1997 Dodge Ram Powertrain (other) Problems

WOULD NOT SHIFT, SHIFTING ROUGHLY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, HIGH RPMS

NHTSA ID

10069545

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

77,000 mi

No narrative was included with this report.

NHTSA ID

10069483

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

Mileage

59,000 mi

THE PAINT ON MY 1997 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK TURNED A MILKY WHITE COLOR ON THE HOOD AND THE TOP OF THE CAB. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR TO PAINT THE TRUCK IS $3,400. MILEAGE ON THE TRUCK IS 138,400 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10069403

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

138,400 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR OF THE FUEL GAUGE, FIFTH GEAR AND RECALL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP TWO WEEKS LATER THE OTHER WORK WAS DONE BUT THE RECALL WORK WAS NOT PERFORMED. *PH *NLM

NHTSA ID

10011611

Incident

Dec 30, 2002

Mileage

117,679 mi

CONTINUOUS TRANSMISSION TROUBLE:MINOR SLIPPING,SEARCHING FOR A GEAR,SURGING,NOT GOING INTO PASSING GEAR,WHEN IT DOES IT DOES NOT STAY THERE,CLUNKS HARD WHEN PUT IN REV. VIBRATION AT START UP(MOVING) HEAT SHIELD OR REAR-END,@TIME OF ORIGINAL TRADE,WHEN THEY CHANGED THE OIL THEY EITER DIDNT PUT ANY IN OR VERY LITTLE I HAD TO ADD 5QTS NOW THERE IS A TICKING NOISE ON THE PASS, SIDE OF ENGINE,THE SALESMAN LIED TO ME ABOUT THE TRUCK I ASKED HIM "HAS THIS EVER PLOWED OR TOWED ANYTHING BEFORE?" HE SAID "NO" AFTER TALKING TO PREV.OWNER THEY WERE TOWING A BIG BOAT WITH IT .AT THIS TIME I HAVE A COMPLAINT WITH THE ME. ATTY GEN,DODGE,FILE#9921927 ON 4-18-02,MAY I PLEASE HAVE A COPY OF THIS WITH YOUR LETTERHEAD AS WELL AS A REPLY SO I CAN FOWARD THIS TO THE ATTY GEN. THANK YOU!!!!*AK

NHTSA ID

764428

Incident

Jan 2, 2002

DRIVING 45-55MPH, VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE, BUT CAN BE CONTROLLED. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR VIBRATION. HAD DRIVERSHAFT REPLACED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. ALSO BEEN TO TIRE RETAILER DUE TO POSSIBILITY OF TIRES CAUSING PROBLEM. TIRES WERE THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER , INFORMED CONSUMER NOTHING COULD BE DONE. IT WAS CHARACTERISTIC OF TRUCK, AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED.*AK CONSUMER STATES VIBRATION HAS EXISTED IN VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASED, CONSUMER ALSO STATES THE VIBRATION CAUSES HIM TO HAVE TO DRIVE UNDER 40 MPH OR OVER 50 MPH TO AVOID THE VIBRATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

887762

AT 60,000 TRANSMISSION REPLACED; 68,000 BOTH U-JOINS REPLACED; 75,000 DIFFERENTIAL REBUILT; 80,000 UNIVERSAL JOINT REPLACED; NOW DIFFERENTIAL SLIPS AFTER STOPPING

NHTSA ID

744879

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

WE HAVE CHANGED TIRE BRANDS. TRANSMISSION OR DRIVESHAFT IS STILL NOISY, BUT DOES NOT SEEM TO EFFECT ANYTHING. IT SHOULD BE ON RECALL BUT THE CAR PLACE SAID THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR LOSING THE REAR END. THE ONE BRAKE HAS CONTINUALLY NOT CLOSED PROPERLY AND THEREFOR DOES NOT WEAR LIKE THE OTHER 3. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

NHTSA ID

740959

DIFFERENTIAL BEARING ARE DEFECTIVE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

