1998 Dodge Ram 3500 Transmission Problems

ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE RETAINING NUT FOR FIFTH-GEAR HAS FAILED. DEALER OFFERED REPAIR KIT... CONTAINED NEW MAIN SHAFT FOR TRANNY. COST WAS $3600.00, CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING OF THREAD TAPERING. THERE IS ALSO NO POWER BRAKES. ABS SEEMS TO NOT BE WORKING, RELIES ON PRESSURE FROM OIL TO BRAKE. IF PRESSED CONTINUOUSLY, WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. WIRING HARNESS BURNED UP AFTER DEALER WORK, FRANK SHOUPE OF GEORGETOWN KENTUCKY REFUSED TO REPAIR THEIR MISTAKE. SAID IT WAS MY FAULT, THEN REFUSED TO KEEP SPEAKING WITH ME. STATED REPLACEMENT WAS $2015.00, AND WOULD TAKE A WEEK;RECEIVED ONE FROM JUNKYARD IN MONTANA, TOOK THREE DAYS, AND $300.00. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249797

Incident

Jul 5, 2006

Mileage

150,000 mi

DIESEL ENGINE, MANUAL TRANSMISSION, 3500. THE NUT THAT HOLDS THE 5TH GEAR ON IN THE TRANSMISSION COMES OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. RESULTING IN NO 5TH GEAR. IT IS KNOWN THAT THE NUT SOMETIMES JAMS THE REST OF THE TRANSMISSION, RESULTING IN NO TRANSMISSION AT ALL WHEN MOVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE AND IT IS ABOUT $600+ TO FIX EACH TIME. I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA, MY BUSINESS FRIEND IN SOUTH CAROLINE HAS HAD IT HAPPENED TWICE ALSO, AND HE KNOWS OF ANOTHER PERSON IN TEXAS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I DO NOT KNOW OF TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME VEHICLE, SO IT SEEMS STRANGE THAT THE ONE PERSON I DO BUSINESS WITH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT HE KNOWS OF SOMEONE ELSE IN ANOTHER PART OF THE COUNTRY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PICK UP SPENDS 1 OR 2 DAYS IN THE SHOP, THEY REPLACE THE NUT, AND THAT'S IT. THE SECOND TIME THEY REPLACED THE NUT, I THINK THEY PUT LOCKTITE ON IT. THE OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE, BUT MY WORK ORDERS FROM THE DODGE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS ARE. I AM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT DATES OF BOTH OCCURRENCES, IT IS ALL FILED AWAY, BUT IF YOU WANT, I CAN DIG THEM UP FOR YOU. *NM

NHTSA ID

10138517

Incident

Aug 1, 2000

Mileage

109,387 mi

THE VEHICLE'S MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED. *NM THE LOCKNUT WAS INADEQUATE TO ENSURE THAT THE 5TH GEAR WAS FULLY ENGAGED. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE PULLING A 5TH WHEEL RV. *SC

NHTSA ID

10111198

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

87,000 mi

1998 DODGE RAM TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. *MR WHILE IN TRAFFIC, THE CONSUMER HAD TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER WHILE PULLING A 26' TRAILER. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET THE TRAILER COMPLETELY OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. THERE WERE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO HELP. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10082047

Incident

Jun 15, 2004

Mileage

150,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, 5TH GEAR DISENGAGED--(AS IF SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL). TAKEN TO TRANSMISSION SHOP, TOLD BOLT HOLDING 5TH GEAR BACKED OFF. TOLD THERE IS A RETROFIT KIT AVAILABLE TO HOPEFULLY FIX THE PROBLEM AND PREVENT RE-OCCURANCE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE DIESEL/5 SPEED COMBOS. THIS BOLT (KNOWN DEFECT) COST ME $1400 AND 2 WEEKS WITH NO VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10046032

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

56,000 mi

5TH GEAR SUDDENLY CEASED TO WORK ON MY VERY WELL MAINTAINED 36,000 MILE 98 DODGE 3500 MANUAL DRIVE TRUCK. MY FATHER AND I WERE NEARLY IN A MULTIPLE 18 WHEELER CRASH ON A BRIDGE BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO FINALLY LIMP ALONG. I NOW COME TO REALIZE THAT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS VERY PROBLEM ( 21-10-98A ) WHICH WAS IGNORED BY THE MANUFACTURER. IT NEARLY COST MY FAMILY DEARLY. *PH

