement was achieve, the van was pulling less but on this occasion instead of pulling to rigth it started to pull to the left and the steering wheel was not straight, it was croocked to the left and before was to the right. I noticed more play on the steering wheel. I'll mention that ever since we have this van in our possession the steering wheel never th.
Vehicle vibration, some at 22mph, worst at 43mph, dealer balanced tires 1st time in, still vibrated. Took back in 4 weeks later, dealer said 3 tires were way out of balance. Balanced again, still vibrates. Vibration intensity changes when wheels are rotated.
With the motor off the vehicle rolled on its own, causing vehicle to hit a pole. This is the third time the vehicle has rolled for no reason. Consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and they adjusted the linkage on the vehicle and they don't know what the problems is.
Vehicle consumes large volumes of oil in short periods. Also, the vehicle vibrates in the steering column area, cause unknown. Vehicle vibrates allover at speeds between 35-65 mph now. Vibration started 45-55 mph when new.
While driving the vehicle at 55 mph the vehicle went to the right then to the left, going into oncoming traffic. Also, while applying the brakes the pedal went straight to the floorboard, consumer had to pump the brakes two to three times to get the vehicle to come to a complete stop. The vehicle has been in for repairs seven times, and the dealer still can't find the problem. Power steering pump was faulty.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Snellville, GA, USA