Dodge Ram Complaints (2003)

2,323 consumer complaints on file.

#10044469November 25, 2003
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH SUDDENLY STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN AND LOCKED UP. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE STEERING GEAR BOX BEING TIGHTENED TOO TIGHT AT TIME OF MANUFACTURING, PER DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PART. *AK *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10047446November 24, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
I HAVE A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB - AT APPROXIMATELY 5400 MILES, THE FRONT END BEGAN TO SHAKE LIKE THE ROTORS WERE POSSIBLY WARPED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WERE DEFINITELY WARPED. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED, BUT I HAVE A REALLY BIG PROBLEM QUESTION. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? I DON'T DRIVE THE TRUCK HARD OR USE EXCESSIVE BRAKING, BUT I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING OTHER '03 DODGE RAM OWNERS AND WARPED ROTORS AT LOW MILEAGES (HTTP://WWW.DTWTRUCKS.COM/FORUMS/TOPIC.TEN?ID=56542L). SHOULDN'T THERE BE A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE ALREADY OR EVEN A RECALL? WITH THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS THAT I'VE SEEN, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH NO ONE WANTS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BUT REPLACE OR TURN THE ROTORS AND LEAVE IT AT THAT. THE WARRANTY ON THE BRAKES ONLY LASTS 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES. IF THEY KEEP WARPING, THEN THE ROTORS WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY 6,000 MILES OR SO FOR AS LONG AS I OWN THE TRUCK. NOT SOMETHING I WANT TO HAVE TO DO. WILL SOMEONE PLEASE FIX THIS BEFORE DODGE IS FACED WITH A POSSIBLE LAWSUIT? SHOULD THAT HAPPEN, I FEEL THERE WILL BE MANY DODGE RAM OWNERS THAT WILL WANT A PART OF THE OUTCOME... *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10047470November 24, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILS TO WORK. I REPLACED THE BULBS (BOTH LEFT & RIGHT SIDE). ONE WEEK LATER DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED AGAIN. ON SEPT. 26, 2003 VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO TOM MANZI DODGE (LAWRENCE, MA), TECHNICIAN SAID CONNECTOR WAS NOT PUSHED ALL THE WAY IN. AFTER VEHICLE WAS SERVICED THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR. I DISCOVERED IF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNED OFF THEN BACK ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS WOULD WORK. I REPORTED MY FINDINGS TO TOM MANZI DODGE AND SCHEDULED SERVICE FOR NOV. 12, 2003. THEIR FINDINGS WERE INCONCLUSIVE. I WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN AS THE PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. I INFORMED THE TECH THIS MAY BE A PROBLEM DUE TO THEIR HOURS OF OPERATION. ON NOV. 22, 2003 VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN OIL CHANGE AT GIANT DODGE (SALISBURY, MA), WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. ON THE WAS TO THE DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. THE TECH WAS PROVIDED WITH THE RECEIPT FROM MANZI DODGE AND NOT TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS OFF, BECAUSE THEY WOULD RESET. THE TECH WORKED ON THE VEHICLE FOR 4 HOURS THEN RESET THE HEADLIGHTS. THAT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TWICE. THE VEHICLE IS SCHEDULED TO BE SERVICED BY GIANT DODGE ON NOV. 28, 2003. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10047497November 24, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED IN LESS THAN 8000 MILES CAUSING A STRONG FRONT-END VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10047504November 24, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WARPED BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE FRONT AND ONCE ON THE REAR OF THE TRUCK. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AT 11700 MILES AND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10049890November 19, 2003
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
PROBLEMS WITH TIRE EQUIPMENT ON 2003 DODGE DIESEL 3500 TRUCK.*MR THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO THE CONSUMER'S TEN POUNDS BELOW THE MINIMUM PRESSURE FOR A SAFE RIDE. THE CONSUMER'S TEST DROVE ONE 3500, BUT DIDN'T LIKE THE ROUGHNESS OF THE RIDE. THE SECOND 3500, THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION RODE MUCH SMOOTHER. THEY HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP TO INSURE IT WAS READY FOR A LONG TRIP. AFTER BEING DRIVEN 3000 MILES, THE VEHICLE HANDLED VERY BAD ON WET AND MUDDY ROADS. CONSUMER HAD THE TIRES CHECKED AND REALIZED IT RODE SMOOTH AT FIRST BECAUSE IT WAS 10 POUNDS UNDER PRESSURE. WHEN INFLATED TO THE PROPER PRESSURE (55) IT RODE ROUGH EVEN AT 40 MPH OR LESS. *PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10047201November 19, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HAVE AN 03 RAM HEMI, 6020 MILES ON IT, BROKE DOWN LAST WEEK. DEALERSHIP THOUGHT IT WAS A FAULTYFUEL INJECTOR CAUSING THE MISSFIRE. IT WAS A BROKEN VALVE SPRING. NOW THEY ONLY WANT TO REPLACE 1 SPRING AND LEAVE 15 POSSIBLY BAD ONES IN IT. HAVE OWNED TRUCK SINCE JULY 2ND 2003. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10047084November 18, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EXHAUST PIPE OUTLET DOES NOT EXTEND OUT PAST THE BODY ON MY 2003 DODGE 3500 TRUCK. IT SEEMS THAT THE PIPE WAS DESIGNED FOR A 2500 OR 1500 MODEL TRUCK, WHICH HAVE NO EXTERNAL FENDERS. I AM UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE PIPE IS SUPPOSED TO BE LONG ENOUGH TO DIRECT THE EXHAUST GASES AWAY FROM, NOT UNDER, THE BODY. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10047101November 18, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
