1998 Dodge Ram Powertrain (other) Problems

MY HUSBAND ORDERED THIS TRUCK IN LATE 1997. WE PURCHASED IT NEW AND HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE FACED IS THE TRANSMISSION. MID-APRIL 1998 THE FIRST PROBLEMS OCCURED WITH SLIPPAGE, THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES WERE REPLACED, ONE MONTH LATER THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. NOW AT 51,000 MILES AND VERY LITTLE DRIVING FOR THE LAST 2 YRS (SINCE MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN SICK WITH CANCER) IT HAS BLOWN AGAIN. THE FRONT SEALS ARE LEAKING PROFUSELY. THE REAR WINDOW WAS LEAKING SO BADLY AT ONE POINT THE ENTIRE CEILING INSIDE WAS SOADED. THE ABS COMPUTER WENT WACKY ON US EARLY ON ALSO. THE SEATBELT HAS BEEN TWISTED SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WE HAVE NOT SUCCESSFULLY FIXED IT. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WE PURCHASED HAS GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. I WILL NOT LIKELY BUY ANOTHER DODGE EVER AGAIN. MERCEDES TAKES THE CAKE.

NHTSA ID

10070595

Incident

Feb 15, 2003

Mileage

50,100 mi

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. JUST GO TO JASPER.COM. THEY SAY THAT 1995 TO 2001 DODGE TRUCK TRANSMISSIONS HAVE A HIGH RATE OF FAILURE DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. SEEMS THAT DODGE PUT TO LOW A VOLUME PUMP IN ALL THESE TRANSMISSIONS. LOCAL TRANSMISSION REBUILDERS TELL ME THAT YOU CAN NOT LET THE TRUCK IDLE BECAUSE THE TRANNY GETS NO LUBRICATION AT LOW RPM'S. SO DURING THE WINTER WHILE YOU ARE WAITING FOR THE WINDSHEILD TO CLEAR OFF TO DRIVE IN THE NORTHEAST WHERE IT SNOWS. YOU ARE DAMAGING YOUR TRANNY. THE TRANNY OVER HEAT LIGHT NEVER CAME ON JUST THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT.DODGE SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE A LIST OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD DODGE TRANNY PROBLEMS. ONE IS MY BROTHER-IN-LAW.

NHTSA ID

10070236

Incident

May 15, 2003

Mileage

97,210 mi

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ROUGHLY 64,000 MILES AND I HAD IT REPAIRED AT A DODGE DEALERSHIP. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2003, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN AT 108,000.

NHTSA ID

10068738

Incident

Jul 15, 2001

Mileage

63,898 mi

THE BOLT THAT HOLDS FIFTH GEAR IN PLACE DISLODGED AND THE GEAR CAME OFF THE SHAFT. VEHICLE WAS STILL DRIVABLE IN THE OTHER FOUR GEARS BUT FIFTH GEAR WAS INOPERABLE. MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10040469

Incident

Sep 2, 2003

Mileage

56,000 mi

VERY LOUD NOISE WAS COMING FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL. CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

8011177

Incident

Jun 2, 2002

LOCKING PINION NUT BROKE, RESULTING IN SHAFT TO FALL WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE PINION GEARS AND SPINDLES. SEVERAL MECHANICS STATED THAT A LOCKING PINION NUT SHOULD NEVER UNLOCK OR BREAK. THUS IT'S DEFECT CAUSED 1,100 WORTH OF DAMAGE AND COULD HAVE DEFINITELY RESULTED IN INJURY.*AK

NHTSA ID

758759

Incident

Feb 25, 2002

CONSUMERS VEHICLE RAN INTO A TRAILER ON HIS PROPERTY AND ABS WAS DEFECTIVE, ALSO BRAKE DRUMS WERE RUSTED, DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT HEADACHE BAR AND FUEL TANK, TIRES, FUEL FILTER, STEERING STABILIZER, FRONT SHOCKS, REAR SHOCKS, AIR FILTER, REAR AXLE SEAL AND FLUID, REAR TRANSFER CASE SEAL AND U-JOINTS IN REAR DRIVE SHAFT FAILED AND REPLACED.*YD

NHTSA ID

8001228

Incident

Dec 1, 2001

HORN WILL SOUND INTERMITTENTLY DURING THE NIGHT WHEN ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE, BUT INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL 01V153000. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

897163

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

PINION SEAL REPLACED THREE TIMES ,RING AND PINION REPLACED AT 32000 MILES,PINION NUT ALLWAYS REUSED NEVER A NEW PINION NUT .FOURTH TIME PINION NUT COMES OFF AT 108000 MILES AT 65 MILES AN HOUR . PLEASE ADVISE. DEALER SAYS NOT RESPONSIBLE . *AK

