NHTSA Complaint #10142873 — 1997 DODGE RAM 2500

MY DODGE 1997 RAM 2500 TRUCK WITH 8.0L V-10 ENGINE SUFFERED SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE SEIZURE ON 13 AUGUST 2005. THE TRUCK HAD 74254 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE OIL LEVEL IN THE ENGINE WAS NORMAL (FULL) AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE DODGE TRUCK DEALER IN BOZEMAN, MONTANA. I WAS ADVISED BY THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER THAT HE HAD SEEN SEVERAL DODGE TRUCK V-10??S WITH SEIZED ENGINES DUE TO OIL PUMP FAILURES BUT HE KNEW OF NO FACTORY PROGRAM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE DEALER PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE OF $9461 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A MOPAR REBUILT ENGINE AND PROVIDE A 3-YEAR WARRANTY ON THE WORK. GIVEN THE RELATIVELY HIGH REPAIR COST QUOTED BY THE DEALER, AND AN APPARENT LACK OF ANY FACTORY PROGRAM TO COVER EVEN A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COST, I ELECTED TO HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT BY A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DURING DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE, IT WAS FOUND THAT ONE OF THE GEARS IN THE OIL PUMP HAD FRACTURED (BROKEN) IN SEVERAL PLACES. THESE FRACTURES CAUSED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED FAILURE OF THE OIL PUMP, A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE OIL PRESSURE, AND SUBSEQUENT SEIZURE OF THE ENGINE A FEW SECONDS OF OPERATION LATER. THE OIL PUMP GEARS WERE PHOTOGRAPHED AND THESE IMAGES CAN BE PROVIDED. THE INNER GEAR IS BROKEN IN SEVERAL PIECES. ALL OF THE OIL PUMP PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. SINCE OIL PUMP GEARS ARE INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS NOT SUBJECT TO ROUTINE PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND NOT SUBJECT TO ABUSE BY THE VEHICLE OPERATOR, THE FAILURE IS CLEARLY DUE TO MATERIAL DEFECT OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED ENGINE SEIZURE IN A HIGHWAY VEHICLE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. SINCE THE REPORTED 8.0L V10 ENGINE SEIZURE IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER AN IMMEDIATE PRODUCT RECALL OF DODGE TRUCKS WITH THE 8.0L V10 ENGINE, OR OTHER CORRECTIVE ACTION, TO REDUCE FUTURE OCCURRENCES OF THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM