NHTSA Complaint #10133295 — 1999 DODGE RAM VAN

/18/05 1999 DODGE RAM VAN 360 CI V-8 I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN THE SUMMER OF 2000. I DRIVE IT VERY LITTLE-CURRENT MILEAGE IS 37,000 AFTER 5 YRS. OWNERSHIP. WE JUST TOOK A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA, AND WENT THROUGH ALMOST A CASE OF OIL! ALSO, THE ENGINE WAS PINGING QUITE A BIT-ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I GOT ON THE INTERNET WHEN I GOT HOME FROM THE TRIP, AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND COMMENTS FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. A COUPLE OF THEM REFERRED TO A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY DODGE, BUT I COULDN'T FIND IT (PROBABLY NOT AVAILABLE TO THE CONSUMER). I CALLED KARI DODGE (LOCAL DEALERSHIP) AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM-SAID IT WAS COMMON AMONG 1999 AND 2000 318 AND 360 ENGINES. HE SAID THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, AND THAT I SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING IT, BECAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE COULD RESULT. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT-AND THE COST WILL BE $540 TO MAKE THE REPAIR. LOOKING BACK IN TIME, I FIRST NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS PINGING AROUND 3 YEARS AGO, ON A PREVIOUS TRIP TO CALIFORNIA (IT'S MOST NOTICEABLE ON EXTENDED HIGHWAY TRIPS-WHICH I DON'T TAKE VERY OFTEN). I WOULD GUESS THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 20,000, WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT THE WARRANTY WOULD HAVE COVERED THE REPAIR. I JUST THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO LOW OCTANE FUEL, SO I STARTED USING HIGHER OCTANE FUEL. THEN, OF COURSE, FROM THAT TIME ON, I HAVE MAINLY BEEN USING THE VEHICLE IN TOWN AND RARELY GO OVER 50 MPH, WHICH MAKES THE PROBLEM LESS NOTICEABLE. I REALLY FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE FOR DODGE. ON TOP OF THAT, IT MAKES ME VERY UNHAPPY THAT A POTENTIALLY ENGINE DAMAGING DEFECT LIKE THIS COULD BE ALLOWED TO EXIST-WITHOUT SOME SORT OF NOTIFICATION TO THE OWNER. I SUPPOSE IF THEY DID THAT MUCH, THEN IT WOULD BE AN ADMISSION OF GUILT ON THEIR PART. *JB