1996 DODGE RAM 2500 Electrical System Problems

THE STEERING COLUMN ON THIS TRUCK HAS GOTTEN VERY HOT UNDER THE IGNITION SWITCH AREA. SO HOT IN FACT THAT THE WIRES AND PLASTIC COLUMN COVER HAVE SMOKED AND MELTED THROUGH. I FEEL THERE MAY BE A FIRE SOON. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH MY MODEL YEAR BUT THE MELTED HOLE IN MY STEERING COLUMN SAYS OTHERWISE I'VE READ THERE WAS A RECALL OF THIS NATURE BUT WAS TOLD IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE HELPING ME. HELP... *TR

SEVERAL YEARS BACK IGNITION SWITCH WAS RECALLED FOR BURNING UP. AT THAT TIME HAD REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH TWICE PREVIOUSLY. DODGE PAID FOR THE SWITCHES AND LABOR AND REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH WITH NEW AND IMPROVED IGNITION SWITCH. NOW APPROX. 5 TO 7 YEARS LATER IGNITION SWITCH BURNING UP AGAIN TAKING OUT DOOR LOCK, WINDOWS, AIR BAG, AND ABB LIGHTS ARE ALL ON AND YOU CANNOT OPERATE EITHER WINDOW OR DOOR LOCK. TOOK INTO SHOP IN SPRING, TEXAS CALLED RILEYS OF RAYFORD ROAD IN SPRING, TEXAS WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSING ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS AND NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN! CALLED DEMONTRON DODGE IN CONROE, TEXAS TO SEE ABOUT SWITCH REPLACEMENT. NOTHING YET! *TR

NUMEROUS HEADLIGHT SWITCHES REPLACED DUE TO THEM BURNING UP TO INCLUDE SEVERAL INCHES OF THE EXISTING WIRING HARNESS TO SWITCH. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS TYPE OF SAFETY ISSUE IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED. YOU DAM SURE HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM SINCE THE AFTERMARKET AUTO PARTS O REILYS ETC. CARRY THE SWITCH OR SWITCH WITH WIRING HARNESS AS AN OPTION. AFTER READING HERE ALL SWITCHES GO OUT ABOUT THE SAME... THE HEADLIGHTS START GOING ON AND OFF THEN LOOK FOR SMOKE COMING FROM AROUND DASH WHERE SWITCH MOUNTED. YOU CAN FEEL THE HEAT FROM UNDER WHEN SWITCH IS BURNING UP. NEED A SIMPLE RELAY TO STOP THIS SHOW HOW MUCH DODGE LOVES ITS CUSTOMERS! *TR

ON THE MORNING OF 12/7/09 I STARTED MY TRUCK TO WARM IT UP WITH THE HEATING FAN ON HIGH WHEN AT SOME POINT, SOMEWHERE IN THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASH OVERHEATED AND STARTED THE INTERIOR ON FIRE. DESTROYING MY VEHICLE. THE WINDSHIELD AND DRIVER DOOR WINDOWS WERE BROKEN FROM THE HEAT BUT LUCKILY REMAINED INTACT AND NOT LETTING AIR INSIDE TO FUEL THE FIRE AND IT EVENTUALLY EXTINGUISHED ITSELF. *TR

I DRIVE QUITE A BIT DURING THE NIGHT TIME WITH MY VEHICLE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS ISSUSE WITH THE WIRING OVER HEATING AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. I HAVE REPLACED 5 ... GOING TO BE 6 HEADLIGHT SWITCHES. THERE IS A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF HEAD BEING PUT OUT AT THE SWITCH ITSELF. SO MUCH THAT IT ACTUALLY MELTS THE PIGTAIL AT THE LIGHT SWITCH CONNECTION. THE LIGHT SWITCH ITSELF IS DESTROYED. ITS BAD ESPECCIALLY WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND YOUR HEADLAMPS, MARKER LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHT ALL GO OUT. IF I DO NOT HAVE A REPLACMENT PART IN MY TRUCK AT THE TIME, I HAVE TO FIND A SPOT IN BETWEEN SWITCH POSITION JUST TO GET MY LIGHTS OPERATIONAL TO "LIMP" MY TRUCK HOME. MY CHOICE OF POSITIONS WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS IS HEADLAMPS WITH OUT MARKERS AND NO DASH LIGHTS OR FOG LAMPS MARKERS AND DASH...

SYMPTOMS: AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATES RANDOMLY, HORN SOUNDS INTERMITTENTLY, CRUISE CONTROL HAS STOPPED WORKING. A CASUAL SEARCH OF THE INTERNET SHOWS THESE THREE SYMPTOMS OCCUR QUITE FREQUENTLY ON CHRYSLER/DODGE AND PLYMOUTH VEHICLES. THE CAUSE IS A FAULTY CLOCKSPRING. THE RISK IS HAVING THE AIRBAG DISENGAGE, I.E. WILL NOT DEPLOY. CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED RECALLS FOR A NUMBER OF VEHICLES FOR THIS DEFECT, THE PROBLEM IS THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR MANY MORE VEHICLES THAT HAVE THIS SAFETY DEFECT. CHRYSLER CLAIMS A BAD INSTALLATION AT CERTAIN PLANTS, PROBLEM IS THE DEFECT OCCURS ON MANY MORE VEHICLES THEN RECALLED MADE AT OTHER PLANTS. COST IS IN THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR. USER REPAIR IS NOT ADVISED SINCE THE AIRBAG MUST BE REMOVED. *JB

OCCASIONALLY, EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN STARTING THE ENGINE, STALLS IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING AND DURING LONG DISTANCE DRIVING, EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT FIRING, LIKE TREMBLING.*JB