1996 Dodge Ram 3500 Body & structure Problems

DASH FALLING APART DODGE DOES NOT HAVE REPLACEMENT/CANNOT FIND REPLACMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10712994

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

80,000 mi

I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK IN 2003 AND THE DASH WAS CRACKED. IT SHAKES AND RATTLES WHENEVER I HIT ANY BUMPS IN THE ROAD. DODGE WILL DO NOTHING BUT TRY TO SELL ME ANOTHER DASH AT A SKY HIGH RATE. I'M AFRAID THE DASH WILL COMPLETELY FALL APART WHILE MY WIFE OR I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I AM NOW EXPERIENCING A VACUUM PROBLEM WITH SOME LINES UNDER THE DASH CAUSED BY THIS SINCE THE DASH MOVES SO MUCH. MY ABS LIGHT IS ON, MY CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK AND THE AIRCONDITIONING ONLY BLOWS OUT OF THE DEFROST VENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10192493

Incident

Jun 2, 2007

Mileage

85,000 mi

DRIVER HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. THE FRONT BUMPER FELL OFF AT THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT FRONT BUMPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10109185

Incident

Jan 28, 2005

DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT FOUND THAT THE LEFT FRONT FRAME WAS TOTALLY BROKEN AND THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE WAS CRACKED AND ALMOST TOTALLY BROKEN IN SAME AREA. THEY SAY THAT IT CAN POSSIBLY BE WELDED BUT NO GUARANTEE WOULD HOLD. WE ASK THAT THEY CONTACT CHRSYLER TO SEE IF ANYTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT, BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAPPEN. THEY SAID CHRSYLER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND SAID SINCE IT WAS 6 YEARS OLD, AND HAD THAT MANY MILES ON IT THAT THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. WELL, WE FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE MANUFACTURER THAT BUILT THE TRUCK AND THE FRAME IS SUPPOSE TO LAST, ONE WOULD THINK LONGER THAN 6 YEARS. WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE WE HAVE OWNED OR ANYONE WE KNOW HAS NEVER. WE ALSO HAVE A 1987 CHEVROLET TRUCK AND IT HAS NO PROBLEMS WITH ITS FRAME. AFTER LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM CLOSER, IT APPEARS TO BE WHERE THE FRAME WAS WELDED TOGETHER IS WHERE IT BROKE AND CRACKED. IF I HAD NOT TAKEN IT IN TO GET IT ALIGNED, WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WOULD HAVE TOTALY BROKEN ON THE OTHER SIDE WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES PER HOUR. THE SERVICE DEPT SAID THE ENGINE WAS ABOUT TO FALL OUT THE BOTTOM AND I WAS VERY LUCKY. THEY COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED IT TO BREAK OTHER THAN SAYING IT WAS FROM STRESS. IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT , AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED AS LONG AS I HAVE OWNED IT. I FEEL THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO HELP, BECAUSE I HAD NO PLANS TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE AND NOW I HAVE NO CHOICE UNFORTUNATLY. THIS WILL PUT A VERY BIG FINANCIAL HARDSHIP ON MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. PLEASE HELP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

765617

Incident

Aug 6, 2002

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY FIVE MPH AND PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY A-FRAME WELD BROKE, CAUSING FRAME TO DISCONNECT AND DROP TO GROUND. DEALERSHIP IS IN POSSESSION OF VEHICLE, AND NO DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE FOR REASON OF THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

897867

Incident

Oct 11, 2001

DURING WHEEL ALIGNMENT IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE WELDS ON THE RECTANGULAR TUBING HAVE DISINTEGRATED, LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT WHEELS ON FRAME .*AK A WELDER AND FRONT END SPECIALIST AGREED THAT THE WELD WAS IMPROPERLY DONE, THE FRAME HAD SEPARATED ENTIRELY ON THE LEFT FRONT, APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY ON THE RIGHT, THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS THE STABILIZER AND THE TIE ROD. *SLC

NHTSA ID

894020

Incident

Apr 15, 2001

WATER LEAKS THROUGH SEAMS IN TRUCK.HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP 6 TIMES. WATER STILL LEAKS IN TRUCK TO THE POINT OF POURING OUT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WHEN OPENED. *AK

NHTSA ID

736985

Incident

Jul 1, 2000

CHASSIS CRACKED IN HALF. OWNER MADE THIS DISCOVERY AFTER CRAWLING UNDER THE TRUCK TO LUBE SOME PARTS. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO MANUFACTURER. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. OWNER WANTS DODGE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

860576

Incident

Feb 22, 2000

VEHICLE CONTINUALLY LEAKS WATER INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS HOWEVER CONTINUES TO LEAK WITH STANDING WATER IN VEHICLE. *MJS

NHTSA ID

550517

Incident

Jul 23, 1997

WHILE TRUCK WAS GETTING AN OIL CHANGE THE MECHANIC NOTICED AN OLD FRACTURE THROUGH AN IMPROPER WELD OF THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER A FRAME MEMBER. IT WAS OLD. THERE WAS NO BRIGHT METAL. THIS PROBABLY WAS AN IMPROPER WELD DURING CONSTRUCTION. FORTUNATELY THIS WAS FOUND AND WELDED. THIS COULD EASILY HAVE LED TO A COMPLETE FAILURE WITH VEHICLE LOSS OF CONTROL. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS OF THE FRACTURED WELD.

NHTSA ID

716039

Incident

Jul 6, 1999

TRUCK IS CRACKED FROM THE LOWER END TO FRONT END PART OF BED. PROBLEM WORSENS WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. CAUSE WELDS HAVE BROKEN LOOSE ON VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

824657