Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-74
I sure wish I saw this website back when we thought we were buying the greatest truck! You can bet any truck we decide to replace the Dodge with, I'll be checking websites like these. We have '96 Dodge Ram 3500, dually, and pull a 28' camper. We don't use the truck for much else. We've had the truck for about a year now and are on the second transmission. We know the original owner put at least one in, along with a new rear end. We bought the truck second hand, dealer told us the guy cried when he had to give it up. I get it now... he cried freaking tears of joy!!! What a piece of crap and if there's anyone out there who has started anything that might get Chrysler to give a hoot about anyone who bought a vehicle from them, write to us (Al or Ann) and we'll jump on your bandwagon with you. Looks like these are going to be some heavy bandwagons! Wagons ho! AnnNASCAR@yahoo.com.
I own a 97 ram 1500 4x4. Only problem ever is transmission. Went in for air condition service, told them to check shifting of transmission also. They called me that afternoon and told me my transmission was shot, and it had to be overhauled. When I got it back, it shifted just like it did before they touched it. The transmission lasted for 9 months. Torque converter exploded. Dodge replaced the torque converter, and??? CLEANED the transmission? The transmission didn't get my home. My truck was towed back to the dealer the Next day. Oh my, they say the transmission has now let loose, and must be rebuilt. Picked my truck up 5 days later... didn't make it home, transmission blew up again. Truck was towed back to dealer the next day. This time they are going to install a factory rebuilt unit. That's great! Picked my truck up 4 days later... guess what, didn't make it home. Truck went back to dealer the next day, blown transmission. Dealer replaced the entire unit again with another factory rebuilt unit. Truck ran OK for a few weeks, but sometimes wouldn't down shift to first gear. This was an intermittent problem that got more frequent as time went on. I took it back to the dealer, survey says... bad transmission, this time the valve body. Keep in mind this is all within 20,000 miles. I take care of my truck, don't pull trailers, don't go go off road, very well maintained. Dodge you have a serious problem with your transmissions. Take some of the money back from Aerosmith and send it to your research department maybe they can find the problem, and get the thorn out of your side. Remember customer satisfaction comes first.
Tony DeCosmo
Hudson, Florida.
I have a 1997 Dodge Ram, bought it with 120,800 miles it now has 123,900 it has been 3 months since I have had no real problems with it except the steering. I have so much play in my steering wheel that it is unsafe. While driving I can turn the wheel 2 inches to ether side and the truck doesn't move. I replaced the tie rods, track bar, steering box had it aligned 3 times in the past 2 weeks. Have spent hours trying to fix it without any luck. And in the process of trying to fix it I damaged the clock spring in the steering shaft so the air bag light is on. I have been reading around and maybe the steering shaft is worn, I don't know, but I will give it a shot. I don't plan on driving the truck until this ridiculous problem is solved. As for transmission it clunks once when I am going kinda slow and let off the gas to make a turn or something, but that's about it. Plus the brakes are pretty mushy as well. I plan on rebuilding the transmission at a shop other than the dealer. Other than that the truck is strong, needs a tune up though, it doesn't burn any oil, I run 93 octane gas it looks good I don't know though after reading these other horror stories I think I might get rid of it and get a Chevy...Ford sucks just as much as Dodge does.
When my 97 Dodge RAM 1500 (automatic,5.9 v8,2wd) runs, I think its the best truck in the world. Its powerful, smooth, spacious and looks great. When its not running, or making weird sounds I wonder why I still keep it.
I'm at about 90k miles now, here is what I have had to fix so far. Most of it without a warranty.
Door latch (door wouldn't close anymore) (Atlas dodge said this wasnt covered in my bumper-to-bumper warranty because it's a plastic component)
Both front brake rotors.
Catalytic converter.
O2 sensor.
Water Pump.
Thermostat.
Ignition Wiring and Spark plugs.
Idler arm and Pitman Arm.
Rear bearings for the differential.
The drivers seat leather is splitting at the seems.
The seat belts don't roll-up anymore.
When I'm at high-speed sometimes my side mirror will fold in.
Right now the RAM is in my garage with a bad Heater core and a transmission that keeps slipping out of gear. I just bought myself a Ford Ranger with %0APR to drive me to work. I'm not sure what I want to do with the ram now. I might keep it as a project offroad truck, it being a dodge, I'm sure it will keep me pretty busy with *projects*
By the way. Stay clear of Atlas Dodge in Costa Mesa, CA. I and some of my friends have had nothing but the worst stories with their service dept. Tuttle-Click Dodge in Irvine, in contrast, was great and extremely prompt. I just hated the $1000s I had to shell out.
Jsmith@intrusoft.com.
I have a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500. It has 150,000 miles on it right now. I think I was smart when I bought the truck by having a heavy duty trans cooler installed buy the dealer.
It is a 5.9L Magnum with a 4 speed Auto trans. The only problem I am having right now is a skip I can't fix. I have replaced the plug wires and plugs, rotor and cap, and coil. Still have the skip. It still has lots of power and pulls my boat just fine. I love my Dodge! Just hate the skip!
