1995 DODGE RAM Suspension Problems

THIS TRUCK BODY STARTED BREAKING OUT BEHIND THE CAB SOON AFTER I BOUGHT IT. THE ENGINE HAS NEVER RAN RIGHT FROM DAY ONE. IT WAS IN THE DODGE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES BECAUSE OF POOR FUEL MILAGE, AND THEN DODGE FINALLY AGREED TO SEND THE TRUCK TO CUMMINS. CUMMINS FOUND THAT TRUCK HAD BAD MILAGE ALSO AND WROTE LETTER TO DODGE STATING THE PROBLEMS THEY FOUND. DODGE MORE OR LESS SAID TOUGH, DON'T BOTHER US! THE ENGINE HAD BOKEN PUSH ROD AT LOW MILAGE AND NOW AN INJECTOR MELTED TOP OUT OF PISTON RUINING THE ENGINE.

WHILE DRIVING AND IF VEHICLE HITS A BUMP IT FEELS AS IF VEHICLE IS FALLING APART. CONSUMER FEELS AS IF LOSING CONTROL, AND HAS TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN CONSIDERABLY, AND PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO REPLACED NUMEROUS SUSPENSION COMPONENTS., BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

STEERING SHUDDERED WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH AND WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. VEHICLE VIBRATING AND SHUDDERING UNCONTROLLABLY THROUGH STEERING WHEEL. ALSO, IN ORDER TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE HAD TO DROP SPEED AROUND 20 MPH. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THERE WAS A TSB FOR THAT PROBLEM. CONSUMER COMPLIED WITH TSB, BUT STILL HAD PROBLEMS.*AK

DODGE RAM TRUCKS HAVE A KNOWN HISTORY OF "SELF SUSTAINING VIBRATION" OR "SHIMMY" AFTER STRIKING A SMALL BUMP, OR OFFSET IN THE ROAD. SEE DODGE TSB 19-05-96 AND OTHER STEERING RELATED ISSUES. WE HAVE HAD OUR VEHICLE WORKED ON TWICE DUE TO EXTREMELY VIOLENT SHIMMYING THAT HAS NEARLY CAUSED COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE TRUCK ON 6 SEPERATE OCCASSIONS. ONLY BY INCREDIBLE LUCK AND SKILL HAS THERE NOT BEEN SERIOUS ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES. THE TSB I JUST REFERENCED SUGGESTS THAT THE SERVICE PERSONNEL "TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE OVER A ROAD THAT DUPLICATES THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT AND IF SHIMMYING IS FELT PERFORM ..." THIS IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE IN THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN NOT BE REPLICATED BY SUCH A PROCEDURE. THE FACT REMAINS THAT ONE CAN DRIVE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF MILES OVER THE SAME ROAD AND THE PROBLEM WILL NOT REPRODUCIBLY APPEAR. BUT, WITH ABSOLUTELY NO NOTICE, AND AT...

THE TRAILER HITCH ISSUE, I BELEVE, IS SERIOUS. "OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND" A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR 1998 TO 2001.5 MODELS. INVESTAGTION SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE 1994 MODELS THIS IS SERIOUS. ALSO THE TRACK BAR ISSUE, THIS EFFECTS THE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE THE SO CALLED "SHIMMY" THIS ALSO NEEDS TO BE LOOKED IN TO.*AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 99V214000. SERVICE WAS REFUSED BY DEALERSHIP(S) BECAUSE DEALERSHIP DID NOT HAVE A 'CERTIFIED WELDER' AND VEHICLE COULD NOT FIT INTO THEIR GARAGE. *AK *JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 99V214000 IN MARCH 2000, AND HAS CONTACTED DEALER 10 TIMES. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE, AND DID NOT HAVE A CERTIFIED WELDER TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS. *AK

RECALL 99V214000/ SUSPENSION : UNABLE TO GET RECALL HONORED BECAUSE OF A PRICE SETTLEMENT BETWEEN DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK *ML

RECEIVED TWO RECALL NOTICES: 00V135000/IGNITION SWITCH/ WIRING, AND 99V214000/ SUSPENSION. STILL WAS UNABLE TO GET DEALER TO HONOR RECALLS. ON TWO OCCASIONS, DEALER HAD INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PARTS WERE AVAILABLE , AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SET. WHEN CONSUMER ARRIVED THEY INFORMED HIM THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR RECALL 99V214000 REPAIRS CONCERNING SUSPENSION FAILURE. NO CERTIFIED WELDER WAS AVAILABLE TO REMEDY RECALL PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER CALLED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT TOOLS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO DO NHTSA RECALL 99V2I4 000/ MANUFACTURER 'S RECALL 835 REPAIRS OF SUSPENSION. NO FUTURE DATE WAS GIVEN. *AK

RECALL 99V214000 DAIMLERCHRYSLER/SUSPENSION; DEALER DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS OR MACHANIC TO CORRECT RECALL CAMPAIGN. OWNER CANTACTED DEALERSHIP ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHENEVER VEHICLE RAN OVER A POTHOLE OR A BUMP IT CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. HAD TO PULL OVER UNTIL THE SHAKING STOPPED. ALSO, CAUSED DAMAGES TO THE FRONT TIRES. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

THERE IS A 25 WEEK WAITING PERIOD BEFORE DEALER CAN FIX VEHICLE FOR RECALL 99V214000. OWNER CONTACTED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS DIRECTED TO A DEALERSHIP THAT COULD MAKE THE REPAIRS. REPAIRS MADE WITHIN 1 WEEK. *AK

RECALL 99V214000 DAIMLER/ CHRYSLER/SUSPENSION; OWNER CONTACTED TWO DEALERSHIPS FOR RECALL CAMPAIGN. NEITHER DEALERSHIP HAS A CERTIFIED WELDER TO CORRECT RECALL CAMPAIGN. DEALERSHIP NOT ABLE TO TELL OWNER WHEN WELDER WILL BE HIRED. *AK

THE SHOCKS AND THE SPRINGS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME HAVE BROKEN ON THE LEFT SIDE AND THE RIGHT SIDE ARE CRACKED. PROBLEM CORRECTED UNDER RECALL SOME TIME AGO. OWNER IS EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

IN A SUDDEN STOP WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE SWAYS TO THE LEFT SIDE, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DLR REPLACED SHIMS/ FRONT BRAKE PADS/ ROTOR AND CONTROL ARM, ETC. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

COIL SPRING/TORSION BAR/STEERING ARM AND MOUNTING TOWER, CAME LOOSE AND BROKE AWAY FROM AXLE DUE TO STREES/CRACKS/METAL FATIGUE AND BAD WELDING.

FRONT SUSPENSION PROBLEMS.

WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH ROADS, VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXCESSIVE VIBRATION BETWEEN CERTAIN SPEEDS. *AK

TRUCKS FRONT END CONSTANTLY PULLS TO LEFT, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. *DSH