1998 Dodge Ram Van

THERE ARE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ALLEGED DEFECT.WHILE CONDUCTING THIS INVESTIGATION, ODI FOUND THAT THE SUBJECT CINCHES MEET THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 208, AND THAT MANY OF THE REPORTED FAILURES WERE DUE TO INCORRECT CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTALLATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE REPORT RATE IS LOW (1.60/100K).THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FAILS TO ESTABLISH THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT TREND AT THIS TIME.FURTHER ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES TO THIS ISSUE IS UNWARRANTED AND THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS BEING CLOSED.

SOME DODGE RAM VANS HAVE A LATENT DEFECT IN THE FRAME THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS. AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THERE IS NO RECALL EVEN THOUGH THE INTERNET IS LITTERED WITH COMPLAINTS, INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE FRAME IN ONE SPOT. I BELIEVE THAT THE AC RUNOFF IS VENTED DIRECTLY INTO THE FRAME WHICH, OVER TIME RESULTS IN THE EVENTUAL FAILURE OF THE FRAME AT THE POINT WHERE THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING ARE LOCATED - THIS RESULTS IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM SHORT OF REPLACING THE WHOLE FRAME. DODGE DENIES THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND BLAMES THIS DEFECT ON ROAD SALT AND CONDITIONS. THIS WOULD BE A VALID ASSERTION IF THE REST OF THE VEHICLE HAD ROT PROBLEMS ELSEWHERE ON THE VEHICLE. INCLUDING THE MUCH MORE VOLATILE BODY PARTS, WHICH ARE IN SOME CASES, STILL SOLID AND IN GOOD CONDITION. THIS PROBLEM IS PREVALENT IN SEVERAL YEARS OF THIS MODEL TRUCK. THIS PROBLEM IS EASY TO CHECK FOR AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY DODGE SIMPLY BECAUSE THE VANS ARE GETTING OLDER AND THIS PROBLEM WILL BE OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10525871

Incident

Jul 19, 2013

Mileage

161,000 mi

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL I HEARD A LOUD POP/THUMP. SUBSEQUENTLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 15MPH THE STEERING WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE CAUSE OF THE BREAK DOWN WAS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FRAME HAD RUSTED AND CRACKED. THIS IS WHERE THE STEERING IS CONNECTED TO. NO REPAIR WAS POSSIBLE. I HAVE CONTACTED ALTERNATE REPAIR SOURCES OF DEALERS, BODY SHOPS, WELDERS AND METAL FABRICATORS WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS TO GET ANYONE WILLING OR ABLE TO REPAIR THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE IS CONSIDERED NON-DRIVABLE AND NON-FIXABLE.

NHTSA ID

10404981

Incident

May 22, 2011

Mileage

100,101 mi

THE VEHICLE IS A MOTOR HOME, BUILT INTO A 19-FOOT DODGE VAN 3500 BY THE HOME AND PARK COMPANY IN ONTARIO, CANADA (WWW.ROADTREK.COM). THEY CALL THEIR MOTOR HOME 'ROADTREK'. WE LIVE IN MICHIGAN AND HAD DRIVEN TO OKLAHOMA WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. WE WERE ON I-44 AT MILE 262 GOING WEST WHEN WE STOPPED TO SWITCH DRIVERS. THE NEW DRIVER, BEFORE SETTING OUT, FOUND THAT THE BRAKES WERE GONE: PEDAL ON THE FLOOR. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ALL THE BRAKE FLUID WAS ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CLAREMORE OK FOR REPAIRS, WHERE THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE WAS FOUND TO BE RUPTURED DUE TO ABRASION. INSPECTION REVEALED THE FRONT BRAKE LINE ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS SIMILARLY ABRADED BUT NOT YET WORN THROUGH. BOTH LINES WERE REPLACED AND WE RESUMED TRAVEL. THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO US IN 2004, WHERE THE BRAKES FAILED AFTER WE HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE IN OUR ASSIGNED SITE IN A CAMPGROUND. IN THAT CASE ONLY THE RIGHT SIDE LINE WAS REPLACED. HAD THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN FAST, HEAVY TRAFFIC OR ON A STEEP HILL WE WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED AND POSSIBLY CAUSED INJURY TO OTHERS. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENS YOU FIGURE IT'S A FLUKE. BUT AFTER A SECOND TIME, IT'S A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE ABRADED BRAKE LINE ON THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE INVOICES OF THE WORK DONE. I CAN SEND THOSE IF DESIRED.

NHTSA ID

10392043

Incident

Mar 13, 2011

Mileage

153,000 mi

THIS VEHICLE BELONGS TO VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS. THE VAN HAD AN UNDERHOOD FIRE THAT ORIGINATED IN THE ABS MODULE AREA WHILE PARKED. CHRYSLER ISSUED SAFETY RECALL D20 IN 2004 TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BUT THE RECALL REPAIR HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. VERIZON HAS HAD 33 UNDERHOOD FIRE INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND ACTION BY NHTSA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10275661

Incident

Jun 16, 2009

Mileage

122,648 mi

THIS VEHICLE BELONGS TO VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS. THE VAN HAD AN UNDER HOOD FIRE THAT ORIGINATED IN THE ABS MODULE AREA WHILE PARKED. DAIMLERCHRYSLER ISSUED SAFETY RECALL D20 IN 2004 TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BUT THE RECALL REPAIR HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. VERIZON HAS HAD 32 UNDER HOOD FIRE INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND ACTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10259118

Incident

Feb 10, 2009

Mileage

49,006 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM VAN. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT FELT A HARD VIBRATION AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. HE EXITED THE VEHICLE TO LOCATE THE ORIGIN OF THE SOUND, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE RE-ENTERED THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO PARK WHEN ANOTHER LOUD SOUND OCCURRED. THE STEERING DID NOT RESPOND. HE EXITED THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND LOCATED A FAILURE WITH THE STEERING CONTROL ARM AND ITS COMPONENTS. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. HE CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE BODY SHOP WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LIABILITY. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO LOCATE A COLLISION REPAIR SHOP TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WORK. THE CONTACT HAS NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE A SHOP TO PERFORM THE NEEDED REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10230374

Incident

Jun 1, 2008

Mileage

140,000 mi

VEHICLE: 1998 DODGE B1500 RAM VAN PROBLEM: AT LESS THAN 40,000 MILES I WAS TOLD BY A TIRE DEALER THAT MY UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE SHOT AND THAT I SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THEM REPLACED BEFORE THE FRONT END COULD BE ALIGNED. AT 60,000 MILES I FINALLY DECIDE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. NOT ONLY WAS THE BALL JOINTS BAD, BUT ONE SIDE HAD COME LOOSE IN THE UPPER CONTROL ARM, AND DESTROYED THE THREADS AND WAS FLOATING FREE IN THE CONTROL ARM. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFTEY HAZARD. I AM INTERESTED IF THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THIS VEHICLE OR NOT. BY DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I SEE MULTIPLE COMPLAINT ON OTHER DODGE VEHICLES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. JOSEPH SCHEIBENPFLUG

NHTSA ID

10129846

Incident

Jul 20, 2005

DT: CONTACT COMPLAINED OF BRAKE PROBLEMS SINCE 1999 DUE TO BATTERY ACID LEAKING ONTO THE BRAKE LINES AND CAUSING CORROSION. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL, BUT THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE PROBLEM WA SREPAIRED BY PUTTING A RUBBER TRAY UNDER THE BATTERY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10126995

Incident

May 1, 2003

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery replacements are necessary.

Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.

Use of Salvage/Recycled Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of recycled or salvage parts.

Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.