1996 DODGE RAM 2500 Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 45-55 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERE FRONT END SHAKES AND VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING OVER GROOVED PAVEMENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER URNESS MOTORS (505 CHERRY HEIGHTS ROAD, THE DALLES, OR. 97058) AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000. *DT*JB*DT CONSUMER ASKS FOR SAFETY RECALL AND STATED HE COULD NOT DRIVE ON OPEN FREEWAY.*JB

Mileage: 176,000

DEATH WOBBLE

Mileage: 254,762

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DOING ABOUT 55MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED TO HAVE A BAD VIBRATION. IT CAUSED THE WHOLE TRUCK TO SHAKE. I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND ALL AROUND IT BUT FOUND NOTHING. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT AND IT DROVE FINE. EVERY TIME IT GETS AROUND 55 IT STARTS THE SHAKING. I KEEP FINDING ONLINE THAT IT IS CALLED THE "DEATH WOBBLE" AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE CASES.

Mileage: 203,000

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

MY 96 RAM 2500 HAS A MAJOR STEERING/HANDLING PROBLEM AT OR ABOUT ANY HIGH SPEED IF I HIT ANY POTHOLES, ROUGH SPOTS, OR IF I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT FOR A PROLONG PERIOD OF TIME MY STEERING WHEEL STARTS SHAKING LIKE I HAVE BLOWN A TIRE VIOLENTLY SHAKING/HOPPING SO ERRATIC THAT IT SHAKES A 20 LB BACKPACK OFF OF MY PASSENGERS SEAT AND ON TO THE FLOORBOARD. I HAVE TO BRING THE TRUCK TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP TO ELEVATE THE PROBLEM. THIS WORKS UNTIL THE NEXT BUMP OR ROUGH SPOT IN THE ROAD. THE OTHER DAY MY GIRLFRIENDS BROTHER WAS FOLLOWING ME IN MY 98 TAURUS AND SAID THAT HE THOUGHT FOR SURE I WAS GOING TO ROLL OR LOSE CONTROL. HE STATED THAT MY FRONT WHEELS WERE SHAKING VIOLENTLY LEFT TO RIGHT ALTHOUGH I WAS IN A STRAIGHT ON MY STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES 1. CONVERSE COUNTY MOTORS, DOUGLAS, WYOMING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRACK BAR WAS FAULTY SO IT WAS REPLACED BY THE NEXT SHOP LISTED BELOW. AMOUNT SPENT AT THIS SHOP WITH BEING AN EMPLOYEE WAS $40.00 LABOR AND $214.19 FOR A COMPLETE REPLACED FRONT DRIVELINE. 2. OK WRECKING, DOUGLAS, WYOMING- I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THIS SHOP AFTER REPLACING THE STEERING STABILIZER SHOCK, PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD, FRONT SHOCKS, AND FRONT BRAKES. THEY REPLACED TRACK BAR AND FRONT BRAKE LINES. TOTAL SPENT THIS REPAIR $432.60 THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT THE FRONT END COMPONENTS WERE NOW TIGHT AND IT SHOULDN'T DO IT ANYMORE NO SUCH LUCK!! TO MY DISMAY I STILL CAN'T GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM QUITE FREQUENTLY NHTSA PLEASE COME DRIVE MY TRUCK AND YOU WILL BE SHOCKED AT THIS PROBLEM!!!! MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM WITH STEERING AND HANDLING!!! *JB

Mileage: 196,200

THE STEERING PITMAN WORN OUT AT 74,103 MILES. THE PART WAS FULLY FILLED WITH GEASE. THE SYMPTOMS WERE VEHICLE STEERING WAS WONDERING (L)& (R) BY ITS SELF. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD LAST AT LEASE 200,000 MILES IF PROPERTY MAINTAINED WITH GEASE. THE MANUFACTURER IS TRW PART #MA-12-1 EY3 . DODGE 981/2 YR. MODEL #25000 24V DIESEL L-6 DIESEL ENGINE CUMMINS VIN#[XXX] VEHICLE MILEAGE IS (74,103). THE PART REPLACEMENT COST IS $60.00. INSTALLED BY OWNER. THE PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THIS PART HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. FIRST TIME WAS AT 62,000, WHEN IT QUICKLEY DEVELOPED LOSE STEERING AND THEN AGAIN AT 100,000 MILES AND NOW AT 157000 MILES. WHEN I HAD THE SECOND ONE DONE I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK. THE DEALER SAID THAT DODGE HAD MADE A CORRECTION TO THIS PART AND THAT THE ONE THEY PUT ON AT 62,000 MILES WAS THE NEW MODEL. BUT IT FAILED AT 100,000. I CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY CLAIMED THEY HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS, BUT THE DEALER SAID THERE HAS BEEN AND ALSO THE FRONT END SHOP THAT REPLACED THE ONE AT 100,000. I FEEL THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF IT LET GO COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING. I WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP YOU RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM.*AK

WHEN DRIVING THEIR IS A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHICH CAUSES OVERSTEERING SOMITIMES, AND CONSTANT WEAR ON THE STEERING JOINTS OR THE TRACKING BAR. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

JUST PULLED AWAY FROM GREEN LIGHT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT ALSO. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE'S ENGINE ROARED AFTER BEING HIT. TRAVELED 30FT & HIT TELEPHONE POLE. HAD NO STEERING OR BRAKE CONTROL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT WITH THE POLE. THE RIGHT FRONT END WAS ONLY HIT SLIGHTLY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEEED AND KEEPING THE STEERING WHEEL STRAGHT, STEERING WHEEL WILL GO FROM SIDE TO SIDE. CONSUMER CAN'T KEEP CONTROL OF STEERING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP FOR THE PROBLEM, AND DEALER STILL HASN'T FIXED THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 5 MPH AND WAS MAKING A TURN AND LOST STEERING, RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO THE BALL PIT, AND THE TIE ROD END BROKE. *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.

EXCESSIVE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS/PADS AND ROTORS. IN ADDITION, WHEEL CYLINDERS /TIE ROD END/FUEL INJECTION PUMP/RADIO MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

PITMAN ARM BROKE/FAILED.

PITMAN SHAFT BROKE.

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE IN MORNING, THERE IS NO POWER ASSIST. THE VACCUM SYSTEM LOSES POWER OVERNIGHT. HAVE TO WAIT A WHILE BEFORE RESTARTING & TO MOVE. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS, BUT INFORMED IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW & COULD NOT CHANGE OR FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT. ALSO ONCE THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT THERE WAS SEVERE PULLING IN THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL PULL RIGHT OUT OF HAND. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE VEHICLE. *AK

STEERING AND BRAKING MALFUNCTIONS.

THERE IS TO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL, PURCHASED TRUCK NEW . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

THERE IS TO MUCH PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL, PURCHASED TRUCK NEW . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

THE FRONT BRAKES WHEN APPLIED ARE CAUSING THE TRUCK TO PULL TO EITHER SIDE. *AK LEFT FRONT BEARING SEATL LEAKED, DEALER HAS INSTALLED NEW HUB AND ROTOR ASSEMBLY ON LEFT FRONT, REPLACED PADS AND DISC BRAKES, REPLACED CALIPER ASSEMBLY. VEHICLE IDLES TOO FAST, FUEL INJECTOR PUMP REPLACED DUE TO ENGINE SMOKING. STEERING WHEEL WAS OFF CENTER. *SLC