2003 DODGE RAM 3500 Complaints

POWER STEERING LOCKED UP AND COULDN'T TURN TO THE RIGHT. ALSO AFFECTED THE BRAKING SYSTEM AS IT HAS DIESEL ENGINE AND USES THE HYDRA-VAC SYSTEM. WITH NO WARNING IT LOCKED UP AND IT MADE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. TESTS SHOW THE PRESSURE WAS ABOVE NORMAL WHEN TAKEN TO A SHOP. JUST BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IN FEB OF 2005 AND AT THE TIME HAS 45600 MILES ON IT. E-MAILED CHRYSLER MOTOR COMPANY AND INQUIRED IF THEY HAVE HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND THEY REFUSED TO ANSWER. I DO HAVE THE OLD STEERING GEAR BOX AFTER THEY REPLACED IT ALONG WITH A SAMPLE OF THE FLUID. *JB

THE PROBLEM IS IN A 2002 DODGE RAM VAN, STILL UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY. I'VE HAD IT IN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES TO FIX THE HEATER/DEFROST AND THEY CLAIM IT IS WORKING FINE. THE WINDOWS BECOME FOGGED UPON USING THE HEATER AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE WINDOWS, WHICH IS VERY SCARY TO DRIVE AND THE VAN IS TO BIG FOR THE DRIVER TO REACH THE WINDOWS AND CLEAN THEM OFF MANUALLY WITH A PAPER TOWEL. IF YOU PUT THE DEFROSTER ON HIGH THE FRONT WINDOW CLEARS UP, BUT THE SIDE WINDOWS NEVER CLEAR UP AND YOU FREEZE BECAUSE THERE IS NO HEAT COMING IN. IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR DRIVING THESE BIG VANS THAT THE SIDE WINDOWS BE CLEAR AS THE MIRRORS ARE YOUR ONLY WAY TO SEE BEHIND OF NEXT TO YOU AS THE VAN IS VERY BIG. THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN THE WINDOWS ARE ALL FOGGED. IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND DODGE WILL NOT TRY TO FIX IT AS THEY CLAIM IT IS WORKING PROPERLY. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WE ARE FEARFUL OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHEN VISIBILITY IS WORSE. YOUR FEET ARE LIKE BLOCKS OF ICE ALL THE TIME. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG AND DODGE CLAIM THAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO WORK THIS WAY. I THINK IF THIS IS TRUE THAT THERE IS A SEVERE DESIGN FLAW THAT SHOULD BE RESEARCHED. I'M NOT SURE WHAT MY NEXT STEP OF RECOURSE IS. PLEASE ADVISE OR HELP IF YOU CAN. *AK *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S HUB. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

GOODYEAR WRANGLER RSA 235/80R17 LOAD RANGE E. DOT# MDABJ1WV3102. RAPID AIR LOSS DUE TO THE SIDEWALL CRACKS WHICH HAVE DEVELOPED WITH HALF AN INCH OF THE RIM. NOW THE SIDEWALL HAS FAILED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

I HAVE A 2003 DODGE 3500 4X4 TRUCK. AT 25,000 MILES I NOTICED THE FRONT TIRES STARTING TO WEAR IMPROPERLY. AFTER CHECKING OUT THE FRONT END I FOUND ALL 4 BALL JOINTS IN THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK VERY LOOSE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DODGE DEALER 4 TIMES TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AND ONE TIME TO CORRECT A PROBLEM THEY CAUSED WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WHEN THEY REPAIRED THE BALL JOINTS.*AK

MY 2003 DODGE RAM 4X4 DIESEL VIBRATES AND SHAKES TO THE POINT THAT IT FEELS AS THOUGH I WILL LOOSE CONTROL AND IT IS OBVIOUS TO THOSE AROUND THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH OVER ROUGH PATCHES. IT TAKES A STEADY GRIP OF THE WHEEL AND TAPPING THE BRAKES DOWN TO ABOUT 40 MPH'S TO GET IT TO STOP. *AK

4TH TIRE FAILURE, GOODYEAR LT235?80R17 SEVERAL SIDE WALL TIRE SPLITS,BOTH OUTER SURFACES OF TIRE. TIRE HAD 10/32 OF 15/32 TREAD REMAINING, THIS TIRE IS ONE ALREADY REPLACED BY GOODYEAR. THE CASING IS AT WEST TIRE SVC, 4000 HWY 281 NORTH, MARBLE FALLS ,TX78654, PHONE 830/693-0475, FAX: 830/693-0602. WOULD BE NICE IF YOU IMPOUNDED TIS TIRE FOR EXAMINATION AND FACT FINDING BEFORE THEY SHIP IT AWAY. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR CURB BOUNCE INVOLVED, JUST A FAULTY TIRE AND IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT ALL MY DRIVING ON MICHELIN TIRES NEVER HAD A MESS LIKE THIS ONE AND MY DRIVING STYLE HAS NOT CHANGED. *NM

READING YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT DODGE DURANGO AND DAKOTA GAVE ME SOME SATISFACTION OF MY ISSUE. I HAVE 03 DODGE RAM WITH INFERIOR/FAULTY BALL JOINTS. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO GET THE DEALER TO ADDRESS WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE ARGUMENT IS OVER HOW MUCH PLAY IS ALLOWED. INDEPENDENT SHOPS WILL NOT ALIGN AND SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE. I CONTACTED DODGE TO ATTEMPT TO GET INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF OWNERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINT AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS PROPRIETARY INFORMATION. THIS GENERATION OF DODGE MUST USE A DIFFERENT BALL JOINT THAN THE PRIOR GENERATION. I SAW YOUR ALERT AND WAS CURIOUS IF IT INCLUDED THE RAM PICK UP? ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *JB

WHENEVER MY TRUCK IS LOADED TO MGCW AND I HAVE TO MAKE A QUICK STOP, IF THE ABS RELEASES TO REGAIN WHEEL SPIN UP, THE BRAKING NEVER COMES BACK TO ANYTHING LIKE IT WAS BEFORE THE ANTI SKID RELEASED. THE BRAKING IS DEFINITELY VERY DANGEROUS IF THE ABS ENGAGES ON A QUICK STOP. IF THE ABS ENGAGES YOU HAD BETTER BE LOOKING FOR SOMEPLACE TO GO BECAUSE YOU AREN'T GOING TO STOP. I'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN TWICE IN 47000 MILES AND I CONSIDER IT AN URGENT SAFETY FACTOR. I HAVE DRIVEN TRUCKS WITH ABS SINCE THEY CAME OUT AND THIS ONE IS DANGEROUS. *JB

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND MOVED ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK