7.9

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
5,269 miles

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problem #1

Apr 082006

Ram 3500 6-cyl Diesel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 5,269 miles
Truck began having troubles running, giving off black smoke intermittently, and sometimes an engine shutter would be present. The vehicle was a Dodge Ram 3500 1 ton dually, 5.9 deisel with automatic transmission. According to the Dodge dealer, the computer recognized the truck key as an invalid key. We had the truck for a few months with no problem. The computer had rewritten a new key code. The Dodge dealer said that he had experienced 4 vechicles with the same problem within the last two weeks. All had the original key code rewritten with a new code(the same in all four vechicles). All were 2006 models although he didn't say what model. 2 of the four shutdown completely and the other two including my vechicle ran intermittently good/bad. Although the dealer fix of reprogramming the correct key code has our vechicle working again, I am concerned about a factory installed virus that rewrites the key code. If it were a random occurance, how could all 4 vechicles get the same key code written. I am also concerned about timing of pulling a tailer of horses down the road and getting disabled in the middle of nowhere. If the motor is disabled while running, what happens to the power steering/brakes. I am highly concerned.

- Waco, TX, USA