2000 Dodge RAM 2500 engine problems

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE MANEUVER THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA complaint #10726161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

ALERT: DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM --- ON JULY 11, 2014, WHILE DRIVING ON U.S. ROUTE 77 IN NORTH CAROLINA I PASSED AN 18 WHEELER AT 70 MPH AND PULLED BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK WHEN, WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED. THE TRUCK I HAD JUST PASSED NEARLY JACKKNIFED AS THE TRUCKER APPLIED HIS BRAKES IN A PANIC MANEUVER TO AVOID ROLLING OVER ME FROM BEHIND. LUCKILY, HE MAINTAINED CONTROL, GOT AROUND ME, AND CONTINUED ON HIS WAY. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD CRANK, IT WOULD NOT START. I WAS FORCED TO WAIT AND THEN, AFTER A TIME, TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN. IT DID. I SLOWLY DROVE TO THE NEXT EXIT BUT NOT WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER GOING ONLY A FEW HUNDRED YARDS THE TRUCK BUCKED, HESITATED AND STOPPED AGAIN. AGAIN, I WAITED. THIS SCENARIO REPEATED ITSELF UNTIL I GOT TO SAFETY. COINCIDENT WITH THE ENGINE STOPPING THE POWER STEERING FAILED, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, IT APPEARED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE AND ALL THE GAUGES IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING. EVENTUALLY, MY TRUCK WAS TOWED TO LAKE NORMAN DODGE. THERE, THE VERY HELPFUL ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, TERRY, EVALUATED THE PROBLEM SAYING EITHER THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE OR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS THE PROBLEM BUT HIS EXPERIENCE LED HIM TO TRY REPLACING THE COMPUTER FIRST. REPLACING THE PCM FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER RESUMED WORKING. AT LEAST TEMPORARILY. ON SEPTEMBER 16 2014, ON A LOCAL TRIP, THE TRUCK JUST STOPPED AGAIN. I WAS STRANDED ON A STATE ROAD. I USED MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH WAITING, STARTING, DRIVING A LITTLE WAY AND HAVING THE ENGINE STOP AGAIN TO LIMP INTO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. EVENTUALLY, THEY TOWED IT TO SHELOR DODGE IN CHRISTIANSBURG, VA. WHERE IT CURRENTLY REMAINS, ... INOPERABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10667280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHEN I ADJUSTED THE STEERING WHEEL TO A DIFFERENT POSITION AN APPARENT ELECTRICAL FAILURE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES RENDERING THE TRUCK ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE AT THAT SPEED. THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS REPLICATED AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND WHILE STATIONARY. APPARENTLY ANY MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SHUT OFF COMPLETE POWER TO THE ENGINE AND CAUSE A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER TO THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10434840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

UNEXPECTED ENGINE STALL ON HIGHWAY WHILE PULLING TRAILER. LEAD TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC. NARROWLY AVOIDED MAJOR ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY. FOUND OUT LATER THERE IS A SERIOUSLY HIGH FAILURE RATE OF DIESEL INJECTION PUMPS DUE TO POOR DESIGN.

NHTSA complaint #10158374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

TWICE WHILE DRIVING THE 2000 DODGE 2500 CLUB CAB THE ENGINE STALLED SUDDENLY. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. ONCE THE CONSUMER WAS BALE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE HE DROVE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AGAIN, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER TO EXPECT IT TO FAIL AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH SLUGGISH SHIFTING. *JB

NHTSA complaint #10127929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

I HAVE A 2000 DODGE RAM 2500 4X4 AUTO WITH A CUMMINS DIESEL. FOR THE PRODUCTION YEARS 1998 TO 2001, SOME OF THESE ENGINES WHERE PRODUCED WITH AN INFERIOR ENGINE BLOCK (IDENTIFIED WITH A BLOCK CASTING NUMBER OF "53"). MORE SPECIFICALLY THESE BLOCKS HAVE THINNER WATER JACKET WALLS THAN OTHER BLOCKS SO WITH COOLANT CAVITATION, CORROSION, COOLANT PRESSURE IN THE BLOCK, AND TORQUE, THEY MAY CRACK, SPILLING YOUR COOLANT. WHEN THE CRACK OCCURS, AND THERE ARE VERY MANY DOCUMENTED CASES, IT IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE, THE SAME SIDE AS THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. I HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY FIRES, ETC. BUT I KNOW THAT ENGINE COOLANT DOES CONTAIN FLAMMABLE INGREDIENTS AND THE EXHAUST CAN GET VERY HOT, ESPECIALLY WHEN TOWING. ALSO, THIS ENGINE WITH A 53 BLOCK HAS BEEN USED IN OTHER APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING: MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS FROM DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS, MOBILE HOMES, PUBLIC SCHOOL BUSES AND MASS TRANSPORTATION BUSES. I SEARCHED THE NHTSA SITE FOR INFO REGARDING THE CUMMINS 53 BLOCK, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDED WOULD BE OF GREAT USE. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK IN MY TRUCK HAS NOT CRACKED, I'M MORE INTERESTED IN PREVENTING A PROBLEM THAN EXPERIENCING IT. VERY MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT.

NHTSA complaint #10110047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

2000 DODGE RAM 2500 HAS A CUMMINS 5.9 LITER DIESEL ENGINE. THE ENGINE BLOCK HAS CRACK IN THE WATER JACKET AND IS LEAKING COOLANT. CUMMINS ENGINE MANUFACTURE HAS ADMITTED TO THIS AS BEING A PROBLEM AND HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10108465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10017766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

CONSUMER NOTICE ENGINE LEAKING OIL FROM UNDER ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED TECHNICIAN NOTICE VACUUM PUMP NEED TO BE REPLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA complaint #8021833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING TRUCK PULLS BADLY TO RIGHT. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER IT WOULD STRAIGHTEN UP. CONSUMER STATES THERE SUPPOSE TO BE A RECALL ON VEHICLE.*AK THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY FELL OFF DUE TO WELD FAILURE. THE VEHICLES SURGES FORWARD RANDOMLY. THERE WAS SMELL OF FUEL INSIDE THE CAB WHEN WINDOWS ARE UP. THE STEERING BOX HAD FAILED AND REPLACED. TIE RODS AND MOTOR COMPARTMENT SEAL FAILED. THE CUSTOMER HAD RETURNED THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF NUMEROUS PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #874805 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.