2008 DODGE RAM 3500 Power Train Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSFER CASE THAT CAUSED IT TO EXPLODE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO LITHIA CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE OF ROSEBURG (1600 NE AIRPORT RD, ROSEBURG, OR 97470, (541) 378-4945) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 13V528000 (POWER TRAIN) AND 15V313000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 3500. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH SAFETY IGNITION INTERLOCK SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V795000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

ETC (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL) WHEN THIS LIGHT COMES ON FLASHING IT GOES INTO LIMP MODE (IDLE) THIS IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC WHEN TOWING A TRAILER. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW FROM CITY AUTO PLAZA, CANON CITY, CO. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK INTO CITY AUTO PLAZA JUNE 4TH 2014 WHEN THE ETC LIGHT WAS FLASHING. THEY REPLACED THE GAS PEDAL THE FOLLOWING DAY THE ETC LIGHT CAME ON. JUNE 11TH 2014 THEY RE-CRIMPED THE PLUG ON THE PEDAL SENSOR AND THE C130 CONNECTOR UNDER THE HOOD. THAT LASTED ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF. ON JULY 29TH 2014 THEY HARDWIRED AROUND THE C130 CONNECTOR. THAT LASTED ABOUT 8 MONTHS BROUGHT TRUCK IN ON MARCH 9TH 2015, THE ETC LIGHT HAD GONE OFF BY THE TIME I GOT TO CITY AUTO PLAZA BUT IT WAS THE SAME CODE IN STORAGE P2121. THE ETC LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN IN MAY 12TH 2015 BROUGHT IT BACK AND THEY RE-CRIMPED THE PEDAL SENSOR PUT SOME LUBE AND PULLED THE PLUGS OFF THE PCM AND BLEW THEY OUT AND PUT SOME LUBE IN THE PLUGS. JULY 8TH 2015 THE ETC LIGHT CAME BACK ON FLASHING SO I BROUGHT IT DOWN TO CITY AUTO PLAZA AGAIN AND THEY HARDWIRED FROM THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE PCM. THAT LASTED 2 DAYS AND THE ETC LIGHT CAME BACK ON GOING INTO LIMP MODE. BROUGHT IT IN AGAIN ON JULY 16TH THE LIGHT WAS OFF. THEY TEST DROVE IT NUMEROUS TIME COULDN'T GET THE ETC LIGHT TO COME ON BUT IT STILL HAD THE SAME CODE IN STORAGE P2121. SO THE SWAPPED OUT ACCELERATOR PEDALS GOT THE TRUCK BACK ON THE JULY 21ST. ON JULY 29TH I BROUGHT THE TRUCK IN TO TROUBLESHOOT THE AC (AIR CONDITIONER) STARTED THE TRUCK IN THE PARKING LOT AND THE ETC LIGHT WAS FLASHING. TRAVIS THE TECH THAT WORKS ON MY TRUCK HAS BROUGHT IN TECH SUPPORT FROM CHRYSLER. TRAVIS ALSO GOOGLE'D IT AND THIS IS NOT JUST MY TRUCK. HE SAW TRUCKS FROM 2004 TO 2009 WITH THESE SAME PROBLEMS. WHY CAN'T CHRYSLER FIGURE THIS OUT? DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET IN AND ACCIDENT OR DIE BEFORE THEY FIGURE IT OUT?

Mileage: 121,145

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL VIBRATION IN THE CLUTCH. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, IT WOULD FEEL AS IF THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAD SHIFTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SPRINGS WERE WORN AND THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

Mileage: 50,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH WHEN THE STEERING BEGAN VIBRATING ABNORMALLY AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM FOURTH GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRES FOUR TIMES AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V350000 (STEERING: LINKAGES: TIE ROD ASSEMBLY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Mileage: 3,500

MOST OWNERS OF MULTIPLE MODEL YEAR DODGE RAM 2500/3500 4X4 PICKUPS HAVE OR WILL ENCOUNTER FRONT CV DRIVESHAFT FAILURES, U-JOINT FAILURES OR HANGER BEARING FAILURES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT DODGE IS COMPLETELY IGNORING AND NOT COVERING UNDER WARRANTY AS THE PART FAILURES TYPICALLY OCCUR SHORTLY AFTER THE INITIAL 36 MONTH WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHICH CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND EVEN A CRASH. THESE VERHICLES ARE PURCHASED AND USED AS HEAVY DUTY HAULING RIGS AND MANY HAVE DIESEL ENGINES ALLOWING THE CARRYING OR PULLING OF LARGE, HEAVY TRAILERS. SYMPTOMS MAY START WITH A CREAKING IN THE FRONT AXLE AREA AND INCLUDE STEERING WHEEL CHOP UPON RETURN TO CENTER, WHICH IS ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE. THE REPAIR IS REPLACEMENT OF THE PARTS THAT WERE INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY WHICH ARE OF KNOWN POOR QUALITY. U-JOINTS SPECIFICALLY SHOULD CONTAIN A ZERK FITTING WHICH WOULD ALLOW REGULAR LUBRICATION AT MAINTENANCE INTERVALS, WHEREAS THE FACTORY INSTALLED U-JOINTS ARE SEALED AND NOT GREASABLE, WHICH FORCES THEM TO WEAR SIGNIFICANTLY AND QUICKLY, THUS ALLOWING THE PARTS TO FAIL. EVERY DODGE DEALER WITHIN 100-MILES OF MY LOCATION IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND STATES IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NOT COVERED UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. MANY OF WHICH AGREE THAT THE FACTORY INSTALLED ORIGINAL PARTS ARE OF POOR QUALITY AND THE REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER ARE OF THE SAME QUALITY, NECESSITATING REPLACEMENT OF THE PARTS WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS OF MUCH HIGHER QUALITY. ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE I HAVE NOT YET REPLACED THE PARTS DUE TO DEALER SCHEDULING AVAILABILITY BUT WILL BE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

Mileage: 56,578

ONE OF MY TIE ROD ENDS JUST DISINTEGRATED WHILE I WAS UNDERWAY ON SMOOTH SURFACE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING. I COULD HAVE ROLLED THE VEHICLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIE ROD END TO GO ON THIS VEHICLE IN LESS THAN 25K MILES. *TR THE UNIVERSAL JOINT WAS MAKING NOISES. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THE DEALER REPLACE IT. UPDATED 04/19/10

Mileage: 25,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 3500. NO OCCUPANTS WERE IN THE VEHICLE NOR THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED ON ITS OWN AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE. THE BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE WAS BADLY DAMAGED. HE TURNED THE BATTERY CABLES OFF IN ORDER TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ARE REPAIRING THE ENGINE BUT NOT THE BUMPER. HE WAS TOLD TO CALL THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO REPAIR THE BUMPER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 02/24/10. *LJ THE TRUCK WAS IN 1ST GEAR AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PARKED ON AN INCLINE. UPDATED 09/02/10*JB

Mileage: 20,000

THE TRANSMISSION LOST ALL FORWARD GEARS WHILE CLIMBING UP LOST TRAIL PASS ON US 93 IN MONTANA. I WAS TOWED TO THE "NEAREST DEALER" IN HAMILTON, MT. THAT DEALER, BELL-MCALL, DID NOT HAVE THE WHEREWITH ALL TO FIX THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO MISSOULA, MT. TO A REGULAR DODGE DEALER. CHRYSLER ROAD SERVICE REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE 2ND TOW. THEY STATED THEIR ONLY OBLIGATION WAS TO TOW TO THE NEAREST DEALER. *TR

Mileage: 2,800