1996 DODGE RAM Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION FAILED TO GO FROM SECOND TO THID GEAR. MECHANIC STATED THAT THE THIRD GEAR LIP SEAL FAILED. THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THESE VEHICLES. *AK

MANUFACTURER DEFECT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN HARM. *PH PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND THE HIGH CLUTCH DRUM WAS REPLACED. *MR *JB *SC

SHIFTED FROM PARK TO REVERSE. ENGINE IDLED FAST, TRUCK TOOK OFF IN REVERSE AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED BY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE. SPEED PROBABLY ACCELERATED TO 20 MPH BEFORE HIT 3 OTHER VEHICLES. WITNESSES SAID THE REAR TIRES WERE SPINNING AND THE ENGINE NOISE WAS HIGH PITCHED AND OSCILLATING.*AK

TRANSMISSION WILL JUMP INTO LOW GEAR AND/OR WON'T DOWN SHIFT AT TIMES. *AK CONSUMER ADDED DURING COLD START, TRANSMISSION WILL NOT BACK UP FOR SHORT TIME. *TT

TRANSMISSION SLIPS MOST TIMES WHEN IT SHIFTS FROM 2 ND TO 3 RD GEAR, VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER YET.*AK

TRANSMISSION HAS A DELAY WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2 ND TO 3 RD GEAR, ALSO THERE IS A GRINDING SOUND WHEN IN REVERSE.*AK

WHILE SHIFTING VEHICLE IN SECOND GEAR TRANSMISSION WOULD SKIP SECOND GEAR. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

MECHANIC SAID HE SEE THIS IN DODGE'S RANGING IN THE YRS.1994-1999'S, IT IS A FAULTY PART. NO SAFETY DEFEC TMENTIONED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH TRANSMISSION WORKED POORLY. AT STARTING/ PASSING GEAR WILL MAKE A LOUD NOISE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

HIS TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING IN AUGUST. I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION WHO STATED THAT IT WASN'T THEIR PROBLEM TO HAVE REPLACED, WHEN WE HAD 2 DEALERSHIPS TELL US THAT DODGE HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS, AND THAT IS WHY NOW THEY ARE OFFERING THE 7 YEAR/70,000 MI. POWERTRAIN WARRANTY ON ALL OF THEIR VEHICLES. WE FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD RECALL THIS AND HAVE IT REPLACED FOR NO CHARGE TO US. THE DODGE TRUCKS WE WRE TOLD HAVE THE LONGEST RUNNING POWERTRAIN CAPABILITIES. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT AT 70,000 MI. WHEN THEY ARE GOOD FOR AT LEAST 150,000 MI. BEFORE ANY PROBLEMS SHOULD EVER OCCUR. IF YOU SHOULD NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT EITHER NUMBER LISTED. THANK-YOU. WALTER BUTLER. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD IT WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. ALSO, VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO SECOND OR THIRD GEAR UNLESS CONSUMER RELEASES GAS PEDAL AND RPMS WILL COME DOWN. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT ,GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS GOING FROM 2 GEAR TO 3 GEAR. *AK

VEHICLE JUMPS FROM FIFTH GEAR TO NEUTRAL BECAUSE BOLT IN COLUMN SHIFT COMES OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR EASILY. CONSUMER CONTACTED SEVERAL MECHANICS, INCLUDING CHRYSLER DEALER, WHO SAID THAT IT WAS A "MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED." TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO FAIL AT 57, 000, IT WAS A HEAT RELATED PROBLEM. AN OVERDRIVE UNIT W/ TORQUE CONVERTER HEATED UP SEALS WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW THE SEALS TO HOLD PRESSURE.*AK

I HAVE REPLACED MIRRORS AT MY OWN COST. *AK

I WAS NOT ABLE TO ENTER THE VIN # HERE IT IS: [XXX]. I WAS TRAVELING @ 75 MPH IN THE FAST LANE OF INTERSTATE 95 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. FELT SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER & DECLINE OF SPEED, NARROWLY ESCAPED MAJOR ACCIDENT. FOUND THAT TRANSMISSION LOST 5TH GEAR. RESEARCHED AND FOUND MANUFACTURER PUBLISHED SERVICE BULLETIN (#21-10-98A) SEPT. 98. I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. DODGE DOES NOT CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY CONCERN - I WISH THEY WERE IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAPPENED INSTEAD OF MY TWO SONS & I.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

STEERING HAS TO MUCH PLAY, ALSO THERE IS A POPPING SOUND, TO DEALER 4 TIMES, CANNOT FIND PROBLEM. VEHICLE WILL NOT STAY IN OVERDRIVE. *AK

ENGINE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE SHIFTING GEARS. 3RD GEAR WAS BURNING OUT. DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO AN AMOCO, AND TEST DROVE IT TO FIND PROBLEM. *AK DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSDUCER AND SOLENOID. *SLC

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, APPLIED MORE GAS, BUT VEHICLE WAS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. MOTOR WOULD REV UP. MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE TO SIDE OF ROAD. PLACED VEHICLE IN PARK AND WAS GETTING OUT WHEN VEHICLE ALMOST RAN OVER DRIVER. VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE PARK/DRIVE OR REVERSE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. WAS INFORMED, IT HAD NO REAR END. *AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'VE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. ONCE AT 43,832 MILES, NOW AT 71,750 MILES. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN WE PULLED INTO TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR. *AK

THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR ANY TOWING OR OTHER POWER TRAIN STRESSING JOBS. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, UNDER SIMILAR "NO STRESS" CONDITION LESS THAN 20K MILES LATER. A WIDELY ACCEPTED INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR TRANSMISSION LIFE EXPECTANCY IS 7YRS/100,000 MILES. *AK

HAVE HAD TO REBUILD TRANSMISSION, ALSO KNOW OF OTHERS IN THIS SAME AREA WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY ARE ALSO 1996 MODELS

FRAME SEPARATED BECAUSE OF IMPROPER WELDING, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION BOLTS TO SEPARATE.*AK

NHTSA ID 97V08400

WHILE DRIVING GAS PEDAL MAY BE DOWN TO THE FLOOR, BUT VEHICLE WON'T GO ANYWHERE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY FOUND PIECES OF RUBBER O-RING, METAL SLITHERINGS, CLUTCH MATERIALS IN TRANSMISSION PAN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID CONSUMER NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION/FRONT PUMP, CONSUMERS FELT THIS CAR WAS 4 YEARS OLD, AND SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION WHICH THE VEHICLE DOES SHIFT PROPERLY AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. ALSO, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYED ON. BUT, DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

DURING FAILURE ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS FLASH THE TRANSMISSION GOES HAYWIRE AND THE TACHOMETER GOES HAYWIRE. THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN AT THREE DIFFERENT SHOPS, WE HAVE CHANGED OUT THE TRANSMISSION RELAY, THE HEADLIGHT LAMP, SERVICED THE TRANSMISISON AND STILL CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE REPLACE A RADIO WHICH HAS SHORTED OUT AND THE FUEL INDICATOR DOESN'T WORK. BOTH OF WHICH FAILED BEFORE THE TRUCK WAS THREE YEARS OLD, UNFORTUNEATELY JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER WHEN GOING UP A HILL. DEALER HAS REBUILT TRANSMISSION, BUT DEFECT HAS REOCCURRED. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 31, 700 MI. IT REQUIRED A MAJOR OVERHAUL TO RETURN IT TO OPERATION. LABOR COSTS WERE $1100 DOLLARS AND PARTS $800. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALER THE LABOR CHARGES WERE PAID BY THE DEALER. INVESTIGATION INTO CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH DODGE RAM TRANSMISSIONS PROMPTED OWNER TO CALL CHRYSLER 800 NUMBER TO COMPLAIN ABOUT $800 PAYMENT. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE $800 WAS PAID, NO REFUND COULD BE PROVIDED. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT THIS DETERMINATION WAS FINAL AND NO APPEAL TO HIGHER AUTHORITY WAS POSSIBLE. OWNER PERSONALLY KNOWS THREE OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITH DODGE RAM PICKUPS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT THE SAME MILEAGE. CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DEFECT PREFERRING INSTEAD TO DEFER THE EXPENSE TO THE VEHICLE OWNER. *AK

TRANSMISSION GOES INTO 2ND WHEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND WON'T SHIFT OUT OTHER. PEOPLE I KNOW WITH SAME PICKUPS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. *AK

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT TO 2-3 GERAS NORMALY, ALSO, ABS BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AT IDLE. *AK

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS NOT FAILED. IT CONTINUALLY SKIPPS IN AND OUT OF 2ND GEAR. WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN IN FIRST GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION JUMPS TO 2ND AND BACK TO 1ST, THEN INTO DRIVE. THIS ACTION IS RANDOM AND OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY SOMETIMES. IT WILL JUMP IN AND OUT OF 2ND GEAR WHEN EVER THE VEHICAL SPEED IS LOW ENOUGH TO REQUIRE 2ND GEAR. THE VEHICAL IS MAINTAINED EXTREMELY WELL. THE TRANSMISSION HAS HAD 5 FULL SERVICE FILTER AND OIL CHANGES. IT HAS A FACTORY TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER. THE PROBLEMS ARE NOT RELATED TO NEGLECT, OR TO HEAT. THIS TRANSMISSION DRIVES ME "NUTS!" IN FACT IT, COULD DISRUPT ONES ATTENTION JUST ENOUGH TO RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND FAILS ON INGRADES.... EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR ON THE FRONT TIRES AND EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION.. AND ROUGH VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END EVEN AFTER A TIRE CHANGE AND BALANCE, AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT... GAS MILAGE IS 230 MILES TO A 26 GALLON TANK OF GAS( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/75R16 )

WE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A FACTORY REBUILT UNIT BECAUSE THIS TRANSMISSION IS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED. WE CAN ONLY ASSUME THIS IS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WAS UNDER DESIGNED AND NOT SUITABLE FOR USE IN THIS TRUCK. WE FEEL THAT THE ENTIRE COST OF THE REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT SHOULD BE BORNE BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.

TRANS SHIFTS INTO 2ND AND STAYS UNTIL HIGH RPM OR SLIPS UNTIL +LOAD OR +THROTTLE

NO SUMMARY.

