NHTSA Complaint #10489551 — 1999 DODGE RAM VAN

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I BOUGHT A 1999 DODGE RAM 1500 VAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 88,000. AFTER DRIVING ON SEVERAL TRIPS WE TOOK IT TO THE SHOP BECAUSE THE STEERING WAS LOOSE AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY MAKE NOISE. THE FIRST MECHANIC WE TALKED TO SAID THE FRONT OF THE FRAME IS ALMOST 80% RUSTED THROUGH ON ONE SIDE AND WHERE THE STEERING BOX WAS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS UNREPAIRABLE AND HE WAS CONCERNED WITH US EVEN DRIVING IT HOME. WE CONTACTED A SECOND BUSINESS THAT DEALS WITH FRAME ISSUES AMONG OTHER THINGS. THEY WERE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE VEHICLE BEING DRIVEN MORE THAN A FEW MILES. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH METAL TO WELD TO MAKE IT SAFE AND THE ONLY WAY HE SAW TO FIX IT WAS TO GET ANOTHER FRAME AND BASICALLY REMOVE THE FRAME FROM MY VEHICLE AND ATTACH THE NEW FRAME BUT HE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS FINDING A FRAME THAT WASN'T RUSTED AND IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR EVEN IF THEY DID. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS PROBLEM IT APPEARS THAT THE FRAME RUSTING IS COMMON. WE PURCHASE THE VEHICLE FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER THAT HAS ALWAYS LIVED IN MISSOURI AND HE RECEIVED FREE OIL CHANGES FOR AS LONG AS HE OWNED THE VEHICLE FROM ROYAL GATE DODGE. I RECENTLY CALLED THE PAST OWNER ABOUT THE VEHICLE WHEN WE FOUND OUT IT WAS UNSAFE AND HE SAID THEY NEVER EVEN MENTIONED IT. I BELIEVE THAT DODGE KNEW OF THE PROBLEM AND THE DANGEROUS FRAME BUT HAVE YET TO DO ANYTHING. PLEASE HELP ME WITH BOTH MY VEHICLE ISSUE AND MAKE SURE THEY ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX, COMPENSATE OR WHATEVER TO GET THESE DANGEROUS VEHICLES OFF THE STREET. *TR