55 of the 407 complaints about the 1996 Dodge RAM 1500 are about the transmission — 14% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 106,000 miles.
55
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
MY BALL JOINTS, TIE RODS, STEERING BOX, ALL THAT HAS TO DO WITH THOSE AREAS HAVE SERIOUS ISSUES AND DODGE NEEDS TO FOX THEM FOR FREE PUT THEM UNDER THE RECALL DEPT SO THEY CAN BE. STEERING WHEEL VERY LOOSE TONS OF PLAY VERY DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint #11206649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLIPPING. IT SHIFTS REALLY HARD THEN IT DOESN'T WANT TO SHIFT LATER ON.
NHTSA complaint #10412246 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NORMAL DRIVING INTO MOUNTAINS AND AUTO TRANSMISSION SHIFTED OUT OF OVERDRIVE AND WOULD NOT SHIFT BACK, EVEN DOWN HILL. CHECKED FLUID AND VERY HOT AND STARTED TO SMELLED BURNT. HAS BEEN SHIFTING HARD.
NHTSA complaint #10238474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRUCK PURCHASED USED AT DEALERSHIP IN 2000. TRANSMISSION REBUILT IN 2002. TRANSMISSION FAILED IN 2006.
NHTSA complaint #10154148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN 1996 NEW FROM PARKS MOTORS IN AUGUSTA, SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILD 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1 OR 2 GEAR OR IF IT DOES IT TAKES HIGH RPMS TO DO IT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A SEAL IN THE UPPER HALF OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY FROM THE FACTORY. THE FIRST TIME I HAD THIS REBUILT I COVERED THE COST MYSELF BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILEAGE WARRANTY THE SECOND TIME I HAD THIS REBUILT CHRYSLER AGREED TO PAY FOR HALF OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY KNEW IT HAD BEEN REBUILT ONCE BEFORE AND FAILED A 2ND TIME, THE THIRD TIME I PAID TO HAVE IT REBUILT OUT OF POCKET, I AM NOW AT THE POINT OF NEEDING IT REBUILT FOR A 4TH TIME MY TRUCK HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND I HAVE YET TO SEE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM I HAVE TALKED TO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE ALSO BEEN TO MANY WEB SITES DESCRIBING THE SAME PROBLEMS I AM HAVING, THE TRANSMISSION ALSO HAS A 5 MILE AN HOUR DIFFERENCE THAN WHAT IT SHOULD BE. MY INCIDENT DATE IS NOT EXACT AS THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES NOW OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD, I HAVE ALSO REPORTED THIS BEFORE BUT NEVER HAD ANY LETTERS OR HAVE BEEN INFORMED AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON FROM THE DOT.
NHTSA complaint #10147456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SOMTHING UNDER THE TRUCK RATTLES/ STALLS IN REVERSE ,WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR,ACTS LIKE IT IS LOCKED IN 4WD ALL THE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10062129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DODGE RAM - BAD TRANSMISSION(S)
NHTSA complaint #10056568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
S,BAR LINK ,REPLACED TWICE WITHIN 3 WEEKS ,NO GOOD.TRANSMISSION FAILURE TOOK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP ,REPLACED PRESSURE SOL,GOVERNOR,GOV SWITCH,SWITCHAND SELERIOND,STILL ACTING THE SAME.LEFT CONTROLARMANDBOLTKIT , ALSO SAY NEEDS RIGHT SIDE .WILL NOT ALLIGNE .LIGHT UNDER HOOD COMES ON WHEN DRIVING ,AND HORN DOES NOT WORK NO ONE CAN FIG OUT WHY ..?DODGE SHOULD COVER ALL TRANNY AND FROUNT SUP ON THESE TRUCKS ,FOUND OUT AFTER PURCHACED ALL THE THINGS THAT GO WRONG WITH THIS YR OF TK.96 DODGE RAM 4X4 1500 ALSO THE 4X4 IS HARD TO SHIFT INTO AND TAKE OUT AND SOMETIMES DOESN NOT COME OUT ,EVEN WHEN LIGHT INDCATES IT IS OUT OF FOUR WHEEL.NEVER AGAIN DODGE!! NUMEROUS DATES OF WORK TO THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10055112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER TRUCK'S ENGINE WAS STARTED THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS PLACED IN REVERSE SO AS TO BACK OUT OF GARAGE. A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD. THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR WAS RETURNED TO P. AS THIS HAPPENED THE TRUCK LURCHED FORWARD STRIKING THE GARAGE WALL. THE BUIDING AND TRUCK WERE DAMAGED.