NHTSA ID

10030505

Incident

Jul 31, 2003

Mileage

36,200 mi

LOSS OF FIFTH GEAR (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) WHILE GOING UP A MOUNTAIN ON INTERSTATE 25 IN WYOMING RESULTING IN RAPID DECELERATION OF VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS RECOGNIZED BY CHRYSLER IN 1994 AND SERVICE BULLITENS WHERE ISSUED TO DEALERS. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH NUMEROUS OWNERS OF THIS SAME MODEL AND HAVE FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED AT VARIOUS MILEAGES. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT DUE TO "OUT OF WARRANTY" STATUS, THE REPAIR WOULD BE PERFORMED NO QUESTIONS ASKED IF WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD.

NHTSA ID

10005358

Incident

Jan 31, 2003

Mileage

163,100 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*MR *JB

NHTSA ID

8019734

Incident

Sep 23, 2002

2 YEARS AGO THE 5TH GEAR FAILED AND CHRYSLER COVERED IT THE TRUCK WAS 1000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. IN 8-2001 THE PART FAILED AGAIN WE TOOK IT TO A TRANS SHOP AND THEY FIXED IT FOR $213.OO, IN 9-2001 IT FAILED AGAIN THE TRANS SHOP THAT FIXED IT IN 8-2001 WOULD NOT WARRANY THE NUT BACKING OFF. SO WE HAD TO PAY $766.OO IN 9-2001 THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE TYPE VEHICLES CHRYSLER KNOWS THIS BUT THEY DO NOT WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WOULD COST ALOT OF MONEY TO RECALL ALL THESE VEHICLES. THE PROBLEM ALMOST CAUSED US TO HAVE A WRECK, WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH AND YOU HAVE TO DOWNSHIFT BECAUSE THE 5TH GEAR FAILS AND IT IS LIKE DRIVING IN NEUTRAL SO YOU DOWNSHIFT AND HOPE NOONE IS CLOSE BEHIND YOU. THERE WAS AN 18 WHEELER BEHIND US THIS LAST TIME AND ALMOST HIT US IN THE REAR END. WE HAVE 2 CHILDREN AND THEY WERE SCARED TO DEATH. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO FACE UP TO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THE CHILDREN THAT RIDES IN THESE VEHICLES OR EVEN ADULTS GET KILLED BECAUSE CHRYSLER WANTS TO SAVE MONEY. THE VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM ARE UNSAFE AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED NOT AT OUR COST BUT CHRYSLERS EXPENSE. I AM TIRED OF PAYING FOR THIS PROBLEM WHEN CHRYLSER KNOWS THAT IT IS A PROBLEM. BUT I GOT NEWS FOR CHRYSLER THIS WILL BE THE LAST CHRYSLER VEHICLE I OWN. THEY ARE THE SORRIEST PEOPLE AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. THANK YOU CHRISTY HOUSTON. *AK

NHTSA ID

752647

Incident

Sep 13, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ONTO A TWO LANE HIGHWAY VEHICLE JUMPED IN NEUTRAL AND LOST 5TH GEAR. ALSO,COULD NOT GO OVER 40 MPH.*AK

NHTSA ID

893918

WHILE TOWING MY TRAILER IN 5TH GEAR ON A CROWDED INTERSTATE, THE GEAR SUDDENLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. I LOST POWER AND SAFELY PULLED OVER. THE OTHER 4 GEARS WORKED TO GET ME HOME.*AK

NHTSA ID

749022

Incident

Dec 6, 2000

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST FIFTH GEAR, IT WAS CONFIRMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE NUT BACKED OFF THE GEAR. NLM

NHTSA ID

560424

Incident

Feb 24, 2001

TRANSMISSION WAS HARD TO SHIFT. DEALER CLAIMED TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. HAD TO REPLACED, COST WAS SPLIT BETWEEN DEALER AND MYSELF. *AK

NHTSA ID

722780

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

WHILE DRIVING IN 5TH GEAR THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER AS IF IN NEUTRAL. THE OTHER GEARS WERE FUNCTIONAL. DEALER SAID A NEW LOCK NUT WAS NEEDED TO HOLD GEAR IN PLACE. *AK

NHTSA ID

853415

TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE STRANDED WITH LOSS OF CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

541913

Incident

Aug 20, 1998