1996 Dodge Ram 2500 Engine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DOWNSHIFT AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO ANY GEARS. HE WAS FORCED TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 151,000. UPDATED 8/28/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE EXHAUST FLANGE WAS LEAKING, WHICH IN TURN MELTED THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH LINE WHICH WAS PLASTIC AND WITHIN INCHES OF THE EXHAUST. UPDATED 09/03/09

NHTSA ID

10279664

Incident

Jul 25, 2009

Mileage

151,000 mi

WE HAVE A 1996 DODGE TRUCK RAM P/U 2500 2DOOR E WITH 78,155 MILES. THE SLEEVE THREADING FOR THE OIL PLUG TO SCREW INTO UNDER THE OIL PAN BROKE DURING A CHRYSLER MILEAGE DRIVEN MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR MY RAM PICKUP CUMMINS DIESEL. THERE HAVE BEEN 17 OIL CHANGES DONE UP TO NOW. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE BREAKAGE WAS DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT. THE DEALERSHIP GAVE ME 2 OPTIONS FOR REPAIR: 1. UPGRADE TO THE NEW DESIGN OIL TANK WITH PLUG AND SLEEVE THREADING THAT ELIMINATED THIS PROBLEM. THE OLD AND NEW OIL TANK PARTS ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. 2. TRY TO USE SILICONE TO SEAL THE OIL LEAK. I NEEDED MY TRUCK WORKING AS IT WAS BEFORE THE BREAKAGE SO I PAID $923.47 FOR THE UPGRADED NEW OIL PAN DESIGN. IS THIS NORMAL FOR THE THREADS TO BREAK AFTER 17 OIL CHANGES? WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP IN DETERMING IF THIS A LEGITIMATE COST THAT WE MUST PAY OR IF THE MANUFACTURERE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PART OF THE COST. ALSO, IF YOU KNOW OF OTHER AGENCIES THAT MAY BE ABLE TO HELP US, WE WOULD APPRECIATE INFORMATION ABOUT THEM.

NHTSA ID

10122161

Incident

May 23, 2005

THE ENGINE RACED AT A HIGH RPM WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IDLING AS IT SLOWED DOWN. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL WHICH SLOWED THE ENGINE. THE DEALERSHIP PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST IN WHICH NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS UNDETERMINED. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK AN EDUCATED GUESS AND REPLACED THE AIS MOTOR AND TPS SENSOR AND DID SOME GENERAL CLEANING. THUS FAR THE PROBLEM HASN'T RECURRED. *LA *NM

NHTSA ID

10074413

Incident

May 15, 2004

Mileage

75,000 mi

OCCASIONALLY, EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN STARTING THE ENGINE, STALLS IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING AND DURING LONG DISTANCE DRIVING, EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT FIRING, LIKE TREMBLING.*JB