870629

ON 9/14/2000 THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BEGAIN TO MAKE A MOANING NOISE DURING DEACCELERATING. WITH IN 10 MILES DRIVING DISTANCE AT 30 MPH DURING DEACCELERATION THE REAR END DIFFERENTIAL MADE A LOUD BANG WHILE THE VEHICAL JERKED VIOLENTLY. AFTER THE LOUD NOISE I HEARD THE DRIVE SHAFT OF THE VEHICAL DRAGING ON THE PAVEMENT. I PROCEEDED TO ATTEMPT TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SLOW DOWN WHEN THE VEHICAL JERKED VIOLENTLY AGIAN. AT THIS POINT I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP AND BEGAIN TO SLIDE. I RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE SLIDING CONTINUED DUE TO A MAJOR FAILURE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL. LUCKILY I DID NOT LOOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK DURING WHEEL LOCKUP. WHEN THE TRUCK STOPPED I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND OBSERVED THE REAR END OF THE DRIVE SHAFT ON THE PAVEMENT. I COULD NOT MOVE THE VEHICAL DUE TO THE JAMMED DIFFERENTIAL, THE VEHICAL WAS TOWED TO TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALER SHIP. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURED. THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAVE WITH DODGE IS THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL FAILED THE FIRST TIME WHEN THE VEHICAL WAS ALMOST NEW AT 13000 MILES. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURED APPROXIMATELY ON 3/98. LUCKLY THE FAILING DIFFERENTIAL MADE VERY PRONOUNCED HUMMING NOISES BEFORE ANY CATASTROPHIC FALUIRE OCCURED. AT THAT TIME I TOOK THE VEHICAL TO ALLEN SAMUEL DODGE IN FORT WORTH TEXAS FOR REPAIR. ALLEN SAMUEL DODGE TECHNITIONS IDENTIFIED THAT THE BEARINGS IN THE DIFFERENTIAL HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE RING AND PINION GEAR TO SEVERLY WEAR. DUE TO THE HISTORY DEMONSTRATED WITH MY EXPERINCES I AM CONCERNED THAT DODGE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN AND OR METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE REAR ENDS OF THEIR 1/2 TON PICKUPS.*AK

NHTSA ID

731506

Incident

Sep 14, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

731489

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

THE REAREND IN THE DODGE TRUCK MAKES A CLUNK WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND DRIVE TO REVERSE IT WILL MAKE THE SAME CLUNK (RING) WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE TRANS. SHIFTS THROUGH THE SHIFT PATTERN. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED OUT THEY SAID PLAY IN THE REAR END WAS NORMAL BUT TEY REPROGRAMED THE POWER CONTROL MODULE TO LOWER THE RPMS SO THAT THE CLUNK WOULD NOT BE HEARD, THEY PUT A $1.65 STICKER ON THE TRUCK SOME WHERE . THE CLUNK IS STILL THERE AND SOUNDS LOUDER . I KNOW OF THREE OTHER DODGE TRUCKS WITH THE SAME NOISE.

NHTSA ID

730729

Incident

Apr 12, 2000

TRANSMISSION HAD GRINDING NOISE ON REVERSE,THE AIR CONDITIONER BLEW WARM AIR AND MADE A WEIRD NOISE BEHIND DASH. HORRENDOUS NOISE IN REAR ,TURNED OUT TO BE THE REAREND (MECHANIC STATED IT HAD FROZE AND EXPLODED) NO EXTENDED WARRANTY, AM HAVING IT WORKED ON NOW. *AK

NHTSA ID

716311

Incident

Dec 7, 1999

BRAKES DON'T STOP AT LOW SPEEDS AND LOCK UP UNDER WET CONDITIONS, RING AND PINION DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR AT 19500, DEAD BATTERY (H.D.) AFTER 2 YEARS

NHTSA ID

711074

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

VEHICLE HAD A GRINDING NOISE IN REAR ASSEMBLY. DEALER CONTACTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT SEAL HOUSING OF REAR GEAR HAD WATER IN IT WHICH DESTROYED THE LUBRICATION OF THE OIL IN HOUSING. REPAIRWORK DONE AT OWNERS EXPENSE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

836680

Incident

Mar 12, 1999

THE DEALER HAS THE SAME BELIEF AS I, THAT THE DEFECT OCCURRED AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT DUE TO THE FACT THE REAR GEAR HOUSING IS SEALED AND NO MOISTURE COULD HAVE ENTERED, THE HOUSING ASSEMBLY FROM THE HIGHWAY. THIS VEHICLE HAS HIGHWAY DRIVING ONLY, TO ITS CREDIT. *AK

NHTSA ID

704694

Incident

Mar 15, 1999

1500 TRUCK TAKEN TO DEALER PREVIOUSLY FOR FRONT END VIBRATION. DEALER SAID TIRE PROBLEM. TIRE MAKER REPLACED TIRES. ON DAY OF INCIDENT, AT SPEED OF 10 MPH, DRIVE SHAFT FELL OUT WHILE TRUCK JUMPED UP/DOWN ON STREET. TRUCK TOWED TO DEALER LOCATION. OWNER TERRIFIED BY EXPERIENCE. IF HAD BEEN DRIVING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN CRASH.

NHTSA ID

701208

Incident

Dec 8, 1998

STEERING BOX FAILED.

NHTSA ID

535592