20 of the
134 complaints about the 1998 Dodge RAM 3500 are about the
braking system — 15% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
102,700 miles.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT INDEPENDENTLY. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED. THE ANTI-BRAKE AND BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEARING FAILED DUE TO THE TIE RODS AND THE WHEEL HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE TIE RODS WERE NOT REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08E027000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.
NHTSA complaint #10850744 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 350,000 milesCoden, AL
SERVICE BRAKES
TAKATA RECALL SITTING IN PARK AND THE TRANSMISSION BUCKED TRIED TO GO FORWARD EVEN AGAINST THE BRAKES
NHTSA complaint #10839514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 19,000 milesWhittier, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE SERVICE BRAKES FAIL COMPLETELY OFTEN. I BELIEVE THAT IT'S IN THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM HOWEVER WHEN I TAKE IT FOR EVALUATION & REPAIR THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. THIS HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS NEAR COLLISIONS AND I HAVEN'T FOUND A WAY TO REPAIR IT YET. THE DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT REPLACE SUSPECTED PARTS ISSUES WITHOUT A RECALL BEING ISSUED. THE 1ST FAILURE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 19,000 MILES AND HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 14 TIMES BETWEEN THEN AND 102,000 MILES NOW.
NHTSA complaint #10258611 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 150,000 milesGeorgetown, KYFire
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE RETAINING NUT FOR FIFTH-GEAR HAS FAILED. DEALER OFFERED REPAIR KIT... CONTAINED NEW MAIN SHAFT FOR TRANNY. COST WAS $3600.00, CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING OF THREAD TAPERING. THERE IS ALSO NO POWER BRAKES. ABS SEEMS TO NOT BE WORKING, RELIES ON PRESSURE FROM OIL TO BRAKE. IF PRESSED CONTINUOUSLY, WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. WIRING HARNESS BURNED UP AFTER DEALER WORK, FRANK SHOUPE OF GEORGETOWN KENTUCKY REFUSED TO REPAIR THEIR MISTAKE. SAID IT WAS MY FAULT, THEN REFUSED TO KEEP SPEAKING WITH ME. STATED REPLACEMENT WAS $2015.00, AND WOULD TAKE A WEEK;RECEIVED ONE FROM JUNKYARD IN MONTANA, TOOK THREE DAYS, AND $300.00.
NHTSA complaint #10249797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 56,000 milesGlendale, CACrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE TURNING LEFT AT 10 MPH THE BRAKES FAILED,CAUSING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE SECOND TIME. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10111583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 75,400 milesBelmont, NH
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE BRAKING LOW SPEED ABS BRAKES ENGAGED. THIS CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10103730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mena, ARCrash
PARKING BRAKE
TRUCK WAS PARKED WHEN EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE BROKE. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL THROUGH A HIGHWAY AND CRASH INTO A FENCE. *MR
NHTSA complaint #10074020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Grass Valley, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN DRIVING BOTH OF THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS CRACKED. CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK VEHICLE NEEDED REPAIR ON FRONT BRAKES; HOWEVER, IT WAS DECLINED BY THE CONSUMER.
NHTSA complaint #10074054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 46,565 milesMuskegon, MIFire
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:INTERCONNECTING ASSEMBLY(WIRING)
1998-2001 B-VAN (DODGE FULL SIZE) BS CONTROL MODULE IS PROTECTED WITH A 40 AMP FUSE. A 10 GA. WIRE COMES OUT OF THE CONTROL MODULE THEN THE WIRE "Y"'S OUT TO TWO 14 GA. WIRES. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THE ABS PUMP OR RELAY STICKS ON THESE VEHICLES. THEN ONE OF THE 14 GA. WIRES OVER HEATS AND STARTS THE WIRING HARNESS ON FIRE. THE 40 AMP FUSE DOES NOT BLOW. THE FIRE CONTINUES UNTIL THE ENTIRE VAN IS FULLY ENGULED IN FLAMES.
NHTSA complaint #10037427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 130,000 milesOttertail, MN
PARKING BRAKE
EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASES WITHOUT PULLING THE RELEASE LEVER. RANDOMLY POPS OFF. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10023748 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Silver Springs, NVCrash
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
ELECTRIC BRAKES ON BOTH AXLES OF THE FIFTH WHEEL, HYDRAULIC BRAKES ON MY TRUCK W/ ABS ON THE REAR DUELS--NO ABS ON THE FRONT WHEELS--APPLIED THE BRAKES FAILED TO SLOW DOWN--MANUALLY APPLIED THE ELECTRIC BRAKES--CONTROL HEAD OF THE ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES MALFUNCTION, NO ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKES--THE INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE FOOT BRAKE LOCKED UP THE FRONT WHEEL LEAVING ME SKIDDING ON THE FRONT TIRES W/ LOSS OF CONTROL OVER STEERING--WHEN THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED THE REAR DUEL ABS FAILED TO FUNCTION AND I SKIDDED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT AT AROUND TWO TO THREE MPH
NHTSA complaint #566347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pittsboro, NCCrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH BACK BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT .
NHTSA complaint #8014167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tower Hill, ILCrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DODGE FAILS TO ADMIT A PROBLEM WITH REAR ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BECAUSE I DIDN'T FIND THE UNUSED BRAKES WITHIN THE WARRANTY. SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCE ON OTHER MAKES WITH REAR ABS. MY WORRY IS I'M NOT THE ONLY ON DRIVING WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKES. DODGE SENT A SERVICE BULLITIN TO DEALERS BUT NOT TO INFORM CONSUMERS.
NHTSA complaint #756143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Paragould, AR
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH REPLACING FRONT WHEEL BEARING FROM 51,000 MILES TO PRESENT, FOUR SETS OF WHEEL BEARING WERE REPLACED. ON LAST OCCASION, FRONT AXLE BROKE DUE TO WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED. ALL REPAIRS WERE DONE UNDER WARRANTY. BUT UNABLE TO LOCATED THE CAUSE. *AK THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKES GRAB ON REGULAR BRAKING DUE TO WORN PADS AND ROTORS. THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS.
NHTSA complaint #877443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Zapada, TX
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN PARKING APPLIED BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. ALSO, IT SPEEDED UP TO 20MPH WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AND GOING AROUND A CURVE. CONTACTED DEALER*AK.
NHTSA complaint #858287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Littlerock, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
POWER BRAKES FAILED. YH
NHTSA complaint #607221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Blaine, MNCrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS, PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint #837731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Greendale, WI
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER.
NHTSA complaint #701346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dripping Springs, TXCrash3 injured
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.-ALSO THE REAR BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL AND COLLIDE, RESULTING IN 3 INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #828801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hatboro, PA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AND PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE REAR BRAKES WILL LOCK UP AND THE BRAKES WILL FADE OUT.
NHTSA complaint #827201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.