2000 Dodge 1500 Powertrain (other) Problems

DRIVING MY VEHICLE DOWN A CITY STREET I STARTED TO APPROACH A STOP SIGN. AS THE VEHICLE CAME ALMOST TO A STOP I HEARD A SCRAPING NOISE AND THEN THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STOPPED. WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE ENGINE WOULD REV AND THE TRUCK WOULD ACT LIKE IT WAS IN PARK WHILE IN "D". I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK TO INSPECT AND FOUND MY DRIVESHAFT WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, TO THE TRANSFER CASE. NO ABNORMAL NOISES WERE HEARD PRIOR TO THIS, OR ANY RUNNING ISSUES THAT WOULD HAVE INDICATED A PROBLEM. THE TRUCK WILL NOT MOVE IN FORWARD POSITION, BUT WILL ROLL BACKWARDS IN NEUTRAL. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE DRIVESHAFT FROM THE TRANSFER CASE AND INSPECT, I FOUND THAT THE PINION NUT HAD BACKED OFF AND WAS STILL ENCASED INSIDE THE REAR FLANGE ATTACHED TO THE DRIVESHAFT & U-JOINT. FLUID HAD BEEN BLOWN OUT AND COVERED ALL OF THE REAR AXLE AND DIFFERENTIAL. I WAS ABLE TO ROLL MY VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL BACKWARDS OUT OF THE ROADWAY. WE HAULED VEHICLE HOME USING ONE OF OUR OTHER VEHICLES AND A TRAILER WITH A COME-A-LONG WENCH. VEHICLE IS STILL NOT REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE DIRECTLY AT THE DEALER AS WELL AS THROUGH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE CHAT. BOTH INSTRUCTED ME THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE AT THIS TIME. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I FIX THE VEHICLE AND THAT IF A RECALL WAS RELEASED AT A LATER DATE THEN REIMBURSEMENT COULD POTENTIALLY BE ISSUED. THE REASON I CONTACTED DODGE WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MODEL YEARS THAT ARE SLIGHTLY NEWER THAN MY VEHICLE. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR ALMOST 300K VEHICLES FOR THIS EXACT SAME COMPLAINT. I FEEL DODGE SHOULD HAVE DONE FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO HOW LONG THEY HAD BEEN USING THIS PARTICULAR DESIGN FOR THEIR REAR DIFFERENTIAL PINION NUT AND EXTENDED THE RECALL FURTHER.

NHTSA ID

11115769

Incident

May 28, 2018

Mileage

199,418 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A DIRT ROAD AT ABOUT 35MPH. THE REAR END OF MY 2000 DODGE RAM 1500 SPORT 4X4 STARTED GRINDING. I STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT HIT THE PAVEMENT. I CAME TO A STOP AND LOOKED UNDER MY TRUCK. THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT WAS HANGING AND THE PINION GEAR WAS POINTED UP TOWARDS THE BED. I TRIED TO MOVE THE TRUCK FARTHER OFF THE ROAD AND THE REAR END WAS FROZE UP. ONCE I GOT IT TO A MECHANIC WE DISCOVERED THAT THE PINION NUT HAD BACKED ITSELF OFF THE PINION GEAR, CAUSING THE PINION GEAR TO GET WEDGED IN THE OTHER GEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10648294

Incident

Oct 9, 2014

Mileage

183,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 13V038000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXPECTED DATE FOR THE REMEDY PART TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10550374

Incident

Apr 10, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL OVER TO INSPECT THE FAILURE WHEN THE TRANSFER CASE EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND AS THE VEHICLE ARRIVED, THE DRIVE SHAFT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

10457876

Incident

May 5, 2012

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THERE WAS A SQUEALING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 74,200. UPDATED 1/21/11 THE CLUTCH PACK RETAINER FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE DIFFERENTIAL POST UNIT. UPDATED 03/23/11

NHTSA ID

10364160

Incident

Nov 3, 2010

Mileage

74,200 mi

FRONT AND REAR AXLE SEALS LEAKING ON DRIVERS SIDE. RUBBING SOUND ON FRONT WHEEL WHEN CORNERING. DROVE STRAIGHT TO MECHANICS WHEN SOUND HEARD. FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS BAD CAUSING SOUND, WAS TOLD IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. REPLACED AXLE SEALS AT TIME OF WHEEL BEARING. WHILE REPLACING REAR AXLE SEALS MECHANICS FOUND A RETAINING WASHER HALF SHATTERED IN REAR DIFFERENTIAL THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH PLATES SOLID FOR THE ANTI-SPIN DIFFERENTIAL. WAS TOLD THAT IF ANY MORE SHATTERS OFF THIS COULD HAVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES, INCLUDING HAVING THE REAR AXLE LOCK UP SOLID WHILE DRIVING. MUST HAVE REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10139766

Incident

Oct 12, 2005

Mileage

57,000 mi

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE RAM 4X4. MY TRUCK HAD 56,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE POSI UNIT IN THE REAR END EXPLODED AND TORE UP THE GEARING IN THE REAR END. I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK DOWN I-95 WHEN THIS HAPPED I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING WAS WRONG I GOT OFF 95 AND THANK GOD I DID ABOUT A MILE DOWN LANTANA ROAD I LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND THE REAR TIRE STARTED LOCKING UP. THERE WERE 3 OF US IN THE TRUCK IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON I-95 I DONT KNOW IF WE WOULD STILL BE HERE. DODGE BUILT THESE TRUCKS KNOWING THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE REAR END ALONG WITH MINE THERE WERE 5 OTHERS WITH IN MILES OF EACH OTHER ALL WITH THE SAME REAR END PROBLEM. I CONTACTED DODGE AND ASK THEM WHY THIS PROBLEM HASD NOT BEEN FIXED OR RECALLED THERE ANSWER WAS THEY DID NOT CARE. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN DODGE RAMS WITH A POSI REAR END WE GOT LUCKY BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER MILLIONS WHO HAVE ONE OF THESE TRUCKS. MY TRUCK IS A 2000 AND I THINK THE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY CORRECTED IN 2003. SO THIS PROBLEM IS IN 96-98 TO 2002 THATS A LOT OF TRUCKS BARRELING DOWN THE STREETS THAT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT THE DRIVERS CAN LOSE TOTAL CONTROL OF WITH OUT ANY WARNING. THINK OF THE ACCIDENTS A 1/2 TON OR 3/4 TUN TRUCK WILL CAUSE WHEN YOU CANT STEER IT OR IF YOU LOSE THE REAR AXLE AND YOUR TIRES GO ROLLING DOWN THE ROAD WITH OUT THE TRUCK. DODGE SHOULD BE RESPONSABLE FOR THIS AND TO FIX ALL THESE TRUCKS. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE OR ALREADY HAVE BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. LIKE I WAS TOLD BY MANY PEOPLE " WE GOT LUCKY" BUT THERE ARE THOSE THAT WONT.

NHTSA ID

10133604

Incident

Jul 10, 2005

Mileage

56,500 mi

TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING IN OVERDRIVE. TOOK TO DEALER WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. 1 1/2 WEEKS LATER. ON CHRISTMAS. STOPPED AT STOP SIGN. WENT TO GO AND HAD NO FOWARD GEARS. LUCKILY THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. STILL WAITING FOR A RESPONSE.

NHTSA ID

10000387

Incident

Dec 25, 2002

Mileage

59,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY. DEALER COULDN'T SOLVE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

859013