Mark E. Young.
Just purchased a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 extended cab. Looks great, 66,000 miles. Got a 30 day 1000 mile 50/50 warranty. Drove it 928 miles, oil light came on. Better than 5 quarts low on oil. Took it back, dealer doesn't know what the problem is, advise to continued to drive for a few more miles to see if their mechanic had forgotten to put oil in while changing the oil. Drove the car another 300 miles and checked the oil - quart and 1/2 low. No sign of any type of oil leakage from engine or under truck. Smells like oil burning and makes a lot of noise when pulling a hill. Can someone who has had the same problem tell me what is wrong before I take this truck in. The dealer thinks I am looking at a rebuilt engine. Libby Webb.
I bought a 97 Ram 1500 new, with 360 Auto and towing package. Today it has over 228,00 miles on it. I replaced
1 Water pump 1 Oxygen Sensor. And I had to change the Oil about 21 times. I doubt there is ANY truck out there that
would still be running if It follow mine and was treated like I treat this one. I can't wait until I finally wear this one out so I can buy a new Dodge with the 4.7 Hemi.
I to purchased a 97 Ram 1500 4x4 new. With 59,000 miles on it, I have had some of the problems most folks have posted, save the dreaded transmission failure. Lower ball joints gone at 36,000. Front axle seals also gone due to lower ball joint failures. Replaced with aftermarket nippled ball joints. I too, have had the pre ignition knock as well. That problem occurs because the manifold gasket is to thin. Had it replaced with after-market at 45,000 miles, and a little adjustment to the timing, and the problem is gone. Also had the painted bumpers start to rust (from the inside). To no-ones surprise, Dodge wouldn't cover the repair (said it's not a body part). The best advise I can give, and it has been mentioned here before, is take your truck to a reputable repair shop other than a Dodge dealer. I had all of my problems fixed right the first time. They don't charge nearly the same as a dealer, and the after market parts are of superior quality. Most shops are updated by the manufactures as to problem areas. The big difference is the independent shops don't have to play by Dodges rules.
I bought, new, a 99 ram 1500, 5.2L, 2wd, short-bed. It will be the LAST Dodge/Chrysler product I ever buy. At 42k, the transmission went... had it repaired at a local shop and not one problem with it since! In addition, the bed has rust where the joints are and the bumper has started to rust... no towing or hauling. By the time I hit 75k, the rear ABS sensor has gone, the entire brake system had to be replaced and the oil pump went. From what I have read online, Dodge also has a class action suit against them for premature engine failure due to oil sludge. Apparently these people, like myself, have records of the oil changes, but Dodge says "then it must be cheap oil". Customer service is THE LAST THING Dodge knows anything about. Take my advice, DO NOT BUY THIS TRUCK!!! You WILL regret it. I think I may do what another owner listed a few comments back and write "Don't buy a" over the Dodge sticker!
I bought a 1997 dodge ram 4x4 2500 from my local dealer. it had 105,000 miles when I bought it. drives and runs great, the only problem I am having is loose steering and very touchy brakes. I hope the dodge tranny bug doesn't come and bite me in the rear!!! too bad they have such a bad rep. there great looking trucks!!! Frank, Newbury, Ohio.
I have a 97 4x4 Ram with 5.9 liter engine. No problems, 67,000 miles pulling a 8000 pound trailer, hauling cargo that made the bumper nearly drag the pavement, and putting a boat in and out on a steep grade into a river. You guys to be able to tell the difference between bad service departments and a bad truck. Buying a used truck and then wondering why its screwed up? LMAO! ANY transmission used for anything more than passenger service requires a towing package with secondary cooler. Every horror story here can be found on any manufacturers gripe BB. Trucks require excessive maintenance or they require excessive repairs, take your choice.
Using oil, buddy had same problem and found a bulletin from dodge, faulty intake gasket, its basically acting like a 2 cycle engine, replace it and all should be good. As for me just turned 93k and reverse in Trans went, OD squeals and in shop to have trans rebuilt or replaced and most definitely NOT dealership.
I bought a 97 Ram 1500 Sport, 5.9, auto, reg cab, 2wd.
