Dodge Ram Reviews

My wife and I went for a nice drive one day. And on our way back we were in a 30 MPH zone, leveled out speed, the truck jolted forward 2 times in about 500 feet of driving without me hitting the accelerator. At that time, I decided to make an appointment to drop the truck off at the dealer to get it checked out. When I went in to the dealership to look at vehicles for my wife, I went in to set the appointment up and spoke with the Service Manager. I started to explain to him what the truck was doing. And he knew exactly what it was doing and cut me off and told me to drive the truck and level out the speed - when it starts to vibrate, hit the tow-haul button and see if it stops vibrating.

He told me that they have this complaint frequently. I did what he had asked of me to do, and it helped the problem, but did not totally get rid of the vibration. So I took the truck in and dropped it off. I told them to drive the truck to see what I was talking about and a service tech wanted to drive the truck with me. So we went for a drive and he was driving the truck. We got onto a smooth fresh paved road and sure enough, he verified the complaint. We drove back to the dealership and pulled the truck into his bay. He hooked up the computer/scanner to check for flashes (updates). To my surprise, there were several, and he said he would flash the truck and drive it again to see if one of them would cure the vibration.

When we got back from sons basic training in Georgia, I went to pick up the truck. They said it was done and the flashes took care of the vibration. I got in the truck and drove away and BAM, vibration still there. So I called them again and talked to them. The Service manager stated that it was normal for this truck to do this, that he could take me to the lot and put me in any brand new RAM and it would do the same thing. I was not going for this stupidity, so I contacted Ram brand and told them of the problem. They assigned me a case manager (A Woman who sits behind a computer). I received a call from her and she told me she would contact the dealer and get back to me after she verified my complaint.

When she finally called me back, she told me that they wanted to send out a district tech advisor to drive the truck. After this was done, the tech advisor reported that it was "as per design" and was totally normal and will not hurt anything and needs no repair at this time. I have made several calls to the case manager to no avail. The service manager actually told me that he felt 2 separate vibrations but they could not do anything without the approval of Chrysler LLC's approval, because they do not know what is causing the problem. The case manager tells me that the service manager says the truck is fine. They played me the entire time, then they tell me I have 3 choices - live with it, trade truck in for new truck and pay the difference or take to another dealer. I took to another dealer and dropped it off with them. They verified the vibration and did some serious investigating and said that they believe it is related with the torque converter but cannot do anything as of yet until it gets worse.

We purchased a travel trailer in June which weighs 6,400 LBS. This truck has shifting issues when pulling this camper, and at times when shifting into final gear, it slams/clunks and shifts very hard. So now here I sit, 21,000 miles on the truck and still nothing done about it. Did a Google search on this complaint and my oh my, the complaints of this exact issue and yet nothing gets done about it. Before this problem became so severe, and I figured Chrysler would take care of this, we purchased a brand new 2012 Journey Crew fully loaded and 2 brand new 2012 Avengers for the kids, and this is how they treat us… My brother in law has the exact same truck and does not have this problem at all, yet they say it is as per design... HMMM.

This is basically dumping us, the owner, with the problem with a $4000 Navigation system that will not function properly and us to try to resolve. This truck only has 18,000 KM on it. Funny thing, I was about to purchase another truck or SUV this weekend and it will not be a Chrysler product and when my 2009 Chrysler 300C is ready to go, it will not be replaced by a Chrysler product because of the poor customer service I had to experience with this truck. By the way, I called the Chrysler hot line only to be told they could not help... LOL. I purchase a new vehicle roughly every two to four years times two... Lots of money losses for someone not to mention my 5 kids asking me what to buy or any people we know...and we know more than one.

Now the noise is determined that it is between rear end and transmission (drive train). Took 22 foot trailer for test drive with technician. Now Dodge's technician wants them to put 400 to 500 lbs in back of truck to see what it does. What's the point? As of last night, Dodge caseworker was going to try and contact regional tech to see why he is not responding to dealership's request for further action. Needless to say I have printed out paperwork to file a complaint with Governor's office under the Lemon Law. Will be sending certified letters to corporate office today and filing my complaint. According to Georgia Lemon Law, as I read it, if a vehicle is not available for normal use and has depreciated in value, it is considered a "Lemon". I say I have a lemon.

Two weeks later they picked the truck up from the dealership where we had it worked on even AFTER paying the bill in full!!! The dealership was going to take all our personal belongings out of the truck for us but the repo company said not to worry they would do that. The repo company cleans out the truck and drags it to a Texas auction. We hired an attorney so we could get the truck back and continue making payments on it. We did not want it to go to auction then we have to pay that huge difference when it sold while someone else drove the thing around. Then we would have to buy another vehicle for my husband to go to work in.

I go to Texas to pick the truck up. It has 3 new dents in it and the mirror is broke! When I pick up the truck in Texas I immediately go to Arkansas to the repo company to pick up my husband’s stuff. The repo company had stolen our GPS, some knives, a NICE pair of jumper cables made out of welding leads and several other things that were in the truck. I'm pretty sure the dealership would not have stolen that stuff out of the truck I know that repo company did. Their office was an old house that was really run down and nasty, would not let my kids out of the truck while I was there. The repo company swears there was nothing else in the truck except what I picked up! They lied, Chrysler lied and up to date we have paid about $60,000 all in cashier’s checks. But Chrysler gets to make the rules up as they go along!! No one ever gets on to them or how they conduct business.

Once we got the truck back and started making these ridiculous payment of $1270 per month it still breaks down. Still had to pay the $3600 for fuel injectors. The front tire and WHOLE rim fell off while driving down the highway pulling a camper heading to another job. Sparks were flying and it caught on fire. I wish we had no morals we should have let the dang thing burn! That was almost $3000. The thing is always in the shop! For what we have paid out in repairs we could have bought another truck!! I'm teaching my kids and anyone who will listen NOT to buy anything from Chrysler!!

I made it to the Interstate 495 (LIE), started off in heavy traffic, moving about 20 mph. Traffic started clear around exit 35-36, then I hit a bump with the right front tire and all hell broke loose. I was doing 40 mph at this time. The truck front end started to violently shake and then the rear started to bounce. I was in the center lane when this happened with traffic on all sides. I applied the brakes and tried to steer to the right. The truck continued to go straight and then started to go sideways to the left. Once my speed dropped below 5 mph is when I regained control of my truck and then pulled off at exit 37. I turned around, got on the northbound side and stopped at a Gulf gas station and called roadside assistance. This is the 23rd of June, and 45 miles away from home. I hit a bump/pothole and the truck started shaking violently. The truck went sideways in the road. This time was the worst. I was sideways in the road, in heavy traffic on the Long Island Expressway. This incident was terrifying and almost caused a serious accident. Are they (Chrysler/Ram) waiting for someone to die?

