2000 DODGE RAM 2500 Power Train Problems

ALERT: DODGE RAM 2500 DIESEL LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM --- ON JULY 11, 2014, WHILE DRIVING ON U.S. ROUTE 77 IN NORTH CAROLINA I PASSED AN 18 WHEELER AT 70 MPH AND PULLED BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK WHEN, WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED. THE TRUCK I HAD JUST PASSED NEARLY JACKKNIFED AS THE TRUCKER APPLIED HIS BRAKES IN A PANIC MANEUVER TO AVOID ROLLING OVER ME FROM BEHIND. LUCKILY, HE MAINTAINED CONTROL, GOT AROUND ME, AND CONTINUED ON HIS WAY. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD CRANK, IT WOULD NOT START. I WAS FORCED TO WAIT AND THEN, AFTER A TIME, TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN. IT DID. I SLOWLY DROVE TO THE NEXT EXIT BUT NOT WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER GOING ONLY A FEW HUNDRED YARDS THE TRUCK BUCKED, HESITATED AND STOPPED AGAIN. AGAIN, I WAITED. THIS SCENARIO REPEATED ITSELF UNTIL I GOT TO SAFETY. COINCIDENT WITH THE ENGINE STOPPING THE POWER STEERING FAILED, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, IT APPEARED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE AND ALL THE GAUGES IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING. EVENTUALLY, MY TRUCK WAS TOWED TO LAKE NORMAN DODGE. THERE, THE VERY HELPFUL ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, TERRY, EVALUATED THE PROBLEM SAYING EITHER THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE OR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS THE PROBLEM BUT HIS EXPERIENCE LED HIM TO TRY REPLACING THE COMPUTER FIRST. REPLACING THE PCM FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER RESUMED WORKING. AT LEAST TEMPORARILY. ON SEPTEMBER 16 2014, ON A LOCAL TRIP, THE TRUCK JUST STOPPED AGAIN. I WAS STRANDED ON A STATE ROAD. I USED MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH WAITING, STARTING, DRIVING A LITTLE WAY AND HAVING THE ENGINE STOP AGAIN TO LIMP INTO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. EVENTUALLY, THEY TOWED IT TO SHELOR DODGE IN CHRISTIANSBURG, VA. WHERE IT CURRENTLY REMAINS, ... INOPERABLE. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

TWICE WHILE DRIVING THE 2000 DODGE 2500 CLUB CAB THE ENGINE STALLED SUDDENLY. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. ONCE THE CONSUMER WAS BALE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE HE DROVE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AGAIN, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER TO EXPECT IT TO FAIL AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE STARTER HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH SLUGGISH SHIFTING. *JB *NM

Mileage: 33,329

NO NOTICE OF A PROBLEM, DID ALL MANUFACTURERS REQUIRED OIL CHANGES, TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 63,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER, DAIMLER CHRYSLER REFUSED TO REPAIR, TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT FOUND SPECIAL OPTIONAL TRANS OIL COOLER FAILED WHICH CAUSE TRANS FAILURE. HAD TO REPLACE ALL ITEMS AT A COST OF 4000.00. *NM

Mileage: 60,325

FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS BECAME DEFECTIVE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. ALSO, SPINDLES WERE TOO SMALL, AND MASTER CYLINDER AND BOTH SEALS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Mileage: 50,520

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER SLIPPED WHILE DRIVING". THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED TWICE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. *JB

Mileage: 7,000

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. A DARK GRAY PLUME OF SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, ALONG WITH SOME FLUIDS. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND CALL A TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT ANOTHER TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE ALREADY HAD A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AT 13,000 MILES. *AK

Mileage: 53,000

OIL LEAKED OUT OF THE REAR AXLE ONTO THE BRAKES WHICH WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE REAR AXLE SEAL. THE OIL SATURATED THE BRAKES WHICH CAUSED THEM TO LOCK UP WHEN APPLIED.*JB *TS

2000 DODGE 2500 DIESEL TRUCK - TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT SIX TIMES IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS, INCLUDING ONCE WHILE PULLING A 30 FT. CAMPER. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL ON A WET ROAD ON A HILL IN PA. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES. THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE ANY PARTS BECAUSE NO CODES SHOW UP WHEN IS PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY AFTER LEAVING THE ENGINE OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. IT HAS NOT FAILED NEAR ENOUGH TO HOME AND WHEN THE DEALER WAS OPEN. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT BEFORE THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED.

