Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-74
I have a 94 Dodge Grand Caravan that was hopping on starts and eventually got stuck in 2nd gear. The dealer upgraded the flash several times. Each time it felt/ran better but would get worse in time. Finally had to put a used tranny in at 80K miles. I also have a 99 Dodge Ram. Needed a new transmission at 6K. Bought the extended warranty and just froze up the tranny again at 44K. No towing, no off-road. Can't Chrysler steal the diagrams from Chevy and re-engineer a decent transmission?
Here's just a note, Chrysler just designs and builds the vehicle. They are NOT in the repair business. They will do anything to bring the overall cost down for them only. Your best bet is to only use repair shops that can perform the maintenance certified by Dodge. They can and will use after market parts that will work better and longer. I am a designer and any company will reduce overhead for a higher profit. You can't blame the designer because our designs get shaved and changed to lower the company's cost. There are lots of people who have taken time to "fix" the problems that we see in vehicles. They work for after market companies.
45,000 miles with no problems and wham!!
Transmission is gone and so are all my gauges. Driving down the road just fine... stop at a red light, go to take off and nothing. I'm not happy. After I get raped getting this thing fixed... it's off to buy a Tundra.
I have a 98 Dodge Ram 1500 4x2. I have already had the lower ball joints replaced (I used after market ones with grease nipples), front wheel bearings, etc. In the rear end, it needs all new bearings (internal), suggested gears be replaced and rear wheel bearings. All this with less than 70,000 miles.
On the positive side, the 5 speed transmission seems to be holding up.
I own a 1997 Dodge Ram Extended Cab 1500 XLT. At 54,000 miles the transmission quit. Dodge quoted almost $4000 to fix all the damage. I had it towed to AAMCO and asked to see it disassembled. Our evaluation showed that the factory had left out some pins that hold the small gears in the planetary gear. Without the pins the shafts moved back and forth and wore on the parts next to them. All of this metal caused it to fail. I am putting together a packet to mail to Dodge and then on to small claims court if they don't respond. Twice I called their hotline and was basically treated badly. They told me that it didn't matter if they built it wrong, the warranty was out. I may never collect but I will make it as painful as possible. I am at http://www.rjaerial.net if you have had similar problems. Just click on my e-mail.
I have a 1997 Dodge 1500 Ram Truck automatic with overdrive.
The first transmission went out at 40,000 miles, the next one went out at 75,000 miles and dodge would not replace this one under warranty. I am now in the process of replacing the third transmission at 81,000 miles.
I was told by Dodge that the computer that operates the overdrive was telling the transmission at the wrong times, which caused it to burn up.
I had it rebuilt last week and was told by Dodge it is impossible to get a new computer (they are on backorder nationwide 5-6 weeks).
If you have had similar problems with a Dodge truck, I would like to speak with you personally. You can write me at fita1513@aol.com or call me at 314-383-0018.
Thank you, Fred.
I also have one of these pieces of trash. 1994 half ton.. I pay it off and a week later my 2nd tranny goes. It is now dead in my driveway and I drive a rental. At 65k the 1st tranny went, at 80k the engine went.. both replaced under warranty, but pretty costly warranty work..
My 1st year of ownership cost me 15k between payments and service.. the paint peeled off, and I got a free paint job.. I did get what I paid for, I'm still finding tape in strange places.. anyone know what would be a better replacement tranny?
Overall the truck is junk, but who can sell it knowing this.. I can't.. so it is my piece of junk.. I called, they didn't care.
If anyone has a way to sue them to at least replace the vehicles.. I dunno, I tried.. it's all documented.. I was told there was no way to win.
lady_glendalyn@yahoo.com
Oh yeah.. the rear end has been replaced twice.. no I don't tow.. the brakes went out towing a horse trailer.. I never towed with it again.
LG
I've got a 98 1500 4x4. Year one not bad, but after that and 10k what a pig.
Average 11 miles a gallon, been in the shop 5 times for a knock. Dealer said the valves were dirty. So they poured in a chemical type cleaner twice. No improvement.
Dealer says OK, we're gonna take the heads off and clean off the valves and heads to get it right. So they keep it three days, fast shop, I get it back and the first thing I see is a door dent in the driver's door, gray and lines up perfect with the dealership gray dodge van it was parked next too.
They said yeah, could be, bring it in and we'll get the dent repair place to fix it. They never did!
I opened the hood right in their drive to see if the motor was still in one piece. It had not been touched! You have to take the exhaust manifolds off to remove the head. The bolts were still just as rusty as before. The road dust on the valve covers didn't have a hand print anywhere.
The invoice billing Chrysler had all the gasket sets and labor for R & R heads, clean and polish valves. They had charged for coolant replacement but no oil. I asked, "you mean you take the heads off and don't change the oil." Dealer, "well we are real careful not to let anything get in it".
Yeah right! I pull a double Jet Ski trailer with it. It is about 1500lbs max. The truck will shift in and out of overdrive all the time when pulling. The truck will knock and spark ping under the least little load. The manuals say to run 87 octane gas or you can damage sensors, but it says when towing to run premium fuel, it still knocks.
After about five more months I brought it back and told the dealer how they put the shaft to Chrysler and had not done any work to my truck. He said he didn't believe that, and I said I have digital pictures of the truck the day it was picked up and a signed affidavit from a mechanic who inspected it for me. So this time he said a new bulletin came down with a new program for the ECM. They did that and changed the plugs. It ran better, really better, but now after about 6k it's right back to knocking under any kind of load. It now has 40k on it and the rear is whining like a big dog!
I changed the fluid and added the friction additive like the manual says to, but it still whines. The manual says the fluid is not even on the routine maintenance list of things to do. Thank God it's a lease and it's up in March 02. I've got 15k a year on a 4-year lease and it might have 50k on it when I turn it in.
I own a Jeep Grand Cherokee and it's been pretty good for a Chrysler. But I'm going back to Chevy for a truck. The new Avalanche is looking real good. But I'm gonna take one off the lot and test drive it with my trailer hooked up to it and if it doesn't act like it's not even hooked to the truck, I'm not buying it either.
Just another side note here: leases are not good for anyone, anyway, anyhow. You basically pay for the truck and give it back to the dealer. They sell it and make the money you put in it. Yes, the monthly was lower than a payment on a 31k truck would be, and I didn't even have a down payment and they paid the first month, but when I turn it in it's gone.
From Paranoid - The moral to this story seems to be, do not take your truck to the Dodge dealership under any circumstances. Even for so-called required maintenance. The mechanics are on a sub- contract for performed work. If they find nothing or "create" nothing wrong, then they are not making money. Like Drs. performing unnecessary surgery. They have to sell their services to make you think something is necessary and life threatening, when it is in most cases not. I never thought I would say anything like this, but I thinke the Government should watch this industry and make it a felony to defraud citizens in this manner. 5-20 for 0-$1000.00 rips and death by public hanging for insulting our intelligence.
I Have a 95 Dodge Ram 1500 5.2 liter. My truck has 85,000 miles on it. I have the pedal to the metal all the time. Not one problem except a new starter I put on myself. It lays rubber forever. The only thing I need to buy for it is new tires.
Transmission works fine and engine runs great, so I don't know if I got lucky somehow ordering it special in 94 or what, but you guy's trucks suck if they break down all the time, but hey it's called life. It's not like Fords, Chevys, GMCs, or foreign trucks don't have problems like the Dodges, they all do.
I have a 1995 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4,, had the transmission replaced at 52000 km.
I still have the second transmission in my truck with 345000 km. Dealer is amazed it lasted this long... truck is running great... less the hood incident. You guys who push the engine too hard deserve what you get... I carry my work tools in this truck for a total of 1300lbs every day...
I have 1997 Dodge Sport, we bought it used with 20,000 miles and at 30k we had a transmission installed.
6 months later we had both front u joints installed, the dealer said it was cause of excessive wear.
My wife owns a day care center and this is her truck, I guess that this means I hauled too many Infants in it.
Now the second transmission is shot and I took it to the dealer, they said it is a brake switch making it stick in gear. I replaced that and about three months after that transmission goes again and the front end is eating tires like crazy. I have 50.000 miles on it now and it is sitting in my pasture I figured the horses can scratch their asses on it. Law suit pending.
I have a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie SLT King Cab Long Bed, with a full ton bed. Its got 46 000 miles on it. I haul heavy loads. I take it four wheeling (even got it stuck in the mud once…..). The guy who had it before me did serious fifth wheeling in it. I haven’t had an ounce of trouble with it (except when a curb leaped out at my poor tire and put a cut in its side, but that’s a different story)
I have some great comments on my 2001 Ram 1500 Van. I bought brand new in 2002 and had not had it 300 miles when the first check engine light came on and the transmission got stuck in overdrive. Back to the dealer for the first of 7 visits and counting (it is in the shop as I write this), they have replaced every sensor, and a complete rebuild has not fixed it. This is all in the 1st 3500 miles of owning the Van. I am not a happy Dodge owner and never should have gotten rid of my 89 Chevy Van that never broke down. The Dealer has told me that they are stumped and hope that Dodge can tell them what is wrong. Can you say lemon law?