2003 DODGE RAM 3500 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS DEVELOPING CRACKS THROUGHOUT THE SURFACE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THIS FAILURE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 276,000.

2003 DODGE 3500 DASH CRACKING SEVERELY. YOU TOUCH IT AND YOUR FINGER GOES THROUGH IT. I CUT MY FINGER TWICE PASSING IT OVER THE DASH TO TRY TO CLEAN IT. YOU GUYS KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM BUT YOU SAY IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I DISAGREE CUT FINGER TWICE AND NOW THE WIRING IS GETTING SO HOT BEING EXPOSED TO THE SUN IT IS A HAZARD. *TR

2003 DODGE RAM HEAVY DUTY TRUCK BEGAN TO GET CRACKES IN DASHBOARD AROUND YR 2009 2 LARGE CRACKS ARE NOW IN DASHBOARD. *TR

FAILED COMPONENTS= DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUNVISOR DRIVERS SIDE SUNVISOR FAILS TO REMAIN IN THE FULLY UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN PASSING OVER A BUMP, RESULTING IN REDUCED FORWARD VISIBILITY AND DISTRACTION TO DRIVER. SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF PASSENGER SIDE SUNVISOR RESULTS IN DECREASED VISIBILITY TO DRIVERS RIGHT. INVESTIGATION THROUGH DODGE TRUCK WEBSITES REVEAL THIS PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY OTHERS AND THAT DODGE REDESIGNED THE SUNVISOR IN 2005 MODEL YEAR. THERE IS NO AVAILABLE REPAIR, JUST A FULL REPLACEMENT OF SUNVISORS AT A COST OF UP TO $150.00 (PARTS/LABOR) AS DOCUMENTED ON DODGE TRUCK WEBSITES. SUNVISORS ON SUBJECT VEHICLE ARE NOW SECURED VIA SAFETY PINS AND VELCRO STRIPS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL VISOR MOVEMENT.

I HAVE A BLACK 2003 DODGE 3500 RAM. THE DASH HAS CRACKED IN 3 PLACES OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS. I JUST NOTICED ONE DAY THAT THERE WAS A CRACK AND THEN SEVERAL MONTHS LATER ANOTHER CRACK SPLIT ACROSS THE DASH. NOW IN THE PAST YEAR ANOTHER CRACK HAS APPEARED. THIS DASH IS CRACKING AND I HAVE USED A SUNSHIELD TO PROTECT IT. THE SUNSHIELD DOES NOT SEEM TO HELP, IT JUST CRACKS NO MATTER WHAT. *KB

THE HAND GRIP IN THE CAB OF THE PICKUP HAS BROKEN AWAY TWICE SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE. THIS TIME I WRENCHED MY BACK WHEN THIS BROKE AWAY. I CONFRONTED DODGE DEALER AND THEY SAID ITS NOT A LIFTING HANDLE BUT AN ASSIST HANDLE? IF THEY PUT IT IN THE TRUCK THEY SHOULD MAKE IT SAFE ENOUGH SO THAT SOMEONE WON'T GET HURT

I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK, DASH PANEL IS SEVERELY CRACKED AND COMING APART IN SEVERAL PLACES, THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED AS EARLY AS JUNE 2006 TO THE NHTSA, THIS IS A MFG. DEFECTIVE THAT HAS EFFECTED MANY TRUCK OF THIS MODEL, I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF THE INTERIOR OF THE TRUCK, MY BROTHER HAS A 2002 AND ITS THE SAME WAY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, CAN'T LAY ANYTHING ON IT, HAVE TO WARE GLOVES WHEN YOU CLEAN. *TR

SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN IT IS DAMP OR RAINING. DOESN'T OCCUR WHEN IT IS DRY. REVS UP ON ITS OWN, EVEN IN GEAR WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. IT HAS DONE THIS AT LEAST ONCE. WHEN FIRST CRANKED UP IT HAS REVVED UP WIDE OPEN. IT HAS DONE THIS AT LEAST TWICE. WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN ACCELERATING AND YOU LET UP ON THE ACCELERATOR A LITTLE IT ACTS JUST LIKE YOU HAVE TAKEN YOUR FOOT COMPLETELY OFF THE ACCELERATOR. IT HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES. AFTER THE WEATHER DRIES UP AND YOU CRANK IT A FEW TIMES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL GO OFF. THE LIGHT WILL STAY OFF UNTIL THE NEXT TIME IT IS DAMP AND IT DECIDES TO GO CRAZY. THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES BACK ON JUST AS SOON AS THE ENGINE STARTS TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. I THINK THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TR

MY 2003 DODGE 3500 TRUCKS DASH BOARD IS BROKEN/CRACKED IN SEVERAL PLACES. I HAVE REPORTED IT TO DODGE AND THEY HAVE OFFERED TO REPLACE IT WITH A 1000.00 CO-PAY. THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE DANGEROUS AS BROKEN PARTS CAN BECOME DIS-LODGED DURING A COLLISION AND CAUGHT BY THE AIR BAGS. PLEASE KEEP ON DODGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING HERE. I WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP WITH THE COSTS BUT 1000.00 IS TO MUCH! *TR

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2003 DODGE 3500 QUAD CAB HAD DEVELOPED CRACKS WHICH HAS SPLIT THE DASH INTO PIECES DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AND DIRECTLY OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE CRACKS AND BROKEN DASH PIECES WILL NOT ALLOW THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH AND NOT ONLY WILL THE AIRBAG HARM THE PASSENGER, THE BROKEN PIECES OF DASH WILL BE DANGEROUS AS WELL. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED, AND IS IN GOOD CONDITION. THE DASH CRACKED AND BROKE AS A RESULT OF NORMAL DRIVING; THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WILL NOT PAY TO REPLACE THE DASH. NOT ONLY WILL THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY DUE TO THE CRACKED AND BROKEN DASH AND THREATEN THE PASSENGER, IT COULD ALSO DEPLOY IN A MANNER HAZARDOUS TO THE DRIVER. THIS IS A DEFECT MANY 2003-2005 DODGE 3500 TRUCK OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED AND IS WIDELY DISCUSSED ON INTERNET FORUMS. DODGE 3500 2003 MODEL DASHBOARDS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED BY DEALERS BECAUSE THE DEFECTIVE DASHES INSTALLED BY DODGE ARE A HIGH SAFETY HAZARD FOR PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS AS WELL DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY WILL NOT ALLOW THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. WHILE I MUST INCLUDE AN INCIDENT DATE BELOW THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AND EXPANDED OVER THE COURSE OF 2010. *TR