2002 DODGE RAM 1500 Complaints

MY ENGINE LIGHT COME ON ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. HOOKED IT UP TO A CAR READER AND THE CODE IS A 1491. WHICH MEANS RADIATOR FAN CONTROL RELAY CIRCUIT. I CALLED THE DODGE DEALER HERE IN ENUMCLAW WASHINGTON AND THEY TOLD ME $500 TO FIX. SO I CALLED MY MECHANIC AT CASCADE AUTOMOTIVE IN ENUMCLAW AND HE EXPLAINED TO ME THE SITUATION. IF I REPLACE ONLY THE RELAY IF MAY BE ENOUGH BUT THE $500 COST THE DEALER IS CHARGING IS BECAUSE OF THE WIRING HARNESS BURNING UP AND CAUSE A FATAL SITUATION. MY MECHANIC HAS SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE THROUGH HIS SHOP. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY DODGE CORP. AND PAID FOR BY THEM. *JB

THE RETAINING CLIPS FAIL IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL OF ALL 02-2005 (MAYBE 2006) 9.25" LSDS ARE AFFECTED FROM DODGE RAM'S. MINE HAS FAILED ONCE AND HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM IS DODGE JUST REPLACES THEM WITH THE SAME ONES THAT WILL CONTINUE TO FAIL. *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED WHEN THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *PH CONSUMER HAD TWO SURGERIES SINCE THE ACCIDENT AND HAD BEEN UNABLE TO RECEIVE ANY HELP REGARDING THE ACCIDENT. *PH *SC (PASSENGER SUBMITTED REPORT) THE SEAT BELT FAILED AS WELL. UPDATED 07/17/06. *JB *NM UPDATED

CRACKED DASHBOARD IN 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 IT'S CRACKED IN SEVERAL AREAS RIGHT NOW. THE DEALER WAS UNSURE HOW TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION, AS THEY ARE A USED CAR LOT. I NEVER WITNESSED ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE AND SEEING AS HOW I JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A 4 YR OLD TRUCKS DASHBOARD BREAKING UP LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE. I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE AIRBAGS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, OR WORSE YET, BEING DEPLOYED WITH THE SLIGHTEST OF BUMPS FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM OTHER OWNERS, THEY'VE BEEN TOLD THAT DODGE IS BASICALLY BRUSHING THEM OFF, SAYING THAT THEIR VEHICLES ARE PASS THEIR MILEAGE AND WARRANTY AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO FOR THEM. WELL, HERE'S A 2002 DODGE RAM 1500 QUAD CAB WITH BARELY 60,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS NOT YOUR USUAL WEAR AND TEAR ITEM, LIKE A PAIR OF TIRES OR A FAN BELT. IT'S A DASHBOARD. THEY REALLY DO NEED TO REPLACE IT WITH A BETTER ITEM AND ANY OTHERS THAT ARE POSSIBLY OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE BEGAN TO MISFIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT CYLINDERS 1, 3, AND 5 WERE MISFIRING, AND THAT THE SPARK PLUGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A RADIATOR, COOLANT, AC BLOWER FAN, AND SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED, WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. A WEEK AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE AC BLOWER FAN STOPPED FUNCTIONING, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTICED THAT COOLANT WAS DRIED ON THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR AND CAP. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT COOLANT OVERFLOWED. THE MISFIRING PROBLEM RECURRED 2 & 1/2 WEEKS AFTER THE FIRST REPAIR, AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. IT WAS NOTICED THAT COOLANT WAS FOUND INSIDE THE PORTS, AND THE HEADS ON THE ENGINE WERE WARPED. ALSO, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT NEW HEADS WOULD HAVE TO BE INSTALLED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE PAPERWORK STATED EXHAUST FUMES WERE FOUND INSIDE THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER AFTER FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA.

PARKING LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS DO NOT FUNCTION. LAMP OUT INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH IS NOT ON. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED TO BE IN THE FUSE BOX CIRCUIT BOARDS ALSO KNOWN AS THE PDC (POWER DISTRIBUTION CENTER). APPARENTLY CORROSION OCCURS INSIDE THE BOX AND THE GROUND IS LOST. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PART NUMBER IS 56045433AE. THAT PART NUMBER IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND HAS BEEN REPLACED BY PART NUMBER 56045433AF. NEITHER PART IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FROM DODGE DEALERS. THERE DEPOTS ALSO SHOW NO STOCK AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. AS THE CORROSION CONTINUES OTHER ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE LOST RESULTING IN A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *JB

DODGE 1500 RAM TRUCK, ENGINE SEIZED. CHRYSLER CORPORATION WILL NOT HONOR THE CLAIM DUE TO FINDINGS OF SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. I HAVE PROVIDED RECORDS OF MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE. *NM

I HAVE A 2002 DODGE 1500 PICKUP WITH THE LIMITED SLIP REAR DIFFERENTIAL. MY DIFFERENTIAL "CAME APART" AT 37,000 MILES. SINCE MY INCIDENT I HAVE DISCOVERED NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS DIFFERENTIAL IN '02-'05 PICKUPS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I WOULD THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IF THE BROKEN PARTS WERE TO GET INTO THE RING AND PINION GEARS IT COULD CAUSE THE TRUCK TO GO OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASH. THE MANUFACTURE IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT SEEMS UNCONCERNED. I THINK THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. BOB BRANDENBERG. *NM

THE DRIVER WAS GOING 30 MPH AND HIT A TREE. ALL THE FRONTAL PART OF THE VECICLE WAS BENT INWARD AND THE RADIATOR WAS DAMAGED. NEITHER THE FRONTAL NOR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. IT HAS NOT BEEN YET REPORTED TO THE DEALER. THE TRUCK HAD TO BE TOWED AND IT IS CURRENTLY NOT DRIVABLE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE MALFUNCTIONED BY INDICATING HIGH SPEEDS AS THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CALLED AND SUGGESTED A SENSOR MAY HAVE FAILED. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVER THE WEEKEND, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED, AND DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, BUT HAD NOT COMPLETED THE INVESTIGATION. THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR AND PHOTOS WERE TAKEN. ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN.*AK