The defect
UNDER CERTAIN HIGH LOAD OPERATING CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TEMPERATURE CAN EXCEED THE MELTING POINT OF THE MATERIAL USED IN THE CONNECTOR TO RETAIN THE FLUID LINE TO THE TRANSMISSION.
The risk
WHEN THESE TEMPERATURES OCCUR, THE FLUID LINE WILL NOT STAY CONNECTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND FLUID CAN SPRAY ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, RESULTING IN SMOKE OR FIRE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HIGH TEMPERATURE SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER LINE CONNECTOR FITTINGS WITH CONNECTORS THAT INCORPORATE A STAINLESS STEEL RETAINER.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Dodge Ram | 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 |
Components: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Ram | 1994 | 469 | 18 |
| Dodge Ram | 1995 | 611 | 12 |
| Dodge Ram | 1996 | 625 | 10 |
| Dodge Ram | 1997 | 398 | 7 |
Other power train recalls in 1997
13 of the 268 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1997 concerned the power train; CHRYSLER CORPORATION filed 640 campaigns in all.
| 97V233000 16 Dec 1997 | KAWASAKI MOTORS CORP. |
| 97V204000 13 Nov 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V171000 7 Oct 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V147000 9 Sept 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V090002 2 Sept 1997 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 97V097000 9 Jun 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V091000 28 May 1997 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 97V090001 28 May 1997 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1997