1998 Dodge Ram Suspension Problems

ALL WARRANTY SERVICE AT CLIFFS AUTOSVR-GOODYEAR-SPRINGTOWN.*MR THE VEHICLES REAR END HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WEAR. *NM

NHTSA ID

10079914

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

99,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR END FAILED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID

8020809

Incident

Sep 28, 2002

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A WHINING SOUND FROM REAREND. MECHANIC DETERMINED REAR BEARING HAD GONE OUT, AND REAR AXLE HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8012708

Incident

Jun 21, 2002

THE VEHICLE VIBRATES (UP/DOWN) SEVERELY IN THE 40-45MPH AND 60-65MPH RANGE. SINCE THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE FAIRLY WORN, NEW TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND WERE FORCE BALANCED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS WITH NO SOLUTION IN SIGHT. CORRESPONDENCE WITH DAIMLER/CHRYSLER HAS NOT RAISED ANY CONCERN OR INTEREST ON THEIR PART. THERE IS CURRENTLY ONE OTHER COMPLAINT IN THE ODI DATABASE IDENTICAL TO THIS ONE.*AK

NHTSA ID

759633

Incident

Dec 4, 2001

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

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES DOWNHILL AND GOING OVER A BUMP ON PAVEMENT ABS SYSTEM RELEASES. WILL NOT GRAB AGAIN UNTIL VEHICLE IS ON LEVEL GROUND. TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES, SAID VEHICLE OPERATED AS IT SHOULD, AND ABS SYSTEM WAS FINE.*AK DISCONNECTING SPEED SENSOR, ELIMINATES THE PROBLEM, BUT IT IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *ET

NHTSA ID

896954

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

VEHICLE WAS GOING 10-15MPH ONTO AN EXIT RAMP AND BACK END STARTED SWAYING LEFT AND RIGHT. ROAD WAS DRY. CONSUMER LET OFF GAS AND TAPPED THE BRAKES LIGHTLY, AND SHORTLY VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP.*AK

NHTSA ID

893393

Incident

Jul 29, 2001

FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE WHICH HAS CAUSED THE FRONT IN OF THE VEHICLE TO FLOAT, AND IS VERY UNSTABLE WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

890647

Incident

Jun 7, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SWAYS ALL OVER THE ROAD,PULLING EXTREMELY TO RIGHT OR LEFT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED TRACK BAR. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

888932

DEFECTIVE WHEEL BEARINGS

NHTSA ID

9001910

Incident

Sep 3, 2000

DEFECTIVE WHEEL BEARINGS

NHTSA ID

9001906

Incident

Mar 20, 2000

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH REAR END OF THE TRUCK MAKES A GRINDING NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ID

874348

Incident

Nov 1, 2000

VEHICLE PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT WHEN BRAKING. THE DEALER AND A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP CLAIMS IT IS DUE TO A WORN FRONT TRACK BAR, FAILING U-JOINTS, AND SWAY BAR LINKS. THESE PARTS SHOULD NOT BE WEARING OUT AT THIS LOW OF MILEAGE. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE UPCOMING WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS THAT LOSS OF CONTROL IS POSSIBLE DUE TO THE POOR HANDLING WITH THE DEFECTIVE PARTS.

NHTSA ID

729693

VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT THEN TO THE LEFT INTERMITTENTLY. DRL HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

851982

AT 35-45 MPH VEHICLE VIBRATES . THE DEALER HAS PUT 5 SETS OF TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

840394

WHILE DRIVING AROUND A CORNER AT APPROXIMATELY 15MPH THE SWAY BAR FELL OUT. DROVE TO DEALER & MECHANIC NOTICED THE SWAY BAR HANGING & HAD TO REPAIR IT. THE 2ND INCIDENT: HAD LOST STEERING CONTROL & HIT A TREE. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. *AK

NHTSA ID

836814

Incident

Feb 9, 1999

VEHICLE VIBRATION, SOME AT 22MPH, WORST AT 43MPH, DEALER BALANCED TIRES 1ST TIME IN, STILL VIBRATED. TOOK BACK IN 4 WEEKS LATER, DEALER SAID 3 TIRES WERE WAY OUT OF BALANCE. BALANCED AGAIN, STILL VIBRATES. VIBRATION INTENSITY CHANGES WHEN WHEELS ARE ROTATED. *MJS

NHTSA ID

705605

LOUD POPING IN THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING, BEEN IN THE SHOP 7 TIMES FOR REPIR STILL NOT FIXED

NHTSA ID

704228

Incident

Oct 9, 1998

WATER LEAKS INTO DRIVERS DOOR DUE TO MISALIGNMENT.

NHTSA ID

544038

Incident

Dec 29, 1998

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

703313

SUSPENSION FAILURE. YH

NHTSA ID

608771

THE DEFECT IS IN THE ALIGNMENT OF THE TRUCK AND THE ENGINE. WITH THE ALIGNMENT SET TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS THE TRUCK STILL PULLS OUT OF THE DRIVING LANE. WITHIN TEN SECONDS THE TRUCK WILL COMPLETELY VACATE THE LANE. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THE ENGINE HAS A "STUMBLE" OR MISS-FIRE AT IDLE. AGAIN THE MANUFACTURES STATES THE ENGINE IS ALSO WITHIN GUIDELINES. THE DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS AN INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR ALIGNMENT, BUT PROVIDES NO WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION ON WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE OR WHAT THE MANUFACTURER'S ACCEPTABLE TOLERANCES ARE SPECIFICALLY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING WHICH INDICATES ALIGNMENT STANDARDS AND ENGINE TIMING.

NHTSA ID

702687

Incident

Dec 12, 1998

REAR SUSPENSION CLUNKS ON TURNS WITH LIGTH/NO LOAD IN BED. SOUNDS LIKE THE GAS TANK SHIFTING SIDE TO SIDE OR SPRING PACK NOISE. OTHER OWNER'S I'VE TALKED TOO HAVE SAME PROBLEM. THE REAR SLIDING GLASS WINDOW LEAKS AT THE TOP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN HEAVY RAIN. THE TWO TONE PAINT IS FADING. YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM COLOR THROUGH THE TOP COLOR. ALSO, I'VE HEAR FROM SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS ABOUT PREMATURE FRONT BALL JOINT FAILURES ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T HAD THIS PROBLEM YET.

NHTSA ID

701957

Incident

Jan 1, 1998

MY 1998 DODGE RAM EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN HITTING HARD BUMPS IN THE ROAD. CHRYSLER DISTRICT MANAGER SAYS ALL DODGE RAMS DO THIS AND I OUGHT TO DRIVE A LITTLE SLOWER. THE ABS BRAKES HAVE ALSO FAIRLED ON A STEEP DECLINE. THE NOISE FROM THE FRONT END WAS HORRENDOUS AND THE WHEELS CONTINUED TO ROLL WITH NO EFFORT TO STOP. ALSO THE FRONT END OF THIS TRUCK CANNOT BE ALIGNED. DODGE HAS ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY INSTALLING AFTERMARKET BALL JOINTS, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND I HAVE GONE THRU 3 SETS OF TIRES. IF ALL RAM TRUCKS SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL THEN ALL SHOULD BE OFF THE ROAD AS MINE IS. I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL CALLS FROM OTHER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

701642

Incident

Dec 1, 1998

CONSUMER EXPRIENCING ON GOING PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION JUMPING OUT OF GEAR INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT DEALER SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. DEALER/MFR. NOTIFIED. *AK THE FRONT RIGHT SPRING FAILED. THE RELAY ROD AND THE CAMBER MALFUNCTIONS. *YH

NHTSA ID

831915

Incident

Sep 2, 1998