1997 Dodge Ram Van Owner Complaints

THIS VAN WAS A GREAT RUNNING VEHICLE, AND HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THE NORMAL FOR A VAN OF THIS YEAR. MY GRANDSON AND I WERE HEADED OUT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND I STARTED SMELLING GAS. I THOUGHT MAYBE ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS HAD SOME GAS POURED OUT OR SOMETHING. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE ABOUT 2 BLOCKS AND NOTICED THAT I STILL SMELLED THE STRONG ODOR OF GAS. I LOOKED INTO MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW THAT FLAMES WERE POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE VAN FROM UNDER THE FRONT AREA WHERE MY GRANDSON AND I WERE SITTING. WE JUMPED OUT OF THE VAN AND CALLED 911. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP MY VAN WAS COMPLETELY BURNT UP. THE FIREMEN SAID THAT EVIDENTLY THE FUEL LINE HAD FELL OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10596929

Incident

Jun 7, 2014

Mileage

220,000 mi

THE FRONT FRAMES ROT OUT ON STEERING SIDE AND IT ISN'T 1 OF THEM IT IS ALMOST ALL OF THEM. TOYOTA RECALLED TACOMAS FOR THIS AND I WANT MY FRAME FIXED OR REPLACED. THIS HAPPENS EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLES. THEY HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT . BUT THESE ARE STILL ON THE ROAD AND COULD KILL PEOPLE .THEY NEED TO BUY THE ONES THAT ARE STILL ON THE ROAD OR TRADE FOR SAFE VANS OR TRUCKS. THE SERVICE LIFE OF THESE WERE CUT SHORT AND ALMOST EVERY JUNKYARD HAS THESE AND THEY ALL LOOK GOOD BUT THEY AREN'T SAFE. THEY NEED TO CLEAN UP THEIR MESS AND TAKE THEM BACK TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AS THEY CANT BE REPAIRED .I THINK THE DRAIN HOLES IN THE FRAMES WERE IN THE WRONG PLACE OR NOT THERE AT ALL. *LN

NHTSA ID

10542538

Incident

Sep 8, 2013

Mileage

100,000 mi

TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM TIRE AND BENT FENDER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10162569

Incident

Jul 12, 2006

HEADLIGHT LENS INCREASINGLY CLOUDY TO THE POINT OF EXTREMELY IMPAIRED VISION. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER CORP AND THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS 1997 DODGE RAM VAN, [XXX]. *JB UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10136656

Incident

Sep 15, 2005

PLEASE NOTE THIS WAS A RENTED 15 PASSENGER DODGE VAN I'M 90% SURE IT WAS A 97 IF NOT IT WAS FROM 1995 TO 2000 IN MODEL YEAR I REPORTED IT TO DODGE. JUST RECENTLY I BECAME AWARE OF YOUR SITE AND DECIDED TO REPORT IT TO YOU ALSO.*AK 1 NORMAL DRIVING BOSTON TO EASTERN KENTUCKY 2 FRONT DISC BRAKE HOSE SEVERED DUE TO PROXIMITY OF OTHER SUSPENSION COMPONENTS CONSEQUENCE LOSS OF ALL BRAKING CAPABILITY. 3 LOCAL MECHANIC INSTALLED NEW HOSE HE CONNECTED IT TO THE FONT DISC BRAKE AND ROUTED IT AWAY FROM SUSPENSION COMPONENTS TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. HE STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM HE'S SEEN IN THE DODGE 15 PASSENGER VAN

NHTSA ID

10075327

Incident

Aug 14, 2000

Mileage

30,000 mi

SEAT BELT CAME UNLATCHED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10065970

Incident

Jul 21, 2003

Mileage

126,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL VEHICLE AND IT COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT A NEW ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS NEEDED, BUT NONE WERE AVAILABLE. MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THAT THAT THIS TYPE OF CABLE WAS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. *AK *MR

NHTSA ID

10055681

Incident

Jan 19, 2004

Mileage

90,000 mi

STEERING COLUMN DESTROYED STALLING NOT RUNNING IF GAS IS NOT APPLIED WE CAN'T GET ANYONE TO FIX IT, SO WE ARE STUCK WITH A MESSED UP VAN TIRE BLEW ON US, FIRESTONE TIRES ARE STILL ON IT. I CAN'T DRIVE IT ANYWAY CAUSE IT WONT STAY STARTED AND I STILL PAY BANK 450 A MONTH FOR A VAN THAT DOESN'T RUN.

NHTSA ID

10068775

Incident

May 15, 2003

Mileage

57,000 mi

PROBLEMS WITH AC/HEATER WIRING HARNESS. THE BLOWER MOTOR FOR THE AC/HEATER SYSTEM IN THE VAN CONTINUES TO OVERLOAD AND BURN OUT COMPONENTS FOR THIS SYSTEM. THE VAN HAS BEEN PUT INTO REPAIR ON FOUR SEPERATE OCCASIONS. IT HAS NOW ONCE AGAIN BURNED OUT. HERE IS SOME INFORMATION: TURNED IN ON 6/18/99. REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR. MILEAGE 24010 TURNED IN ON 9/16/99. REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR, REPAIRED WIRING HARNESS AND SLEEVE. MILEAGE 26434 TURNED IN ON 12/14/99. REPLACED CONTROL HEAD AND BLOWER SWITCH. MILEAGE 29880. TURNED IN ON 8/15/02. REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR SWITCH. REPLACE BLOWER MOTOR HARNESS WHEN SWITCH FAILED. TURNING IN AGAIN NEXT WEEK FOR REPAIRS. CHRYSLER HEADQUATERS AND THE DEALERSHIP STATE THAT THIS IS MY PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THE UNDERLING PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED, THEN A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD EXISTS WHEN THE WIRING HARNESS OR OTHER PARTS ONCE AGAIN BURN OUT.

NHTSA ID

10003608

Incident

Jan 28, 2003

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH BOTH OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR, HAS BEEN REPLACED 7 TIMES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS *TR

NHTSA ID

10001143

Incident

Dec 15, 2002

BATTERY EXPLODED WHILE STARTING VEHICLE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

897801

Incident

Oct 15, 2001

THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF WHEN THE OFF BUTTON IS DEPRESSED, THE CONSUMER CUTS THE ENGINE OFF THEN BACK ON TO GET THE LIGHTS TO GO OFF. NLM

NHTSA ID

560510

Incident

Feb 9, 2001

SHOCKS FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID

605940

WHEN THE FRONT BRAKES GET HOT AND WARPED, THE CAR VEERS TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. DEALER ALSO REPLACED REAR BRAKES. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

827875

Incident

Sep 28, 1997

CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED. *AK

NHTSA ID

518512

MAIN DRIVE BELT BINDED UP AND BROKE OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DODGE DEALER/MANUFACTURER. BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. WILL BE CONTACTED . *AK

NHTSA ID

813947

Incident

Jun 22, 1997