1998 Dodge Ram Visibility Problems

VEHICLE'S PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR SHOWS INACCURATELY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

NHTSA ID

10039877

Incident

Sep 12, 2003

A SMALL CRACK WAS DEVELOPING ON REARVIEW WINDOW GOING DOWN TOWARDS DRIVER'S SIDE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, WHO AGREED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

895513

Incident

Aug 28, 2001

AFTER A MAJOR RAINSTORM, I DISCOVERED THAT BOTH FRONT AND REAR WINDSHIELDS LEAK. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY PART. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID

740005

Incident

Jan 25, 2001

HEATER CORE FAILED. WAS DRIVING WHEN IT BURSTED & FOGGED UP WINDSHIELD WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAUSED A HAZARD OF POOR VISIBILITY FOR DRIVER. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES, AND HAD BEEN REPLACED EACH TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

877550

Incident

Jul 21, 1999

I BOUGHT THE DODGE JUNE 1998, FROM THE FIRST MONTH I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS.I HAD BOTH FRONT SIDE WINDOWS FALL DOWN, WIPER BLADE LINKAGE BREAKS, ENGINE SURGES, DOOR LIGHTS WON'T COME ON, THE AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER/MOTOR SHORTED OUT, AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS/TV/VCP/CD PLAYER WILL SHUT OFF AT TIMES. EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE INTERIOR EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN CORRECTED, THEY STILL SHORT OUT. THE PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SHORTS HAS EXPANDED. ON THE WAY HOME FROM VACATION JUST OUTSIDE OF ST. LOUIS ON INTERSTATE 44, WE WERE PASSING A DIESEL TRUCK GOING ABOUT 70 MPH WITH ANOTHER DIESEL TRUCK FOLLOWING US WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. LUCKY FOR US THE TRUCK BEHIND US WAS PAYING ATTENTION. THE TRUCK CAME WITHIN INCHES OF HITTING US, IF IT DID MY WHOLE FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. MY SON MANAGED TO PULL THE VAN OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE HAD AAA TOW THE VAN TO A DODGE DEALER IN BOURBON, MO. THE NEXT DAY THE MACHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE ASD 20AMP FUSE BLEW, THE ASD FUSE IS LOCATED UDER THE HOOD IN THE POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER. THE ASD FUSE HANDLES ENGINE CONTROLS/FUEL PUMP. THE DEALERSHIP IN BURBON COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT HE DID GIVE US EXTRA FUSES TO GET US HOME. WE HAD TO STOP AT WALMARKS TO BUY EXTRA FUSES. ON THE WAY HOME THE ASD FUSE BLEW OUT 4 TIMES. WHEN WE GOT BACK HOME, I TOOK THE VAN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT FOR REPAIR, CUMBERLAND VALLEY MOTORS, THEY ANSWERED WITH THEIR STOCK QUOTE, UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AT THIS TIME. I DON'T KNOW IF THE ASD FUSE BLEW OUT DUE TO ENGINE HEAT, BAD WIRING, OR IF THE INTERIOR CONTROL PANEL WHICH HANDLES THE INTERIOR LIGHTS/TV/VCP HAS A SHORT IN IT. THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND IF I HAVE THIS PROBLEM, THEN THEIR MIGHT BE OTHER DODGE VANS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAPPENED ALREADY OR WILL HAPPEN?

NHTSA ID

730790

Incident

Aug 8, 2000

INDSHIELD WIPER FLUID FROZE INTO ONE BLOCK, AND DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO APPLY TO THE WINDSHIELD. DRIVER RAN OFF THE ROAD DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER SAYS THAT WATER WAS IN FLUID. *AK

NHTSA ID

855311

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED AND FAILED TO ENGAGE SINCE PURCHASE. HAVE RETURNED TO DEALER MORE THAN ONCE AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WRONG. IWAS TOLD THAT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL IS FASTER THAN THE COMPUTER WORKING THE TRANS.