NHTSA ID

10010351

Incident

Mar 6, 2003

MY TRUCK DEVELOPED A RUNNING PROBLEM AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE CONVERTER IS PLUGGED. THEN I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT SINCE I PUT A NON CHRYSLER PART ON MY TRUCK WHICH CAUSED THE FAILER THAT THEY WAS GOING TO VOID MY WARRENTY. WELL THE PART I PUT ON IS A SET OF CARB. CERTIFIED CAT FORWARD HEADERS. I DID NOT ALTER THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE FACTORY CONVERTER REMAINED AND UNTOUCHED. I WENT TO CHRYSLER WITH INFO FROM THE HEADER MANUFACTOR AND WITH THE MAGNUSON MOSS ACT THAT SAYS THE DEALER CAN NOT VOID MY WARRENTY FOR PUTTING THIS PRODUCT ON MY TRUCK. IT ALSO STATES THAT THE DEALER HAS TO PROVE THAT THE PART I PUT ON MY TRUCK WAS THE REASON FOR THE CONVERTER FAILER. WHICH THEY DIDNT DO. THEY JUST TOLD ME THAT THEY VOIDED MY WARRENTY AND THAT IS IT. WELL SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CONVERTER 3 MORE TIMES AT MY EXPENSE. AND EACH TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THE WARRENTY IS VOIDED AND THEY WERE NOT GOING TO HELP ME. I THEN TOOK MY TRUCK TO A SHOP TO TEST OUT MY ELECTRONICS AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE CONTROLL MODULE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I THEN WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THE WARRENTY IS VOIDED. THEN MY WIFE TOOK MY TRUCK INTO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE AFT OXYGEN SENSER AND CHARGED HER $260.00 TOO. WELL NOW AFTER THAT THE CONVERTER IS STARTING TO FAIL AGAIN. I MAINTAINE MY TRUCK TO THE BEST OPERATING CONDITION POSSIBLE. THE DEALER AND CHRYSLER HAVE REFUSED TO TALK WITH ME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ANY MORE. ALL I WANT IS MY TRUCK TO RUN. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW IN MAY 1996. I HAVE HAD 3 TRANSMISSONS REPLACED AND THE INTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM OVER HAULED MY DODGE. IF YOU NEED ANY MORE INFO PLEASE CONTACT ME ANYTIME. THANK YOU. STEVE.*AK

NHTSA ID

765227

Incident

Jan 8, 2000

WHEN ENGINE IS COLD ENGINE DIES WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP THIS PICKUP WAS TAKEN TO COLIESUM MOTORS ON TWICE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, THE FIRST TIME THEY INFORMED ME THIS WAS NORMAL FOR A DIESEL THIS IS THE 4TH DODGE DIESEL I HAVE OWNED NONE OF THE OTHERS HAD THIS DEFECT. THE SECOND TIME I RETURNED THE VEHICLE THEY SET THE IDLE UP TO 900 RPM THIS WOULD PUSH THE VEHICLE THRU STOP SIGNS AND I HAD TO RIDE THE BRAKES TO KEEP IT UNDER 30 MPH.EVERY TIME I RETURN THIS VEHICLE TO COLIESUM MOTORS THEY CHARGE ME FOR SOME REPAIR THAT DOES NOTHING TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT.THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP WITH THIS SITUATION. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER NUMEROUS TIMES BUT THEY ARE NO HELP.*AK

NHTSA ID

740418

Incident

Aug 1, 1999

IF THE VEHICLE SITS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IT DOES NOT START. IT MAY START UP FOR JUST A SECOND THEN CUTS OFF. CONTACTED DEALER. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A STEEP HILL AND CONSUMER GOES TO START IT, IT TAKES 5-8 SECONDS FOR A VACUUM TO BUILD UP TO HOLD VEHICLE. EMERGENCY BRAKES HAVE TO BE ON OR THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS. THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF A DIESEL ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID

847832

Incident

Jan 25, 1996

THE UNDER PART OF THE CARGO AREA OF THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE MUFFLER CATCHING FIRE, AND THERE WAS ALSO A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK. DEALER REPLACED MUFFLER AND FUEL TANK. *AK

NHTSA ID

833815

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER

NHTSA ID

701928

Incident

Apr 15, 1997

ENGINE IS UNDERPOWERED AND EXPERIENCES POOR FUEL ECONOMY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE MILEAGE GETS BETTER AS THE ENGINE BREAKS IN. AT 40,000 MILES A SECOND OPINION WAS GIVEN WHICH STATED THAT THERE WERE ENGINE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AGAIN, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

822974

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

ENGINE O-RING FAILURE CAUSING LEAKING.

NHTSA ID

604654

Incident

Jun 1, 1996

ENGINE JERKS INTO GEAR WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ID

605028

EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE FAILED.

NHTSA ID

602907

Incident

Dec 1, 1996

PULLING TANK IN SOFT FIELD, VEHICLE GOT VERY HOT, SUDDENLY WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

984271

Incident

May 5, 1996