Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. While driving 50 MPH, the rear driver and passenger side wheels locked and the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road by shifting the gear into all wheel drive. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rear wheel differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in a recall. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
2008 Dodge RAM 1500 transmission complaints
Page 2 of 4: complaints 11 to 40 of 73, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. While driving 50 MPH, the contact heard a clunking noise. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to slow down and the rear wheels seized. As a result, the vehicle spun, left the roadway, and landed in a ditch. A police report was not filed. There were no injuries. An inspector from the contact's insurance company diagnosed that the rear axle pinion nut had detached from the drive shaft, causing the failure. A dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 12v474000 (power train). The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.
08 ram 1500 drive shaft separated form differential causing rear end to lock up at 60 MPH on interstate forcing me to the curb second time had rearend repaired this is a safety hazard and needs to be addressed vehicle is no a a wrecker yard for anyone to inspect will not repair till it is checked by the federal safety agency
This vehicle has given me many problems and most recently very dangerous ones. A few months ago on my way to work around 4am the drive shaft broke off and flew out at 75 MPH. Luckily there wasn't much traffic during that time and the back part of the drive shaft is the one that broke off not the front so the truck didn't flip over. The truck has been repaired since then. Now a few days ago my pregnant wife was driving the truck and it turned off on her in the middle of an intersection while I was working out of town. On my return I found the electric throttle control light on at the dashboard. In doing some research I found that this is typically in relation to a bad fuel pump relay. I found this to be more than common on many dodge vehicles and obviously a very dangerous problem to have. The fuel pump relay on my vehicle seems to be integrated into the tipm and not serviceable. There also seems to not be a recall for this problem. It now appears I am being forced to spend $1200 on a manufacturer defect. This vehicle has gone from being my daily commuter to a huge liability because I am not sure what will happen next.
Rear differential seized up while driving at 30 MPH nearly went off road
Driving straight in town at 30 MPH when rear-end locked up. With no warning, no sounds, no grinding, squealing, or shimmying, the truck skidded about 20 yds before the driveshaft literally ripped in half, with both halves shooting out from under the truck in different directions. Pinion bearing already had been replaced about a year prior after feeling some grinding and hearing sounds, but has run smooth as butter since. I had my last oil change and inspection at take ten about a month ago. Rear end remained locked up with driveshaft removed (obliterated) when the tow truck got there. Glad I was not on the highway, or myself and 7 year old son may have not survived.
The drive shaft separated from the rear differential, due to the pinion nut loosening, and the rear axle locked up. The truck was being driven on a town road, when this occurred.
I was pulling my 19ft. Boat, and I was stopped at a red light. The light turned green, and I hit the gas. There was a knock in the rear end and a loud pop. I looked under the rear end, and I noticed that the rear end was leaking at the rear differential. When the tow truck arrived the rear wheels would not roll. The rear end locked up. This will be the second time my rear differential has went out. The first time was at 34,000 miles. The first time the rear end was making grounding sounds before I took it in. The dodge dealership replaced it under the original service warranty. When they took the rear end apart, they found metal shavings in the oil. This time the truck now has 94,000 miles. Both differentials are currently averaging 45,000 miles each.
I was driving and I started to hear a loud noise and the truck didn't feel right. So I took it to have it checked out and they told me that my rear end was messed up. I had to replace the pinion bearings, rear wheel seals and all the bearings in the rear end. Then after all that was finally fixed I was on my way to work and I start to hear the same noise again so yet again I took it to have it checked out and yet agian they tell me that the rear end is messed up. So I did some research and found out that my truck was under recall for this problem . My entire rear end is messed up because of this and I have spent thousands of dollars trying to have it fixed because the mechanics had no idea that it was under recall.
While driving down the road the rear end locked up causing the drive shaft to twist in half and the transfer case to bust into pieces. The truck spun out of control into a ditch. There was no warning, there are recalls online for other year models having this same problem but not for 2008. I truly believe this is the same problem with the pinion gear.
The gear shift cable is very common problem in multiple dodge cars, trucks, and SUV's the gear shift cable breaks easily, and the parts for repair are not available anywhere in the USA. The cable is currently being redesigned fca/ram for the 5th time, with a one month or greater time frame until they are available for dealers.
