2002 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

I HAVE A 2002 WITH THE 4.7L THAT I AM HAVING OVERHEATING ISSUES THAT I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. WHEN DRIVING AROUND TOWN OR EVEN ON THE HIGHWAY UNDER 65 MY THERMOSTAT NEVER GOES ABOVE JUST UNDER HALFWAY. DRIVING IN TOWN I HAVE YET TO SEE IT GO ABOVE THAT POINT. HOWEVER, WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IF I INCREASE MY CRUISING SPEED TO 70, MY THERMOSTAT CLIMBS. WHEN GOING 70-75 IT WILL GO UP TO ABOUT THE 1 O'CLOCK POINT BEFORE I SLOW DOWN, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR IT WOULD GO IF I CONTINUED. I REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, FLUSHED THE RADIATOR, REPLACED THE FAN CLUTCH . BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS. *TR

HELLO, I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCK FROM MY FATHER IN-LAW. BEFORE HE SOLD IT TO ME HE MENTIONED THAT THE AIR BLOWER FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATER DOESN'T WORK. HE SAID IT WAS A RECALL THAT HE NEVER TOOK IN TO GET SERVICED. SO I LOOKED THE TRUCK UP ON THE WEBSITE WWW.RECALLS.GOV. AND SURE ENOUGH THERE IT WAS. A RECALL ON THE STEERING COLUMN ELECTRICAL CONNECT. NOW I REMEMBER RIDING WITH MY FATHER IN LAW AND HE WOULD BE CONSTANTLY MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL UP AND DOWN USING THE TILT WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING WOULD CUT OFF AND THAT MADE IT TURN BACK ON. THE PROBLEM IS IS WHEN I GET ON THE DODGE SITE AND SEARCH FOR RECALLS USING THE VIN NUMBER THIS RECALL DOESN'T SHOW UP. I CALLED A DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT DIDN'T SHOW UP EITHER. I FIND IT A LITTLE ODD THAT MY TRUCK DOESN'T SHOW THIS RECALL IS NEEDED WHEN IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THAT THIS STEERING COLUMN ELECTRICAL CONNECT IS THE VERY ISSUE I'M HAVING. AND I RECALL THAT MY FATHER IN LAW HAS HAD THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME MAYBE NOT LONG AFTER HE BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW. I THINK MY TRUCK SHOULD BE HONORED THIS RECALL SERVICE BEINGS IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, WHEN THE CLUTCH PACK CLIPS BROKE OFF AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE GEARS. THE CONTACT STATED THIS CAUSED A FAILURE WITH THE REAR DIFFERIANTIAL. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE REAR END THE VEHICLE LOCKED UP. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A FLAW IN THE METAL AND THE ENTIRE REAR END NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE WHEEL BEARING FRACTURED AND THE KNUCKLE CAME OFF OF THE TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY REPLACED BOTH THE WHEEL BEARING AND KNUCKLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

DASH PANEL CAVING IN AND CRACKING ALL OVER. PARTS OF THE DASH HAVE BROKEN OFF AND FALLEN INSIDE THE CONSOLE CREATING A POSSIBLY DANGEROUS SCENARIO OF DAMAGED WIRING OR DEBRIS FLYING OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD. *TR

WAS DRIVING TRUCK FROM STORE WHEN I STARTED HEARING A LOUD TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE. I TOOK IT TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VALVE SEATS HAD DROPPED. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE RAM 1500 TRUCKS WITH 4.7 L ENGINES. I WENT TO DODGE DEALERSHIP BEFORE GOING TO MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD ME MY PROBLEM WAS THAT I HAD NOT CHANGED MY OIL . I CHANGED MY OIL EVERY 5,000 MILES ON MY OWN BECAUSE EVERYTIME I WOULD TAKE MY TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET OIL CHANGED THEY WOULD CHARGE ME A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR OTHER SERVICES. THEY WOULD TELL ME THAT IF I DIDN'T GET THESE OTHER SERVICES PERFORMED THAT IT WOULD VOID OUT MY WARRANTY. NOW I AM STUCK WITH A TRUCK WITH 116,500 MILES AND I HAVE TO REPLACE AN EXPENSE MOTOR. *TR

DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING IN 2010 AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. IT NOW HAS OPEN HOLES AND COMPLETELY CRACKED. AND SINCE THE LAST FEW MONTHS IT IS CAUSING ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS SITUATION I HAVE NOW FOUND OUT TO BE VERY COMMON FOR MY TRUCK AND NOW REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT COMMON WEAR FOR THIS OR ANY OTHER VEHICLE. CHRYSLER HAS TOLD ME THEY ARE NOT EXCEPTING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PRODUCT FAILURE AND THAT IT'S UP TO ME TO PAY FOR THE COSTLY REPAIRS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS THIS PROBLEM IS CLEARLY A PRODUCT DEFECT THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF AND SHOULD AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER BE FIXED. *TR

DASH CAME APART , CRACKING PIECES FALLING DOWN INSIDE VENTS,SHARP PIECES EVERYWHERE DUE TO POOR MATERIAL AND CHEAP CRAFTSMANSHIP DODGE IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED OVER THEM NOT TAKING CARE OF THIS ISSUE THAT EVERY DODGE OWNER HAS SUFFERED FROM MAN UP AND MAKE IT RIGHT YOU DON'T MIND STICKING YOUR HAND OUT WHEN ITS TIME TO BUY YOUR TRUCKS. *TR

OUR GEARS CAME APART, THERE WAS REAR END FLUID IN THERE BUT THE GEARS CAME APART. WHICH I WAS TOLD WHAT I NEEDED TO DO BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, BUT I WASN'T AND NOW I AM LOOKING AT A $4000 BILL TO GET THIS FIXED. HEARD IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS TO HAVE REAR END ISSUES. *TR

I WAS TOLD THE REAR END BRAKE THE LUBRICANT (REAR END OIL) OUT OF IT BECAUSE I HAD NOT CHANGED THE LUBRICANT TO A SYNTHETIC OIL AND AN ADDITIVE TO KEEP OIL IN LIQUID FORM AND FIGHT HEAT. IF I HAD BEEN LETTING THE DEALERSHIP DO MY MAINTENANCE ON MY TRUCK, THEY WOULD HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THE SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB 03-002-02), WHICH CAME OUT IN JULY 2002, FOUR MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED MY TRUCK NEW. WELL NO ONE TOLD ME AND I FOLLOWED THE OWNERS MANUAL FOR MY MAINTENANCE AND SCHEDULES, WHICH IS NOT CORRECT, ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT DID THE $3002.00 REPAIR. I HAD NEVER DRIVEN MY TRUCK OVER 50 MILES ONE DIRECTION (USED TO PULL BASS BOAT ONLY) UNTIL THE DAY THE REAR END WENT OUT, 500 MILES AWAY FROM HOME. THAT DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ANSWER MY CALLS OR E-MAILS ANYMORE BECAUSE I REQUESTED ON PAPER WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. *TR