1999 Dodge Ram Van Complaints

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY MY OIL PRESSURE GAUGE DROPPED TO 0 PSIG. IT HAD BEEN APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES SINCE MY LAST OIL CHANGE. WHEN I STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION TO CHECK THE OIL, I DISCOVERED MY OIL WAS ABOUT 3 QUARTS LOW. I PURCHASED 3 QTS OF OIL AND INSTALLED IT IN THE ENGINE AND CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS THE REST OF THE WAY HOME (GAUGE DROPPING TO 0 PSI, BUT NO REAL NOTICEABLE CLACKING OF LIFTERS). I EXPERIENCED THIS SORT OF PROBLEM IN 2002 WHEN MY 1999 DODGE RAM VAN (318 CI) WENT ON A TRIP TO NY AND USED ABOUT 12 QUARTS OF OIL WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. TWO MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAD TO FIGHT LIKE CRAZY WITH CHRYSLER TO COVER IT (I ENDED UP HAVING TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE TO GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED). I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT WITH THE VAN WHICH IS NOW ALMOST SEVEN YEARS OLD WITH 55,000 MILES. NOT A VERY DEPENDABLE MACHINE AND PROMISE TO NEVER OWN ANOTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT AS LONG AS I LIVE. *NM

/18/05 1999 DODGE RAM VAN 360 CI V-8 I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN THE SUMMER OF 2000. I DRIVE IT VERY LITTLE-CURRENT MILEAGE IS 37,000 AFTER 5 YRS. OWNERSHIP. WE JUST TOOK A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA, AND WENT THROUGH ALMOST A CASE OF OIL! ALSO, THE ENGINE WAS PINGING QUITE A BIT-ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I GOT ON THE INTERNET WHEN I GOT HOME FROM THE TRIP, AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND COMMENTS FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. A COUPLE OF THEM REFERRED TO A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ISSUED BY DODGE, BUT I COULDN'T FIND IT (PROBABLY NOT AVAILABLE TO THE CONSUMER). I CALLED KARI DODGE (LOCAL DEALERSHIP) AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM-SAID IT WAS COMMON AMONG 1999 AND 2000 318 AND 360 ENGINES. HE SAID THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, AND THAT I SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING IT, BECAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE COULD RESULT. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT-AN...

THE SEAT BACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE COLLAPSED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH BRACKETS, WHICH HELD THE SEAT BACK IN PLACE BROKE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME.*AK

THE VERIZON VEHICLE HAD AN UNDERHOOD FIRE WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT AT THE EMPLOYEES HOUSE. THE TRUCK IS A TOTAL-LOSS. THE FIRE APPEARS TO HAVE ORIGINATED IN THE ABS MODULE AREA. THE FIRE DESTROYED MOST OF THE UNDERHOOD AREA, THE FRONT OF THE VAN BODY, THE DASHBOARD AND STEERING COLUMN, THE WINDSHEILD, AND THE HEADLINER. VERIZON HAS HAD SIMILAR FIRES IN THIS MODEL VAN AND FEELS THAT THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *AK

LEFT MY HOME FOR WORK AND GOT TO THE SECOND STOP FROM MY HOME AND DID NOT HAVE SUFFICEINT BRAKES TO STOP THE VAN. BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. FTER INSPECTING FLUID RESEVOIR, I DETERMINED THE FLUID LEVEL ALMOST EMPTY AND STARTED TO LOOK FOR LEAKAGE AT WHEEL CYLINDERS, ETC. FOUND FLUID BELOW THE ABS VALVING. IT APPEARS THAT THE BATTERY BEING RIGHT ABOVE THE VALVING HAS ALLOWED BATTERY ACID TO DETERIORATE THE BRAKE LINES. AT LEAST 5 LINES APPEAR TO HAVE CORROSIVE DAMAGE. LOOKS LIKE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. *AK