1996 DODGE RAM 2500 Electrical System Problems

THE STEERING COLUMN ON THIS TRUCK HAS GOTTEN VERY HOT UNDER THE IGNITION SWITCH AREA. SO HOT IN FACT THAT THE WIRES AND PLASTIC COLUMN COVER HAVE SMOKED AND MELTED THROUGH. I FEEL THERE MAY BE A FIRE SOON. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH MY MODEL YEAR BUT THE MELTED HOLE IN MY STEERING COLUMN SAYS OTHERWISE I'VE READ THERE WAS A RECALL OF THIS NATURE BUT WAS TOLD IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE HELPING ME. HELP... *TR

Mileage: 225,000

SEVERAL YEARS BACK IGNITION SWITCH WAS RECALLED FOR BURNING UP. AT THAT TIME HAD REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH TWICE PREVIOUSLY. DODGE PAID FOR THE SWITCHES AND LABOR AND REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH WITH NEW AND IMPROVED IGNITION SWITCH. NOW APPROX. 5 TO 7 YEARS LATER IGNITION SWITCH BURNING UP AGAIN TAKING OUT DOOR LOCK, WINDOWS, AIR BAG, AND ABB LIGHTS ARE ALL ON AND YOU CANNOT OPERATE EITHER WINDOW OR DOOR LOCK. TOOK INTO SHOP IN SPRING, TEXAS CALLED RILEYS OF RAYFORD ROAD IN SPRING, TEXAS WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSING ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS AND NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN! CALLED DEMONTRON DODGE IN CONROE, TEXAS TO SEE ABOUT SWITCH REPLACEMENT. NOTHING YET! *TR

Mileage: 322,000

NUMEROUS HEADLIGHT SWITCHES REPLACED DUE TO THEM BURNING UP TO INCLUDE SEVERAL INCHES OF THE EXISTING WIRING HARNESS TO SWITCH. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS TYPE OF SAFETY ISSUE IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED. YOU DAM SURE HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM SINCE THE AFTERMARKET AUTO PARTS O REILYS ETC. CARRY THE SWITCH OR SWITCH WITH WIRING HARNESS AS AN OPTION. AFTER READING HERE ALL SWITCHES GO OUT ABOUT THE SAME... THE HEADLIGHTS START GOING ON AND OFF THEN LOOK FOR SMOKE COMING FROM AROUND DASH WHERE SWITCH MOUNTED. YOU CAN FEEL THE HEAT FROM UNDER WHEN SWITCH IS BURNING UP. NEED A SIMPLE RELAY TO STOP THIS SHOW HOW MUCH DODGE LOVES ITS CUSTOMERS! *TR

Mileage: 226,000

ON THE MORNING OF 12/7/09 I STARTED MY TRUCK TO WARM IT UP WITH THE HEATING FAN ON HIGH WHEN AT SOME POINT, SOMEWHERE IN THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASH OVERHEATED AND STARTED THE INTERIOR ON FIRE. DESTROYING MY VEHICLE. THE WINDSHIELD AND DRIVER DOOR WINDOWS WERE BROKEN FROM THE HEAT BUT LUCKILY REMAINED INTACT AND NOT LETTING AIR INSIDE TO FUEL THE FIRE AND IT EVENTUALLY EXTINGUISHED ITSELF. *TR

Mileage: 145,000

NORMAL DRIVING. TRUCK HAS 138K MILES. HEADLIGHTS FAIL. INITIALLY THEY GO OFF, COME ON, THEN GO OFF PERMANENTLY. CAN SMELL SMOKE FROM DASH WIRING HARNESS. MANUFACTURER HAS A RECALL #819 THAT COVERS THE 3500 SERIES TRUCKS WITH IDENTICAL WIRING AND HEADLIGHT SWITCH PART NUMBERS, BUT WILL NOT COVER THE 2500 SERIES TRUCKS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE INSTANCES ON THE INTERNET OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. LEFT UNCHECKED, I'M CERTAIN THIS WILL RESULT IN A DASH FIRE, PROPERTY DAMAGE, AND POSSIBLY DEATH. *TR

Mileage: 136,000

I DRIVE QUITE A BIT DURING THE NIGHT TIME WITH MY VEHICLE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS ISSUSE WITH THE WIRING OVER HEATING AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. I HAVE REPLACED 5 ... GOING TO BE 6 HEADLIGHT SWITCHES. THERE IS A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF HEAD BEING PUT OUT AT THE SWITCH ITSELF. SO MUCH THAT IT ACTUALLY MELTS THE PIGTAIL AT THE LIGHT SWITCH CONNECTION. THE LIGHT SWITCH ITSELF IS DESTROYED. ITS BAD ESPECCIALLY WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND YOUR HEADLAMPS, MARKER LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHT ALL GO OUT. IF I DO NOT HAVE A REPLACMENT PART IN MY TRUCK AT THE TIME, I HAVE TO FIND A SPOT IN BETWEEN SWITCH POSITION JUST TO GET MY LIGHTS OPERATIONAL TO "LIMP" MY TRUCK HOME. MY CHOICE OF POSITIONS WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS IS HEADLAMPS WITH OUT MARKERS AND NO DASH LIGHTS OR FOG LAMPS MARKERS AND DASH LIGHTS. BEING DODGE HAS SUCH TERRIBLE HEADLAMPS I USE FOG LIGHTS TO DRIVE WHEN THIS HAPPENES. BELIEVE IT OR NOT HE FOG LIGHTS ARE BETTER THAN THE DRIVING LIGHTS. I RECENTLY SAW A RECALL FOR DODGE DURANGOS WITH A UNDER DASH ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I WOULD THINK THAT THIS WIRING/HEADLAMP SWITCH PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL! THANK YOU.

Mileage: 72,000

I DRIVE QUITE A BIT DURING THE NIGHT TIME WITH MY VEHICLE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS ISSUSE WITH THE WIRING OVER HEATING AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. I HAVE REPLACED 5 ... GOING TO BE 6 HEADLIGHT SWITCHES. THERE IS A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF HEAD BEING PUT OUT AT THE SWITCH ITSELF. SO MUCH THAT IT ACTUALLY MELTS THE PIGTAIL AT THE LIGHT SWITCH CONNECTION. THE LIGHT SWITCH ITSELF IS DESTROYED. ITS BAD ESPECCIALLY WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND YOUR HEADLAMPS, MARKER LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHT ALL GO OUT. IF I DO NOT HAVE A REPLACMENT PART IN MY TRUCK AT THE TIME, I HAVE TO FIND A SPOT IN BETWEEN SWITCH POSITION JUST TO GET MY LIGHTS OPERATIONAL TO "LIMP" MY TRUCK HOME. MY CHOICE OF POSITIONS WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS IS HEADLAMPS WITH OUT MARKERS AND NO DASH LIGHTS OR FOG LAMPS MARKERS AND DASH LIGHTS. BEING DODGE HAS SUCH TERRIBLE HEADLAMPS I USE FOG LIGHTS TO DRIVE WHEN THIS HAPPENES. BELIEVE IT OR NOT HE FOG LIGHTS ARE BETTER THAN THE DRIVING LIGHTS. I RECENTLY SAW A RECALL FOR DODGE DURANGOS WITH A UNDER DASH ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I WOULD THINK THAT THIS WIRING/HEADLAMP SWITCH PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL! THANK YOU.