NHTSA ID

710618

1. MIRROR VIBRATION ON DRIVERS SIDE TO THE DEGREE THAT YOU CANNOT SEE TO MAKE SAFE LANE CHANGES. 2. ALARM INOPERABLE AT TIMES AND DOME LIGHT DOES NOT ILUMINATE SO YOU CANNOT SEE IF SOMEONE IS HIDING IN YOUR VEHICLE. 3. ROUGH RIDE 4. POPPING NOISE IN FRONT SUSPENSION 5. NUTS THAT HOLD DOWN THE SEATS DAMAGED WHEN CARPET REPAIRED 6. BRAKE FAILURE WHILE PULLING OUR BOAT 7. PINGING NOISE IN ENGINE LIKE IT IS ABOUT TO BLOW UP

NHTSA ID

710508

Incident

Mar 14, 1999

LEFT AND RIGHT MIRRORS VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY, AND MAKE THEM USELESS ABOVE 35 MPH

NHTSA ID

708275

NO SUMMARY MENTIONE DFOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

707037

Incident

Apr 1, 1999

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS LATE ON CERTAIN OCCASIONS JUMPING INTO GEAR, DIAGNOSTICS' WERE PERFORMED BY DEALERSHIP RESULTING IN A NEGATIVE RESULT, THE TRUCK STILL PERSIST'S WITH THE PROBLEM USUALLY AT SPEEDS' 35 MPH AND UNDER. THE TRUCK HAS PULLED RIGHT UPON DELIVERY, DEALERSHIP REPLACED CALIPERS STATING THAT THE O.E.M. CALIPERS WERE SEIZED FROM FACTORY, THREE DAYS LATER THE PROBLEM WAS BACK, DEALERSHIP PERFORMED ALIGNMENT, PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED AND CONTINUES TO DO SO. THE REASON I PUT POWER STEERING DOWN UNDER THE COMMENTS SECTION IS BECAUSE OF MY BELIEF THAT THE PROBLEM RESIDES IN THE STEERING GEAR-BOX, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN CHECKED. THE BACK-UP LIGHTS DID NOT WORK UPON DELIVERY BUT WERE FIXED IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE BEEN FINE EVER-SINCE. THE DRVER-SIDE WINDOW MOLDING LEAKS AND ON CERTAIN DAYS CAUSES FOGGING OF THE WINDOW RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VISION AND AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. O.E.M. JACKSTAND IS ALSO TO SHORT TO REPLACE TIRE ON INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION.

NHTSA ID

705725

Incident

Aug 21, 1998

1. THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR GLASS ON THIS VEHICLE, RAM 2500 SERIES, HAS CRACKED DUE TO THE EXTREME COLD CONDITIONS IN MY LOCATION. PRESENTS AN EVEN MORE AND DISTORTED VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. THE PRODUCT IS INFERIOR GLASS. 2. EXCESSIVE PINGING IN THE 5.9L ENGINE. THE MANUAL STATES THAT YOU CAN USE AN 87 OCTANE RATED FUEL IN THIS ENGINE. IF YOU DO EVEN WITHOUT A "LOAD" IN THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE WILL CONSTANTLY "PING." USING A HIGHER OCTANE RATING THE PINGING NOISE IS STILL NOTICEABLE. ALSO THIS ENGINE FROM THE START USES APPROXIMATELY 1/2 - 3/4 OF A QUART OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. VERY BAD FOR A NEW PRODUCT. 3. THE SAME DOOR ON THE 2500 SERIES (QUAD CAB) RAM TRUCK IS USED ON THE TYPE OF TRUCK THAT I OWN, THE EXTENDED OR CLUB CAB. HOWEVER, WHERE THERE IS WEATHERSTRIPPING ON THE QUAD CAB DOOR ON THE LOWER RUNNING BOARD SIDES, (BOTH DOORS) THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO STRIPPING ON THE EXTENDED CAB DOORS (CLUB CAB). THIS ALLOWS FOR THE INFILTRATION OF DIRT AND WATER TO ACTUALLY COME UP AND SIT OR RESIDE ON THE TOP PLATE. THIS MAKES FOR A BAD SITUATION NOT ONLY FOR THE CLEANLINESS OF THE TRUCK ON THOSE PANELS BUT FOR CORROSIVE QUALITIES AS WELL.

NHTSA ID

704410

Incident

Aug 20, 1998

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF.

NHTSA ID

607814

Incident

Dec 4, 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

WHEN DRIVING THE TRUCK THE DRIVER'S OUTSIDE MIRROR ON THE DOOR SHAKES, CAUSING A BLUR IN THE MIRROR WHEN TRYING TO LOOK OUT OF IT. HAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY CAN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

828357

Incident

Nov 2, 1997