BROKEN IGNITION WIRES IN STEERING COLUMN DUE TO USE OF TILT STEERING OR GENERAL TURNS. ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN, THE WIRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED LEAVING WIRING EXPOSED TO PINCH POINTS WHICH EVENTUALLY BROKE THE WIRES. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10048069November 17, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES. HOWEVER, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10046871November 13, 2003
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, 65 MPH AND ABOVE, ALL 2003 AND 2004 RAM TRUCKS WITH FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VIBRATE BECAUSE OF A NEW ENGINEERING DESIGN. I HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND CHRYSLER, WHILE THEY KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM AND MADE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE PINION GEAR, INSISTS IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A NEW DESIGN BY WHICH THE FRONT DRIVE PINION IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES SPINS CONTINUOUSLY, EVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS DESIGN IS NOT NORMALLY USED IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF VIBRATION ISSUES. IT MAKES THE MIRRORS SHAKE AND ALSO MAKES OCCUPANTS NAUSEOUS. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, IF A 65 MPH HIGHWAY IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR EVALUATION PRIOR TO PURCHASE (SUCH AS IN MY CASE), THE BUYER IS UNAWARE OF THIS SERIOUS ISSUE. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10046037November 12, 2003
WHEELS
2003 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB 1500 4X2 VEHICLE, ABOUT 5 MONTHS SINCE BUILD AND 3 MONTHS SINCE PURCHASE WITH ABOUT 4,700 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IN A SWERVING MANEUVER TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40-45 MPH THE LEFT REAR TIRE/WHEEL ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. TIRE/WHEEL ASSEMBLY IS TO INCLUDE A BROKEN AXLE SHAFT, BROKEN BRAKE CALIPER MOUNT, BROKEN BRAKE CALIPER, BROKEN ROTOR BACK PLATE, BROKEN EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE, BROKEN BRAKE LINE, DAMAGED 20" WHEEL, AND DAMAGE TO THE AXLE SHAFT HOUSING. DEALERSHIP, AUTOWAY DODGE, IS STRONGLY URGING THE VEHICLE BE TURNED IN AS AN INSURANCE CLAIM AND BEING DIFFICULT ABOUT THE PURSUIT OF A WARRANTY CLAIM. OTHER ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER MANUFACTURER REP WHO LOOKED AT THE TRUCK ON 11/11/2003, AS WELL AS DON ARMSTRONG, DC CUSTOMER SERVICE ORLANDO HAVE YIELDED MORE RELUCTANCE TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AS WELL. SO FAR WE HAVE FOUND SOME OTHERS WHO EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR FAILURE AND WERE LIKEWISE DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE WHILE BEING PRESSURED TO PURSUE IT AS AN INSURANCE CLAIM. ONE AT A REPORTED SPEED OF 3 MPH IN A U-TURN. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045844November 10, 2003
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
WENT TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO REREGISTER. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS AND BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD. BASED ON SEVERAL ESTIMATES, IT WILL COST ME ANYWHERE FROM $500.-$700. TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. MY TRUCK ONLY HAS 61,010 MILES ON IT AND MOST OF THOSE ARE HIGHWAY MILES. WE HAVE NOT TAKEN THIS TRUCK "OFF-ROAD". THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY SERIOUS IF NOT FATAL ACCIDENT IF IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN FOUND. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045867November 10, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
UNSAFE CONDITION OF STEERING WHEEL SHAKE AND BRAKE PEDAL PULSATING BECAUSE BRAKES ARE PULSATING DUE TO ADVANCED AND PREMATURE ROTOR WARPAGE. THIS TRUCK HAS 18K MILES, AND WAS REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY (OBVIOUSLY INEFFECTIVELY) FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045579November 6, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE WARPED AND CAUSED A VIBRATION / PULSATION IN THE BRAKING. DEALER RE-SURFACED THE ROTORS BUT I THINK THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX. WHY WOULD ROTORS WARP AT 5,000 MILES??? MUST BE A DEFECTIVE DESIGN.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10046503November 6, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND WHILE IDLING IT SHIFTS INTO REVERSE. ALSO, VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON HIGH. THEN, IT BEGINS MOVING BACKWARDS AND STOPS, ONCE IT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045621November 6, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
AT 5,000 MILES, MY BRAKES BEGAN TO SHAKE WHEN BRAKING. I SUSPECT WARPED ROTORS DUE TO THE FACT THAT SO MANY OTHER RAMS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND HE JUST WANT TO TURN THEM. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AND DECREASES THE LIFE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF MY BRAKES. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. THIS IS UNSAFE AND UNACCEPTABLE. WHY IS DODGE ALLOWED TO SELL VEHICLES WITH SUBSTANDARD PARTS? MASSIVE DOCUMENTATION ABOUT PROBLEM ON DODGETRUCKWORLD.COM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045428November 4, 2003
SUSPENSION
I OWN A 2003 DODGE RAM 1500, 2WD, 4 DR. AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO BOUNCE, ENOUGH SO THAT A CONVERSATION CANNOT BE CARRIED ON BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER(S). THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WITH THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045283November 2, 2003
WARPING RAKE ROTORS ON DODGE RAM 02-03 PICKUPS. MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET SITES DEDICATED TO DODGE RAM TRUCKS. MY PERSONAL VEHICLE IS NOW STARTING TO EXPERIENCE PULSATION AT THE BRAKE PEDAL AND I WANT TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT NOW BEFORE PURSUING WARRANTY WORK WITH MY DAIMER/CHRYSLER DEALER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045085October 30, 2003
SUSPENSION
EXCESSIVE WHEEL HOP AT 65 -75 MPH. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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