I called Chrysler Roadside Assistance and they would only tow my vehicle to one of their locations, not my dealer or my house. They named a few, and since I am not from this area, I choose the one they listed in Hempstead, NY because I knew where Hempstead was. The dealer was Garden City Jeep. On 24 June 2013, I called Garden City to check on my truck. They did not look at it today. On 25 June 2013, I called Garden City to check on my truck. Service rep said mechanic took truck for test drive and everything was okay. Service rep said they will look at the front end once their lift is available. I have been without my truck since the 23rd of June 2013. I called the dealer today and he made a comment that they do not normally work on heavy duty trucks but started reviewing the problem. He made the statement that "When I bottomed out", I never said that... I said no, my truck had the Death Wobble, and explained to him that I never said that I bottomed out.

It is going on day 4, still without truck, and now the dealer is talking about taking it to another dealer. The reason for this is my truck will not fit on their lift. This is an ongoing problem with the Ram Trucks. Are you waiting for someone to die in an accident? I am a heart patient and you came close to having a death on your hands. This has shaken me up so much that I do not want to drive the truck home. What would have happened if I was towing my camper? Here are some of my issues: First, my truck was taken to a Chrysler Dealer that does not work on Heavy Duty Trucks. Tow truck that was set up by Chrysler Road Assistance had to swap trucks when he found out it was a 3,500 dually. This caused a delay on his arrival. Service manager said mechanic test-drove and found nothing wrong. Service manager said they checked the front end and everything looked okay. Service manager said my truck would not fit on their lift. So how did they check my truck out?

On June 26, 2013 at 1400H, I called Ram Customer Asst. and spoke with Christa. She is going to have my truck taken to a dealer that is capable of working on the heavy duty trucks. I asked if she could take it back to Port Jeff. She will call me back and let me know. On June 26, 2013 at 1715H, I checked home answering machine; message from Christa (Ram Assist) said they were taking my truck to Westbury. They refused to take it back to Port Jeff where I purchased the truck. June 27, 2013 at 0800H, this is day four (4) without my truck. Chrysler Assistance originally towed my truck to a dealer that was not equipped to work on my truck. Now, I have to start over again with a new service rep. My opinion is Ram is collecting all the information with respect to the years/models, and then they will post a recall, or in my case, fix it quietly when the truck goes to the shop for the wobble. At 0930H, I tracked down the truck. It is located at Westbury Jeep Dodge. No service advisor as of now.

At 0935H, service rep left a message on my home phone, not cell phone. At 1130H, I spoke with the service rep. (Lenny). He wanted to review/go over why the truck is there. He said that I bottomed out. I corrected him right away and told him the other place said the same, and that I don't know where that came from. I told him that I had the Death Wobble. He said "Oh, okay," and no more questions were asked. After we talked for a few minutes, he said here is the issue... They only have one (1) mechanic authorized to work on the Cummins chassis and he has 4-5 Sprinter Vans ahead of me. I asked, "How long?" and he said maybe 1-2 weeks, depends on what the Vans are in for. Lenny the service rep said he would get back to me this evening or tomorrow evening with an update.

At 1730H, message was left on home answering machine by the Chrysler caseworker. I returned his call, but had no luck. It went to his voicemail. On June 28, 2013 at 0752H, day 5 and no truck, and no call from Westbury Chrysler Jeep. Just to be clear, this is not Westbury's fault and I am not upset with them. Lenny is working with me as best as possible. At 1130H, I went home for lunch, checked answering machine and had no messages. I called Ram Asst. and left a voicemail with Gus. Gus returned my call 10 minutes later. He stated that the dealer knows what the problem is, but are not complete with troubleshooting. Gus said he will get back to me today, and if not today then not later than Tuesday of next week. I went searching on the internet and found out that the 2011 Power Wagon had the same issue. I wonder if they have the same front end. If not, what then is in common?

July 1, 2013, no truck and no word from the dealer or Ram (Gus). At 1705H, I checked home answering machine. Lenny from Westbury left message stating that the steering stabilizer was the cause. They placed one on order, should be there on the 2nd (from my previous experience, the steering stabilizer is a shock absorber mounted horizontally and is usually installed in older vehicles to prevent the wobble of loose/sloppy steering issues). Hope it works. I know these trucks come stock from the factory with the stabilizer installed. Why? On July 2nd, 2013 at 1700H, I checked home voicemail. Lenny from Westbury left message. While listening to the message, Lenny called again and I spoke to him. He said, "Good news and bad news. Mechanic was test driving truck after oil change and heard a clunking sound left front." Lenny said the mechanic will put the truck on the lift once it is available again. Truck will probably be done on the 3rd of July around noontime.

July 3rd, 2013 at 0730H, ten days without my truck, and it is still not repaired. According to the service rep., the problem was the steering stabilizer. I have swapped out stabilizers on other trucks/jeeps in the past. This is a bolt-on item that should take less than 1 hour to replace. What took so long to repair my truck? Why did the dealer not have stock on a common part? Why was my truck towed to a shop that was not certified/capable to work on my truck? Why has RAM not corrected this issue with a re-call? Why did I pay over $58,000 for a truck and have to put up with this type of service? I am a betting man. I will bet that when I pick up my truck (when it is finally repaired), the fuel tank will be on empty, the inside will be dirty, and the truck was not washed.

At 1130H-1215H, no message from the dealer on my truck. No message from Gus at Ram Services. Dealer is not open on the 4th of July, so hopefully my truck will be ready on the 5th of July. At 1730H, I arrived home, listened to voicemail. Truck is ready to pick up. Too late in the day to pick up, so I decided to wait until the next open business day (5th of July). July 8th, 2013 0630H not a good day on July 5th. I arrived at Westbury Jeep/Chrysler around 9:00-9:30. I asked the cashier who I see about picking up my truck. She asked who my service rep is. I said Lenny (one of 5 reps). She went in the back, brought out some paperwork and said that I owed them $111 for the oil change. I paid the amount due. She then said to give my paperwork to one of the valets outside and they would bring my truck around. To give you an idea of this place, it takes up 1 block, cars/trucks are double-parked in the street, tightly packed in the yard.

The valet brought my truck around and that is when I noticed the right rear bumper. There is a nice dent/paint missing. The dent is very recent. I instructed the valet to go and get my service rep (who I have never met). Lenny came out and looked at my truck. I voiced my opinion of what I thought and Lenny went inside to get his boss. Lenny's boss came out, looked at it, went inside grabbed my vehicle delivery receipt and noticed that there were no dings/dents in that area, just on the tailgate which I knew about. I asked them what they were going to do about this. Their response was to come back when the body shop was open, drop off my truck for a few days, let them fix what they messed up. My wife asked if we can get a loaner car. The answer was no. My truck has been locked up by Chrysler for 12 days. The dealer replaced the steering stabilizer and dented my rear bumper.