It had 30 some thousand miles on it, got it from a dealer, actually it was the owners personal vehicle. Also bought an extended warranty to 70K miles, whew, That was a blessing. My son was the primary driver, and he was supposed to make the payments as well. So,, lets see, the truck had to have the heads replaced, the front rotors and pads, the electric side mirror broke, the rear diff threw the cross shaft at 70mph and destroyed the rear end and trans. Thankfully it was all replaced under warranty. The front end also vibrates wickedly at around 40mph, but I guess that might be attributable to the young drivers who abuse it. So this truck has deteriorated a lot due to poor maintenance, but, that doesn't explain why it burned oil to the tune of a quart every 50 miles. I researched it and found there is a technical service bulletin for the intake manifold and plenum gaskets failing which allows oil to be sucked in from the oil galley under the intake manifold. Probably creates too much vacuum, who knows?? But anyway, my son quit making the payments and my other son took over the payments and was supposed to do the maintenance also, like the oil, but never did. So 40,000 miles later, now at 98,000, I check the oil filter and it is solid gunk. Tried replacing bearings, but crank is damaged and is knocking like a hammer drill. On top of all that, my son lost control of it and wrecked it, caving in the passenger door. It still opens and closes though. Motor is now out of the truck, I am looking for a replacement door, and I have given the truck to my daughter who is graduating High School tonight. I found another engine to replace the other one, and hopefully will have it together soon. The main lesson I learned is to never sign for anything for my kids. Make them do it on their own, otherwise they don't need it. I do feel that Dodge should redesign the retaining pin on the cross shaft of the differential to have an internal locking ring to cure the weak pin design. The problem is that while spinning the tires, unequal torque is applied to one wheel over the other. This causes the cross shaft to spin, which breaks the 1/4 in shear pin bolt. Once this happens, the cross shaft will exit the differential causing immediate damage. With an internal groove in the passage where the shaft goes through the differential, and an expanding ring to retain the shaft on both sides, the problem would be solved. All in all I have learned many lessons with the Dodge. The oil consumption problem has been addressed, but I have learned that given enough abuse, any vehicle can be destroyed. Hopefully my daughter will treat it better. I also have to blame myself for not making sure that this truck was cared for. BTW, I still owe 15K$ on this thing... Any contributions happily accepted.. :) Any comments, email me, johnlholt_sr@yahoo.com.
I recently bought a 97 Dodge Ram, Ext Cab 4X4 1500 5.9 with 66K miles on it from an auto group dealership in Anchorage, AK. I was trading in a 92 Chevy 2500 4X4 with 130K on it and many, many problems. I was lucky in that I looked at the Dodge on a Saturday evening, late. I liked the truck and wanted to buy it, but there was no way to finish the paperwork before closing time so they told me to go ahead, take it home for the rest of the weekend and come back Monday morning to finish the paperwork. I know a mechanic that works on Sundays and had him inspect it. He checked the front end and could see where some work had been done there. He also found that the tranny had been pulled and he believed that it had been replaced. After reading the comments here I fully believe that. He also noticed that the exhaust had been replaced.
With that knowledge in hand, I figured I was pretty much getting a good truck, at least one with newer running gear. I opted for the dealer provided 12month 12K warranty as it didn't cost any extra, but again after reading all of these horror stories I think I will go back down there and pay the $1600 to extend it out to a 3year 36K total coverage warranty.
My fun began before I got it off the lot that Monday morning. I pushed the washer button to clean the windshield and although it sprayed a lot of fluid everywhere, the wipers didn't bother to move. The dealership fixed it, although now when I turn the wipers on and they return to the down position, they stop about a 1/4 of the way up the windshield from the normal stop position. When the intermittent wipers are on this gets very annoying.
About a week after buying it I started to notice that the tranny shifts at odd times, ex. when starting off at a traffic light the truck is already in 3rd gear before I even get up to 20MPH, and yes, before anyone asks, I can feel it every time it shifts gears. Also the searching for a gear problem is evident. When I step on it to pass someone it will do odd stuff such as shift from OD to 2nd, then immediately back to OD, then immediately to 3rd, all in the span of about 3 seconds.
Another problem is that when I put it in reverse, the loud clunking coming from either the rear diff or the transfer case sounds like they are both about to explode all over the ground. It will also make this noise sometimes when I let off of the gas.
The peeling paint issue hasn't passed me by either as about the only flaw with the aesthetics of the truck when I bought it was 2 spots about 4 and 6 inches in diameter on the lower right fender, just in front of the passenger door where the paint is missing.
The seal on the drivers door window doesn't work well either and I get some air noise when going down the road.
I also need to crawl underneath it and check the freeze plugs as I have had puddles of antifreeze underneath it a couple of times.
The truck has lots of power though, and gets about 13MPG, which is about 4 better than the Chevy was getting. It runs smooth overall, although I do notice an annoying shudder at idle sometimes. The interior is near perfect, the truck looks great, and compared to the money pit that was the Chevy, I am still happy with my purchase. Oh yeah, and unlike the long bed Chevy, which was about 6 inches too long to fit in my garage, this one fits like it was made to.
I will continue to check this site and will try to give updates as I find other problems with the truck. Thanks to everyone for submitting to sites like this as I think that everyone's stories have really enlightened me and others as to what to look forward to and how to avoid some problems.
If anyone has any information about the problems that I am experiencing, please contact me at scottd@gci.net and put Dodge Fixes in the subject.
About 2 years ago I bought a used 1500 dodge ram. V6. So far since I have bought it I've replaced the 02 sensor, the Cadillac converter, and now its going to cost me $1500 to get the transmission replaced. From what the mechanic told me, the torque converter is messed up and is throwing metal shavings all through the transmission and oh wait it gets better! Now it shifts really hard and won't idle right because the torque converter won't lock into place. Now I know why all my friends said "whatever you do, don't buy a dodge!"