NHTSA ID

751042

Incident

Aug 9, 2001

VEHICLE WAS SET ON CRUISE CONTROL GOING 70 MPH. VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, AND ABS LIGHTS/ AIR BAG LIGHT/ SPEEDOMETER WENT TO ZERO/ GAS GAUGE WENT TO EMPTY, AND TANK WAS FULL. CONSUMER TOOK IT INTO DEALER,AND CLOCKSPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER HAS NOT STATED IF IT WILL BE COVERED.*AK

NHTSA ID

893211

Incident

Jul 11, 2001

REAR DIFFERENTIAL BROKE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

881259

STEERING COLUMN MADE A GRINDING NOISY WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL OR SITTING STILL. DEALER THINKS IT WAS CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE AXLE SHAFT BEARINGS. CHRYSLER HAS CHANGED THEM IN NEW MODELS.THEY WERE AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ANNOUCED. *AK

NHTSA ID

878796

Incident

Mar 1, 2000

THE RING AND PINION GEAR AS WELL AS BOTH OUTER BEARINGS IN THE REAR AXLE FAILED AT 50000 MILES WITH SCHEDULED MAINTAINANCE. I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT A LOCAL DRIVELINE SHOP BECAUSE THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOP THAT THEY WERE DOING AS MANY AS FOUR DOZEN REAR END REPAIRS A MONTH ON DODGE TRUCKS AND FULL SIZE VANS FOR THE SAME ABOVE MENTIONED DEALER. THE ONLY REASON THEY ARE NOT DOING THEM ANY LONGER IS BECAUSE DODGE DECIDED TO START REPLACING THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY INSTEAD. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS COULD HAVE LEAD TO A LOCKING OF THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY WHILE DRIVING WHICH COULD HAVE PROVED FATAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

735788

Incident

Aug 1, 2000

AS I WAS TURNING THE CORNER THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WHICH WAS FULLY INFLATED CAME OFF THE TRUCK & I WENT AROUND THE CORNER ON 3 WHEELS. I HAD IT TOWED TO RALLEY DODGE & THEY SAID THAT MY EXTENDED WARRENTY WOULDN'T COVER THE DAMAGE .*AK

NHTSA ID

732346

Incident

Sep 18, 1999

SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT REGISTERING PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE SPEEDOMETER COULD BE OFF BY 10% AND STILL BE WITHIN VEHICLE'S SPECIFICATIONS. SPEEDOMETER CHECKED, AND FOUND TO BE ONLY OFF BY 1 MPH. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

862703

Incident

May 26, 2000

PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BEARINGS. FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE FAILED FIVE TIMES. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE SPINDLE, HUBS AND BEARINGS ON BOTH SIDES. *AK

NHTSA ID

859297

DEFECTIVE BRAKE DESIGN RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE FRONT AND NECCESSARY CONTINUED ADJUSTMENTS TO THE REAR BRAKES, UNABLE TO BE FIXED. MJS

NHTSA ID

549885

ORIGANAL TIRES FROM FACTORY (GOODYEAR WRANGLER RTS 265/75R16) HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY GOODYEAR 3 TIMES IN 16 MONTHS DUE TO DEFECTS IN MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP. VEHICLE HAD A MAJOR VIBRATION AT SPEEDS OF 45 AND 65 MPH.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 265/75R16 )

NHTSA ID

715776

Incident

Nov 19, 1999

RING & PINION GEAR FAILED. DODGE HAS MORE THAN 1200 ON BACK ORDER AND CANNOT GET THE PART. MY PART HAS BEEN ON ORDER FOR 5 WEEKS. LOCAL DEALER CONFIRMED THAT DODGE HAS SENT THEM A NOTIFICATION TO TRY TO RESET THE RING & PINION GEAR AS A FIX RATHER THAN REPLACE THE PART. DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE WILL NOT CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART. *AK

NHTSA ID

714962

Incident

Aug 7, 1999

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SEAL LEAKS OIL, CAUSING DIFFERENTIAL TO THROW A BEARING. YH

NHTSA ID

608647

Incident

May 1, 1998

TRUCK VIBRATES BETWEEN 30-67 MPH. DEALER HAS CHANGED THE TORQUE CONVERTER, DRIVERSHAFT, REPLACED RING AND PINION, YOKE, BEARINGS AND SEALS. TRUCK HAS BURNED 1/2 QT OF OIL PER 1000 MILES SINCE NEW. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

830437

Incident

May 21, 1998

CONSUMER COMPLAINING OF DRIVING VEHICLE ON THE STREET AT 40 MPH, ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. DEALER NOTIFIED, BUT STILL WANTS CONSUMER TO PAY EVEN WITH WARRANTY. *AK PROPORTIONING VALVE WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A SNAPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, DEALER REPLACED FRONT AXLE TRACK. STEERING WHEEL WAS OFF CENTER. LOWER RADIATOR HOSE WAS RUBBING THE FRAME AND WAS WORN, DEALER REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

825110

Incident

Jun 16, 1998