On the way home, my truck would still shimmy/wobble when I would hit a bump. Not as severe as before, but there is still an issue there. The new stabilizer dampens the problem, not fix the problem. This is probably why the stabilizer went bad at only 12,000 miles. I want my new truck fixed correctly. Once I got home, rolled down the window, stood outside the truck with the engine running, and started turning the steering wheel quickly to the left and right (just enough to move the front tires) and you can notice a jerky/sloppy motion on the tire. I am not a very happy person. I am very unhappy with Chrysler, Westbury Jeep, Lenny (Service rep). I am going to wait until Gus (Chrysler worked) shows up, then I will give him a call and say hi.

At 0700H, when I picked up my truck, it had over 50 miles on it (a lot of test drives?) from when it was towed away, it was dirty inside and out, fuel tank below 1/4 tank, the old oil change sticker from the previous oil change. I crawled under the truck to see if they did in fact change the oil. Even the oil drain plug was dirty/oily from them removing the drain plug. Come on, wipe the drain plug off when you re-install the plug. This is basic mechanic stuff. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I CHANGED!? Your dealers are worried about one thing. MONEY. Not the customer. This is one of two dealers that Chrysler would tow my truck to... 1st place Garden City could not fix the problem. 2nd place only replaced a steering stabilizer and dented my truck. Problem not fixed.

My truck is the Ram 3500 Dually Long Horn and looked very nice before going to one of your dealers. Just over 13,000 miles, right rear dent, and a loose front end. This truck looks and rides like a truck that has over 100,000 miles on it. NOT GOOD. At 0810H, I called Gus (caseworker), no answer, left voicemail/message and for him to call me on my cell. At 0911H, no call back from anyone. I tried sending Sergio an email... not sure of email address. At 1200H, while I was at home for lunch, I looked at my front tires. One would have assumed when Westbury Jeep was troubleshooting my truck, they would have inflated the tires to 70psi. I checked them at lunchtime and they were down to 58 psi.

At 1230H, back from lunch. NO message or any calls from Chrysler. At 1315H, emails have been sent to the following personnel, which none have replied back: Sergio **, Reid **, Dave **. At 1604H, no word from anyone at Chrysler. The service manager at Westbury Jeep called and left a voicemail on the home phone and he said he was glad/appreciated my business, and just wanted to thank me for being a loyal customer. (This is a case of the left hand not talking to the right hand.) On July 9, 2013 at 0645H, no word from Chrysler. On the way to work, the truck started the wobble again. Not as severe. When it starts, it seems like it goes back towards the center of the chassis. It's like the chassis is flexing/twisting.

At 0700H, follow up emails have been sent to the following personnel, which none have replied back: Sergio **, Reid **, Dave **. At 0813H, I called Gus at Chrysler and left another voicemail for him to call me back. At 0813H, I signed up on the Cummins forum. Very interesting and a lot of issues with the Death Wobble. At 1055H, after another call (800-763-8422) to Chrysler and one more attempt to speak with Gus (**), I finally spoke to Christa, explained the situation to her and she was able to connect me to Gus. Gus stated that my original case has been forwarded to another department and will be assigned a new caseworker. I asked for their phone number, but Gus did not have it, and said I would have the phone number once someone called me back. Now, I wait until another caseworker calls me.

Thus far, I've not seen or heard of any recall from Dodge. Can anyone guide me to the correct direction for restitution for my truck that was in great condition with many more miles of dependability left in it or so I thought? Is Dodge going to stand behind their product that has been proven by other owners to have this problem and make good for it? Or just keep taking our money for vehicles with a lifespan of maybe lasting long enough to pay them off before just having to dispose of it?

We had to replace the radiator several times, have it flushed because the heater wouldn't work. The air-conditioning hasn't worked for 3 years now. The computer has been eating up all our money, and the dealer refused to change it when it was still under warranty. A sensor for the windshield washer fluid has been on for 2 years; the engine light is still on and now after the truck is finally paid off, the anti-theft device needs to be replaced again. I forgot to mention that the rear end, after the first year, started slipping. I could go on but I think a person reading this gets the message. Yes, there are a lot of kilometers on this vehicle since 2007, but it has been a very stressful experience and journey. I am sorry to say but through all of the trouble with this Dodge Ram, we had to rely on a 1997 Ford F150. Never again will we buy a Dodge.

I have spent over 30 hours removing the entire dash, including steering wheel, instrument panel, passenger airbag, glove box, climate control panel, radio, etc., etc. to fix the problem myself. The only permanent solution is to replace the crappy "doors" located inside the ventilation ducts. I cannot even begin to describe how difficult it is attempting to access these areas and if you don't have a modicum of mechanical aptitude, forget it. Dodge used these same cheap parts in a lot of vehicles, including Jeep Grand Cherokees. Absolute crap.

I returned the vehicle to Crowfoot Dodge on May 8 for the truck box to be loosened and squared to the truck cab but this made no difference at all when they tightened the bolts down. They apparently suggested winching the box straight but I am presently left with this situation and a truck canopy that is prepaid but cannot be installed as it will damage the truck cab due to the improper installation of the truck box by the manufacturer. There must be other trucks with this same problem but unless you are installing a truck canopy, it is not something you would notice or look for.

A local independent repair facility assured me it was not the U-Joints. I took the truck to Central Oklahoma Dodge yesterday and gave the information above. Today, they tell me (Mark) that they cannot duplicate the problem. He (Mark) is going to take the truck on the freeway tomorrow to try to duplicate the problem. My question is, what if he duplicates the problem? Then what? If it is the nature of the beast, nothing can be done. I am unable/unwilling to drive a vehicle with a known problem. I converted to Dodge from Chevy/Ford at the suggestion of my close friend. This is my second Dodge. Please advise soonest. (I am unable to talk on the phone due to Cochlear implant. If you need me to call you, I have to use my CapTel phone.) Thank you.

Several weeks later, the truck died while I was driving it. It was towed to Crenwelge Motors in Fredricksburg, TX where we were told after 5 days of being there, that the recall had never been done and that the fuel pump in the tank was not working. The day the truck was picked up and driven about 45 miles back to Mason, TX, it was still having some sort of problem. So on the 7th of August, it was taken to All American Chrysler in San Angelo, TX. It is still there and we were told that there are 7 errors coming up on the computer. We are not happy at all with the fact that we have a brand new truck and the problems and the runaround we have gotten. Our daughter drives that truck and is in college and needs it. I would like someone to get in touch with me immediately.

Next, the rear view mirror doesn't dim at night. Next, there is no road hazard warranty on the tires direct from Goodyear or the dealer, but they don't tell you that. Next, the truck was advertised to get 20 highway and 14 in town. My GMC truck got 21 on the highway, and this thing gets at best 13.8 MPG. I was told that the mileage should improve. I now have 38K on the truck, and fuel mileage has dropped to 9.2 MPG.

Now to the best part. I have had this truck in my dealer's face at least 1 week a month or more every month for the past 6 months (since purchased new), and the line I'm being fed is that there is nothing wrong with my truck. Since it has not set a code, the dealer (and per Dodge) cannot change a part or spend their money correcting anything that isn't or doesn't break.

I make my living with my truck. I'm losing money every mile I drive with the fuel expenses. A friend of mine is getting 22 MPG with his truck (a new 2012 also). Any one with a 2012 Ram that is experiencing the fuel mileage problems I have seen, please contact me. I need 500 owners with verifiable fuel mileage concerns to start a class action suit against Dodge. I spent many years building and restoring cars, and I'm tired of dealing with stupidity from these glorified parts changers (now called technicians, not mechanics) who can't find their ass without a code.

I had started to hear a metal grinding noise coming from the front end of the truck. I took it in to the dealership and they told me that the ball joints were bad. Lucky I had purchased the extended warranty. The warranty company did pay to have it replaced but the tech failed to drive it or check the wheel bearing. So now I have to take it back to the dealer and in hopes that the warranty company will honor it. The vehicle now has over 100,000 miles on it. I bought it only because of it having a Cummins engine.

When nothing else could be done, I was told I could trade my 2009 for a 2010. So I did, because I needed a vehicle immediately. I lost the lifetime warranty on the 2009 Dodge. By the way, I am also a senior citizen aged 65. When I took the 2010 in for the recall last week, I asked about the plastic discoloration on my truck handles. The truck is a beautiful red, pretty and shiny; but the handles make it look bad. I have not damaged them in any way. I was told that's just how it was and they could do nothing. I want you to know that the quality of this truck's plastic is horrible both inside and out. When I trade again, should I have to, I'm sure they will lower the trade-in price because of the handles and plastic; and that is not my fault. I believe you care about what people think, so I've taken the time to write and inform you of this issue.

I have always used this dealership and salesman for years, but I'm very disappointed in your product. Too bad, you don't care enough to make sure your dealerships show the same respect to people.

I decided to get it painted myself, so I have it for my spring and summer shows. The cost of a factory color paint job was $9,000-$10,000. A custom two-tone paint job was $11,000-$12,000. So I said screw it and went custom. It’s almost finished. I then spoke with two other "Ram specialists" (as they call themselves) "Marylou" and "Matt" and then they told me that if I would have waited, they could have help. And if I went to a Dodge/Chrysler certified body shop, they could have done something to help me. After hearing this, I flipped out. Why wouldn't they tell me this from the beginning? Why couldn't they have told me this from the start? I also told them I would be happy splitting the cost 50/50, but they said no. So now I am looking to get the entire cost of the factory paint work, as they should give me for all this ** grief.

I am still fighting with them about this. Nobody from Dodge/Chrysler other than the dealership owner that I get it serviced at has seen it. I sent photos to Jamie ** and had to send a nasty and a bit personal email to get a response. Within 3 hours, I had a response and I was provided a survey to rate the service. Within another 2 hours of my negative response, an email was sent back to me telling me that they were standing behind their current decision. Why won't Dodge/Chrysler stand behind their product? If they keep up this crap, Detroit is in big trouble.

So I asked Micheal (one of the service order writers) to get in the truck with me and I put in a CD less than a month old and showed him how it starts skipping towards the end of the CD. He claimed he heard it skipping, which of course it was. I am so tired of these people thinking I will just go away and live with the problems my new truck has... I guess! I've had the truck 6 months and it has a little over 8,000 miles on it. These 2 problems I have with the truck since the first day I drove it home. At this point in time, I no longer want them to fix the CD player. I want a brand new one! I don't think they know how to fix it since the problem is still there 6 months later! I sure hope you can help me.

While my truck was in the shop, I asked that they look at the recall, front end, and tie rod. As it turned out again, I need new tie rod ends. They have to be ordered. I was told they would be ordered with the bolt. The next day, the bolt was in and installed; the tie rod parts were not shipped. First, I'm told by the service manager that they were not aware that one was needed when in fact I was told the day before. Then I was told that there is a limit to how many tie rods they are allowed to order per week! Really?

I have an office job and all this truck hauls is a DVD movie and a bag of groceries on occasion. This truck is nothing a but a poorly built pile of junk and a money pit that has taken away from the quality of my life and caused me much stress and anxiety. Never again! I am done with Dodge.

We have a family to take care of and thought we were buying something at $500.00 a month that we could depend on. If they changed the part within the last 2 years because of problems, why is the part not a recall? I keep telling my husband I will never and I mean never own another Dodge! This is the second Dodge truck that we have owned since 2005. The first one was a Dodge 2002 and we had nothing but problems with that also. You want to make them and have us pay a lot of money for them but don't want to stand behind them. I just don't understand. Not a very happy mom in WV.

I asked to speak to a manager. I talked to a man who was totally unfamiliar with the case and immediately took the corporate position that the lug nuts are out of warranty. I found that apprehensible. If Chrysler can't make a lug nut that lasts longer than one year, I'm not surprised the American auto industry is in big trouble. A very discourteous woman got on the line and echoed the same thing. Just so you know, I currently own two Chrysler products. I also leased a Chrysler 300C about 4 years ago. In net, I have owned three Chrysler products in the past 4 years and was in fact looking at Jeep SUVs at that dealer for my wife. In conclusion, I am very angry about being ripped off by a dealer who doesn't own a usable lug wrench. Even more so, I'm angry at a company like Chrysler that is so shortsighted you are willing to lose significant future business rather than correct what I believe is a very poor customer service decision. Unless I receive a full refund of $159.60, I will soon divest myself from the Dodge Stratus and the Ram 1500.

My vehicle is no longer under factory warranty. But I still contacted Dodge and they say that there is no warranty and that I must take it to the dealer for them to look at it and that any repair would be a "Goodwill Repair". I explained to them that I do not have the monetary means to have the vehicle towed to Dodge inspected and then towed home again when they tell me there is no warranty. I still owe more than $21,000.00 on the truck and can’t drive it. What am I to do?

I bought the truck because of the Dodge reputation of being a good vehicle. Now, I owe money on a truck; and I'm paying for something I can't drive. Instead of fixing it, I am going to have to junk it. I am truly disappointed in Dodge. I have lost so much money for nothing. I am asking for help before I decide to junk the truck. Can anyone help me?

The dealer tried to pass off touch up paint, a big glob in fact as a quality fix on a 2012 Brand new truck! I was obviously annoyed with this. I complained, they said they'll send it out to the body shop. This got me concerned to look over the whole vehicle in depth. I checked everywhere. I found multiple scratches in the door jams both on pillars and on the doors themselves all were down to the bare metal! I also found a dent on the driver’s side door that had to come from the factory, seeing how it was at a 45 degree angle an inch behind the handle and had no scratch to it or no paint from another vehicle. The dealership made excuses, but their service guy even stated, hey it was definitely a factory caused blemish. I was told they would take care of it all. I questioned a loner car for the time it was being fixed. I had taken the time to mark with frog tape all the issues and write out a list explaining them and how I didn't want any bond/body filler used and no touch up paint on the vehicle.

