1997 Dodge Ram Interior & seats Problems

TL*- THE CONTACT HAS A 1997 DODGE RAM WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 70000. ON 12-18-06 WHILE DRIVING IN DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS AT 25 MPH THE HOOD UNLATCHED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT A CRASH. THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THERE WAS RECALL (01V040000). HE THEN TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY TOOK PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE AND SENT THEM TO THE MANUFACTURER. THEY TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER LIABLE FOR THE RECALL BECAUSE THEY NOTIFIED HIM, AND HE DID NOT HAVE IT REPAIRED.*AK UPDATED 1/29/2007 -*NM THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE A RESPONSE TO HIS COMPLAINT. UPDATED 04/19/07. *JB UPDATED 05/23/07

NHTSA ID

10177643

Incident

Dec 18, 2006

Mileage

70,000 mi

FRONT HOOD FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING 40-50 MPH, CAUSING DAMAGES TO THE HOOD AND THE HOOD HINGES. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10099622

Incident

Nov 2, 2004

Mileage

91,000 mi

THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE UNDER THE DASHBOARD, WHICH RESULTED IN A FIRE. *JB THE CONSUMER HAS REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER VEHICLES (SAME MAKE/MODEL) WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. SCC

NHTSA ID

10011266

Incident

Feb 28, 2003

Mileage

133,400 mi

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE SAFTY LATCH ON THE HOOD BROKE CAUSING THE HOOD TO FLY UP IMPAIRING ROAD VISABILTY. MR

NHTSA ID

8022767

Incident

Oct 30, 2002

VEHICLE WAS GOING 35MPH AND HOOD FLEW UP. VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEABLE BECAUSE LATCHES WILL NOT CATCH. DEALER WILL NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ID

891906

Incident

Jun 30, 2001

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH HOOD FLEW OPEN. MECHANIC SAID THAT LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE. CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

885782

Incident

Feb 15, 2000

OUTSIDE SEAT BACK BRACKET OF DRIVER SEAT FAILED IN REAR END COLLISION RESULTING IN DRIVER BEING MOVED INTO BACK SEAT. SEAT BACK BRACKET FAILED ABOVE THE RECLINER RATCHET ADJSUTER. TRUCK MOVING 5MPH, REARENDED BY VEHICLE APPROX AT 30MPH OR FASTER (EXCESSIVE SPEED, 283' SKID MARKS, DRY PAVEMENT, 96 HONDA ACCORD)

NHTSA ID

728111

Incident

Aug 15, 2000

DRIVER SIDE SEATBACK BOLT WHICH SUPPORTS THE SEATBACK HAS BROKEN, CAUSING THE SEAT TO RECLINE IN THE REST POSITION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE PARTS. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, FAILED TO RESPOND. *AK

NHTSA ID

854201

Incident

Dec 19, 1999

RECALL 95V-056 000/HOOD ASSEMBLY: LATCHES. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE HOOD POPPED OPEN. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, HOOD COULD HAVE OPENED AND OBSTRUCTED THE DRIVER'S VISION, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL OF AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

853516

Incident

Sep 24, 1999

HEADIGHTS ON LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERATIVE UPON TILTING STEERING WHEEL DOWNWARD. RAISING TILT WHEEL, THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME OPERATIVE. POSITION OF STEERING WHEEL DID NOT EFFECT HIGHBEAMS, ONLY THE LOWBEAMS. UPON REMOVAL OF THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN COWL, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE LOWBEAM WIRE TO THE DIMMING SWITCH HAD BECOME CHAFFED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE TILT ASSEMBLY, MELTING THE WIRE INSULATION, AND CREATING A HIGH RESISTANCE CONNECTION TO THE STEERING COLUMN, STRONG ENOUGH FOR THE WIRE TO PART BUT NOT ALLOWING THE AMOUNT OF CURRENT FLOW NEEDED TO BLOW THE FUSE TO THE LIGHTING CIRCUIT OVERCURRENT DEVICE. BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS 12,000 MILES PAST WARRANTY ( 36 MONTHS/36,000 MILES) THE SELLING DEALER REFUSED TO TREAT THE PROBLEM AS FACTORY DEFECT AND STATED OVER THE TELEPHONE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MINE AND THAT I WOULD MOST LIKELY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. IT IS MY POSITION THAT WIRING HARNESSES IN SUCH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME SHOULD NEVER SHORT-OUT OR BECOME SO DANGEROUSLY DEFECTIVE, CREATING A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD, HEADLIGHT FAILURE, AND WORST CASE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WHILE DRIVING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME...MARSHALL SEARLES

NHTSA ID

713665

Incident

Oct 14, 1997

VEHICLE SITTING IN DRIVEWAY AFTER BEING USED ALL DAY. OWNER WAS ALERTED TO PROBLEM WHEN THE HORN ON THE VEHICLE STARTED BLOWING. OWNER WENT OUTSIDE OF HOME TO SEE WHY THE HORN BLOWING AND FOUND THE VEHICLE ON FIRE. CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT. FIRE OF VEHICLE FULLY INVOLVED WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

705477

Incident

Mar 7, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

704753

Incident

Jan 15, 1998

RADIO DESTROYS CASSETTE TAPES, REPAIRED TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM THEN FINALLY REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

544431

Incident

May 6, 1997

THE METAL PLATE INSIDE THE SEAT CLOSEST TO THE DRIVER'S DOOR THAT ALLOWS THE BACK OF THE SEAT TO PIVOT FORWARD PROTRUDES THROUGH THE SEAT FABRIC EXPOSING A SHARP POINT THAT HAS RIPPED 6 PAIRS OF MY PANTS ON THE LEFT REAR POCKET (AND CUT INTO A LEATHER WALLET) WHEN SITTING DOWN IN THE SEAT. THE REASON I HAD SO MANY PAIRS OF PANTS RIPPED IS THAT IT TOOK SEVERAL MONTHS FOR ME TO REALIZE EXACTLY "WHAT" WAS CAUSING THE RIPS. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HAVING MY WALLET IN MY LEFT POCKET I WOULD HAVE SURELY SUSTAINED A LACERATION ON MY LEFT BUTTOCK. I CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 12 LAYERS OF DUCT TAPE COVERING THE HOLE THAT THE POINT PROTRUDES THROUGH. WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE MANUFACTURER REPLACE THE SEAT AND $300 WORTH OF PANTS.

NHTSA ID

703410

Incident

Oct 1, 1998

THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER OUT WHEN DRIVING DARK ROADS. WOULD THEN REAPPEAR FOR FEW MINUTES THEN OFF AGAIN. INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAIN ON. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID

828496

Incident

Jul 4, 1998

WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH WHEN HOOD UNLATCHED UNEXPECTEDLY EVEN WITH SAFETY MECHANISM, CAUSING THE HOOD TO CRACK WINDSHIELD AND BRACKETS. *AK

NHTSA ID

822833

FRONT SEAT BACKS COLLAPSED WHILE IN ACCIDENT, INJURING OCCUPANTS.

NHTSA ID

530659

Incident

Jan 8, 1998

HOOD LATCH FAILED HOWEVER SECONDARY LATCH HELD HOOD DOWN.

NHTSA ID

525149

Incident

Nov 12, 1997

LOWER SPLASH GUARDS NEEDED FOR REAR WHEELS TO PROTECT EMISSIONS CANISTER FROM ROAD DEBRIS AND TO PROTECT ROCKER PANELS FROM SEVERE DAMAGE.

NHTSA ID

516904