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.
The contact owns a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500. While driving 50 mph the transmission suddenly shifted from low gear to high gear and would not shift into any other gear. Within a few minutes after the first failure, the vehicle would no longer shift to a higher gear. The vehicle was taken to a transmission technician where he informed the contact that the failure was common and could not be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired when the complaint was filed. The failure occurred every time the vehicle was in operation. The failure mileage was 91,000.
Vehicle's braking system seemed not to be working properly, taking longer distances to stop. A check of equipment showed all mechanical parts to be fit, and adjusted correctly. Continued to drive vehicle but then had small accident involving braking while going downhill. At this time it was determined I had no brake lights. Diagnostics of the brake light problem determined the combination switch in the steering column was the culprit and had failed, causing loss of brake lights and failure of the transmission to go into coast mode when the brake pedal was applied. This also results in the cruise function to not cancel when brakes are applied. There is no indication of failure through the instrument cluster for this fault. This seems to be a regular problem, as this part is back ordered at the Chrysler dealership. Because of the seriousness of this fault I feel it should be a safety recall, especially since there is no factory part available to repair the condition. My vehicle is still not repaired.
Horn not working hard to get to work... complained to dealer and Dodge. Dodge wouldn't cover under warranty period. Can't use horn to beep. Also transmission went at 36000 - 38000 miles. Transmission shop state band to tight from factory on transmission. Contacted Dodge and they would not help out.
1).we were driving along when the truck, we just got suddenly died. The gas gauge showed 1/4 of a tank. It is a single tank truck, but it was out of gas. When more was added it started up and ran. 2). a heavy rain fell, my sons carseat (latched in the back seat of the quad cab) was so wet the next day I had to wash and dry the padding before it could be used. The windows were shut, locked tight and parked all night. 3). my husband was coming from work a drunk driver suddenly pulled in front of him. Trying everything to stop my husbands truck hit his. The air bags (none of them) went off! they were "on" at the time of impact. My husband was going around 45 miles per hour.4). As my husband started to work the truck suddenly over revved and died. It was said the transmission went out. It was later found it was a sensor went out. New sensor fixed it for about a day and a half. 5). truck shifted funny, lost all oil pressure, and died the motor failed. When it was opened up the cylinder walls were not assembled right at the factory it is a surprise it even made it to 87 thousand miles in the first place. The xxx wall pattern was highly visible and never worn smooth as it should have if it were running properly from the start. Some of the pieces are "missing" also in this motor others are improperly aligned. When he called the dealership it was out of business and the Dodge company says you bought it you got it. Not even 90 thousand miles on it. Now we are stuck with the financial burden of paying for my car payment( as to shuffle the kids around), his replacement car (as to get to work 30+ miles away), and this pile of mistakes in a shell that is suppose to be his truck. This does not even mention the burden of the cost we are suffering from to re build this thing to working order again. To make matters worse; this is just the stuff he has told me about so far, more is being found wrong every time he checks in on it.
- Anna, IL, USA
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The contact complained about an automatic transmission problem. The transmission was slipping out of drive. When the vehicle was taken to the dealership they replaced the transmission under warranty. The transmission started slipping gears again. It was experiencing the same symptoms as before. She has not taken the vehicle to dealer at this time. Updated 11/29/2005 -
98 Dodge 1500. 77000 miles. Transmission continually shifts back and forth between 2nd and 3rd gears and/or 3rd and 4th gears. Fluid and filter are good.
We purchased a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 in October 1999. Shortly after the warranty ran out, the transmission began 'chattering' and jerking periodically like we were driving over a 'rumble strip' on the highway. Took the vehicle to the dealer many times and small adjustments were made. Eventually when the problem could not be corrected and the 'jerking' became nearly continuous, we were told to take the pickup to a transmission shop. There the repairman told us that Dodge pickups kept him in business. That 8 out of 10 of his transmission repair jobs were Dodge pickups. The transmission was completely overhauled and we were given a one year warranty. Shortly before the warranty was to again run out, the old trouble surfaced. Adjustments were made which helped for a few months. The problem surfaced again and now we were told to take the pickup back to the dealer, that the problem must certainly be in the 'computer'. the dealer said we can put a new computer in the pickup but we can't guarantee that will fix the problem and, of course, we won't be able to refund your $400 purchase of a new computer if it doesn't solve the problem. Our choice is, therefore, to continue to drive a malfunctioning Dodge Ram pickup whose transmission will sooner rather than later eventually fail, gamble $400 to see if the computer 'might' fix the problem or trade for another pickup (can't afford this option). We are fed up with Dodge pickups and will likely never purchase from Dodge again. We were a faithful Dodge owner having had six prior Dodge pickups. This pickup has had light duty, has been serviced on a regular basis and has not been abused in any manner. It should be running as good as new. We purchased a Chevrolet lumina new in 1993. It has 204,000 miles on the odometer now and has had under $1,000 lifetime repair, needs no oil between changes and still runs great. We take care of our vehicles.