When my wife went to drop the truck off and hand the service guy the paper I printed up for them, he tells my wife, "Oh, this list gets longer and longer." They gave my wife 2000 Dodge Neon that stunk like b.o. and ran with no child seat restraint hooks in the rear. I have a newborn that had to be placed in there. Needless to say, I was perturbed. I called Chrysler and made an official complaint. They had my truck for almost a full week and they didn't bother to give as much as an update call. I had to call both Chrysler and the dealership to find out what was going on.

I felt skeptical about my trucks repairs and asked to know what body shop they had it sent to. I was told and attempted to get the technical info on how it was fixed directly from the body shop. They gave me the run around and told me speak to the people at riverhead dodge. I thought it strange like a cover up since it's my truck and the people who worked on it had brushed me off to speak to the dealership. I inform Chrysler and they tell me they'll be contacting Riverhead Dodge and get back to me with exactly how my truck was repaired. I said okay. I had to call Chrysler back to get the info from them. I was told some spots were touched up. I was not happy.

I then got a call from Riverhead Dodge service dept. stating my truck was all ready for pick up. Due to my work hours and service dept hour’s confliction, I had to go over my truck with a salesman who could care less and was insisting I be happy with what was done. I was not, they had used touch up paint on one of the spots, didn't bother to finish wet sanding another and left a paint run on one. I was furious! I left the truck with a brief note to the service manager explaining why I felt it was not done. I called Chrysler, asked for a manager even though I was told that a manager was to be contacting me in regards to my case. I again had to contact them. I was told and I quote! "Since the dealership is satisfied with the repairs made to the vehicle, we here at Chrysler are satisfied with the repairs made to the vehicle." Wow! Some customer service, huh. I thought it was the customer whom they had to satisfy. Guess not.

That’s where my complaints have been since. I then during the very next week after, noticed when cleaning my trucks interior that the plastic on the center console passenger side kick panel that it was the bark brown in one spot and all the rest was the tan. I phoned another dealership, made an appointment with their service dept. They made note ordered the right color piece and replaced it without issue. So my main complaint is with Riverhead Dodge and Chrysler itself. If they end up with requiring another bail out, the government had best not assist them again and let them go under. I think a lesson in humility is exactly what they need so that whoever buys the company next can make some changes, both in the quality of the product and the quality of the customer service.

I had to file a lawsuit and I am in the process now. The court date is not until Sept 2012, so I will have owned truck for over a year and a half. On top of it all the truck gets horrible gas mileage compared to my 2006 almost half. My 2006 would get around 19 on highway and the 2011 gets 10. What a joke Dodge is. I will never buy another one after these problems with customer service and Dodge. I have read on several forums that people are having this same problem and have been getting the same run around. If there is anyone who would like to file another class action suit get in touch with me.

I sent a year’s worth of maintenance receipts to the case manager, and they say that it’s the field manager that looked at the pictures to base his personal opinion even though I have records. Now there is no one to override this opinion. I did my part (regular maintenance). Now they still won’t fix my truck. There are fresh metal shavings in the photos that sludge the oil and turned it silver, pieces of the broke rod, and pick up screen full of shavings. This is all a result of the rod breakage and there is no reason this should not be covered. I had the dealership send me over the same photos the rep was sent and there is no way this is an un-maintenanced truck. Need help to make Dodge honor their lifetime power train warranty!

I haven't gotten anywhere, except stress. I suffer from lupus and all this stress is killing me. I am doing lemon law. Chrysler doesn't want to buy it back. Go figure. They don't want it either. (lol) Never again will I buy a Dodge product.

It's in the shop every 2 months for the same fix. This truck has been a piece since the first day. I have owned nothing but heavy duty trucks for hauling livestock and ranch life. I bought this truck because I was told you can get hundreds of thousands of miles on these engines! This truck hasn't even made it to 100k and trust me, it won't either.

I have been contacted by the business stating they found no failed components, so the insurance will not cover any repairs; but the dealership feels it is the steering box linkage, which can be replaced at one thousand dollars (my cost) without a guarantee that it will fix the problem. Chrysler has known about the problem for years and has not come up with a solution to a poor design and will not assist in any repairs. The problem is covered in issue #74 of the "TDR" (Turbo Diesel Resource) where it talks about possible repairs and after-market business, such a Geno's Garage, where they are marketing a "BD steering box stabilizer" which they state “will eliminate the wobble.” I checked with the NTSB for complaints, only to be advised there have been no deaths reported caused by this wobble. I want consumers to use caution when purchasing a used vehicle 2500 or 3500 Dodge Ram, but I also know that all vehicles does not have the problem or just not reported.

Why has this expensive "work" truck worn out so quickly after so light a work load and low miles? Why do my friends with similar trucks get 20 MPG? I guess I need to try and trade in this truck and buy something that will hold up. I don't think it will be a Ram. Perhaps, the unions could fix my problems!? This is shameful.

This was my first brand new truck to own and it turns out to be a lemon that Dodge does not care about or will do anything about. I have talked to several individuals through Dodge and they all seem not to care. I also have talked to many other people who own Dodge trucks and they told me that they will never own another Dodge product. This company has a long road ahead of it if some kind of action is not taken. And you're welcome Dodge for the taxpayers bailing you out.

Chrysler will not pay for my transmission since I did not go to an authorized Chrysler service center, and they did not do the work. I explained that the transmission alone is under warranty, and it is a Mopar part. The service center I took it to is an authorized factory warranty service center for Mopar. Sabrina said that since Chryler did not do the diagnostic or service on it, they cant reimburse me. I have explained that I am asking for a reimbursement for the transmission and not for the labor, installation or diagnostic.

I was taken to the parts department and told that the $5-10 plastic cover could not be purchased separately. I was informed that the entire mirror assembly would need to be purchased and installed at a later date. I was told by the service manager that this was a Chrysler policy and there was nothing that could be done. I am a loyal Chrysler customer with my previous vehicle being a Pacifica. I will be in the market for future family vehicle purchases. This experience calls into question any future Chrysler product purchases.

I contacted Chrysler directly, case number 21213374, in order to find out if they would assist me in some way since a three-year-old motor should not blow up. Aug 8 was my initial call and I have called my caseworker Natasha every day and left messages in order to find a resolution. She has not yet returned my calls despite my plea for immediate assistance and I am without a vehicle and insurance will not provide a loaner.

Considering the automotive industry is lagging considerably, wouldn't customer service be a top priority? No loyalty to repeat owners (I have had six Chrysler autos) and complete indifference to people in need of help.

Short sighted corporation, as I would have bought another Dodge in a heartbeat, but not now.

I have been a trained body man for a few years and have never seen such a ridiculous thing. I filed a complaint with Chrysler. They told me that the truck was, "out of the warranted period". It is ridiculous considering a paint job on a $30,000 truck should last at least 10 years or more, and that they could do nothing. I know this is not a safety recall, but consumers pay for these vehicles; the manufacturers should stand behind their work, and be held fully responsible for their mistakes.

