NHTSA Complaint #10104520 — 1999 DODGE RAM 2500

I AND MANY OTHER OWNERS OF 1998 THRU 2001 DODGE CUMMINS DIESEL VEHICLES HAVE OR WILL EXPERIENCE A KNOWN DEFECT OF THE DESIGNATED 53 BLOCK IN THESE VEHICLES. THE 53 BLOCK CAN DEVELOP A CRACK BEHIND THE HEAT EXCHANGER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH RESULTS IN COOLANT LOSS AND A REPLACEMENT BLOCK. MINE CRACKED AT 5 YEARS 2 MONTHS AND 53K MILES. STANDARD WARRANTY FOR THESE ENGINES IS 5 YEARS 100K. I LIKE MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD TO PAY ANYWHERE FROM $2000.00 AND UP TO HAVE A KNOWN DEFECT REPAIRED AS CHRYSLER WILL NOT COVER THE KNOWN PROBLEM IF OVER THE 5YEAR 100K LIMIT. THERE ARE MANY UNSUSPECTING PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT MAY NOT KNOW OF THIS DEFECT AND MANY USED VEHICLES ON USED VEHICLE LOTS THAT MAY BE SOLD TO PEOPLE THAT ARE UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. CUMMINS HAS GIVEN SOME ASSISTANCE, CHRYSLER HAS GIVEN NONE. EITHER WAY THE CONSUMER STILL PAYS FOR THE DEFECT OF AN ENGINE THAT WAS TOUTED TO LAST AT LEAST 350K MILES AND IN MY CASE ONLY 53K. I PAID AN ADDITIONAL $4600.00 FOR THE DIESEL OPTION AND THEN PAID AN ADDITIONAL $2400.00 TO HAVE THE DEFECT REPAIRED. LIKE THEIR PRESENT BALLJOINT PROBLEM NOTHING WILL HAPPEN WITH THE 53 PROBLEM UNLESS THE MEDIA GETS INVOLVED. IF YOU COULD GIVE ME ANY OTHER INFORMATION ON WHO TO NOTIFY I WOULD APPRECIATE IT AS SELLING A 32K AND HIGHER VEHICLE AND TURNING YOUR BACK ON A KNOWN DEFECT DOES NOT SIT WELL WITH MANY OWNERS. THANK YOU.*AK