2004 Dodge Ram 3500 Engine Problems

WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 90 IN WASHINGTON STATE, TRAVELING AT ABOUT 60 MPH I NOTICED A HAZE BEHIND THE TRUCK THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR MIRROR. AT THE TIME, THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS BY INSTRUMENTS OR WARNING LIGHTS THAT ANYTHING WAS AMISS WITH THE TRUCK. WONDERING IF IT WAS COMING FROM THE TRUCK I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER TO CHECK. AS SOON AS I STOPPED I SMELLED HOT OIL, SO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, RELEASED THE HOOD LATCH AND CHECKED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. UPON LIFTING THE HOOD OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED FLAMES BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND FIRE WALL. I RETRIEVED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE CAMPER THE TRUCK WAS HAULING AND ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. TWO MOTORISTS WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS STOPPED TO HELP AND THE COMBINED USE OF THREE DRY CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WOULD NOT PUT THE FIRE OUT AND THE TRUCK AND CAMPER COMPLETELY BURNED. WHEN I REPORTED THIS TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY WE DISCOVERED AN ERROR IN THE VIN NUMBER ON MY INSURANCE POLICY. OUT OF CURIOSITY I RESEARCHED THAT VIN NUMBER AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT SAME STYLE TRUCK HAD ALSO BURNED. IT'S VIN IS 3D7MU48C84G269656 AND CAN BE SEEN IN THE 7TH PHOTO THAT IS UPLOADED TO THIS REPORT. BOTH WERE 2004 DODGE DIESEL TUCKS WITH LOW MILEAGE. IT SEEMS TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE AND I WONDER IF THERE IS A DEFECT THAT CAUSED THIS AND HOW MANY OTHER OF THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY FIRE.

NHTSA ID

11461850

Incident

Feb 9, 2022

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT FUNCTION AFTER BEING STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL FILTERS WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 142,000.

NHTSA ID

10957889

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

Mileage

142,000 mi

DODGE RAM 3500 CUSTOMER PURCHASED A MOTOR AND WARRANTY AND WANTS DAIMLER TO PAY FOR REPAIRS**CC THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE MOTOR FAILED, IT CAUSED THE STARTER, STEERING STABILIZER, TORQUE CONVERTER COOLER, THE #6 CAP ON THE CONNECTION ROD TO FAIL. IT ALSO PUT A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE BLOCK AND BROKE THE CAM SHAFT IN HALF. THE TRUCK WAS EVENTUALLY FIXED, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER PICK THE VEHICLE UP AND PUT A 100 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE TURBO FAILED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THE REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10188983

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

DT:THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE WOULD NOT START ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPAIRED. THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WAS DUE TO THE VALVE SEAT. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. A REBUILT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT WHY A REBUILT ENGINE WAS INSTALLED INSTEAD OF A NEW ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10142649

Incident

Nov 11, 2005

EXHAUST SMELL FROM FRESH AIR VENTS, MAINLY WHILE IDLING MY 2004 DODGE RAM 3500 4X4 WITH CUMMINS ENGINE. I NOTICED THE SMELL WITHIN DAYS OF PURCHASE, TOOK IT TO SEVERAL DEALERS, AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. END SUGGESTION WAS A CITRUS OIL ADDITIVE TO MAKE THE EXHAUST SMELL LIKE CITRUS. (NO JOKE) FUEL INJECTOR FAILURE, FILLING CRANKCASE WITH DIESEL, CAUSING ROUGH RUNNING AND EVENTUAL OIL PRESSURE LOSS. DEALER, UPON ADVISMENT FROM "TECH DEPARTMENT" CHANGED THE OIL, REPLACED THE FAULTY INJECTOR AND GOT ME OUT THE DOOR. NOW I HAVE EXPERIENCED ENGINE VIBRATIONS THAT ARE GETTING PROGRESSIVLY WORSE, HIGHER ENGINE RPM'S INCREASED FUEL CONSUMTION, A CLOUD OF BLUE SMOKE UPON STARTUP AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF DOWNTIME, AND THE DEALERSHIP THINKS IT MAY BE A WIRING HARNESS. I SPOKE DIRECTLY TO CUMMINS SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD THAT WITH OIL PRESSURE LOSS, THEY WOULD HAVE DROPPED THE OIL PAN AND CHECKED THE BEARINGS.

NHTSA ID

10129277

Incident

Jul 7, 2005

Mileage

17,000 mi

THE BRAKES LOCKED AT 35 MPH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO THROUGH AN INTERSECTION INTO A DITCH. *AK THERE WERE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE IN WHICH THE MECHANICS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE. THE CONSUMER HIT A FENCE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD JUST STALL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10105576

Incident

Dec 27, 2004

Mileage

9,949 mi

CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS RUNNING AND WENT INTO HIS PLACE OF BUSINESS. WHEN THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE IT ROLLED BACK ABOUT 300 FEET AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES , AND THE POLICE DID NOT ARRIVE ON THE SCENE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACK, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CATCH IT BEFORE ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE. IN ALL, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACK THREE TIMES. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10081451

Incident

Apr 6, 2004

Mileage

800 mi

THERE IS AN EXHAUST LEAK COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS WHEN THE HVAC FAN IS TURNED ON. I WAS A LITTLE DIZZY & HAD A HEADACHE LAST NIGHT AFTER A LONG DRIVE BACK HOME FROM NORTH FLORIDA. AFTER TALKING TO A PHYSICIAN ABOUT MY CONDITION, HE FELT THAT THE CAUSE WAS MOST CERTAINLY CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. I HAVE MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALERSHIP & THEY HAVE BEEN UNRESPONSIVE. THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE & THERE IS NO FIX. I'VE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET & FOUND MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM SO I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE. THERE IS EVEN ONE GENTLEMEN THAT BELIEVES HE HAS THE FIX. APPARENTLY DODGE DIDN'T COVER SOME OF THE HOLES BETWEEN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT & WERE THE HVAC SYSTEM DRAWS FRESH AIR FOR THE CAB. I WILL ATTEMPT THIS FIX BUT STILL WANTED TO MAKE AN OFFICIAL REPORT OF THIS ISSUE IN THE EVENT SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME OR THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10062331

Incident

Mar 15, 2004

Mileage

9 mi