32 of the 623 complaints about the 1994 Dodge RAM are about the engine — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 139,000 miles.
32
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND RUNNING AND CONSUMER WAS STANDING IN THE REAR OF VEHICLE WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED HEALTH PROBLEMS TO THE CONSUMER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10094285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
TRACK BAR ON THE FRONT BROKE OFF WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. *AK CONSUMER STATES TRACK BAR SEPARATED FROM FRAME BRACKET. THREADED PORTION BROKE AT THE RADIUS. ALSO THE SERPENTINE BELT AND WATER PUMP FAILED AND WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #8004405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH COOLING SYSTEM. CONTACTED DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #888770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
THERE IS A RATTLING NOISE PRESENT IN VEHICLE DUE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER COMING APART INSIDE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, AND TRIED TO FIX IT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
NHTSA complaint #888617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ENGINE RELATED PROBLEMS, THE INTERIOR/EXTERIOR VALVES WERE BENT, THE SHORT BLOCK WAS REPLACED, THE OIL PAN WAS REPLACED, THE VALVE SEALS WERE REPLACED, THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED, THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH AND SHOOK, AND PLUGS WERE GAPPED INCORRECTLY. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #556907 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
DRIVING AT 70MPH CATALYTIC CONVERTER WOULD PLUG OR CLOG UP & EXHAUST COULD NOT EXIT. THIS CAUSED MOTOR TO STOP. BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC, THEY INDICATED THAT WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ALONG WITH THE SERVICE CONTRACT. CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED ONCE IN 1998 FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER NO HELP. *AK WHEN THE MOTOR STOPPED, IT CAUSED POWER BRAKE AND POWER STEERING FAILURES.
NHTSA complaint #872046 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
DRIVING AT 70MPH CATALYTIC CONVERTER WOULD PLUG OR CLOG UP & EXHAUST COULD NOT EXIT. THIS CAUSED MOTOR TO STOP. BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC, THEY INDICATED THAT WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ALONG WITH THE SERVICE CONTRACT. CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED ONCE IN 1998 FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER NO HELP. *AK WHEN THE MOTOR STOPPED, IT CAUSED POWER BRAKE AND POWER STEERING FAILURES.
NHTSA complaint #872046 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CHECK VALVE, THE FUEL GAUGE IS INOPERATIVE. OCCUPANT CANNOT DETERMINE HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #848320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE FAILURE APPARENTLY FROM TIMING CHAIN WEARING OUT. MECHANIC SAYS THERE IS A HOLE IN PISTON THROUGH WHICH AIR FLOWS FROM SPARK PLUG HOLE THROUGH TO OIL FILL PORT. OIL WAS CHANGED BY OWNERS EVERY 2500 MILES. CAR WAS APERSONAL, NOT FLEET VAN. MILES WERE NOT HARD DRIVEN MILES.
NHTSA complaint #712972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
PE99031; WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. ALSO, STEERING COLUMN PLASTIC MELTED, AND WIRE BURNT. VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING/ POWER LIGHT,ETC., AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE COLUMN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #841228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE STALLS AFTER SLOWING FROM HIGHWAY DRIVING NO BRAKES
NHTSA complaint #703828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH WHEN PISTONS BLEW & ENGINE WAS RUINED. THE PISTONS DISINTERGRATED & ENGINE BLOCK WAS RUINED. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD DUE TO ENGINE DYING. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO WHERE OWNER WAS GOING. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED VEHICLE HAD MEXICAN PISTONS, BUT VEHICLE NOT REPAIRED.
NHTSA complaint #825410 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 40 MPH VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS NEUTRAL WHEN IN DRIVE. CONSUMER STOPPED VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN MOVED PAWL BACK TO DRIVE AT THAT TIME TRANSMISSION WORKED. * OIL PUMP/FUEL PUMP ALSO MALFUNCTIONED/REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #823692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 40 MPH VEHICLE HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS NEUTRAL WHEN IN DRIVE. CONSUMER STOPPED VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN MOVED PAWL BACK TO DRIVE AT THAT TIME TRANSMISSION WORKED. * OIL PUMP/FUEL PUMP ALSO MALFUNCTIONED/REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #823692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
CONSUMER COMPLAINS ABOUT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. FIRST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE COVERTER SYSTEM DUE TO WARRANTY. LESS THAN 40,000 MILES THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACING AGAIN. DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS ONLY A WARRANTY FOR 12 MONTHS.
NHTSA complaint #823750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
CATALYTIC CONVERTER SYSTEM CLOGGED.
NHTSA complaint #534841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
OIL PUMP FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN.
NHTSA complaint #534841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
AIR LEAKS OUT OF ENGINE, SOME LOSS OF POWER
NHTSA complaint #533031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE RATTLING SOUND DUE TO LOOSE TIMING CHAIN.
NHTSA complaint #528364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
ENGINE OIL LEAK DUE TO FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET.
NHTSA complaint #528364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE OIL LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL.
NHTSA complaint #816699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
INTAKE GASKET FAILED AFTER RECALL REPAIR, CAUSING ENGINE SURGE.
NHTSA complaint #515986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE NEAR THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE SOURCE IS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #800111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
REPEATED ENGINE FAILURES RESULTING IN POWER LOSS/DECELERATION, PARTICULARLY WHEN TOWING A LOAD. (FIRST VEHICLE ON 601379) *DSH
NHTSA complaint #501979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EXHAUST SYSTEM LEAKED 4 TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #503440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
SERPENTINE BELT NOISY THEN FAILED. *DSH
NHTSA complaint #501552 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #500970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #483076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
FUEL LEAKING FROM FUEL EVAPORATOR CANISTER, REPLACE EVAPORATOR CANISTER. TT
NHTSA complaint #970117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
VEHICLE BACK FIRES IT THROWS FIRE RIGHT OUT OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. TT
NHTSA complaint #966395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.