NHTSA complaint #10028741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT
I OWN A 1996 DODGE RAM 1500 WITH THE 5.2 LITER ENGINE. THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT WOULD FLICKER WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN IN DRIVE. I TOOK IT TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE WEAR. I HAVE USED MOBILE 1 SYNTHETIC OIL SINCE THE BREAKIN OIL AND NEVER LET THE OIL IN THE VEHICLE OVER 4,000 MILES. EACH TIME THE OIL FILTER WAS ALSO CHANGED. THE VEHICLE HAS 106,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT IS COSTING ME $4.700. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE 5.2 LITER ENGINE DOES NOT HANDLE SYNTHETIC OIL WELL. THE OIL DOES NOT RETURN TO THE OIL PAN FAST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE LUBRICATED. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE BUT I'VE NEVER WORE OUT AN ENGINE BEFORE. MY QUESTION IS HOW CAN AN ENGINE WEAR OUT WHEN IT WAS TAKEN SUCH GOOD CARE OF? I'VE HAD SEVERAL OTHER FAILURES OF THIS VEHICLE DEALING WITH U-JOINTS, STEERING SHAFT, FAILED FUEL PUMP, AND AN UNSTABLE SUSPENSION REQUIRING A $500 PISTON ASSEMBLY TO REPAIR BUT THE REPAIR DID NOTHING TO HELP. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10010160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS NOTIFIED DEALER REPAIRED 40,000 MILES LATER PROBLEM REOCCURED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
NHTSA complaint #10003753 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DEALER REPLACE ONLY SOLENOIDS AND FILTER ON FIRST FAILER. THE 2ND FAILER REQUIRES A TOTAL REBUILD. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP SAID THE TRANSMISSION LINE SHOULD HAVE REPLACED AT THE DEALER. DT
NHTSA complaint #769121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO REVERSE THERE WAS A DELAY. DELAY BECAME LONGER AND LONGER, AND EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT REVERSE. CAUSE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #8017862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER IS OVER 7 M.P.H. OFF.
NHTSA complaint #766088 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING WHEN ACCELERATING, DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REBUILT. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT, AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #8016026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
IN LATE NOVEMBER, VEHICLE BEGAN EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, SOMETIMES IT WOULD SLIP, AND IT WOULD HANG IN FORWARD GEARS, CAUSING A VERY ROUGH OR HARD SHIFT, DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED AT CONSUMERS COST, CONSUMER FEELS SOME GOODWILL REFUND SHOULD BE GIVEN. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #562610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION BURNED OUT CAUSING IT TO NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR, THIS PROBLEM OCCURED AT ONLY 13K MILES. NLM
NHTSA complaint #561682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION IS BEING REPLACED FOR THIRD TIME.TRANSMISSION DOESN'T GIVE A DIAGNOSTIC READING.
