2018 RAM 1500

Good truck but safety and rust are issues

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 1 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 2

I am posting in this forum to let people know of my experiences with my truck. I rated the safety low as there is no option to rate vehicle safety other than the categories listed in the review. Yes mine is a 2009 and not 2017 or 2018. Having put on a fair amount of miles, I can say that overall I like my 1500 (the Hemi is wonderful). There are some significant reservations I would have about buying a new one however. First, the safety issue. Chrysler has done a poor job with the design of the gas tank. My 32 gallon tank fell off this past week and Chrysler refused to pay for it saying that it is due to the frame rusting (there are people with only 5 years on the truck with this issue; I guess I got more mileage out of mine). Actually, if you google the issue you will find that there are many postings of people with this problem. Ford to their credit admitted the design was bad and instituted a recall in 2011 for this problem. Chrysler apparently does not place the same value on safety. I have filed a complaint with the NHTSA so will see. Had this happened on the highway, I can only imagine the surprise of cars behind me when 32 gallons of gas comes bouncing back at them. Another issue is that the rockers (the part of the body below the are prone to rust. The rust is from the inside out and is not surface rust. When I took it a body shop, they say that it is due to the insulation material being used which traps moisture and a poor design decision. Neither Chrysler nor my lifetime warranty on the truck accept responsibility for rust. While I like so many aspects of the RAM, these two are major issues that have soured my view of the truck and the Chrysler corporation.