2003 DODGE RAM 2500 Complaints

THIS 2003 DODGE 2500 HAS A CRACKED AND CRUMBLING DASHBOARD WHILE DRIVING PIECES OF THE DASHBOARD FLY INTO THE AIR AND HIT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN THE FACE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN I HAVE THE WINDOWS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE REASON I HAVE THE WINDOWS DOWN IS BECAUSE THE AIR CONDITIONING DOESN'T WORK AND I CAN'T GET IT FIXED BECAUSE NO MECHANIC WILL TAKE APART THE DASHBOARD BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED IF IT IS TAKEN APART.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V312000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE I HIT A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD AND EXPERIENCED WHAT HAS BEEN CALLED THE "DEATH WOBBLE". MY STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY FOLLOWED BY THE ENTIRE FRONT END. I LATERALLY SHOOK MY BODY SIDE TO SIDE AIBHARD THAT I HIT MY HEAD ON THE SIDE WINDOW. I HIT THE BRAKES HARD AND ATTEMPTED TO EASE TO THE SHOULDER BUT HAD NO CONTROL UNTIL THE TRUCK SLOWED TO ABOUT 35 MPH. I WAS ONLY FORTUNATE THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES IN DIRECT VICINITY. I CONTINUED MY TRIP 95 MILES AT 55 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAVE TRIED NEW SHOCKS AND TIRES WITH A FRONT END ALIGNMENT, BUT I STILL GET THE SHAKE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT DUE TO THE REDESIGN OF THE PART, THE ENTIRE FRONT END HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. MA 10/5 *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V354000 (AIR BAGS), 15V312000 (AIR BAGS), AND 14V770000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT IT, STARTING ON THE DAY I BOUGHT IT (USED) IN 2008. MADE IT GO AWAY FOR SOME YEARS, DON'T KNOW HOW. COMBINATION OF TIRE PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT, ALIGNMENT, TOE ANGLE? LIMITED MYSELF TO DRIVING LESS THAN 55 MPH. PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP JUST RIGHT AND IT SENDS ONE WHEEL UP, AND THE OTHER DOWN. THAT WHEEL THEN GETS BOUNCED UP, AND SENDS THE OTHER DOWN. IT'S LIKE DRIBBLING TWO BASKETBALLS, AND THE WHOLE FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY. SINCE THIS HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THE TRUCK IS COMPLETELY UNCONTROLLABLE DURING THIS TIME. THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE IT STOP IS TO SLOW DOWN (REMEMBER, YOU'RE ON THE HIGHWAY) TO 40-30 MPH. LAST TIME I CAME BACK FROM QUEENS, IT HAPPENED SEVEN TIMES. IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY, 8/14/15. IT IS DANGEROUS, VIOLENT, AND A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR WHICH DODGE HAS NOT OFFERED A SOLUTION OR RECALL. IT IS COLLOQUIALLY KNOWN AS THE "DODGE DEATH WOBBLE."

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT RESONANT OSCILLATION UPON HITTING A POTHOLE IN THE ROAD. THE ONLY WAY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WAS TO SLOW DOWN BELOW 35 MPH, ONCE THE RESONANT OSCILLATION OCCURS. I'VE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP LOCALLY, AND THEY HAVE REPLACED ALMOST EVERY FRONT END COMPONENT AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR SEVEN MONTHS DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND IT STILL HAS THE ISSUE. I CANNOT LET MY CHILDREN DRIVE IT, I CANNOT, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, SELL IT. I'M AT A LOSS AS TO A PATH FORWARD.

THIS VEHICLE'S STEERING BEGAN RESONANT OSCILLATION AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE IN THE PAVEMENT. IN ORDER TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, I HAD TO SLOW TO AROUND 30 MPH BEFORE THE OSCILLATION SUBSIDED. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE DODGE DEALERSHIP'S SHOP FOR SEVEN MONTHS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AND THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE. MOST OF THE FRONT END PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, AND THE ISSUE PERSISTS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V770000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V312000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY IN CHICAGO IN HEAVY, HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE DROVE THROUGH A SMALL POTHOLE, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE \ WOBBLE VIOLENTLY FROM THE FRONT END AND CAUSE IMPOSSIBLE STEERING. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS SHAKING \ WOBBLE WAS TO IMMEDIATELY SLOW DOWN TO BELOW 20 MPH CROSSING 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC INTO THE SOFT SHOULDER. IT HAS BEEN REPLICATED MULTIPLE TIMES FROM SPEEDS OF 40 MPH AND UP. AFTER TAKING THIS VEHICLE, A 2003 DODGE RAM 2500 QUAD CAB, 5.7 ENGINE, STOCK WITH ALL CURRENT RECALLS UP TO DATE (EXCEPT THE AIR BAG RECALL WHICH NO ONE HAS PARTS FOR), TO MULTIPLE REPAIR SHOPS AND DODGE DEALERSHIPS, NO EXACT CAUSED HAS BEEN LOCATED INCLUDING FCA (DODGE) STATING THERE IS NO ISSUE. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THIS IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM AS IT CANNOT BE RESOLVED YET. THIS IS A WIDELY KNOWN ABOUT ISSUE IN THESE VEHICLES, COMMONLY REFEREED TO AS THE "DODGE DEATH WOBBLE" AS I HAVE FOUND OUT. FCA AND NHTSA NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO RESOLVE THIS MAJOR ISSUE.