Mileage: 40,000

WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH VEHICLE WILL SWITCH FROM 5TH GEAR TO NEUTRAL, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR CONSUMER TO SWITCH GEARS BACK. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. BUT THE REPLACEMENT HAS NO BACKING UP POWER AND ALSO STARTED SMOKING. *YH

WHEN DRIVING, VEHICLE WILL TEND TO TRY TO MOVE OVER TO THE SIDE WITHOUT CONSUMER TURNING VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE GETS POOR GAS MILEAGE. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. BRAKES GRAB, PULL, AND LOCK UP. CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH AND HITTING A BUMP, IT WILL THROW THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE. *JB

STEERING PROBLEMS PULLS RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE, COMPLAINED ABOUT ENGINE PINGING AND REVING SOON AFTER BUYING, HAD STEERING COMPONETS REPLACED, TRUCK HAS JUST TURNED OFF SEVERAL TIMES NO RESTART, HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS FROM 3 MOS AFTER BOUGHT THEY FINALLY FIXED ONCE IT WENT TOTALLY, 45 DAYS LATER ITS AGAIN ALMOST GONE AGAIN,I CONTINEULY COMPLAINED ABOUT ENGINE PING AND TRUCK DRAGGING THEY KEPT SAYING NOTHING WRONG UNTIL IT FINALLY WENT THE ENGINE AND TRANNIE IS RELATED BAD TRANIE WAS MAKIN ENGINE DRAG AND PING. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF A LOT OF NOISE DURING SPEEDS FROM 47-60 MPH, CONSUMER THINKS THE NOISE IS COMING FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL, THERE IS ALSO A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE UNIVERSALS. *SLC

CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF A LOT OF NOISE DURING SPEEDS FROM 47-60 MPH, CONSUMER THINKS THE NOISE IS COMING FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL, THERE IS ALSO A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE UNIVERSALS. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH BRAKE MAKING LOUD BUMPING NOISE, AND GRABBING FROM REAR WHEELS WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP ON FIVE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK TRANSMISSION FLUID HAS HIGH ALUMINUM ACCORDING TO SAMPLE ANALYSIS, THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO THIS. REAR AXLE ALSO HAS A HIGH LEVEL OF IRON AND CHROME IN FLUID ACCORDING TO THE SAMPLE ANALYSIS. *SLC

TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS OUT OF SEQUENCE WITHOUT WARNING, DOWN SHIFTS TO LOWER GEAR AND THEN SHIFTS INTO NEXT LOWER GEAR. THIS CAUSES MOTOR TO TACK OUT TO 5500+RPM AND SHUTS DOWN, WHEN RPM DROPS DOWN MOTOR FIRES UP TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS AGAIN MOTOR SHUTS DOWN AGAIN. THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL I BACK OFF GAS PETAL. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS THROUGH UPPER GEARS WITHOUT STOPPING EXAMPLE ; SHIFTS FROM 2ND TO 3RD 4TH OD WITHOUT STOPPING.THESE PROBLEMS HAPPEN WHEN PULLING LOADS, HAS HAPPENED WITHOUT LOAD CAUSED TRUCK TO SPINOUT OF CONTROL. LAST WEEK WHILE PULLING A TRAILER ON RAIN SLICK ROAD DOWN SHIFTING NEARLY CAUSED TRUCK TO JACKNIFE. DEALERS KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT CANNOT FIND ANY CODES. SHIFTING PROBLEMS AND ENGINE OPERATING AT WRONG RPM CAUSING EXTREMLY BAD FUEL MILLAGE. *AK