So, I've only had this Ram for about 3-4 weeks, brand new from the dealer (2008 TRX4 QC 4X4). I have never owned a truck before, but I have never had problems like this with any previous car. I don't know if this is normal for a Ram...maybe it is. They all started within a couple weeks of each other. I am super **** about my vehicle maintenence and these issues are just driving me nuts. Heres the list:

Rust: On the edges of the rear bumper...started on the tips and is starting to work its way around onto the actual chrome ofbumper
Rust: On the brackets that hold the leaf springs together (not sure what its called) completely covered both sides
Rust: On the whole drive shaft, u joint, and differential...completely covered in thick rust
Brake Pedal: Squeaking and grinding just when I start pressing, when the brake is fullydown the sound is not there...sounds like the sound you get from tension in a braided steel line, and its coming from the brake pedal itself and up under the dashboard
Dash Board: Loud squeaking over any size bump or imperfection in the road coming from the center of the dash
Low whining from the engine: Almost like the sound of a shot bearing in a pump or a pulley

Is all this stuff normal, with a vehicle thats only a month old and less than a thousand kilometers on it? I live in Canada so I did have some snow when I first got it but only for a day or two and the roads have been dry since then. I washed it (body and undercarriage) as soon as the weather got nice to get all the road salt off of it too and I still got a crapload of rust under there. My buddy has an '08 as well and his doesn't have a spot of rust on it and he's had it for 4 months most of it winter driving. Is he just lucky or am I just unlucky?

 

isnt rust covered for the first x miles?

havent had any of those issues youve said and ive got 32k miles, thats 51.2km for all the guys that cant do simple math...

salt will help produce rust though.

 

I think Rust is covered but isn't it only covered on the body? I don't know if the warranty covers the drive shaft, differential etc. Might be ok for the bumper...but still after this short of a period of time?C'mon dodge, thats ridiculous.My old car was 6yrs old and completely rust free inside and out including the underbody. I figured it might have had something to do with the road salt...but I sprayed everything off within 72hrs of driving in the snow and it rained for a couple days after that so I figured alot of the salt would be off the road.

I forgot to mention I went to the dealer and they said that most times rust is a poor maintenence issue......what?? I haven't even had the truck long enough to need its first maintenence. If this thing needs that much maintenence that it rusts after only 1000K then its gonna fall apart in the driveway after a year...lol

 

yeah a dealers gonna look for just about anything to deny a claim

but you bought it new from the dealer, i now the 08s have a lifetime powertrain but what about a 36k bumper to bumper

there should be some stuff you can spray underneath your truck to help prevent rust.

 

Ya, apparently I should have gone straight from the dealership to an undercoating place the day I picked up the truck....I thought I would be safe till the start of next winter

 

are u beign sarcastic? in case you aren't, there is stuff you spray under your car to prevent it.

it's like a rhinoliner-esque undercoating. but, i'm here in chicago, and there is soo much salt here in winters. i go to a detail center once a week to get it cleaned inside and out (it's $6.95 before 10:30am...and you'll never believe how good of a job they do for that cheap, and for $2 buck extra then drive it over their undercarraige cleaning thing that has "rust inhibitor" in it...whatever the **** that is.


for chicago people: http://pierresdetailcenter.com/
even if you're an hour away, it's worth it. this guy, pierre, is so picky and he has those mexicans working alllll over your car. they even have a waiting room with a plasma and some poker and ****. go for a regular wash, you're in/out less than 1/2 hour, but sometimes a 1/2 hour line to get into garage door.

 

well seeing that you cannucks are sooooo pro environment just go to the dealership and threaten to throw a mcdonalds wrapper on their lot, thatll get them to fix it. HAHAHAHA

but the rust should be covered.... although it may be diff up north, im in texas so we dont have to deal witht that crap so ive never heard of rust being denied so shortly after purchase...

 

I had the squeaky brake pedal also...I brought the truck in for other stuff and they lubed the pedal. Hasn't squeaked since..

 

No, I wasn't being sarcastic....I was planningon getting the underbody coated but didn't figure I would have to do it as soon as I picked the truck up. We weren't forcast to get any more snow after I picked up the truck so I thought I would be safe to hold off for the summer and get it done in the fall

 

You're going to get surface rust on things under the car no matter what the vehicle is or where you drive it. If it's exposed, raw metal and it isn't stainless, it'll rust almost immediately.

Have the dealerhsip fix the other issues. I wouldnt' be surprised to hear there's nothing wrong with the engine. There are a lot of parts under there - some of them might just whirr! [8D]