I love my truck, and I am currently going to get an estimate to get the bed repaired before it gets worse, but I believe since so many have this problem on newer trucks, Chrysler should fix this defect in their Ram trucks paint jobs. I own a 2004 Ford truck in the same condition as the Dodge. It sits outside in the weather, but it has no paint defects, and neither does my Chevy Silverado. It’s time for these auto manufacturers to pay for their mistakes, and to stop sticking it to their customers.

The body shop manager has taken numerous pictures of the paint, ripples, and tailgate and sent them to Chrysler with them coming back stating that they don't see anything wrong with the truck. At this time, nobody in service or the body shop will give me any paperwork stating the many times I have been there to complain. They also will not give me any written explanation to why they will not repair the paint or the ripples in the truck. This is the 5th vehicle that I have bought from this dealership and currently have two 2011 rams in my driveway. I have been in contact with Chrysler itself to no avail, even my "case manager" from Chrysler stated to me that she was confused as to why they would not fix these problems.

I have built many older cars and have never had a oil pan that was painted on the inside. I am worried now that our 05 ram will have the same issue. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why anyone would paint or use some type of coating on the inside of a oil pan. We have gone to great lengths to take very good care of our trucks and this truck has just under 90,000 miles on it.

The good thing out of all of this is that I use Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil along with Z-MAX and after inspection of the engine, it seems that the engine is fine. I personally took a wire wheel and got all of the paint out of the oil pan along with a new oil pump and pickup other new parts and am putting the engine back in soon.

I don't know how one might get compensated for this but it would be nice! The big question is how many people have had this issue and took there truck to be repaired just to be told that it was something else and paid a lot of money. Is their any way to find out about this issue and what if any that Dodge might do to fix this? How many other makes have coated oil pans?

It has been 3 months now since I turned in my paperwork to be reimbursed and I just received all the paperwork back because the date of the incident wasn't on it ($600). After having the truck back a week, I noticed a noise coming from the front end. My local mechanic said both my steering u-joints were done. The dealer replaced them under my service contract for another $100. Also the check engine light has been on more than it hasn't. O2 sensors were replaced, then replaced again (it's on right now). It's as if Chrysler just runs you around till you give up and they don't have to make good on anything. I didn't even get into the rental while the truck sat at the dealer for weeks.

At the dealer, they say Dodge knows the parts wear out in 60000 miles and they’re ok with that. It makes me very angry and I've lost my faith in the Chrysler Corporation. It's my opinion that they should have put in greasable and maintainable parts which they make but cost more (approximately $59) instead of using cheap ones with no grease fitting that only cost $9 when they replaced them at 70000 miles. So, they put in parts that don't last as long as the originals and wear out at 58000 miles. I would call that irresponsible! Can you help?

Now they want to replace the engine for $7k. After doing just a few minutes of research on the internet, I can see that the 4.7 dodge engine (used in Dakota, Durango, Ram) has a huge history of oil sludge trouble, and Chrysler will not fix it under warranty. I have no doubt they have issued a warning to their service centers not to fix this problem, because they obviously know about it. Now we are deciding whether to fix the truck or just get a new vehicle. It definitely will not be a dodge. Estimated $5-$7K repair costs for an engine that is still under power train warranty.

3-year-old truck that sees nothing but highway and city paved road driving needs $6000 dollars worth of repairs, how sad! I ended up getting a nice tranny for $6000 and still need to get the ball joints but waiting on some heavy-duty after market ones that are supposed to be out soon that will be another $2000 so $8000 worth of repairs in three years for normal driving and probably the last Dodge I own.

I called them over and over again. Three days later, nothing. So I called again. Same answer but then I found out they set it up wrong, so we had to start over again telling us it could be 10 more days. Set me up with the business line again. Waited another seven days which now is a month later. Still no phone. I would like to talk to a head person and not the people I have been dealing with especially the dispatchers that seem to be pushing us back later and later. I really would like to know what happened to this company.

They need more respect for the customers. This has been a nightmare. Please call me. His business cards have been printed and invoices with the phone number they gave us. He just lost his father and had to take over the business so our family doesn't starve. This mater has gone on long enough. We do not feel they keep telling your name has to start over. Every week we are backed up. His business is on hold because people cannot get hold of you. Not only that but the stress we have been under because of the way we have been treated by their staff.

Next stop was Napa, who special ordered a pair of tie rod ends for $107.28 for both and a lifetime guarantee, but they turned out to be the wrong ones, also. Frustrated at being unable to find the correct parts, even though they were listed as such, I called Carson City Dodge, got a Mopar part number, and inquired as to how much they would charge for a set of tie rod ends. The answer was $193.45 each, approximately $400.00 for the pair, with no lifetime guarantee or anything!

I also have an extended warranty (70,000 mile) on my truck that cost a considerable sum of money. However, the typical parts I need are not covered, even though the warranty covers the complete chassis, drive train, and, well, virtually the whole truck, or so reads the warranty to a non-attorney layperson. But when Dodge runs the part numbers, they are not covered by warranty.

My questions are as follows: 1) what does the warranty actually cover? 2) Why do my old 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport tie rod ends only cost $36.26 each with a lifetime guarantee, and are available virtually anywhere, but my 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport tie rod ends are $193.45 each (to buy a pair would be equal to one month's truck payment) with no warranty? In short, I would like to know exactly what the difference(s) is/are between a 1996 and a 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 tie rod end. Is the 2006 model so significantly improved with titanium, gold, carbon, or some other rare metal that justifies the cost?

Rhetorical question, I am sure, as sadly I know there is probably no difference that would justify the cost for a tie rod with no warranty. I do understand that distributors have their own pricing. I also realize that in today's society, the consumer always gets messed over. I just cannot comprehend why I pay so much for a warranty and get nothing out of it, and I do understand that there is a ton of R&D goes into deciding what parts will last forever and what parts will fail the day you pull it off the lot.

But what I cannot understand is why this warranty would not and will not cover the consumable parts. This is the third Dodge I have owned, and have never had any problems with them until now. I think it is unfair and unreasonable that Dodge can charge so much for parts, and require consumers to spend so much money for a warranty that sounds good, but in reality covers nothing.

To add insult to injury, consumers are left with nowhere to order parts except from the Dodge dealership, which appears to be legalized extortion and monopolization. Why does Dodge make it so difficult for a regular person to work on their own vehicle? Why do prices vary so widely and wildly for the same part? It appears that Dodge has lost sight of where their money comes from, and is truly biting the hand that feeds it, that hand being the consumer's. A little respect goes a long way.

Conversely, taking advantage of the consumer will be duly noted, and the consumer will choose to take their business elsewhere. Why is it that the car companies make it so difficult to get parts or do not want to uphold the warranties on vehicles they sell and make it so the consumer has to take it back to the dealer for repairs and charge a hundred plus dollars an hour for shop fees and mark up the parts 1000%? Thank you.

