Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Dodge Ram 3500 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
DASH IS ALL CRACKED UP ALLOWING SHARP PLASTIC PROJECTILES IN AND ABOUT THE CAB THAT CAN CUT YOU IN A WRECK SUN GETTING ON ELECTRICAL WIRES DESTROYING THEM AND NOW SHORTS AND SOMETIMES DONT WORK RIGHT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR A THROTTLE CABLE REPAIR MARCH 2010 BUT THE DEALER ONLY REPLACED THE THROTTLE CABLE AND NO OTHER REQUIRED PARTS THAT WOULD KEEP THE CABLE FROM FAILING. AS A RESULT, THE CABLE BECAME LOOSE TWICE AFTER THE REPAIR WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FAILED THROTTLE TWICE. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AS THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC AT THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED HER THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE THROTTLE ROD BALL, THE BALL STUD, THROTTLE CABLE STUD, THE THROTTLE ROD THREAD (LEFT AND RIGHT) AND THE THROTTLE RETURN SPRING. IN ADDITION TO THE THROTTLE FAILURE, CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT REPAIR PERFORMED JUNE 2009 DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM; THE HEADLIGHT PLASTIC AND SWITCH MELTED EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT; THE MANUFACTURER EXPLAINED THAT THE THROTTLE FAILURE WAS NOT DUE TO A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT BUT INSTEAD TO THE DEALERS POOR WORKMANSHIP. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 221,010. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 221,061.
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT FAILURE---CHECKED ON LINE FOUND RECALL # 819---WENT TO CHRYSLER DEALER---WAS ADVISED THAT THE RECALL HAD BEEN DONE ON THAT VIN# AND CHRYSLER HAD NO OBLIGATION---I PULLED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND FOUND THAT IT WAS DAMAGED, THE CONNECTOR MELTED AND NO RELAY PACK SPECIFIED IN THE RECALL FIX-----IT WAS APPEARS THE RECALL WAS PENCIL WHIPPED AND THE REPAIR WAS NEVER MADE------HOW DO YOU INSURE THAT RECALLS ARE REALLY DONE AND HOW MANY MORE LIKE MINE ARE OUT THERE???????? *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 3500. THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF AND THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. THE LIGHT SWITCH ALSO OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED AT 63,557 MILES FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V024000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH). THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT SERVICE THE VEHICLE AGAIN UNDER THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 201,135.
THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED.*DT *JB
PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR RECALL 99V024000 REPAIRS FOR HEADLIGHTS. *AK
CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER 0FF ROAD AND LEFT VEHICLE RUNNING TO ASSIST ANOTHER MOTORIST. WHEN HE RETURNED TO VEHICLE, THERE WAS SMOKE INSIDE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH DASHBOARD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT HEADLIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
TRANSMISSION DEFECTIVE CAUSING TORQUE CONVERTER TO LOCK UP, REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NECESSARY. MJS
WHILE DRIVING, ALL OF THE VEHICLE LIGHTS WENTOUT. HEADLIGHTS,PARKING LIGHTSS, AND MARKER LIGHTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .