1999 Dodge Ram Van Complaints

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I BOUGHT A 1999 DODGE RAM 1500 VAN WITH APPROXIMATELY 88,000. AFTER DRIVING ON SEVERAL TRIPS WE TOOK IT TO THE SHOP BECAUSE THE STEERING WAS LOOSE AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY MAKE NOISE. THE FIRST MECHANIC WE TALKED TO SAID THE FRONT OF THE FRAME IS ALMOST 80% RUSTED THROUGH ON ONE SIDE AND WHERE THE STEERING BOX WAS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS UNREPAIRABLE AND HE WAS CONCERNED WITH US EVEN DRIVING IT HOME. WE CONTACTED A SECOND BUSINESS THAT DEALS WITH FRAME ISSUES AMONG OTHER THINGS. THEY WERE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE VEHICLE BEING DRIVEN MORE THAN A FEW MILES. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH METAL TO WELD TO MAKE IT SAFE AND THE ONLY WAY HE SAW TO FIX IT WAS TO GET ANOTHER FRAME AND BASICALLY REMOVE THE FRAME FROM MY VEHICLE AND ATTACH THE NEW FRAME BUT HE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS FINDING A FRAME THAT WASN'T RUSTED AND IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR EVEN IF THEY DID. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 DODGE B-VAN STATION WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND HAD BEEN EATEN AWAY BY CORROSION. IN ADDITION THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL A FULL 360 DEGREES. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN COLLAPSED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 71,000.

APRIL 2004 A LOSS OF OIL PRECLUDED PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE AT 46,000 MILES IN MY 1999 DODGE RAM 2500 VAN. MAY 1, 2010 THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WITH 36,000 MILES EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF OIL THAT REGISTERED ON MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE. THREE QUARTS OF OIL WERE REQUIRED TO BRING THE OIL TO NORMAL VOLUME. I HAVE CONTINUED REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND ENGINE MAINTENANCE. THE REBUILT ENGINE I WAS SOLD REPLACED THE FAILED ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FAILED ENGINE I WAS TOLD THAT I FOLLOWED ALL MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. I FEAR THIS IS A RE-OCCURRENCE OF THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM THAT WILL LEAD AND MAY BE INHERENT IN THE ENGINES USED IN THIS VEHICLE. IMPROPER LUBRICATION IN AN ENGINE CAN LEAD TO PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. NHTSA ITEM 610005 AND 606035 SHOWS THAT CHRYSLER/DODGE KNOWS OF A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE THAT LEADS TO OIL LOSS. *TR

THIS VEHICLE BELONGS TO VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS. THE VAN HAD AN UNDER HOOD FIRE THAT ORIGINATED IN THE ABS MODULE AREA WHILE PARKED. THE VAN IS DECLARED A "TOTAL LOSS". DAIMLERCHRYSLER ISSUED SAFETY RECALL D20 IN 2004 TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BUT THE RECALL REPAIR HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. VERIZON HAS HAD 30 UNDER HOOD FIRE INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND ACTION. *TR

THIS VEHICLE BELONGS TO VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS. THE VAN HAD AN UNDER HOOD FIRE THAT ORIGINATED IN THE ABS MODULE AREA. THE DRIVER COMPLAINED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. WHEN DIAGNOSING THE COMPLAINT THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE ABS MODULE CONNECTOR AND WIRING WERE BURNT. DAIMLERCHRYSLER ISSUED SAFETY RECALL D20 IN 2004 TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BUT THE RECALL REPAIR HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. VERIZON HAS HAD 29 INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND ACTION. *TR