NHTSA complaint #8002493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THIS IS TWICE THE FIRST GEAR HAS GONE OUT, BOTH TIMES AFTER A RADIATOR FLUSH, I WAS INFORMED BY A REFERRAL FROM A DODGE DEALERSHIP THAT THE RADIATORS ARE GETTING CLOGGED AND CAUSING THE TRANMISSION TO OVER HEAT AND BY THE TIME THE PROBLEM IS FIGURED OUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN NEEDED AS WELL AS A NEW RADIATOR, APPROXIMATE COST TO THE CONSUMER, IN THE RANGE OF $3500.00. THE RECALL FOR THE CLAMPS THAT WERE CHANGED ON THE COOLANT LINES TO PREVENT THEM FROM MELTING WAS A GOOD IDEA BUT THEY FORGOT ONE THING, A BLOW OUT VALVE FOR THE TRANMISSION SO WHEN IT GETS HOT IT CAN RELEIVE PRESSURE AND HEAT BEFORE IT BURNS THE TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #754422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
IN LATE NOVEMBER, VEHICLE BEGAN EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, SOMETIMES IT WOULD SLIP, AND IT WOULD HANG IN FORWARD GEARS, CAUSING A VERY ROUGH OR HARD SHIFT, DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED AT CONSUMERS COST, CONSUMER FEELS SOME GOODWILL REFUND SHOULD BE GIVEN. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #562610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION BURNED OUT CAUSING IT TO NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR, THIS PROBLEM OCCURED AT ONLY 13K MILES. NLM
NHTSA complaint #561682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
I HAVE ALL THE COPES ,I JUST WANT MY TRUCK TO BE FIX . AUTO PLAZA IS GIVING ME THE RUNING AROUND,CAN YOU HELP ME OR GIVE ME SOME ADVICE THANK YOU. NO SAFETY DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #746560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
FAILED SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARD, AND RESULTING IN INJURIES TO DRIVER'S HIPS AND KNEE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED; STILL WAITING ON MANUFACTURER TO RESPOND. PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #888544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FUEL PUMP ON MY 1996 DODGE PICKUP FAILED TO PUMP GAS TO ENGINE IN AUGUST OF 2000, WHILE PARKED . THE COST OF REPLACEMENT WAS APPROX. 450.00 DOLLARS. I AM CONCERNED ONLY BECAUSE I PAID $25000.00 DOLLARS FOR THIS TRUCK AND FIGURED THAT IT SHOLUD OF LASTED AT LEAST 100,000 MILES. IT JUST IRRITATES ME THAT CHRYSLER WILL NOT, NOR HAVE THEY OFFERED TO LOOK INTO THIS DEFECTIVE PART, FUEL PUMP. ALSO, TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING IN AUGUST OF 2000, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT CHRYSLER, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS (AUTOMATIC) WHEN SHIFTING INTO THIRD. THIS SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY HASAZRD.
NHTSA complaint #745060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP OPERATING. A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO BE REBUILT/REPLACED. NOTE: SPECIALIST SAID THAT HAD HAD TO REBUILD/REPLACE SEVERAL DODGE TRUCK TRANSMISSIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.
NHTSA complaint #886936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, THREE OF THE TRANSMISSIONS WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER, HOWEVER THE MOST RECENT TRANSMISSION THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE EVEN THOUGH IT HAD ONLY FAILED AFTER 4000 MILES. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #785176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED TO GO FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAIL ON THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #878911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION QUICK COOLER CONNECT PER NOTIFICATION. DEALER LEFT FITTING LOOSE, RESULTING IN FLUID LEAK AT 15720 MILES. I COMPLAINED TO CHRYSLER HEADQUARTERS. CHRYSLER SAID THEY WOULD CONSIDER GOODWILL ASSISTANCE IF PROBLEM DEVELOPS AFTER WARRANTY. IN JUNE 2000, AT 49898 MILES, TRANS FAILED. I PAID $100 DEDUCTIBLE ON TRANS OVERHAUL PER GOODWILL ASSISTANCE FILE 7360750. A FEW DAYS LATER, SEAL FAILED AND PUMPED OUT TRANS FLUID. DEALER REPLACED SEAL. IN SEPT 2000, DEALER COULDN'T FIND REASON FOR TRANS OVERHEATING AT 54480 MILES. IN NOV 2000, TRANS FAILED AT 57426 MILES. DEALER FINALLY AGREED TO REPLACE WITH REMANUFACTURED TRANS. IN DEC 2000, TRANS FAILED AGAIN, AT 57492. I HAVE BEEN OUT TOW BILLS AND NOT LENDER VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #737593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
POOR/LOSS OF ACCELERATION, SHIFTING AT HIGH RPM'S, HOT FLOOR BOARDS. THE GENERIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USED BY DODGE (1996) DETERIORATED THE BANDS IN THE "TRANSMISSION CAUSING THEM TO SLIP AND FAIL IS MY OPIOION OF WHY THE TRANSMISSION FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #724664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DRIVING AT 35MPH TRANSMISSION WENT OUT/LOCKED UP, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL ACCELERATION. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER LINKED THE PROBLEM TO THE RADIATOR WHICH BACKED UP FLUID, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO GO BAD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #861346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.