Mileage: 72,000

SYMPTOMS: AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATES RANDOMLY, HORN SOUNDS INTERMITTENTLY, CRUISE CONTROL HAS STOPPED WORKING. A CASUAL SEARCH OF THE INTERNET SHOWS THESE THREE SYMPTOMS OCCUR QUITE FREQUENTLY ON CHRYSLER/DODGE AND PLYMOUTH VEHICLES. THE CAUSE IS A FAULTY CLOCKSPRING. THE RISK IS HAVING THE AIRBAG DISENGAGE, I.E. WILL NOT DEPLOY. CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED RECALLS FOR A NUMBER OF VEHICLES FOR THIS DEFECT, THE PROBLEM IS THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR MANY MORE VEHICLES THAT HAVE THIS SAFETY DEFECT. CHRYSLER CLAIMS A BAD INSTALLATION AT CERTAIN PLANTS, PROBLEM IS THE DEFECT OCCURS ON MANY MORE VEHICLES THEN RECALLED MADE AT OTHER PLANTS. COST IS IN THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR. USER REPAIR IS NOT ADVISED SINCE THE AIRBAG MUST BE REMOVED. *JB

OIL PRESSURE GAUGE JUMPING FROM WITH THE UNIT IN DRIVE OR ON THE ROAD. WANT TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. *JB

Mileage: 113,000

DT: CONSUMER STATED HE FILED A COMPLAINT ON 7-16-05 ODI # 10129534. HE HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM THIS YET. HE WANTED TO FILE ANOTHER COMPLAINT BECAUSE HE SAYS THERE IS A RECALL ON THE FOLLOWING COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION: SWITCH . RECALL #00V135000. HE SAID SOMEONE FROM CHRYSLER CAME OUT ON 7-22-05 AND TOOK SOME PICTURES AND ASKED HIM A LOT OF QUESTIONS. HE HAS BEEN CALLING THE MANUFACTURER ALL DAY AND HE CAN NOT REACH ANYONE HIS TRUCK IS LOCATED AT NATIONAL DODGE IN JACKSONVILLE, NC .HE WANTS TO GET HIS VEHICLE FIXED AND RETURNED TO HIM. *JB

Mileage: 203,000

DT: CONTACT STATES THERE IS RECALL 875 FOR THE WIRING HARNESS/IGNITION SWITCH. CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE AND SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN IGNITION SWITCH. THE WIRING WAS MELTED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE FIREWALL. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING THE DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE FIRE. HOWEVER, THEY WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND IGNITION WIRING OVERLAY. *AK

HEADLIGHT SWITCH REPLACED (3) THREE TIMES. THE LAST TIME HAD TO REPLACE THE CANNON PLUG ALSO DUE TO IT BURNING WIRES ALONG WITH HEADLIGHT SWITCH TERMINALS BURNED. TALKED WITH OTHER 1994 THROUGH 1997 DODGE RAM 2500 OWNERS AND TURNS OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS FREQUENTLY. IS THERE ANYWAY SOMETHING CAN BE DONE, THIS COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE AN PEOPLE INJURED OR KILLED! REFERENCE: 854783. *AK

Mileage: 198,000

THIRD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE ON 1996 DODGE P/U W/ DEISEL ENGINE. I REPORTED TO DOT ON 11-JUL-2000 AFTER THE SECOND FIRE. SEE YOUR REFERENCE NO 865223. THIS MAKES THREE TIMES THE DRIVER COULD NOT TURN ENGINE OFF, WIRING HARNESSES OVERHEATED CAUSING ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH AND WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING SMOKE DRIFTED OUT OF THE VENTS. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THAT WIRES WERE BURNT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK

Mileage: 90,000

DODGE 1996 2500 CUMMINS DIESEL - VIN - [XXX]. STARTED TRUCK, STARTER REMAINED ENGAGED, TURNED KEY OFF, STARTER REMAINED ON AND ENGINE RUNNING, SMOKE ROSE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ONLY WAY ENGINE COULD BE STOPPED WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERIES. BY THE TIME BATTERIES WERE DISCONNECTED, THE STARTER, FUEL SHUTDOWN SOLENOID, SOME WIRING WERE BURNT UP, HAD TO BE REPLACED. LUCKILY ELECTRICAL FIRE WENT OUT BEFORE IGNITING DIESEL FUEL. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 70,043

OCCASIONALLY, EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN STARTING THE ENGINE, STALLS IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING AND DURING LONG DISTANCE DRIVING, EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT FIRING, LIKE TREMBLING.*JB