Problem occured on May 1 2005. A child climbed into vehcile and moved the gear shift and the vehicle rolled. Owner caught the vehicle before it imacted the house, but the bumper did scrape the house. The gear shift was moved from park into gear. Parking break was not set. Child was in vehicle while it was in motion.
Contact stated: 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 truck. Hood popped up at 45 mph. Secondary latch did not catch, it just went right up. Did not hit a bump in the road. Vehicle was on smooth road. Also, had to have the whole front end/ rear end and transmission rebuilt.
My transmission seems to be slipping when going in and out of firts ans second gear. I have taken it to shops to have it diagnosed and keep getting a runaround. After alot of reading and speaking to machanics and dealers, they have all pointed to major problems with the transmission which the manufacturer should do something about. There are hundreds of cases about bad transmissions on these vehicles. Something has got to be done. I have another appointment this weekend for someone else to look at it. I dont know of any other options. It needs to be addressed, people are spending so much money on looking for fixes.
Ltr fm carl schoener (SC) inquiring on the status of his vehicle owner's questionnaire re the defective transmission on his 1999 Dodge truck 1500 van, he never rec'd an acknowledgement that rpt was rec'd, reply directly to constituent. While putting the vehicle in the garage, it bounced off a center support post, veered to one side and then plowed into the consumer's back door.
Transmission: Since I have purchased my truck late in 1999, the transmission hasn't worked properly. I took in early on because when shifting from forward to reverse, there was this slapping noise. The dealer in joliet said that was a normal thing. Now some times when accelerating, the shifting seems somewhat sluggish. I know of a number of people who have Dodge trucks with transmission problems. One has had it replaced twice and finally just this past summer traded for a GMC truck and the others still have theirs but are complaining of the same existing problems. When I do get another truck, I will not even consider a Dodge, it will probably be a GMC or even a Ford as much as I dislike Ford. My 1999 truck has 62000 miles on it and sets in the garage most of the time.
Purchased vehicle with 49,000 miles on it August 2002 since it has been back to the dealer a minumum of 7 times brakes wore out and in to the drums, check engine light on engine not running properly and 5 times for transmission problems not one time has the vehicle been repaired other than for brakes which I had to threaten with a complaint to the state police because of having a new inspection sticker on the vehicle iam still having problems with transmission was told needed a new unit now since out of warranty even though I have documentation it was having problems be fore warranty ran out; now I was told that the performance and runnibility and oil consumption problem is due to a intake gasket failure. A real piece of quality junk Dodge is putting out. Maybe thats why they went away from their 7/70000 mile warranty on these models.
Dodge 1999 Ram 4X4, I've taken the truck in from the very beginning about the transmission and they test drove it and said they could not find anything wrong. Now that the warranty is up the transmission needs to be replaced and Dodge won't fix it even though I saved all the papers from the work done.
Automatic transmission failure - vehicle started to skip when shifting from 1st gear to second gear. Took it to the dealer and was told I was 200 miles out of warranty and they could not fix it under warranty (even though I had been having problems for a month before that and hadn't time to get in to get it looked at). Was told that other transmissions were also failing, but Dodge would not do anything. I am a former Chrysler employee, as is my father. Always been loyal to Chrysler products, but after this, I can't tell enough people to buy foreign and not domestic - cheap quality and poor customer service. They sell you a vehicle and the problems are yours - too bad. Finally got some help from the Chrysler corporate center Michigan.first dealer said "passing cable was problem, then later on found transmission was fault. A rebuilt one was installed, and now that too is having problems. This vehicle is used only to go to and from work and around town. No heavy hauling, heavy towing (do haul push mower and hand trimmer, rake, etc) or any heavy driving. Truck is maintained on schedule - treated with care like a kid.
I bought my truck in 1999 and had to replace the transmission a week ago. The mechanic who replaced it explained there is a defective valve in the transmission fluid line that sticks when driving on the highway denying the transmission fluid thereby burning it up. Chrysler is aware of this defect but refuses to own up to the defect. They replaced my transmission with another defective transmission which I was told the day after installing the new transmission would need to be replaced again. I called Chrysler to ask what they intend to do regarding not only owning up the defective valve but also what they were willing to do for me due to the inconvenience of having to not have my vehicle for a week until they can replace the transmission again, and was told they were willing to do nothing on either issue.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Scotia, NY, USA