NHTSA Complaint #10010863 — 1998 DODGE RAM 1500

FROM THE DAY I SAW THAT 96 DODGE TRUCK ROLLING DOWN THE STREET I FELL IN LOVE. I SAVED EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO PURCHASE THE BIG BAD 1500 4X4 5.9(98)WITH EVERY OPTION AVAIL. HAD EVERYTHING AND FROM WEEK 1 HAD PROBLEMS. FRONT WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE DRIVING "DUE TO FRAME STRESS" IT ABOUT 2 WEEKS INTO IT. BRAKE FAILURE CAUSE SERIOUS ASSAULT ON GUARD RAIL, AND DODGE SAID I MUST HAVE BEEN DRIVING TO FAST (@ 30 MPH). THEY REFUSED ANY WARRANTY BECAUSE "NOTHING CAN TOUCH THE WHEEL" AND SINCE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER 93 DAYS LEMON LAWS DID NOT APPLY SO AFTER (2) $900 BRAKE JOBS TWO WEEKS APART EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NOT TO MENTION DAMAGE TO BODY I PAID FOR OUT OF POCKET. NOW I JUST GO THROUGH AN ENTIRE SET OF BRAKES EVERY 6 MONTHS. BUT I STOP UNTIL THEN.. I REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT 38 K MILES, NOTE THE WARRANTY ON THAT IS 36 K MILES. I HAVE HAD STEERING LINKAGE BECOME SO LOOSE INSTANTANEOUSLY (OR 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS) THAT IT FELT LIKE I WAS RUNNING OVER MY OWN AXLE, WHICH IS ANOTHER $1000 EACH TIME. FOR THE PAST THREE EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS THE ON BOARD COMPUTER FAILS SO I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHILE THEY CHARGE $200 TO FIX IT, BUT WILL NOT GIVE STRAIGHT ANSWER TO WHAT IS PROBLEM. AND TO NIGHT AS I TYPE, I SPREAD THE GRIME OF ENGINE CRUD ACROSS MY KEYBOARD AS I TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE FUEL FILTER SUDDENLY STOPPED. AMAZINGLY I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK FOR 5 YEARS BECAUSE IT HAS KEPT ME TOO BROKE TO BUY SOMETHING ELSE. ANY "LEGAL" SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT CAN BE DONE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. I RECOGNIZE I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $15,000 TRYING TO KEEP THIS THING RUNNING RIGHT, AND THAT IS TOO MUCH FOR A "LATE MODEL" TRUCK. I WOULD LOVE TO BLAME A DEALER BUT I HAVE BEEN TO JUST ABOUT ALL OF THEM AROUND HERE AND WITH THE SMILES ON THERE FACES I HEAR "THAT WILL BE ANOTHER $950 SIR".. GOOD GRIEF. *NLM