STARTER CAME ON WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 40 MPH. I PARKED VEHICLE AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION SWITCH AND REMOVED THE KEY, AND STARTER KEPT RUNNING. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD FROM THE BATTERY CABLES. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERIES AND THE STARTER STOPPED. THE DEALER SAID THE RECALL FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STARTER. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE IGNITION WIRING THAT CAUSED THE STARTER TO COME ON. I CAN NOT IMAGINE HOW A STARTER SOLENOID COULD GET POWERED WITHOUT TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH OR A SHORT.*AK

HEAT IS ON THE MODULE AND WILL CATCH ON FIRE.*AK THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REBUILT. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE MONEY HE PAID TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. *YD

WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND THERE IS A TRAILER ON BACK, TRAILER BLOWS THE FUSE ON REVERSE LIGHTS OF TRUCK. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY UNSAFE, COULD BE REAR ENDED. ALL LIGHTS REPLACED WERE FACTORY INSTALLED. *JG

HEADLIGHTS GO ON AND OFF OVER EVERY BUMP IN THE ROAD. ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO I REPLACED THE SWITCH BODY TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM, I DID NOT NOTICE IF THE LOOM WAS ALREADY FAILING AT THAT TIME. WHEN THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN I INVESTINGATED A BIT FURTHER AND FOUND THE CENTER SECTION OF THE WIRE LOOM WAS MELTED AND DEFORMED AROUND 2 OF THE CONNECTORS. TESTING WITH A VOLT METER INDICATES ONE OF THE CONNECTORS (GREEN WIRE) IS WIRED TO THE HEADLIGHTS. THE WIRE ALSO SHOWS SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP. I SUSPECT THE REAL PROBLEM IS A BUSTED RELAY SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT HAVENT SEARCHED FOR THAT YET. THIS IS CURIOUSLY SIMILAR TO RECALL 99V024000.*AK

FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE, WHICH CAUSED FRONT END TO DROP. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED ALTHOUGH IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO, OCCUPANT RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE WIRING HARNESS WHICH HE NEVER HAD REPAIRED, AND LOST THE RECALL NOTICE. MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN WIRING HARNESS RECALL. ALSO, 5TH GEAR QUIT FOR THE SECOND TIME, FIRST TIME COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, THIS TIME OWNER MUST PAY FOR REPAIR. CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED AN UPDATED NUT FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK *ML

WHEN A/C OR HEATER IS ON THE IGNITION SWITCH WILL OVERHEAT AND STEERING COLUMN START SMOKING, CONSUMER HAD TO BUY ANOTHER SWITCH, AND DEALER PUT IT ON. ORIGINAL SWITCH COULD NOT TAKE ALL THE POWER COMING FROM ALL THE CIRCUITRY. *AK

DRIVE SHAFT/CRUISE CONTROL, AND BATTERY MALFUNCTIONED. THE ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WORE OUT WITHIN 20 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. THE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM DOES NOT ALWAYS OPERATE PROPERLY. OWNER INDICATED A "2-POINT BELT"RESTRAINT SYSTEM.HOWEVER, THE EQUIPMENT LISTING A UNIBELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM.

POWER CONTROL MODULE FAILED.

CONSUMER STATES THE LISTED VEHICLE IS USED FOR TOWING PURPOSES, UPON TOWING VEHICLE, THE AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT FUSE BLOWED, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK CONTROL (BRAKING) IS LOST TO THE 12,000LB TRALIER WHEN THE ABS FUSE BLOWS, DEALER UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB

DRIVING TRUCK DOWN THE ROAD, STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. GOT OUT OF TRUCK, PULLED HOOD UP AND NOTICED THAT THE FIRE RETARDING PAD WAS ON FIRE. TRUCK HAD TO BE TOWED TO A MECHANIC, HAS NOT DETERMINED WAS CAUSED THE FIRE. *AK

VEHICLE HAS HAD TWO BATTERY FAILURES.