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED THE FIRST TIME WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID THAT A FORWARD SEAL HAD BEEN "ROLLED" WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS TAKEN OUT AND THE SEAL REPLACED. THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES. SYMPTOMS: WHEN STARTING OUT WITH THE ENGINE COLD, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT PAST SECOND GEAR. THE ENGINE SPEED WILL NOT AFFECT THE CHANGE, ONLY WARMING THE ENGINE BY DRIVING APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES WILL CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO OPERATE NORMALLY. HOWEVER, EVEN DURING WARMED DRIVING, THE PROBLEM RETURNS INTERMITTENTLY, WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN CONSIDERABLY AND HAS CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH TRAFFIC ON FREEWAY SYSTEMS WHERE HIGHER SPEED IS REQUIRED. TOP SPEED DURING THIS PROBLEM IS 35 MPH.

ENGINE COMPLETELY FELL APART AND WAS REPLACED BY NORTHE STAR DODGE IN SAN ANTONIO. AIR CONDITIONER HAS RELAY PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION FOUND TO HAVE CLUTCH PIECES IN IT BY INDEPENDANT USED CAR TESTER. ALL WINDOWS AND DOORS HAVE AIR LEAKS AND RAIN LEAKS. VEHICLE LEAKS WATER UP THROUGHT HE FLOOR BOARD WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN. VEHICLE ALSO SHUDDERS DRAMATICALLY WHEN GOING OVER 40 MPH. CARBERATOR HAS CHOKE PROBLEMS AND IS HARD TO START. MOST IF NOT ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED TO DODGE WITHIN 10,000 MILES OF PURCHASE BUT DUE TO STALLING TECHICHES BY FIESTA DODGE NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN REMEDIED.

TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS AT 45 MPH, DOES NOT SHIFT AND SHAKES WHEN GOING INTO 3RD OR OVERDIRVE, AND JERKS AND SLIPS, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE VALVE BODY AND RECONDITIONED TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED CONVERTOR, TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO LOCK UP AND JERK. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE MIRRORS WERE BOTH REPLACED DUE TO BEING LOOSE. EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE CAME OFF AND WAS REPLACED. FUEL GAUGE READ EMPTY WITH 12 GALLONS IN TANK, DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP MODULE. WIPER BLADES WEREN'T CLEANING WINDSHIELD, DEALER REPLACED BOTH WIPER BLADES, WINDSHIELD WASHER WAS INOPERABLE, DEALER REPLACED WASHER MOTOR. VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERIOR AND DOME LIGHTS FAILING, DOME LIGHT KEEPS BLOWING FUSE AND DEALER HAS REPLACED THE STRIP LIGHTING AND FUSE BOX DOOR AND REPAIRED THE OPEN CIRCUIT TO JUNCTION BLOCK. RADIATOR CAP WAS REPLACED DUE TO LOW COOLANT. THERE WAS A BRAKE FLUID LEAK, DEALER REPLACED CAPS FOR THE MASTER CYLINDER, THE BRAKE...

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE ISN'T SHIFTING PROPERLY. ALSO, FLOORBOARD IS GETTING HOT, AND THERE IS SOME TYPE OF NOISE COMING FROM THE FLOORBOARD. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION; TRANSMISSION HAS NO REVERSE, AND WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFED, AND MANUFACTURER IS WILLING TO SHARE COST; BUT CONSUMER BELIEVES MANUFACTURER. SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FULL COST. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS. TRANSMISSION NEEDS AN OVERHALL. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

INITIAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM STARTED @ 38000 JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T HELP. I NEVER THOUGHT OF CONTACTING MANUFACTURER. TRANS. DIAGNOSIS COMPLETE AT 72500 MIS, DEALER SAY REBUILD, R+R AT 89300MIS. BRAKE MASTERCYLINDER LID WAS LEAKING CAUSING INSUFFICIET FLUID LEVEL LEAD TO PAD AND SHOE FAILURE. TRANSMISSION FAILURE LED TO LIFTER FAILURE IN THE ENGINE. TRANS WOULD LONG SHIFT PUTIING STRAIN ON ENGINE CAUSING A HIGHER REV. ULTIMATELY WEAKENING 2 LIFTERS. I AM NOW HEARING A NOISE AND FEELING JOLTS ON THE STEERING WHEEL TURNING LEFT . PROBLEM IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS PREMATURE INTERNAL DYSFUNCTION. HANGS IN GEARS, AND SLIPS WHILE SHIFTING, CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS TRUCK IS APPARENTLY WELL KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT SUBMITTING A RECALL. REPAIR IS ABOUT $2000.

TRANSMISSION REPLACED LAST FALL. NOW LOST REVERSE IN TRANSMISSION. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED NEEDED A KIT TO CORRECT PROBLEM IN TRANSMISSION AT OWNER'S COST. THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS ABOUT LOST REVERSE GEAR. *AK

VEHICLE PLACED IN SERVICE 10/95 SO OUT OF WARRANTY. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS NOT REPAIRED BY THEM. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE 95 TRUCKS HAD (8/82).