While driving the rear axle lock-up and the driveshaft detached from the rear differential. This cause my truck to lock up the rear tires nearly causing and accident. I was on the ramp to the freeway. 20 more ft and I would have been in traffic.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle and the rear tires seized. The contact was able to avoid a crash. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact noticed that the drive shaft had detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 13v038000 (power train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
The truck started to make scraping noise and intensified in about 2 miles of driving a loud grinding noise with vibration sounding like a eco inside the cabin faster you go louder it gets then while in motion the truck made a louder sound and felt like the truck move back for 2 seconds and keep then moving foward still the loud noise I toke it to a mechanic shop to be check and the owner told me that the differential oil has metal on it like a metal was loose inside I told him to stop so I can check for recalls and call the dealer online they show that this kind of issues happen before and that the tires can lock and cause an accident or put someone in danger pedestrian passenger or driver is a recall from chrysler about this issue but I will contact the dealer for more information I been inside the forums online and is a lot of people with this same problem I hope this recall come thru to all those dodge ram 1500 buyers like me
Rear pinion nut came loose and drive shaft fell off and truck made abrupt stop rear end locked up
On 2/19/2015, I was driving my 2008 dodge ram 1500 slt at approx 40mph when loud bang came from the rear of the truck, the truck lurches sideways and proceeded to come to a grinding halt. The truck would not move in either drive or reverse. I then had the truck towed back to the dealer since it could not be driven. Upon inspection by the dealership, it showed that the pinion gears were destroyed and all of the metal shavings cause the rest of the failure of the rear. The result was the entire rear needed to be rebuilt. It is very disheartening since chrysler acknowledged the same issue and recall the following model year of my truck (2009) if this catastrophic failure of the rear had happened while on the highway or in higher volume traffic, the safety results could have much worse or dire. With 63k miles, a failure like this, especially with absolutely no warning of impending failure, should never had happened
The vehicle in question is a 2008 dodge ram 1500 quad cab 4x2 with approx 81450 miles. While servicing rear differential, found metal pieces stuck to the magnet at the bottom of the housing. No noticable indications of failure prior to service. Vehicle delivered to dealership service department who's service advisor expressed they don't see many of these failures. It was discovered during inspection of the damage that the "c" clips which hold the lsd in place had failed. When the vehicle was picked up after repair the service ticket stated "this happens all the time". Service advisor also stated that the mechanic that performed the repair has over 30 years experience in the repair of rear differentials however, I should expect to see this happen again. The repairs were covered under the "limited lifetime powertrain warranty".
After reading many of the same complaints I have, I'm beginning to wonder if dodge/chrysler/fiat did the same as gm. That is, intentionally put customers in harms way for profit during the economic downturn. I have a "08" 4x4 ext. Cab truck, that has a clunking noise coming from the rear end. This has happened when I first put this truck in "d", or go through the gears. I have experienced the engine shutting off when I bumped it accidently with my knee. Realize I only have one key on my key ring, so it's not a weight issue similar to gm's ignition problems. I do have a recall for the airbags that I'm sure won't be addressed by dodge or the local dealers because it does have over 100,000 miles and is a used vehicle. I also have experienced a bounce in the front end when I make a sharp turn. Yes, with 100,000 miles, I prolly need new shocks/struts, but it could very well also be a mechanical/wear issue with the ball joints/tie rod ends. I have also experienced a hard shift in the 5 speed transmission my truck has, even though I've changed out the transmission oil twice since owning this truck. The one nice thing about the ford products I owned prior, a recall was just that and they honored it even if I wasn't the original owner/mileage issue/etc. That's what safety recalls should be about--safety first! Then again, what difference does it make to a manufacturer like dodge?? To the employee's that want mega monies? To the corporate mgr's that make big bucks, they all hold the consumer as a prisoner per se by putting out a product that doesn't hold up and yet will not honor their mistakes by fixing the product as needed in a timely manner. By the way, I baby my vehicles, I'm not rough on them at all. So mileage should not matter with reasonable wear/tear on any vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. While driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle failed to shift into gear and stalled without warning. The contact mentioned that the vehicle restarted and the transmission warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The technician diagnosed that the transmission seized. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. In addition, the contact mentioned that the steering wheel was vibrating and excessive pressure was needed when depressing the brake pedal. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. The contact received notices for the federal safety agency campaign numbers: 15v313000 (air bags) and 14v796000 (power train). The contact felt that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer stated that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. While driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle started to make an abnormal sound. The contact merged to the shoulder of the road and noticed that the pinion nut detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 239,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge ram 1500. While driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle lost power without warning. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician diagnosed that the PCM failed and would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
I just purchased this vehicle and within a week the key wouldn't go into the ignition and once in wouldn't come back out. The vehicle shuts off randomly locking the power steering and brakes. My right turn signal now doesn't go off and when I try to put it off my self the left turn signal activates! This went on back and forth a good eight times before both shut off. My front headlights (mostly right but cannot really see the left while driving) the lights shakes and bounces when I go over anything uneven. Upon coming to a sudden stop the truck pulled hard to the right causing me to swerve into the grass. This vehicle just doesn't drive right. The whole front end seems loose. I cannot drive over 50 or the rear end comes off the ground when I brake to make my turn. I'm taking it to the dealer this evening. My dealer 30 day warranty expires tomorrow. The 3 year 36000 manufacturer warranty is up since three years are gone - although the vehicle only has 31864 miles now. I cannot afford to make repairs while still financed. I'm a single mother of four and always have my four year old in the truck. It's to the point I no longer trust driving this truck.
