NHTSA Complaint #10090734 — 2003 DODGE RAM 1500

10/25/02-BOUGHT NEW 2003 DODGE 1500 EXTENDED CAB. 11/26/02, ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT ON. DEALERSHIP SAID "CONNECTION AT CAB HAD WATER IN IT, AND DRIED OFF AND SEALED." 12/19/02, 3685 MILES, TOOK BACK BECAUSE OF ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ON. SHORT IN BRAKE SWITCH AND REPLACED THE BRAKE SWITCH. 12/20/02 RETURNED WITH ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT ON. BRAKE SWITCH AND REAR ABS SENSOR SHORTED. REPLACED BOTH SENSORS AND FOUND WATER IN THE WIRING CONNECTOR. DISCONNECTED, CLEANED, DRIED AND SEALED. RETURNED TO ME ON 12/24. 12/30/02, 4339 MILES, ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS ON/RPM SPIKED. 8-WAY PLUG HAD WATER IN IT. "CONTACTED STAR AND WAS TOLD TO CUT OUT PLUG AND SOLDER WIRES." TRUCK RETURNED TO ME ON 01/02/03. 01/24/03, 5864 MILES, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON/SPEEDOMETER SPIKING AT IDLE. DEALERSHIP CHECKED CODES, CHECKED WIRING, REAR ABS SENSOR, CONNECTOR, ABS CONTROLLER CONNECTOR, CLEANED, SEALED CONNECTOR. TRUCK RETURNED TO ME ON 01/28/03. 08/20/03, 19775 MILEST, TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T KICK OUT OF PASSING GEAR UNTIL 80 MPH AND WHEN IT DID, MADE LOUD POPPING NOISE. DEALERSHIP SAID "TRANSMISSION NOT UPSHIFTING, FLASH PROGRAM TRANSMISSION CONTROL." 10/11/03, 23180 MILES, I WAS DRIVING, POWER STEERING PUMP CAME OUT AND CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL/RUN INTO DITCH. DAMAGE TO BUMPERS AND TAILPIPE. I HAD ALSO NOTICED THAT DAY BEFORE THE WRECK THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS KICKING INTO PASSING GEAR AT 40 MPH. HAD TOWED TO NEAREST DEALERSHIP ON 10/13/03. WOULD NOT GIVE ME A RENTAL-I HAD BOUGHT THE TRUCK FROM A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. DODGE SAT ON THIS TRUCK FOR FIVE MONTHS LEAVING ME WITHOUT A VEHICLE, SAYING THAT THEY WERE SENDING AN INSPECTOR OUT TO LOOK AT IT, INSPECTOR WOULD BE THERE ANY DAY. DODGE WOULD NOT REPLACE BUMPERS AND DID NOT FIX/RETURN TO ME UNTIL 03/09/04. TRUCK WAS STILL NOT RIGHT/ACTED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO QUIT RUNNING WHEN STARTED. 09/09/04, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON AGAIN/SPEEDOMETER SPIKING. OVER 36,000 MILES, HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY, GOING BACK TO DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. *AK