16 of the
644 complaints about the 1998 Dodge RAM are about the
lighting — 2% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
132,216 miles.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTING FAIL TO DIM WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. PRIOR TO THE FAILURES, SHE NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD NOT DIM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 132,216. UPDATED 07/28/09. *LJ UPDATED 07/30/09.
NHTSA complaint #10276115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 132,216 milesGailsberg, IL
INTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTING FAIL TO DIM WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. PRIOR TO THE FAILURES, SHE NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD NOT DIM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 132,216. UPDATED 07/28/09. *LJ UPDATED 07/30/09.
NHTSA complaint #10276115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 150,000 milesGriffin, GAFire
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING.
NHTSA complaint #10046498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Austin, TX
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHT "WINKED" OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES THEN QUIT WORKING, THEY RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION AFTER ABOUT 10 MIN. DT
NHTSA complaint #768684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN HITTING DIMMER SWITCH TO DIM HEADLIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS WILL GO COMPLETELY OFF. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #8015825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Victorville, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM KEPT BURNING OUT, CAUSING DASHBOARD AND TAIL LIGHTS TO GO OUT, WITHOUT WARNING. *AKHEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS CHECKED AND DEALER FOUND MELTED PLASTIC WIRE TO THE SWITCH CONNECTOR. SWITCH WAS REPLACED, THEN THE TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT. STILL THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8008258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Victorville, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS:SWITCH
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM KEPT BURNING OUT, CAUSING DASHBOARD AND TAIL LIGHTS TO GO OUT, WITHOUT WARNING. *AKHEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS CHECKED AND DEALER FOUND MELTED PLASTIC WIRE TO THE SWITCH CONNECTOR. SWITCH WAS REPLACED, THEN THE TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT. STILL THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8008258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Georgetown, DE
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. WHEN HE TURNED LEFT SIGNAL LIGHT WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND OFF. THE DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING REPLACED AT DEALER AT OWNERS COST.
NHTSA complaint #894843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Merritt Island, FLCrash2 injured
INTERIOR LIGHTING
CONSUMER WAS HIT IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH SPUN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE OUT OF CONTROL, HITTING A CONCRETE WALL. AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS DIDNOT UNLOCK, AND DOME LIGHT DI DNOT COME ON.
NHTSA complaint #893732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lorida, FL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
HORN DOES NOT SOUND WHEN DEPRESSED; BACKUP LIGHTS LENS COVER IS TINTED.
NHTSA complaint #722317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NEW Boston, TX
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #854184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clarksville, TXCrash
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 50 MPH, REAR ENDED A TRAILER WHICH DIDN'T HAVE ANY TYPE OF LIGHTS. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #845519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chesapeake, VA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
FUSE TO DASH LIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS BLEW WHEN HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #709962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HEADLIGHT SWITCH FAILED TO CONNECT 3 OR 4 TIMES WHEN PULLED AS THOUGH SHAFT WAS SIMPLY IN A HOLE. ACCELERATOR STUCK AND I HAD TO BRAKE HEAVILY BEFORE IT RELEASED.
NHTSA complaint #707068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Berkey, OH
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS LATE ON CERTAIN OCCASIONS JUMPING INTO GEAR, DIAGNOSTICS' WERE PERFORMED BY DEALERSHIP RESULTING IN A NEGATIVE RESULT, THE TRUCK STILL PERSIST'S WITH THE PROBLEM USUALLY AT SPEEDS' 35 MPH AND UNDER. THE TRUCK HAS PULLED RIGHT UPON DELIVERY, DEALERSHIP REPLACED CALIPERS STATING THAT THE O.E.M. CALIPERS WERE SEIZED FROM FACTORY, THREE DAYS LATER THE PROBLEM WAS BACK, DEALERSHIP PERFORMED ALIGNMENT, PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED AND CONTINUES TO DO SO. THE REASON I PUT POWER STEERING DOWN UNDER THE COMMENTS SECTION IS BECAUSE OF MY BELIEF THAT THE PROBLEM RESIDES IN THE STEERING GEAR-BOX, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN CHECKED. THE BACK-UP LIGHTS DID NOT WORK UPON DELIVERY BUT WERE FIXED IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE BEEN FINE EVER-SINCE. THE DRVER-SIDE WINDOW MOLDING LEAKS AND ON CERTAIN DAYS CAUSES FOGGING OF THE WINDOW RESULTING IN A LOSS OF VISION AND AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. O.E.M. JACKSTAND IS ALSO TO SHORT TO REPLACE TIRE ON INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION.
NHTSA complaint #705725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LA Grande, OR
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND CONNECTOR FAILED CAUSING OVERHEATING.
NHTSA complaint #543229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.