Vehicle dodge ram 1500 laramie crew cab at approximately, 10:30 pm edt, while drive at approximately 60 MPH with limited traffic but a car immediately behind my in the right lane, there was a loud bang followed by a loss of control of my vehicle. I was accompanied by wife and 2 children (ages 11,15). Rear of vehicle was lifted off the ground followed by a strong pull into the right lane. Other car slowed and swerved to avoid my vehicle. Any acceleration was not possible. Attempted to safely decelerate the vehicle. Brakes were not performing as typically expected. A few more load thumps (2-3) occurred. Looked out the passenger side mirror and saw sparks flying behind vehicle. Didn't realize it at the time but the drive shaft completely disconnected with my vehicle and was sent bouncing through traffic. Approximately, 3-5 cars initially avoided it. Safely found a wide shoulder to stop the vehicle approximately 1/4 mile while coasting. Loud bang occurred as vehicle came to a complete stopped. I checked all 4 tires because initial thought was a tire blew out. All tires were intact. Immediately called aaa for roadside assistance reporting engine issue. Noticed strong smell of automotive oils/grease. Looked under car and saw a "threaded stem" sticking out of rear axle without any thing attached. Noticed drive shaft was not connected to the vehicle. Took pictures of the area and waited for aaa. I did attempt to walk back a little ways to see if I could locate the detached drive shaft but I was unsuccessful in finding it.
Pinion nut came off, causing catastrophic damage and near collision, I sent the letter below to chrysler, with no response. October 12, 2013 chrysler corporation: I have owned 5 dodge rams, a 95,98,99,2006,2008; the 2008 was sold to me with a lifetime warranty... Until I needed it. After 5 years of ownership (chrysler service now tells me that I was required to have my vehicle inspected within a 30 day window of its 5th birthday to preserve the warranty. Who knew this? Lifetime means life-time, right? My differential just suffered from a catastrophic failure when the pinion nut backed off and the pinion gear was pinched between the housing and the ring gear at 60 MPH, blowing out the cast iron housing, the drive shaft fell out and I nearly collided with another vehicle. Benny boyd of lampasas texas had rebuilt the differential a year prior to the 5 year marker, it is my assertion that had the work been done properly this should not have happened. All of the dodge ram dealerships in my area claim that I do not have the warranty I have bragged about, and counted on, and will not repair it. I am screwed!! I was quoted $4,000.00 dollars for the repair at cecil atkins in burnet texas. Friday oct 11th I needed the warranty that came with my truck, but it was not there. The service people seemed afraid to even tell me, they too seemed ashamed of this loophole. Shame on chrysler. After the loyalty I have shown you for the last 20 years, all the praise for your products, and word of mouth advertising I have given you, I expect to be treated better than this, what can you do for me before I lose faith in you? [xxx] loyal customer information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
I was traveling at 70 MPH in the center lane of very heavy freeway traffic when my trucks 4-wheel low light came on and started to flash and immediately after, my truck shook violently and made a loud crunching grinding noise and within seconds my truck had slowed down to 30 MPH. I thought I had been rear ended by another vehicle. Now in a panicked state of mind not knowing what had just happened, I somehow without causing an accident, got my truck across the lanes off traffic and off to the shoulder of the road. My truck was now stuck in 4 wheel low. I had to drive around 10 miles home with the truck in this condition, driving on the shoulder of the road with my flashers on. I had my truck towed to my dodge dealer. The dealer confirmed the truck malfunctioned causing it to shift into 4 wheel low. Numerous trips back to the dealer for the same problem over and over again, has made me feel very unsafe about driving in heavy traffic or on the freeway. Two years after the first incident the problem has not been fixed. Chrysler specialists say they do not know what the problem is. Besides being a hazard to drive it is costing me thousands of dollars in repairs and they never fix the problem. This is a warranty issue that they are refusing to honor. The component that failed is the drive train, the transfer case to be exact.
I am concerned with the rear pinion retaining nut problem I have seen and heard about on these vehicles. I feel it should be an expanded recall as I don't want to be driving down the road and have my rear diff lock up or explode internally if its something that can be fixed.
Front output shaft(axel) on truck failed at 68,768 miles replaced with oem part, front shaft failed again at 92,440 miles replaced again.
I was driving in the middle lane of traffic at 70 MPH when my 4wl lite flashed,I heard a loud bang and my truck jerked violently, I thought I had been rear ended. My truck immediately slowed down to 30mph right after the loud noise. I then had to get across two lanes of speeding freeway traffic to avoid an accident or worse. After I made it to the shoulder of the road and calmed my nerves, I did damage assessment and discovered that my truck had shifted itself into four wheel low at 70 MPH. I limped my truck home, stuck in four wheel low, called a tow truck and took it to my dodge dealer. Almost two years later and numerous trips back to various dealerships to get this warranty work fixed, and out thousands of dollars the problem has never been fixed and chrysler considers the case closed. I'm afraid now after this incident to take my truck on the freeway as I feel it is not safe for me or the drivers around me. Next time I may not be so lucky.
While driving on the freeway at 60 MPH the rear axle pinion nut loosened itself off causing the drive shaft to drop. This caused the vehicle to make a loud boom and loose control while on the freeway luckily no other vehicles were near my vehicle at the time. Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 ram 1500 trucks manufactured from february 27, 2008, through june 30, 2009, and from december 1, 2009, through october 20, 2011. This vehicle was built in that time frame on july 2, 2008 as a 2008 model but I was informed by the dealership after they contacted it does not fall under the recall and gave me a quote for $6000 to fix.
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