1998 DODGE RAM Air Bags Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR RANDOMLY ILLUMINATES AND THE AIR BAG CHIME WILL BEGIN TO SOUND. THE HORN IN THE VEHICLE HAS ALSO STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND PROVIDED THEM WITH INFORMATION HE FOUND ONLINE REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V153000 (AIR BAGS). HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRINGS WERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES IN THE HORN AND THE AIR BAGS. THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS COMPLETELY DISABLED AND WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 10/20/08. *LJ UPDATED 10/21/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND AN ALARM SOUNDS FOUR TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. EVENTUALLY, THE AIR BAG LIGHT DIMS. THE CONTACT WILL HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. THERE ARE TWO AIR BAG RECALLS (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 01V153000 AND 99V002000); HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER ONE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,800.

WHILE DRIVING,THE CONSUMER TRIED TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS COMING INSIDE OF THE LANE. WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A GUARD RAIL AND FLIPPED INTO A DITCH. BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES. THE DRIVER WENT TO THE HOSPITAL ON HIS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED ILLUMINATING ON AND OFF. EVENTUALLY IT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. *PH THE CONSUMER LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS VOLUNTARILY REPLACING THE CLOCK SPRING ON VEHICLES WITH MILEAGE LESS THAN 70000 MILES (RECALL# 02V293). THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR VANS. *NM

ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND IT WAS T-BONED BY CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WHICH WAS TRAVELING 45-50 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED SOME SOFT TISSUE INJURIES TO THE BACK. *AK

NHTSA# 01 V 153 000 & MFR# 982: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON/OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WHERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FRUTHER INFOMATION. NLM

ABS LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHEN DRIVING. DEALER HAS REPLACED CLOCKSPRING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN SYSTEM. DEALER DETERMINED THAT PROBLEM IS OCCURRING DUE TO CLOCK SPRING. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

HORN WILL SOUND INTERMITTENTLY DURING THE NIGHT WHEN ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE, BUT INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL 01V153000. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS. *AK

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. WHEN HE TURNED LEFT SIGNAL LIGHT WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND OFF. THE DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING REPLACED AT DEALER AT OWNERS COST.*YD

VEHICLE WAS SET ON CRUISE CONTROL GOING 70 MPH. VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, AND ABS LIGHTS/ AIR BAG LIGHT/ SPEEDOMETER WENT TO ZERO/ GAS GAUGE WENT TO EMPTY, AND TANK WAS FULL. CONSUMER TOOK IT INTO DEALER,AND CLOCKSPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER HAS NOT STATED IF IT WILL BE COVERED.*AK

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND ALARM SOUNDS . RETURNDE TRUCK TO MOSS MOTORS (DODGE DEALER IN RIVERSIDE) THEY RESET THE ALARM AND LIGHT BUT DID NOT HAVE AN ANSWER SA TO WHAT WAS WRONG . THE WARNING LIGHT AND ALARM RETURNED THE FOLLOWING DAY. THEY CHARGED ME $50.00 TO RESET THE ALARM? WITH NO FIX! NOW WHAT. SHOULDN'T THE DEALER FIX SAFTY ITEMS AT NO CHARGE!!!! PLEASE RETURN AN ANSWER VIA E-MAIL THANK YOU L.W. BAKER?

I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH MY DODGE RAM PICKUP. A MAN TURNED IN FRONT OF ME AND THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK HIT THE SIDE OF HIS CAR. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND I WAS MOVING AT A GOOD RATE OF SPEED (35-40 MPH). I DID CONTACT DODGE, BUT THEY ARE SITTING ON THEIR HANDS, AND ARE NOT SENDING OUT AN INVESTIGATION TEAM TO FIND OUT WHY THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. I WOULD LIKE FOR NHTSA TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION OF THEIR OWN. THE TRUCK HASN'T BEEN WORKED ON, BUT THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS ANTSY TO GET THE TRUCK FIXED, SINCE I AM IN A RENTAL VEHICLE. IS THERE ANY WAY OF HAVING THE NHTSA COME OUT AND DO AN INVESTIGATION IN A TIMELY MATTER (WITHIN A WEEK (BY 11/10))?

CHRYSLER DENIES LIABILITY. IT WAS 2-3 DEGREES OFF CENTER IMPACT. POINT OF INTEREST: CHRYSLER RECALLED 98 RAM TRUCKS AND VANS DUE TO FAULTY AIR BAG SENSORS. I ALSO FIND IT HARD TO FATHOM THAT MANY ACCIDENTS ARE EXACTLY SQUARE WHEN THE IMPACT. MY TRUCK WAS ONLY VERY SLIGHTLY ANGLED 2-3 DEGREES AT IMPACT AND DID SO MUCH DAMAGE THE ENTIRE FRAME MUST BE REPLACED. ICAR CERTIFIED AIRBAG MECHANICS THAT SAW THE TRUCK ALL SAID THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED WITHOUT DOUBT. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR AN OWNER TO TAKE ON CHRYSLER AND THEIR LAYWERS. I FEEL THAT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AND ARE JUST TRYING TOBLOW ME OFF. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AND INTEREST IN THIS MATTER.

HORN VERY HARD TO OPERATE ,AIR BAG COVER GETS TOO HARD IN COLD WEATHER

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING VEHICLE COLLISION.