I love my truck, but isn't there something that can be done? Dodge needs to be held liable for bad equipment. My truck runs, but I have no control of it because when I shift it into drive, the overwhelming amount of torque lunges it forward and my new brakes cannot stop it. If I am on a hill, I can stop but my rear tires begin to spin and smoke. So far the damage caused to the truck as far as engine and other transmission damage is unknown. The previous owner, whom I bought it from, had replaced the transmission twice. So in the life of my truck, it is on its 6th transmission replacement.

The Dodge death wobble – warranty; they replaced the steering stabilizer. It hasn't done it since. At 71,000 miles - hub bearing and hub U-joint, $580; front driveline U-joint, $500; and ball joints, $500. When I called Dodge and complained, they connected me to a "complaint resolution" department. I was told in no uncertain terms that they would not budge an inch on the basic 3-year, 36,000 mile warranty. I told them I was going back to Japanese products, and I was told to go right ahead. It is no wonder this company is in dire straits, they really don't give a damn about standing behind their products.

To remedy the ongoing steering and hub failures, I will be spending extra money on after market, heavy duty replacement parts. Needless to say, there is not a chance in hell of me purchasing another product from this company. My truck has a very easy life; it goes up and down the highway and is never off-roaded. It has never seen mud; the only time it is in 4-wheel drive is on snowy roads. These repairs have cost me around $2,000 for the repairs and the heavy-duty modifications with cost another $2,000.

Luckily I freed myself in enough time to push my daughter out of harms way or the front door would have pushed my daughter under the front wheel. I jumped in the truck, it still said it was in park when I put the brake on. I called Dodge who informed me that had I put the vehicle in park, set the emergency brake and removed the key, it would not have happened. After further research I learned their was a recall which the dodge representative did not tell me about. When the vehicle, although reads it is in park, will come out of gear and go into reverse. Dodge's solution to the problem is not to fix it, but install an alarm so you know that when it says it is in park, it is actually in reverse.

Mind you it was Nov 22, the day before Thanksgiving. I drove about a quarter mile down Broadway in Somerville, the gauge still sticking and then ...POP the engine blew!!! 49,000 miles on the vehicle and now it's junk??

I have owned my Ram for 13 months and I wish I never bought it. Keeping in mind I bought the truck October 2003, here is a repair list:

1. 10/2003 = Cruise Control

the cruise control went out and vacuum hose needed to be replaced.

2.11/2003 = New wiring harness, battery, and starter coil.

The dealership sold me the vehicle without a battery hold down harness. The battery fell off the platform and onto the pulley wheels of the engine. Which, in turn, punched a hole in the battery and spewed battery acid all throughout the engine compartment. I then had to get a new wiring harness, and starter coil because of that.

3. 12/2003 = Transmission HUB

I was driving down the road to work one day and came to a red light. When the light turned green, I tried to accelarate and the truck just would not go. Just like if the trans was in Neutral...

4. 2/2004 = New power steering unit.

Took the truck in because I was getting odd vibrations and noises in the steering wheel...

5. 3/2004 = Engine Rebuild!!!!

Not more than 5 months after I had the truck, I had to have the cylinder heads replaced because they were BOTH cracked. (Foothill Ranch Dodge did repairs) Service changed the heads and the intake gasket.

6. 3/2004 = New Cat. Converter

Not more than a week after I got the truck back from #4, the truck went back for a busted Catalytic Converter.

7. 3-5/2004 = Fuel and brake line leaks

The truck went back again because the brake line on the left/rear brake drum came completely loose making it hazerdous to drive. Also, at the same time, the fuel line where it connects to the gas tank came loose spilling fuel. Once again, causing a real heavy hazard.

8. 9/2004 = Intake manifold gasket

The truck went into the shop again bacause the air intake gasket was busted. This time I took the vehicle to Goodyear/Hollywood Tire in Orange, Ca. and had them diagnose the problem. They advised me that the intake manifold gasket was put in wrong from service #5 (above). Nor the dealer or Daimler Chrysler was willing to help pay for the cost in getting me a rental car.

9. 10/2004 = Another Cylinder Head.

Truck went into the shop again because if a valve leak over the #1 cylinder. Goodyear in Orange said that this problem was related to #8.

10. Present = I just got the truck back from the #9 repair and now there are 3 more things wrong with it.
#A. The 4 wheel drive will not engage or work. The 4 wheel drive was fine before the #9 repairs were done.
#B. The AC/Heater will only come out of the windshield defrosting vents. (the vents by the VIN #)

#C. The rear differential is starting to make a humming sound every time I accelerate. Which means the rear differential is going to give out soon as well.

Chrysler has not been helpful at all with this. They would not even help me get a rental car.

Now I have fog lights not working, passanger side window NOT WORKING, transmission that still acts funny, And brakes that will NEVER be fixed. It cost me time at work, bridge toll (not normally paid and the seear aggrevation of thinking I was TREATING MYSELF to a new vehicle.

Though I realize the possibility of nothing ever getting done. But maybe this will help deter the sales of Chrysler.

One year later on 09/09/02 it happened again. Dealer replaced oil switch and sensor and changed the oil, it cost me 123.97. Because this was the 3rd time this happened with the truck and my warranty was out I purchased an extended warranty thinking I would probably need it. On 09/18/02 just a little over a week later the truck was back in at the dealers and they replaced the whole oil pump, pickup tube, and related gaskets. They had been doing my oil changes so they couldnt use that excuse this time and that extended warranty I had purchased the week before paid for all of it.

Now here it is almost a year to the date and today the same exact thing happened and I had just had an oil change 3 mos ago(approx 2400mi). When I pulled it into Goodyear and they checked the oil they said it looked like MUD! What is wrong with this engine to break down the oil this way and this fast??? My extended warranty will be out in about 3000 miles and I cant afford to do this out of pocket every year. I'm also curious as to what engine the Durango has in it that everyone is having this problem with?

They have ruined my credit. I lost $4,235 in tools in the truck and still don't have a truck because they messed up my credit so I can't get another.

The problem I have with this is it is a 2001 Dodge Ram with only 5000 miles. Dodge is telling me that there is nothing they can do. I am in the Army. I am a captain in the Military Police Corps. I am very dependent on my vehicle. I have no mode of transportation. Geico is my insurance company and no resolution has been met. I cannot get to work unless I have someone that works for me come and get me in the morning at 0430hrs. This in my eyes is not right.

Bernardo should consult a Lemon Law attorney.

After I received this ruling I took the truck in to the dealership to have the work performed. They kept the truck for one day and called and told me to come get it. They had not done anything to even attempt the repairs and they said they did not know how to fix it and Chrysler's technical personnel did not know either. I called Ron Heyduck and left a message on his voice mail asking why my truck was not going to be repaired. Mr. Heyduck returned my call the next evening and informed me that the dealership was not going to work on my truck any more and that the repairs were not going to be made. I asked why and he said in his opinion nothing was wrong and that they were not going to fix it. This is the man that promised in arbitration that these specific repairs would be made to my truck.

