11 of the 182 complaints about the 1996 Dodge RAM 3500 are about the steering — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 98,090 miles.
11
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STEERING
STEERING WOBBLES/SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN DRIVING. OFTEN INITIATED BY A MINOR IRREGULARITY IN ROAD PAVEMENT. REQUIRES COMING TO A FULL STOP TO ELIMINATE THE WOBBLE. RECURS OFTEN. DIFFICULT TO EXCEED 30MPH IN ORDER TO AVOID SHAKING. NO NOTICEABLY BAD OR BROKEN SUSPENSION PARTS.
NHTSA complaint #10501390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIGOROUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE MECHANIC PERFORMED REPAIRS TO THE STEERING ASSEMBLY. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE EXACT REPAIRS PERFORMED. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
NHTSA complaint #10441012 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
1996 DODGE 3500 4X4 DUALLY HAS A FRONT END SHAKE AT ANY SPEED HAVE PUT NEW BALLJOINTS IN PUT A NEW TRACK BAR IN THAN PUT A DOUBLE FRONT STEERING STABILIZER ON AND THE TRUCK STILL SHAKES AFTER IT DOES IT ONCE AND YOU HAVE TO TRY AND GET OUT OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND STOP IT WILL JUST RANDOMLY KEEP DOING IT BUMP OR NOT JUST A ROUGH ROAD.
NHTSA complaint #10399485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN
BRAKES PULL TO RIGHT, CALIBERS AND PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. REAR BRAKES DON'T SEEM TO WORK WELL ANTILOCK ALLOWS YOU TO ROLL TO FAR. STEERING COLUMN GOES BAD AFTER WARRANTY IS UP ( 100,000 MILES ). FUEL PUMP SHUT DOWN SOLENOID AND RELAY HAVE ALSO GONE OUT ON BOTH OF MY TRUCKS. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED ON BOTH TRUCKS AT THE 70000-75000 MILES . *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10023089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND STEERING FELT REAL LOOSE. VEHICLE WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE. WOULD DRIFT FROM SIDE TO SIDE. HEARD GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. EVERY TIME VEHICLE HIT A BUMP IT WOULD JERK EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS REPAIRED. CURRENTLY, WOULD NEED REPAIRING FOR SAME PROBLEM.*AK STEERING GEAR WAS REPLACED TWICE. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #886407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND STEERING FELT REAL LOOSE. VEHICLE WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE. WOULD DRIFT FROM SIDE TO SIDE. HEARD GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. EVERY TIME VEHICLE HIT A BUMP IT WOULD JERK EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS REPAIRED. CURRENTLY, WOULD NEED REPAIRING FOR SAME PROBLEM.*AK STEERING GEAR WAS REPLACED TWICE. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #886407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
WHILE TRAVELING WHEN ROAD WAS WARM AND OVER A BUMP TIRE WOULD LEAVE SKID MARKS ON ROAD. VEHICLE WOULD TRAVEL FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. *AK AT 65 MPH, THE FRONT TIRES MAKES DEEP SKID MARKS ON THE ROAD UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPS. THE SQUARE SHAFT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND STEERING BOX MAKES NOISE WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #869500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
FRONT END WAS SHAKING & VIBRATING. WHILE EXITING OFF ROAD THERE WAS A LOT OF VIBRATION IN STEERING. TOOK TO DEALER & COUPLING, BRAKES, LOWER STEERING COLUMN SHAFT WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, VIBRATION STILL CONTINUED. TOOK BACK TO DEALER & NOTHING FOUND. WAS LOWERING VEHICLE & NOTICED FRONT END WAS CRACKED.
NHTSA complaint #837503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:PINION SHAFT
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO 5TH GEAR,CAUSE UNKNOWN, ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS REPLACED,ELECTRICAL SHORT WITH ABS AND CONSUMER ALSO STATES RADIO IS INOPERATIVE. *ADJ
NHTSA complaint #832637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING PITMAN ARM THAT CONNECTS THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP CAME OFF. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND SIDE SWIPED TWO PARKED CARS. THE STEERING ARM HAS BEEN REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #823850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
BRAKES: STEERING: STEERING VERY LOOSE/PULLS TO LEFT, HIT A BUMP AND IT WANDERS. BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY PULLED LEFT OR RIGHT AT ANY SPEED DURING NORMAL BREAKING.
NHTSA complaint #808638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.