I have called Chryslers customer service number and have always been told we are sorry there is nothing we can do for you. I have written letters to Chrysler and one of my favorite responses was, we understand your concerns and we apologize but there is nothing we can do to help you.

Mr. Heyduck has told me he is not going to do anything to help me out. He did offer me an extended warranty the first time I filed for arbitration. This was with the condition that I would not take the matter to arbitration. Since I went to arbitration and did not accept his offer he has made it very clear that he is not willing to help me in any way! The responses I have gotten from Chrysler have been basically, you bought it, tough luck!

This is why arbitration is not a good way to clear the backlog of cases in civil court. It is nearly always bought and paid for by the manufacturer. The way to clear the backlog of court cases is for manufacturers to stop making defective products and stiffing consumers who complain about them. It's too bad Joseph wasted on this time on arbitration when he probably could have sued under the Lemon Law statute. It may very well be too late now, so arbitration has been doubly beneficial for Chrysler and doubly damaging for Joseph.

I have taken the truck to the dealer twice and they can not find any problems with the brakes. I'm afraid to drive the truck.

I feel that I should not be responsible for this considering this is on a 97 and I feel Chrysler should be responsible for it and paint my whole truck.

I took it to the dealer and they said they had to get in touch with Chrysler about it. After a month I called them back and they said I had to bring it to to a local shop that "they send all their work to," for an estimate.

I brought it back and some guy looked at it. A few weeks later they called me and said the cost is $300 and they would paint the cab providing I pay half. Seemed steep to me.

Lately, whole square feet of paint are peeling from the hood. Called Chrysler directly this time, and told them about it and they said to take it to the dealer and they would "get the district manager involved." I got a call back saying that they would pay $500 towards the paint job of my choice, providing I did it within the next 30 days (he stressed that, 30 day limit, twice during his spiel).

Better, but that probably won't pay for what it will cost to take it to the bare metal and prime and paint it. The repaint cost is on the order of $3,000+ to strip the truck to bare metal prime and paint it all.

What I would like is some unbiased knowledgeable third party to render an opinion on what my options are, what my legal standing is, and what service bulletins or recalls might be floating around that may be beneficial to my case. I still want Chrysler to accept responsibility for the paint. (I don't want the "paint job of my choice," I want Chrysler to fix their problem).

Bob is right. $500 doesn't go far. On the other hand, the truck is 10 years old so the chance of beating big bucks out of Chrysler in court are probably rather dim.

On the third day I contacted the dealer and they informed me that the "body shop" needed to speak with me. The repairman at the bodyshop wanted me to inspect the vehicle to determine if the "defects" were repaired. Not only were they NOT repaired, the front bumper fascia was damaged from what appeared to be a low speed collision (the urethane was "gouged" beyond the paint layer) AND the truck"s whole exterior had been "polished" with what appeared to be sandpaper.

The truck"s paint is filled with deep scratches that are circular in pattern, areas of discoloration, chips and scratches. There are "black" decals that have been scratched to a different color (grey) -- and the dealership says that it is normal for a NEW vehicle to have this. Well, I looked at other new vehicles - and none of them looked like this. I feel this dealership/body shop destroyed my NEW truck"s finish - and they are not accepting liability.

I spent more than $31,000 for this truck - and it"s less than two months old. Now, they want to "fix" it, probably by filling in the scratches with wax. it will look ok at first - but 1-2 months later it will look terrible. What can I do?

Mike is at least somewhat lucky. The problem occurred early enough for him to hire a good Lemon Lawyer and seek a replacement or refund.

Well, we don't know about the head honchos but the lawyers we've talked with say that once a vehicle is out of warranty, it's very difficult (which means big-time expensive) to try to pin any responsibility on the manufacturer. As for Small Claims Court, it certainly can't hurt to try. If everyone with peeling paint sued Chrysler in Small Claims, it might get their attention.

I am so angry. My mom and I tried to get Chrysler to fix it by providing us with new paint and they refused the case even though the factory openly admitted the paint was faulty. I am a hard working employee at Kragen Auto Parts and a college student at CSUSM and I don't have the time or money for this. I've spent nights crying because my mom worked really really hard to pay for the truck and now its deteriorating before her eyes.

Since then it has been happening more and more, now it is also on the driver's door, the passenger door, and when the wind blows the paint just peels right off. I paid $12,000 for a truck that you can stand and watch the paint peel off by itself.

The best offer I received was that Chrysler would pay 10% of the total cost to repaint my car. I was told that to remove the remaining paint, and repaint the car it would cost between $1500-$1800. I couldn't believe Chrysler expected me to pay to have a car that was less than a year old repainted.

I sold the car, and I now refuse to purchase another Chrysler product. I also tell everyone I know who is thinking of buying a car not to buy a Chrysler product. Everyone I told my experience to has chosen not to buy a Chrysler product. Since I refused to pay to fix Chrysler's mistake and sold the car my only satisfaction is that I am able to save some people the frustration I went through.

Now in the hottest part of summer I am left without an air-conditioning unit and still have to pay full price and full notes for an inferior product and a company that doesn't provide full disclosure or doesn't give a damn about their customers. I will tell 20 people a day not to buy a Dodge product and ask that they each tell ten people a day.

Automan responds:

I will assume that your friend panic-stopped with both feet on the brake pedal and it did not stop by throwing somebody through the windshield. Since this is a '98 model I find it hard to believe that any of the big three manufacturers are turning out a vehicle that stops as badly as the ones I had to experience in the field up until 95-96.

However. the biggest and easiest mistake is the addition of larger tires. It's still a pet peeve of mine -- you spend a fortune on these trucks, only to have the cheapest, and smallest tires come on the vehicle. So you add larger tires, which trick the ABS computer into thinking road speed is slower than it is. Dealer should check ABS calibration against tire size.

Another possibility: It has been two years and somebody might have put replacement non-OEM spec brake pads on the truck, a la Auto Zone. Brake pads have to wear to stop the car. Million-mile warranty is a selling gimmick, not necessarly a good thing for a braking component, that has to wear and create friction.

Check calipers. It's possible that the wrong calipers were installed. Many calipers of different internal specs will readily mount or be physically interchangable on the outside. Also have them check hydraulic to caliper pressures with correct gauge set. This is a real problem nowadays when you buy aftermarket, rebuilt reboxed at an offshore factory where everything looks the same, and Junior dooesn't care cause he is only making a dollar an hour.

Vehicle may have been in a flood. Parts could be frozen, rendering brake pedal hard and thus, no brakes.

If a competent and fully equipped shop does not find anything with any of my notes, then your friend is the proud owner of another truck that does not stop. If enough people complain and/or are injured/killed they may come out with a "do over kit" that on some trucks can cost $3,000 to $4,000

Automan is an ASE-certified master mechanic. He runs an independent auto repair shop in North Carolina.